Chapter Eight
Mia
Monday morning. Mia was dreading walking into school. She just knew rumors about what happened Saturday night at prom were already running rampant. That was how things happened. As she and Julius reached the doors leading into the building, she decided she wasn't going to let what happened control who she was or how she acted at school. Her back straightened, her head lifted, and she stepped inside. She saw some of the looks she got from other students and ignored them as she made her way to her locker.
“You're...Mia, right?”
Mia silently groaned and turned to the girl who'd approached her. “Yes.”
The other girl looked down at the floor a moment before she looked back up. “Sorry, I don't mean to bother you. I just...I wanted you to know, you're not alone. You're not the only one he's done that to.” That was all she said and then she was gone.
Mia watched her go. It was cold comfort knowing she wasn't the only girl he'd drugged with the intention of raping. She doubted he called it that, but that was exactly what it was; rape. She tried to put it out of her mind and focus on her day, but it wasn't easy. It was even harder when she caught a glimpse of him and the bruises Gage left behind in their fight.
As the week went by, Mia ignored the whispered comments from those who had no freaking clue what they were talking about. It was only Wednesday and she was already anxious for the weekend to get there so she didn't have to deal with it for a couple of days. On her way to the tables outside where she and Julius often sat during lunch, she stopped off at her locker to change out the books she needed for the rest of the day.
“Hi, Mia.”
Mia turned and arched a brow at the girl who'd stopped next to her locker. “What do you want, Stacy?” She knew her attitude was a bit frosty but she'd disliked Stacy ever since the other girl had dated Gage.
“I know you don't like me, and I figure it's because you used to have a thing for Gage when I dated him, but...look, Cole Ambrose is scum. Don't let what he did to you change who you are. Not like I did.”
Mia blinked at her. “Are you saying...? When? Never mind. Dat was rude.”
“When we were thirteen. Don't let him change who you are. You're better than that. I wish I'd realized that back then, about myself, but...anyway, I just wanted to say that.”
Mia watched her walk away. Stacy was the seventh girl who'd come up to her about what had happened to let her know she wasn't alone. It was in that moment a decision was made. She needed to press charges. But what proof did she have other than the fight? She frowned a moment. Todd. He was taking photos...he saw what Cole did. Forgetting her books, she made her way to the yearbook room where she knew Todd spent his lunch break. “Knock knock.” She tapped the door before she stepped inside.
Todd looked up from what he was doing. “Hi. Look, if you're here to read me the riot act for not speaking up sooner about what I saw, Gage beat you to it. I'm sorry I didn't say anything right away. I was a coward and you...got hurt.”
“It's okay, I understand. Cole's a jock, you were worried about what might happen to you. Da important ting is you did go to Gage about it before tings got...bad. I need your help, Todd. You were takin' pictures, have you gotten dem uploaded to da computer yet?”
“I was just doing that. Why?”
“I need to know if you happened to get a shot of him puttin' da drug in my drink. I know it's a long shot, but I really need you to look. Can you do dat?”
“Yeah, sure. Gimme a sec.” His fingers tapped away and soon he was scrolling through the photos. “Well, all be damned. Jackpot.” He motioned Mia closer.
She leaned in and for the first time since Saturday she grinned. “Can you print dat off for me?”
“Yeah.” There were three shots, one of him dropping it in the glass, one of him swirling it around, and the final shot of him handing the cup to Mia. “Here you go. All three photos. I'm still really sorry I waited so long. I hope this helps.”
“Oh, it will. Thanks, Todd.” She clutched the photos to her and rushed out of the school. When she spotted Gage sitting with Julius she froze, for just a moment, then continued to their table. “I need to leave.”
“What? Mia, you can't leave school in da middle of da day, you'll get in trouble.” Julius gave his twin a funny look.
“I don't care. Gage, can you drive me? I'll walk if I have to, but...I need to go to da police and file a report. Against Cole.”
Julius and Gage shared a look. “Sis...you know da drug is gone, how are you gonna prove anyting?”
“Wit' dese.” She showed them the photos. “Todd was snappin' away wit' his camera and got dese shots. Since Monday, I have had seven girls come to me and tell me he did dis to dem, too.” She looked at Gage. “He raped Stacy when dey were only thirteen years old. She said it changed who she was and she didn't want dat to happen to me.”
“What the fuck?” Knowing that he'd slept with Stacy two years after she'd been raped made Gage feel a little sick to his stomach. That was why she slept around? Because of what Cole did to her? “Come on. I'll drive you. I don't care if I get in trouble. Dis is important.”
Mia smiled a little. “Thanks.” She tucked the photos into her bag and turned to follow him.
“Aw, hell. I'm gonna regret dis, I just know it. Wait up, I'm comin' too.” Julius slung his bag over his shoulder and followed his sister and Gage to the parking lot where Gage's car waited. While his older brother preferred trucks, Gage was into fast cars and he'd gotten the Mustang cheap because it was a clunker. He'd spent every spare moment he had fixing it up and you wouldn't know by looking at it now that it had barely been running when he'd bought it.
Mia was quiet on the drive to NOPD. Even if Cole didn't go to jail for attempted rape, slipping something into her drink and handing it to her, which the photos proved with the time stamps, would net him some jail time. If the other girls he'd done this to came forward...then maybe they could get a serial rapist off the streets.
“We should call mama, get her and papa here. Dey won't want you talkin' to da police wit'out dem.” Julius pulled his phone out. “Don't gimme dat look, Mia. You know I'm right.”
Mia sighed. “Fine. Dey'll find out we skipped anyway, so might as well get it over wit'.”
Julius nodded as he opened his contacts and pressed to call his mother. “Hi, mama. Um, well, dat's why I'm callin'. We're on our way to da police department. Mia decided she wants to press charges. Yeah, we'll wait outside for you and papa.” He hung up and glanced at his sister in the front seat. “Mama said dey're on da way and to wait til dey get dere to go inside.”
Mia grumbled but settled in the seat next to Gage. She knew her parents would give her grief later for not waiting until school was over to go but she just couldn't bring herself to wait. She needed to do this. Now.
Three hours later, Mia was sitting at the kitchen table in their home while her mama worked on putting dinner together. She'd been sitting there for twenty minutes waiting for her mama to speak. “Mama, I'm sorry I couldn't wait til school was over. I just...once I had da proof, I needed to get it done. Seven girls, mama. Seven girls, not including me, who had dere lives ruined by him. I got lucky, dey didn't. Gage saved me before he was able to do much, and I had proof dat he drugged me. I had to speak up.”
Eliza turned to look at her daughter. “Cher, I'm not mad at you. I'm proud of you for comin' forward. What you did was so brave.” She went to where her daughter sat. “Maybe you shouldn't have left school early but you're right; you had to do it. Dat boy is a menace to girls ever'where. He needs to be locked up where he can't hurt anyone else, and you've made dat happen.”
“Not yet. All dey did was arrest him.” Mia knew Cole's parents would get him a good lawyer and if she'd learned anything from watching news reports about situations similar to hers, she was in for a really rough time. Could she handle it? She was determined to try.
“Do you tink any of da other girls will come forward now?” Eliza watched her daughter closely.
“I dunno. I hope so. If dey do, it'll help get him convicted. But if dey don't, I won't be mad at dem. It's gonna be ugly, I just know it.”
Caine
Caine was sitting at his desk working when there was a knock on his front door. He'd taken over the house that had belonged to Zachary Eitenne when he'd become Alpha. It was the largest house in the compound with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and it had the largest yard. He was in the process of adding an addition to the back of the house. A cottage that would be connected to the house itself and complete with two bedrooms, a bathroom, and living room. The only thing it wouldn't have is a full kitchen. “What brings you by, Gage?” he asked when he found the younger leopard standing thereon his front porch.
“I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”
“A'course.” Caine motioned him to follow him into his office. “I was just finishin' up here. What's on your mind?”
“It's about Mia. She went to da police today and pressed charges against Cole. I don't tink she's even thought about it, but she's gonna need a lawyer, to keep his from tearin' her down, and her mama and papa, dey can't afford dat.”
“You really care about her, don't you?”
Gage nodded. “Yes, sir. I tink I love her. Mama says she might be my mate but I dunno about dat. I dunno if she feels da same way.”
“Time will tell. She's still a bit young. I'll get her a good lawyer, don't you worry none about dat.”
“Thank you, Alpha.”
Caine snorted. “None of dat 'Alpha' stuff. I'm not like Zachary Eitenne, I don't need to be reminded of my title ever'time someone talks to me.”
Gage couldn't help but chuckle just a little. “A'right. Thanks, Caine.” He felt better when he left knowing that his Alpha would make sure Mia had good counsel.
Caine had recently hired the services of one of the best attorney's in New Orleans and now he was glad he'd had the foresight to do so. He picked up his phone and made the call. “Miles. It's Caine Bordeaux. One of my Pard is goin' to need your services. She was recently sexually assaulted, I'm not sure exactly how much happened, but da boy responsible drugged her. He was arrested earlier today.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Bordeaux. I'll need to speak with the young lady about what happened. If she is a minor her parents will need to be there as well.”
“I'll bring dem in tomorrow.”
“Have them at my office at three. I'll see you then.”
Caine hung up the phone, locked his computer, and left to go speak with Mia and her parents.
Eliza heard the knock at her front door and frowned. When she saw Caine standing there she arched a brow. “Afternoon, Caine. Please, come in. What brings you by?” She stepped back so he could enter and led him to the kitchen. “Would you like someting to drink?”
“No, I'm fine, thank you. Gage stopped in to see me. He told me Mia pressed charges against da boy who assaulted her. I've hired her an attorney. Da Pard has one on retainer now. He wants to see her in his office tomorrow at tree. Either you or Efram need to be dere since she's a minor.”
Eliza looked a little stunned. “I was just wonderin' how we were gonna get someone to represent her if dis goes to court. You've only been Alpha a short time but already you're a far better Alpha den Zachary was.”
“Thank you for dat. I'm tryin'. I want to know da Pard is strong, capable, and taken care of. It can't be strong and capable if people are goin' without da tings dey need.”
“You're a good man, Caine Bordeaux.”
Caine chuckled. “I tink so, too. I'll let you be now. Have a good evenin'.”
“You too. You know, when you find your mate, she's gonna be a lucky woman.”
Caine shook his head but he didn't respond. The chances of that happening were pretty slim unless he left New Orleans to petition other Pards for the chance to meet with their unmated females on the hopes of finding his mate. Maybe one day he'd find a human he could love and settle down with, but his mate? That was next to impossible.
Mia
“I thought I heard Caine.” Mia frowned when she saw her mother standing in the kitchen alone.
“You did. He stopped by to tell us he's hired a lawyer for you. We have to meet him tomorrow at tree.”
Mia swallowed. She didn't want to talk to a lawyer and tell him what happened. Sure, Cole didn't succeed in what he'd planned, but she still felt violated and the thought of talking to a stranger, a man, about it made her feel a little sick to her stomach. “Do I have to, mama?”
“If dis goes to court, you'll need someone to get you through it.”
She sat down at the table and sighed. “I guess you're right. I just...I don't wanna tell some strange man what happened.”
Eliza went to her daughter's side and knelt down. After taking Mia's hands in her own she studied her face. “Do you want to talk about it? It might make dis easier for you tomorrow.”
Mia couldn't look her mother in the face. “I was so weak, mama, I felt like a newborn kit. I told him no, I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. He got his fingers inside me.” Her voice came out in a whisper. “I feel so...dirty.”
Eliza closed her eyes a moment before she hugged her daughter tight. “I know you do, cher. But you're not. You did no'ting wrong. He did. You'll get past dis but it'll take time.”
“I feel like...I don't have a right to feel dis way. He did so much worse to da other girls, da ones who told me I wasn't alone.”
“You listen to me, Mia. You have a right to da way you feel. It doesn't matter dat he did more to dem, what matters is how his actions made you feel.”
Mia sighed. “I suppose you're right. Thanks, mama. I tink I'm gonna go paint a bit.” She needed to get out of her head and that was the best way for her to do it.
“A'right. Just be back for dinner.” Eliza watched her daughter go and her heart hurt for her. No mother wanted to have to help their daughter deal with being sexually assaulted.