Chapter Eighteen

Brooklyn

TONIGHT IS ONE where I'm working at Soul Escape. I can only work for a few hours a day and I'm no longer waitressing. Misty has had to leave her job as a bartender and Soul moved me to take her place so I can get away from the compound and among people. Wheels goes in to work with us each day and he sits at the end of the bar and drinks bottles of water the entire time I'm there. When it's time for me to go home, Soul and Wheels both leave with me. Country has stepped up and taken over managerial duties for Soul so he can be home with me on the days I'm not feeling very good. Soul hates that he's not at work like normal, but he wants to be with me as I rest and do what Dr. Matthews tells me to do to ensure the safety of our twins.

Today, I really don't want to go in to work though. Theo is finally getting discharged from the hospital and I want to be there when he gets brought back to the clubhouse. He'll be placed on the first floor in one of the rooms since he'll be in a wheelchair as that's how Theo will have to get around for now. Hulk has told me that he's pissed as fuck about the wheelchair, but understands he can't put any weight on his leg or he'll do even more damage than the accident caused when he was hit. I still don't know the full extent of what happened because I was in front of him and didn't see it as it occurred, I just heard the noise right before I was hit. What I do know is the guilt I feel for the man who was assigned to protect me is all-consuming. It weighs down my entire body from the second I wake up until I go to bed each night.

The guys think I'm having nightmares and I don't realize I'm having them, but I know every fucking night when one taunts me. It's not Bennett I'm having nightmares about—it's Theo. I dream of him being hit from behind as he was and in my mind he doesn't just end up with various injuries and a busted leg they had to put back together. Theo ends up dead in each of my nightmares and everyone hates me for losing him. I don't know a damn thing about him, but in each of my dreams, I'm pushed out of Odin's Gap and left alone because the guys keep our twins with them and don't ever let me see them again.

Because that's secretly a fear of mine, that they'll eventually grow tired of me and kick me to the curb, but insist on keeping our babies, I can't articulate what my nightmares are about. Still, I know I'll eventually have to share with them. Thankfully, they don't push me to talk about what my mind has conjured up right now, especially since I know it's not the truth. Theo was badly injured, but he's coming home, and he'll eventually recover. In the meantime, I'll do whatever I can to help him as a way to try and pay him back for what he's endured.

Still, despite wanting to stay home and be there when Theo gets brought home, I get ready for work and walk downstairs where I know Gavin and Jayce are waiting for me. I find them sitting on the couch, talking quietly among themselves as they wait for me to meet them.

"Guys, what's going on?" I ask them, stepping in the room with them as they stop talking immediately and look up to me.

"We know you've got a lot going on right now, Love. And we know somethin' is goin' on with you. You've been lost in your head more often than not when you think we're not payin' attention. What's been on your mind?" Gavin asks me, as they both turn to look at me with serious expressions on their faces.

"I'm worried about a lot of things. The first being that we've been movin' too damn fast and eventually you're gonna realize you don't really want to be married to me. You two treat me so damn good and no one else has ever taken two minutes out of their lives to even say ‘hi' to me. You've spoiled me, show me how much you love me, and still it's not enough to make me believe you're gonna stay with me because of the love we share. When I tell you I love you, I mean it. I've fallen in love with you both and that's never going to change. Just promise me that you'll tell me if you decide I'm not truly who you want and never take our babies from me. I couldn't handle losing both of you and our babies," I tell them, tears falling down my face as I look at the floor instead of them.

"Little Warrior, we're never gonna leave you. Gavin and I love you and that will never change. You're our wife and we'll always be here for you. And as for takin' the twins from you, we would never do a damn thing like that, Brooklyn. We'll be with you every step of the way and will raise our kids together. You're gonna give us more than the twins you carry now, Brooklyn. We're gonna have a houseful of kids and they'll be raised by the three of us and a ton of help from the club. Now, we're gonna wipe those tears and you're gonna get to work because it's what's best for you. You need to be away from the compound for a little while a few days a week," Jayce states, getting off the couch and making his way over to me as Gavin joins him and they hold me close between their bodies.

"Love, you're our light, air, and everythin' we need to get through each day. If we're movin' fast, it's because we know how short life truly is. We've seen so many horrible things take place and promised ourselves that when we found our woman we'd never take time and go slow because tomorrow isn't promised. Are you worried we're movin' too fast or is it because of how the world outside will believe we're movin' too fast?" Gavin asks me, his voice soft and gentle as he looks at me with love filling his eyes.

"I just don't want you to decide I'm not worth anything down the road. And that you've made a mistake because you saw someone you could bring home and warm your bed," I say, my voice barely above a whisper as Jayce wipes my tears away.

"Little Warrior, if you were just someone to warm our bed, we wouldn't have moved you into our home. The home we've been savin' for our wife. You're the reason this is a home and not just a pile of wood that was a house until you entered the place," Jayce tells me as he lifts me in his arms and carries me from the house and loads me up in the front seat of his truck.

With them, I never ride in the back. Jayce or Gavin are the ones to ride in the backseat, giving me the front every single time I go anywhere with them. When we get to the club, Country is already there making sure things are ready to go for the night. He's buzzing around the club and doesn't notice when we enter the building.

"Country, what are you already doin' here?" Soul asks him, his voice echoing in the silent club as Country stops moving and turns to look at us.

"I didn't know if you were gonna make it in today. How are you feelin', Brooklyn?" Country asks me with a smile on his face.

"I'm okay. I want to be home since Theo's getting discharged today. I'll be back early enough I can hopefully see him before he falls asleep for the night. I've been waiting to see him since you all showed up to save me from the asshole and his parents," I answer him honestly as I make my way behind the bar to get ready for the night.

Today is the day I've been waiting for. It will be the last time I have to face Bennett and his parents for the rest of my life. If everything goes as planned, Bennett and his family will be in prison and won't ever see the light of day as free people again. That's the goal of testifying against them in this trial. If I knew for sure they weren't gonna be locked the fuck up, I wouldn't be here testifying. I'd let the police do their thing and hope it was enough to lock them up. However, I've been in contact with everyone who's preparing to take them to trial and gone over sample questions and talked to them in detail about everything going on.

Walking into the courthouse, Jayce and Gavin are at my side. Both men are holding my hand as we make our way through the security measures before heading toward the room I'm supposed to enter where I'll wait to be called into the courtroom. I'll be the only person in there and have been given permission to have Gavin and Jayce in there with me so I'm not alone. Everyone knows I'm nervous to face Bennett again in this setting and his father is even more dangerous than he is. Both men are fucking vile monsters, but it doesn't matter if we're surrounded by police or not. I will always be afraid of them and not want to see them. It's only because of the strength my men have given me that I'm testifying today.

"Little Warrior, you need to calm down," Jayce tells me, his voice warm and gentle as he looks at me and pulls me into his arms. He rubs his hands up and down my arms while holding me close in an attempt to soothe my shaking body. I'm definitely a mess right now and glad I'm not by myself, because I'd probably have a full-blown panic attack otherwise.

"I know. I'm really trying. It's just going to be scary seeing him up close and in person knowing he's been behind bars this entire time. And I know his defense lawyers are going to crucify me on the stand. But, as long as I can get through today, I'll be okay. Regardless of what the judge and jury say, I won't ever have to see Bennett again," I say as a knock sounds on the door and it opens showing one of the security men from the courtroom I'll be going into for my testimony.

Jayce and Gavin each give me a quick kiss and follow us from the waiting room I've been in to the courtroom. Every man and woman from the club is sitting in the room, including Theo in his wheelchair. Tears fill my eyes knowing they all showed up to be here for me when they didn't have to. It's why I never once mentioned today would be the day I testify.

Taking a few deep breaths, I walk to the witness stand where I'm sworn in, then take my seat, my hands tightly clasped in my lap. The state's attorney gets up and starts asking me questions. I listen to how every question is worded then answer every single one of them honestly. No matter how hard I try to keep my eyes off of Bennett, they continue to stray over to him as I watch his face turn a deep shade of red as he leans over and starts frantically whispering to his lawyer as they scribble down whatever he's telling them. I have no clue what the hell they're going to ask me, but I sure as hell know he's going to paint me out to be the liar in this situation.

"Your Honor, I have no more questions for the witness," the state's attorney says, finally sitting back down after asking me so many more questions than I was prepared to answer.

I take another deep breath in before Bennett's attorney stands and walks toward me.

I will not show fear , I chant to myself as I wait to hear what he has to say.

"Miss Dalton, is it true that you're portraying yourself as married to one man while being in a committed relationship with a second man?" his defense lawyer asks me, a sinister smirk on his oily, fat, cruel face.

Bennett's lawyer is an overweight, short man wearing a cheap suit that doesn't fit his body at all. His shirt is stained with something and his pants are too short as he walks around the table where Bennett and his father are sitting. He's got one of those horrible comb-overs going on and no one misses the fact that he's so bald his head shines with sweat under the lights in the courtroom.

"My name, as you heard when I was sworn in, is Mrs. Sord-Calhoun. Yes, I'm married to Gavin Calhoun and am also in a committed relationship with Jayce Sord. Both men know about one another because we all live in one home," I answer honestly as Bennett's face turns even redder, something I didn't believe was even possible.

"Do you realize you can't be married to two men at the same time and your wedding ceremony to Mr. Sord is not legal?" the lawyer questions me, his voice exuding an evil tone as though he's trying to catch me in a lie.

"Is that what you've been told? The day I married Mr. Calhoun, I was being forced to marry Bennett Conklin. It was against my will and no one would listen to me. The minister brought in and blackmailed to perform the ceremony didn't complete it, and stated to everyone present, including all three Conklin's, that the wedding to Bennett was not finished and I could marry who I wanted to. Therefore, I am legally wed to Mr. Calhoun no matter what your client tries to tell you. I do believe the minister in question has already testified to that matter based on what I've been seeing on the news channels," I tell him, looking at my men in the room until everyone but them disappears.

"I see. You're smarter than I've been led to believe. Now, you've testified here today that Mr. Bennett Conklin raped you every single time you had sex with him. My client has stated that the sex was consensual. Why would he believe that?"

Of course he'd think that based on whatever shit Bennett's been spewing at him. I don't show my inner commentary on my face, despite the fact that my initial fear is being replaced with an almost blinding rage.

"Because he and my parents lied to me. I told him no every single time he forced me to have sex with him and was told that I could never report it because we were in a relationship and no one would say it was rape. Despite me being told my entire life by various people who weren't trying to hurt me on a daily basis, I was, in fact, being raped. No means no and he heard that from me every single time," I tell the courtroom with tears in my eyes as one slides down my face and drops to the wooden platform surrounding me.

"I see. Wouldn't you say you led him on and gave him no choice in the matter but to have sex with you? He could say that you were the one raping him possibly," the lawyer says as I gasp in shock.

"You're telling me that wearing a pair of old sweatpants that were baggy on me and a tee-shirt Bennett gave me to wear is leading him on? I had no make-up on, wasn't dressed provocatively, and was doing nothing most days but sitting in my room all alone. Bennett would enter my room and force me to have sex after ripping off my clothes to the point I could never wear them again. Sir, that's not leading him on. It's another lie you've been fed by your client and I don't know why you'd bother listening to him," I state as Bennett explodes from his chair and starts yelling and screaming while heading in my direction. I sink from the wooden chair and land on the floor with my arms covering my head to protect myself from him coming and attacking me.

"Order in the court. There will be order in my courtroom," the judge states, slamming his gavel in front of him repeatedly until things calm down again. "Mrs. Sord-Calhoun, you can get back in your seat, please. You're okay in my courtroom. No one will touch you or hurt you again." He glares at the defense attorney and continues, "And you, sir, will keep your client under control, or I'll have the bailiff handcuff him to the table."

Slowly, I get up, the tears falling down my face as I look around the room, shame and guilt filling me. I see there's a box of tissues and grab one before I wipe my face.

"Can you walk us through the hours leading up to your marriage to Bennett Conklin?" his lawyer says, his voice hard and cold.

Guess he didn't like being reprimanded like a little child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Oh well, that's what he gets for representing absolute scum. Keep speaking your truth, Brooklyn, I tell myself as I finally manage to regain a semblance of control.

"As I've said, I'm not married to Mr. Conklin. However, earlier in the day, I was on my way to Cricket's in Odin's Gap. There was one man riding behind me on a bike and he's in the courtroom today. A vehicle hit him and swerved around his bike and body before heading for me. I was rammed into and forced off the road by the same vehicle. When I was removed from the club's SUV, I was dragged over to another vehicle where Mr. Bennett Conklin and his father were waiting in the back seat. I was shoved inside with them and drugged.

"When I woke up, I was locked in a cage, naked. My clothes had been removed without my permission. Various men came into the room where I was being held and leered at me until Bennett finally came in the room himself. He dragged me out of the cage by my hair and beat the hell out of me. There are records at the hospital of the abuse I suffered at his hands. Two men came in once Mr. Conklin left the room and dragged me up to the first floor of the Conklin mansion. They locked me in a room with a woman and she dressed me in a wedding dress. That's when I was brought in the room with Mr. Conklin, Bennett, and Mrs. Conklin. My parents were also there.

"The minister was there and I tried several times to get him to stop the farce of a wedding, but he didn't listen to me. Before the ceremony was over, members of the Tattered and Torn MC came into the house and stopped the wedding. So, again, I'm not married to Bennett Conklin. And if the wedding ceremony was finished, I would've been forced into the relationship with an abusive man who enjoys raping women just to get off. He enjoys hitting those weaker than he is and won't stop until he's behind bars," I inform the courtroom while keeping my eyes locked on my men and everyone else from the club.

"Miss, I suggest you only answer the questions you're asked and don't add any further commentary," the lawyer states, his voice hard and cold.

"Then ask me a question that's not a repeat of one I've already answered for you. I. Am. Not. Married. To. Bennett. Conklin," I say in slow words so he can finally understand me, my voice leaving no room for argument. I notice the court stenographer thin their lips and wonder if they're trying not to laugh at how foolish the defense lawyer is being. Something to ponder later.

Tears fall from my eyes and roll down my face as the lawyer proceeds to ask me questions with derision filling his tone as if I'm lying under oath. Bennett gets more and more pissed with every question I answer. He expects me to roll over and lie for him and it's the last thing I'm going to do. By the time the judge excuses me from the stand, I'm a trembling mess. Jayce and Gavin pull me into their arms in front of Bennett and his parents as they escort me from the courtroom and lead me from the building without any hesitation.

I'm taken home where my men lead me straight to our bedroom. They strip me down to nothing and put me to bed as I continue to cry after reliving every horrible moment I ever spent with Bennett. Jayce and Gavin wrap me up in their arms and hold me tight while I cry until I finally fall asleep.