Chapter 12

Van

I can feel them laughing at me. It's fucking embarrassing. The only bright spot is that Bre is here, supporting me while I make the report.

"You said you had a video?" the middle-aged male detective asks.

"Yes." I open my phone and go straight to the message strand, pulling up the video and handing it to him.

Bre reaches out and takes hold of my hand, squeezing it, giving me the strength I need to do this.

The volume is low, but still loud enough that I can hear, which means anyone close to us can. The only bright light is that no one but the detective can see the video.

My head is down the whole time and I have to remind myself to breathe. It's all lost when I hear the blaring laughter from the detective.

"Okay, let me get this straight, son. You went to a party where this girl, Barbi, was. You had a conversation with her and had some drinks. But you have a girlfriend. You wake up in bed the next morning hungover and have this video on your phone. Your girlfriend also saw it and broke up with your cheating ass, but you're claiming this Barbi woman drugged and raped you."

"I'm not claiming, detective. That's what happened. You have the evidence right in front of you." My tone rising in frustration. I knew they wouldn't believe me. I can already tell this was a waste of fucking time.

"You want me to believe this woman—this good-looking woman—assaulted you?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. You can clearly see I'm incoherent. I've given you everything but a signed confession." I'm getting so pissed I'm shaking. Bre hasn't uttered a word, and I'm beginning to think she's doubting her belief.

"Mr. Michaels. Van, can I call you that?" he asks and I nod. "Well Van, I think what happened here is you had a few too many, cheated on your girl, she found out and now you're covering your tracks. Nothing more. Filing a false report is a crime, you know that, right?"

Is this asshole for real?

"Yes! I'm not an idiot and I'm not filing a false report. I was sexually assaulted." My voice rises and the room goes quiet.

I've created a scene and don't need to turn around to know everyone is staring at me. I can feel the heat of their gazes on me.

"Then we're done here, son. Go home and grovel to your girl and beg her for forgiveness. Buy her some flowers and jewelry. Women fall for that shit all the time."

Bre twitches beside me and I don't have to be a rocket scientist to know I was mistaken. She was letting me handle this situation, not wanting to butt in. Filing an assault charge on a woman is embarrassing, but having a woman fight your battles is emasculating. She was trying to save me a shred of dignity by not saying anything.

But this detective, this scum of a human being, is pissing her off.

"But I'm telling the truth. Why is that so hard to believe? What if this was your son sitting in my place? Would you be acting like this?"

The cop places his hand on his desk and leans forward, whispering low enough for only us to hear. "Listen here, boy, and listen good. My son would never be a pansy ass prick like you crying rape. No, he'd own up to the fact that he got his dick wet while his girl was away."

He sits back, closes the file in front of him, and speaks louder. "Listen, do you really wanna parade yourself in front of a court and tell them you were sexually assaulted by that woman? She looks no bigger than a hundred and fifty pounds and five foot four. Not to mention the fact you said you've known her for a while. Am I right?"

"What does the fact that I know her have to do with anything? Most rapes happen by someone the victim knows. Right?"

"Van, I think you need to think about the consequences before you do something you can't take back. The best thing you can do is keep your dignity intact, drop this story, and beg for forgiveness. Besides, this girlfriend of yours must not have been that special to you if you cheated on her."

That's fucking it. I stand from my chair, sliding it back as I do.

"Sir. How you're a police officer, I'll never know. You're supposed to be upholding the law no matter who is at fault, yet you're worse than any criminal on the street."

"Listen here, boy," he growls, but Bre's had enough.

"I think you need to stop right there. I've been recording this conversation on my phone this entire time. I think the Governor would love to see this. Maybe I'll even show it to him when he comes over for dinner tonight. You see," she pauses a moment and takes a look at his badge. "Linus? Man, your parents must've hated you. He doesn't take kindly to this kind of behavior by officials sworn to uphold justice and just so happens to be a close friend of the family. He's my godfather, in fact, and he cherishes me like his own daughter. That being said, we are done. Is there someone else I can speak with who will handle this more professionally?"

He stands and leaves the desk, moves across the room, and leans down to whisper with a female officer. She looks our way and smiles before standing and heading over to us. Linus continues out of the office and disappears out of sight.

Good riddance.

"I'm Detective Fischer. I understand you wanted someone else to file your report."

"We do," Bre blurts.

"Do you mind telling me the information you told the other detective?"

I go through the same story and show her the video, waiting for her to react the same as the other officer. But she doesn't. She handles it professionally. But the look on her face tells me this isn't going to be cut and dry.

"Mr. Michaels. While I believe everything you're telling me and the video is very compelling—because it does appear you have been drugged—there's no coercing you in the video. You're not in distress, tied up, or appear to be held against your will. It's been days since this happened, so unfortunately, any drugs that may have been in your system are now gone. Without a confession, this will not make it through a trial."

Fuck. I stand and shake her hand, then storm out of the precinct.

Bre chases behind me, calling my name, but I don't stop until I've made it to my car.

"That was a waste of time. What am I going to do? No one believes me, and I can't prove shit."

"I believe you, Van. Olivia will too. We just need to talk to her. You need a chance to explain it to her, just like you did me. This video was hard for her to watch, but if she watched it again and paid more attention, I think, no, I know she would see the same thing as me."

"Then what do I do, Bre?" I'm about to burst into tears. Olivia was my everything, and I lost her. Life is nothing without her.

"We need proof. Since the video isn't enough, I'll beat a confession out of her fake, plastic ass."

"You'd do that for me?" I ask.

"I'd do it for Olivia."