Saturday (Timeless Series #6)

by E. L. Todd

  Our plane was leaving in the morning, but it didn’t seem like we’d get any sleep prior to that. But neither one of us seemed to care. Maybe we would miss our flight altogether. Maybe we would just do this—and never stop.

  Rainbows and Butterflies

  Kyle

  I was going to tell her the truth.

  I swear.

  But then she told me she loved me.

  And I forgot about everything else.

  I knew she was fond of me and we were going somewhere, but I hadn’t expected her to say those words out loud. And I didn’t expect her to say them at the night of my mother’s wedding.

  When she did, everything else faded away. I’d spent my whole life looking for the right woman to settle down with. That cliché image, the house with the picket fence, two dogs, and a wife and two kids was exactly what I wanted. I kept trying to force that on Francesca because I loved her, but in the end I realized she wasn’t the right one for me.

  It was Rose.

  Now that I’d found her everything made sense. We may not have a marriage and kids right away, but they would happen someday. She was the person who completed me.

  And I couldn’t believe my luck that she was so perfect.

  We returned from France and got back to our regular lives. Rose had a project to work on, and I was due in court.

  The trial was starting.

  Now that Rose told me she loved me the trial was even more difficult. I was personally invested in this case, and if I didn’t win I’d kill myself. Both Rose and Audrey needed justice, and I was going to make it happen.

  “How are you doing?” Mark walked into my office and watched me gather my briefcase. It was early in the morning, too early for everyone else to be there. I was only there because my case started at nine and I had to get my things together.

  “I’m ready to nail this piece of shit to the wall. So, I’m great.” I pulled the satchel over my shoulder then adjusted my tie. The idea of handcuffing myself to my desk didn’t seem like such a bad idea. I wasn’t sure if I could stop myself from strangling Peter with my bare hands.

  “I hope you’ve decided to use Rose as a witness.” He stood with his hands in his pockets, quickly overstaying his welcome.

  “No.”

  “Kyle, let me sit in on this. I can help you.”

  “I don’t want any help.” I didn’t need any help.

  “I went through this with Rose the first time. I’m a behemoth of information.”

  “I read all your files, Mark. I appreciate the offer but I can handle this solo.”

  Mark bowed his head, deterred.

  “I’ll get him, alright?” I clapped him on the shoulder before I walked out.

  “And I think Rose is the best way to make that happen.”

  I wasn’t bringing her into this. And honestly, I didn’t think it would make a difference anyway. It would only remind the jury that he’d been claimed innocent once. I wouldn’t want to give them another reason to think he may be innocent. “With all due respect, you lost her case. And I’m going to win this one.”

  ***

  The trial began with the opening statements. Since I was the prosecutor I went first. I paced around the courtroom, in perfect view of the jury. My good looks and nice suit were bound to make an impression on them. But it was my words that would carry the most weight. “Peter Gamble isn’t the innocent man you hope he is. He’s the kind of man you fear for your daughters. He’s a predator, lurking on the Internet under a false name and good looks. Once he snags something in his net, he pulls it in. To make things worse, he charges money for other men to get in on the scheme.” I swallowed the lump in my throat because this was becoming more difficult than I anticipated. “Audrey Frank was an innocent woman who thought she was going on a blind date. Instead, she was tied down and raped by four different men. Once they were finished, they beat her until she barely clung onto life. I have the evidence, the testimonies, and the witnesses to prove this man is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Thank you.” I walked back to my seat and took a long drink of water. Audrey sat beside me, her head down and her eyes downcast. I patted her on the shoulder. “I’m going to get him, Audrey. I promise.”

  ***

  I was physically and emotionally drained to the point of exhaustion. All I wanted to do was go to bed and never wake up again. It was difficult for me to be in the same room as the man who assaulted the woman I loved.

  It was suffocating.

  Having to talk about the evidence out loud and recount everything that happened that night was agonizing. These things happened to Audrey, but I knew they also happened to Rose. When I pictured them holding her down and doing these things to her bile came into my mouth.

  I wanted to shoot him in the head.

  Somehow, I stayed calm and did my best work. There was no one who wanted a conviction more than I did, and I was going to get one if it was the last thing I did.

  I’d only been home for thirty minutes when there was a knock on my door.

  I knew who it was. “Come in, sweetheart.”

  Rose walked inside with a bag under her arm. Her smile lit up the room like it usually did. “How’d you know it was me?”

  The trial was forgotten the moment I looked at her. “Just a hunch.”

  She set the bag on the table then wrapped her arms around me, giving me a hug that told me how much she missed me that day. “I brought you dinner. I know you must be tired from working on your case.”

  “It hasn’t been bad.” It was easy to lie through my teeth about this since I was protecting her from the truth. “But thank you for dinner.” Instead of kissing her forehead the way I used to I kissed her on the lips. I loved having the liberty to do whatever I wanted, when I wanted. I could take her into the bedroom and have my way with her if that was what I really wanted.

  “You’re welcome. It was just an excuse to see you anyway.”

  I dug my hand into her hair and yanked her back slightly, forcing her to look up at me. “You never need to make up an excuse, sweetheart. You can see me whenever you damn well please.”

  “Yeah? I like that.”

  I kissed her hard on the mouth and felt my dick immediately spring to life. Now I didn’t care about anything else except having her on my bed. I wanted her right then and there—and all night long.

  Backlash

  Rose

  My life had been put back together buy a very special man. Kyle was everything I wanted in another person, and I never thought I could feel this way again. He washed away the taint that stained my body. He removed every impurity, scar, and mark.

  I was going to tell him the truth in France, but when I told him I loved him he said it back. And then I didn’t know what to do. The happiness flooded my body and everything else faded to the background. It didn’t seem important anymore—at least in that moment.

  Now that everything was said and done, I didn’t know what to do. Telling him now may not make much of a difference. But I felt guilty for keeping it from him. Months ago he was interested to know why I was so timid when it came to dating. Now that he was my boyfriend he deserved an answer.

  But I still dreaded telling him.

  ***

  I was at the office when I got a call from someone I hadn’t spoken to in nearly four years.

  “Rose Perkins?” The man’s voice came over the phone.

  “This is she.” I still had no idea who this was. Maybe he was a new customer looking to build something.

  “This is Mark Robinson.”

  I remembered his name but couldn’t place him. How did I know him? Was he a former client?

  “I was your attorney for the trial four years ago…”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” I slapped my forehead in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe I forgot who he was. “Of course. How are you?”

  “Good. You?”

  “I’m great. Just working.” I paused when I realized I didn’t have any idea what he wanted. Why w
as he calling me? “Can I help you with something?” The trial didn’t end the way I wanted. Peter went free, and I changed my apartment and wiped my presence off social media. You couldn’t even find my email.

  “I just thought you should know Peter is back on trial again. Apparently, he’s done the same thing to another woman and there’s substantial evidence against him. The lawyer taking the case said he didn’t want to involve you in it, but I thought you had the right to know what was going on.”

  I listened to everything he said but I couldn’t process it. It took a minute for it to soak into my brain. “Wow…I don’t know what to say.” I was upset he hurt another woman, but I was also grateful he was on the stand again. Maybe this time he would be convicted and put away for the rest of his life. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “You’re welcome. The trial started on Monday and it’ll probably last for two weeks. Not sure if you want to sit in on it but you’re allowed to.”

  I didn’t want to have anything to do with the new case, but I also felt compelled to go. I had to see him pay for his crimes. I had to see him end up in jail.

  I had to. “I’m surprised I wasn’t asked to testify.” I didn’t want to take the stand, but I would do whatever it took to put Peter away.

  “The attorney on this case said it was best to leave you out of it.”

  “Why?”

  “Since he was claimed innocent in your trial, he thought it may sway the jury in a bad direction.”

  “I see…”

  “I’m pretty sure he’s going down this time, Rose. I have a good feeling about it.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Well…take care.”

  “Thank you, Mark.” I hung up then stared at the surface of my desk, trying to take in all the information that was just dropped on me. Peter didn’t stop even after he was almost put in jail for the rest of his life. The fact he continued the same behavior was absolutely despicable. Even though it wouldn’t do me any good I needed to attend that trial.

  I needed to watch him burn.

  ***

  I got into my seat just before the trial continued. I was sitting in the third row right at the aisle. Peter and his two lawyers were directly in front of me. He wore an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs on his wrists. I could only see the back of his head, but that small glimpse was enough to confirm it was he.

  The victim sat next to her lawyer, her head ducked down and her hair covering her face. She slouched forward, like she wanted to disappear and go unnoticed. Her lawyer wore a charcoal gray suit with dark brown hair. I could only see the back of his head but he reminded me of someone—someone I couldn’t place.

  The judge began the proceedings with a short introduction. Then a witness took the stand, a woman about the victim’s age.

  The lawyer in the charcoal gray suit stood and approached the stand, tall with powerful shoulders. He stood with his hands in his pockets before he started speaking. “You were there that night when Audrey had a date with the defendant, right?”

  I recognized that voice.

  “Yes,” the witness answered.

  “You waited on their table, correct?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “Was it clear it was a blind date?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she answered. “They introduced themselves at the beginning, and then they talked about the dating website they met on.”

  The lawyer turned around and approached the jury, a fierce look in his eyes. He looked maniacal, the exact opposite of the way his voice sounded. I only knew that because I knew him so well.

  It was Kyle.

  It was so strange I thought it was a dream. How could Kyle be defending Audrey? That would mean he knew about my case and what happened to me.

  He knew what happened to me.

  I gasped and stood up, unable to believe what my two eyes were telling me. Kyle knew about my past all along. He probably knew the moment we met. He’d been keeping it a secret this entire time.

  I couldn’t believe it.

  Kyle turned my way when the rest of the crowd did. He simply glanced at me in the beginning, but once he realized who I was he stood frozen to the spot. Panic emerged on his face, and it was clear he wanted to say something, to stop me from leaving without an explanation.

  I felt so stupid. I’d felt guilty for not telling him the truth, but he knew the entire time anyway. Now I understood why he was so patient with me, walking on eggshells all the time. Now I understood why he fought for me so hard, knowing I was a rape victim. He used that information to his advantage and manipulated me right where he wanted me to be.

  The tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn’t stop them. I couldn’t look at Kyle for a moment longer and I never wanted to look at him again. I gave him one final look of betrayal before I turned on my heel and left.

  And I never looked back.

  I hoped you enjoyed reading SATURDAY as much as I enjoyed writing it. It would mean the world to me if you could leave a short review. It’s the best kind of support you can give an author. Thank you so much.

  Is that really the end of Kyle and Rose? Or is there still hope? Find out in the next installment of the series SUNDAY.

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