“Hunter’s first court hearing is in two weeks, the DA wants you to testify against him. They were able to find his DNA from the rape kit they performed on you that night.”
My blood went cold, my ears started ringing and thundering from the blood rushing through them. “I…I can’t.” I tried to protest.
Mom and Sydney both walked over to where I was sitting, “We will ALL be in there with you. If he so much as looks at you in the wrong way he will be removed from the room.” Mom said.
“Harley, show him that you’re strong don’t let him have that power over you. The DA found more on Hunter, we think you’ll really want to hear it.”
I wiped my face, I had started crying and didn’t even realize it, I looked at Lucifer. “You can do this Harley. Absolutely NOBODY will be able to get to you. If he so much as tries—I’ll shoot him myself.” He said. I took a deep breath and squeezed Ryder’s hand.
“I don’t want to but I will. I want to see the look on his face when he realizes that he is going to regret doing this to me for the rest of his life. I can and will get better—he can’t.”
Sydney hugged me, “That’s my strong girl.” She whispered.
Chapter 23
All of us were hoping that Harley would never have to see Hunter’s face again, so when the DA called and said they wanted her to testify, I wasn’t happy. But, if it would put him away faster and for longer, I knew she would do it. Even though his life span would be very short once he went to prison.
I was still staying at her parents place with her, every morning I would go to my shop and work until dark then go back to their place. The week before the trial she met me at the door, “I want to go stay at your place.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying here. You and your mom have been making me a little fat though.” I kissed her.
Her face was serious when I pulled away, “I need to be with you Ryder and I’m not doing that in my parent’s house.”
“Be—be with me?” There was no way I was going to have sex with her. Although it had been weeks I didn’t want to risk her relapsing with memories since she had come so far.
“Yes, like I want to do the things we used to do before…I just need to feel you Ryder.”
I nodded my head, “Okay. Do your mom and dad know?”
She laughed, “My dad was the one that said I needed to get laid or quit bitching. I know he didn’t mean it to sound harsh but I really think it will help me.”
“We’ll go at your pace, okay?”
She grabbed my hand and practically pulled me to my pickup.
We didn’t talk much on the way to the house; she stared out the window at the lowering sunset and hummed along with the music on the radio. When we pulled into the driveway I put the pickup in Park and we both just set there, not moving to get out. She blew out a breath then got out. I followed behind her. Inside she walked over to the mantle and stared at the collage that Star had made for her. I stood behind her with my hands resting on her shoulders. “Who would have thought my life would change so much. I’m scared I’ll never be that girl again.” Harley said. I turned her around and cupped her face in my hands.
“You’re right, you’ll never be that woman again. You’ll be stronger.” I kissed her softly, giving her time to pull away or to feel her shake but she didn’t. “You’re beautiful, strong.” I kissed her neck and she rolled her head to the side, her pulse was thumping in her neck so I sucked on it gently and felt the familiar soft goose bumps against my lips. “You’re amazing.” I inhaled her exotic scent. She slid her hands up my arms, slightly shaky but she kept moving them until she clasped her hands behind my neck.
“Keep talking,” she smiled, “I love your voice, the feel of your lips against my skin, your breath against it sends a searing heat throughout my body. I love your eyes, the way you look at me like I’m the only one in this world that can do the same to you as you do to me.”
I kissed her, “Stop talking you’re using all my lines.” I said. She laughed.
Our kiss started soft and slow, our hands explored each other’s bodies. I let Harley set the pace, she slowly undressed herself and then undressed me until we were both naked in the middle of the living room. I backed up to the couch and tried to lie down and pull her with me but she pushed me down then straddled my lap. “Slow down baby.” I whispered before I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth and caressed her other breast and nipple with my hand. Her fingers were tangled in my hair, her back arched pressing her tits closer to me. I stroked one hand up and down her leg then moved it to the inside, I hesitated in case she needed me to stop. She grabbed my hand and moved it to her pussy. Her hips rocked back and forth with each circle I made against the small hard bundle of nerves of her clit. I slid a finger between her folds, she was wet and hot. When she leaned up on her knees my cocked stiffened at the contact of the heat. “Easy.” I whispered. She gripped my cock and positioned at her entrance and slowly eased down.
“Oh…” she gasped and sank down further until she couldn’t take anymore of me inside of her. The tip of my cock was pressed firmly against her cervix. Up and down in a slow rhythm she coated my dick with her pussy, our eyes stayed connected the entire time. “I love you.” She breathed out. I would never get tired of hearing those three words coming from her.
“I love you too.” She leaned forward and started kissing me. With my hands on her perfect ass cheeks I helped her move up and down. When I pistoned my hips up as she sank down she threw her head back.
“Again.” She moaned out.
“Open your eyes Harley.” I moved my hands to her hips so I could pull her down and feel her clit rub against me. Slowly she opened her eyes, “I’m about to come, it’s been a while.” I panted out. Her pussy was pure heaven for me, I could feel every little orgasm she had. The muscles inside tightened and her pussy flooded with come. “Fuck.” I grunted trying to hold off my own release.
I reached between us and started rubbing circles against her clit, she started moving her hips back and forth faster and faster until she slouched forward with her orgasm. I shot my come inside of her with the tip of my dick touching her cervix. “Oh my god…that was amazing.” She breathed out.
“Sorry I didn’t make it last longer.” I told her. She pushed away and looked at me.
“It was amazing, don’t ever think differently.”
Without taking her off of my lap I stood and walked to my bedroom and started the shower. She laughed and tried to get me to put her down. “Fuck no, because we are going to do that again if that’s okay with you.” I said.
One thing I discovered, I needed to get a bigger hot water heater because the hot water didn’t seem to last very long. Although Harley tried to protest that it was me taking my time torturing her. I denied such accusation, I simply wanted to make sure that the second time around was more memorable for her.
That night while she slept, the small bedside lamp casting a low golden town over her skin, I stared at her beautiful face. I thought about what Hunter had done to her. He took something from her, she didn’t deserve any of what he did to her. I had laid awake many nights thinking of different ways I could help her…fix her. The Harley I had fallen in love with was still inside but on the outside she tried to wear a mask over the fear and uncertainty of what would happen next. I wanted to hold her and kiss her, to take away the pain both physical and mental. Those weeks of not being able to touch her, hearing her nightmares and not being able to hold her gutted me. Watching her scrub at her skin until it turned bright red as she mumbled about not being clean tore my heart out. Hunter didn’t just hurt Harley, he impacted both of our families. One night after Harley had went to bed, Bryan and I sat up in the kitchen talking, it was what we both needed. “I just hate how some days she seems to be getting better then the next day it’s harder. One step forward two steps back and I feel like I’m doing something wrong.” I told her dad.
He shook his head, “You’re doing great, it
’s just going to take some time. I’ve never wanted somebody dead as much as I want that son of bitch dead. I can’t and won’t forgive the motherfucker for doing this to her. I hate that for the rest of her life this will haunt her even with you right beside her. I just hope that as the years go by she’ll be able to help others, I think that would be a big stepping stone for her knowing that she’s not alone with this type of thing.”
I kissed Harley on the forehead and whispered my words of love before I drifted off to sleep with my arm resting over her hips.
~~~~
As the week went by Harley started getting nervous. Something I learned about her when she is nervous, she cleans—everything at least twice. I tried to hide that I was nervous too but the two of us were both a ball of nerves. Sarah was staying with us since she was called by the D/A to testify on Harley’s behalf. I stayed busy painting several tanks and frames, the girls stayed in side and worked on different clothing line stuff for Sarah. We all watched movies and played board games. Sunday night our families came out to the house and made supper. The mood was light but anybody that walked in would be able to tell we were all slightly on edge. None of us talked about what would happen the following day. Before everybody left Harley made one request, “I want to be able to see Ryder at all times. I have to be able to see him.”
“That can be done. We’ll meet you guys there a little before eight.” Her dad hugged her then they all left.
Sarah hugged the both of us then went to bed.
~~~~
The courthouse was packed, “Why are so many of the girls from the dorm here?” Harley whispered asking Sarah.
“I have no idea.” Sarah was just as confused as I was. We stood in the cold hallway and waited for the bailiff to open the doors. At eight o’clock sharp, a large behemoth of a guy opened the doors and called out Russell vs. Jannison.” He stepped out of the way and we filed into the courtroom.
“I feel sick Ryder.” Harley said. Her hands were clammy and she was shaking.
“Hey—look at me.” I lifted her chin. Her skin was pale and her eyes were starting to tear up. “You keep your eyes on me.” I swiped my thumb across her heart tattoo. She knew what I was saying without having to say.
Harley nodded her head, “Okay.”
Wearing a bright orange jump suit, hands cuffed and shackled by a chain that connected to the ankle cuffs…Hunter Jannison walked in. Each small step he took the chain clanked. He didn’t look at anybody in the court room he looked straight at the floor. Bryan’s knee was bouncing shaking the entire bench we were seated in. I looked around the courtroom and spotted Cheyenne, Hunters wife.
“Who is that?” Harley asked.
I shook my head, “His wife.”
Harley’s mouth popped open and her eyes got big, “Wife?!” she whisper shouted.
I nodded my head, “I’m sure it’s Ex-wife by now.”
The District Attorney wasted no time getting the proceedings started. “On behalf of the Russell family, your honor. We want this to move along as quickly as possible, Ms. Russell has suffered enough she deserves some closure.”
“Proceed.” The woman judge said and leaned back in her chair.
Over the next hours numerous women were called to the stand, each was asked why they were there. And each one had the same story, “I know that he was the one that attacked me the night that I set off the emergency alarm on campus. He asked me if I knew Harley and I told him that I wasn’t sure who she was. He told me that if I went to the cops about him he would tell dean Shelton that I had been making sexual advances toward him.”
I was speechless and so was Harley.
Sarah told the recap of all the events and glared at Hunter the entire time. “He tried to ruin my best—my sister.” When she started to cry she was dismissed from the stand. When it was Harley’s turn to get on the stand it was me that felt like I was going to hurl. For the first time since he entered the courtroom Hunter actually lifted his head and looked at the witness stand. Bryan’s leg stopped bouncing and his muscles coiled. Harley’s eyes bounced from Hunter to me, but she kept her nerves in check and answered every question that both attorneys asked her.
When they time came for Hunter to take the stand he declined. “Mr. Jannison do you understand that you are waving your right to testify on your behalf?”
“Yes, your honor.”
It was four o’clock when the jury went into the deliberation room. That left only one hour for them to make their ruling.
We were walking around outside so we could get fresh air when Cheyenne timidly approached us. “Harley?”
“Yes?” Harley stared at her.
“I just want to tell you how very sorry I am that this happened to you. I had no idea that he was such a monster. I filed for an emergency divorce the day he was arrested and made him sign over his parental rights to our daughter Lillian. Do you know what he told me?” Harley shook her head no. “That he never wanted her anyways. I want you to know that if you need anything, anything at all, you call me. I’m nothing like Hunter.” Tears rolled down Cheyenne’s face. “I’m so sorry.” She whispered and turned to walk away.
“Cheyenne, wait!” Harley caught her by the elbow. “I’m sorry that you went through so much hurt too. I had no idea that he was married.” Since she was in the courtroom she had heard Harley’s testimony against Hunter and how they met.
“You’ll get through this, it might take more time but with your family and friends you’ll have a great life.”
Harley stepped forward and hugged Cheyenne. When the courthouse doors opened and the same bailiff called our names we went back inside.
Hunter turned to watch us as we walked in, his eyes never left Harley. It took all I had not to rush toward him and snap his neck.
“All rise!” The judge walked in then the jury filed in. “You may be seated.”
After asking the jury if they had reached a verdict the judge asked them to read it to the court.
“We the Jury find Hunter Charles Jannison, guilty of—“
In the end he was charged with six aggravated assaults, six first –degree sexual assaults, falsifying legal documentation at the college, stalking, and the attempted murder of Harley.
His prison sentence was fifty five years with no chance of parole.
“Mr. Jannison, do you have anything to say to the courts?” the judge asked.
There was a long silence, “No.” was all he said then he turned and looked at Harley. I stood as did Bryan and dad along with the brothers from Rail Riders and Devil Riders. Hunter swallowed loudly then walked with assistance out of the court room.
Chapter 24
I couldn’t even look at Cheyenne before I walked out of the courtroom. Instead I wanted to see Harley one more time. For just a brief second our eyes connected before she looked down. Fear, hurt, and anger flashed across her face.
Every night I fell asleep it was Harley’s face that I saw when I closed my eyes. It was always Harley.
The first month in prison I managed to stay away from the hard core inmates. That didn’t last very long though. Somehow Harley’s family had connections with people on the inside. I won’t even tell you what they did to me, if you use your imagination I’m sure you can figure it out. I attempted suicide numerous times until I was put in solitary confinement and twenty four hour watch.
One weekend I was yanked out of my cell and practically dragged to the visitor center. On the other side of the glass stood Harley’s dad. He pointed at the phone and picked the receiver up on his side of the glass.
“You look like shit.” He stated flatly. I said nothing back. He laughed slightly and shook his head, “You know, I would think you would have something to say. But you show no remorse, none. Somewhere in that sick fucking head of yours you probably still think about my daughter. I’m here to tell you that when you get back to your cute little cell there’s a razor blade under your pillow. Don’t attempt shit, do my daughter a favor and kill yo
urself. She scared that you’re dumbass is going to escape these walls. If you would somehow get out, just know I’ll blow your brains out.” The clank of the phone being slammed down brought me back to reality.
I hung up the receiver and went back to the cell. The guard had to have known what Bryan had said. He stood in on the other side of the door and watched me walk over to the bed and lift the pillow. There was one rusty razor. “I love you Harley.”
Chapter 25
I was hoping that after the court hearing was over that things would get easier for me. In a way they did but I was constantly worried that Hunter would somehow escape the maximum security prison. I was constantly looking over my shoulder, my nightmares had started to come less frequently, but I was still scared.
Not long after he went to prison Ryder got a phone call that Hunter had killed himself in the cell. I knew that one of the MC’s probably had a hand in it, but I felt no sorrow when Ryder told me.
I continued to see my counselor and started doing classes online for my elementary education degree. The local community college offered the rest of the classes I would need to finish without having to go back to Washington.
Sarah’s career in modeling skyrocketed, she was on the cover of numerous magazines, went to numerous red carpet events, and her clothing line was finally off the ground and running. She surprised me when she told me that she started a charity for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. Each portion of her sales she donated and had numerous other donations given already. We talked almost every single day, she would face time me during photo shoots so I could “Be there” with her. Ryder and I tried numerous times to get her to admit that her and Clayton had some kind of relationship but she would just laugh and say. “Big girls need loving too!”
Unstoppable Page 18
