Helios Awakened (The Helios Chronicles #1) (27 page)

“You are to disregard the last statement made by Mr. Bowers. You are not to use it in your deliberations on this case.” He turned to Jimmy. “You may not mention any past criminal allegations or convictions that you may be privy to. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Jimmy said apologetically.

“Mr. Bowers, please continue,” Mr. De Luca said, slightly annoyed that he couldn’t get Mr. Harrison’s sex offender status in.

“When Madison arrived with Andrew, I was upset because of things I heard he had done in the past.” Jimmy looked up to the judge to see if that was acceptable. The judge nodded so he continued, “We had words, as I didn’t think it was appropriate that someone, ummm, like him, should be anywhere near us. At the end of the night, I saw him with Madison and, honestly, I really thought I was doing the right thing,” Jimmy said, looking at the jury with innocent and pleading eyes.

“What did you believe was happening?” Mr. De Luca asked in a concerned tone.

“Object,” Mr. Bennett stated with a sigh.

“Your Honor, this has direct bearing on the mindset that Mr. Bowers was in at the time. What he believed is indeed relevant to the case,” Mr. De Luca appealed.

“Overruled, you may answer the question, Mr. Bowers.”

Jimmy turned back to the jury. “I thought that he was trying to rape her. I merely asked her if she needed assistance. When Andrew walked away, Madison approached me and slapped me. And it’s with great regret that I say I had a knee jerk reaction and pushed her away from me. My father has always told me to be respectful of women, to cherish them and honor them. I would never purposefully hurt someone, let alone a woman,” he said glancing at his father who was smiling.

Elias noticed that several of the jurors looked towards Senator Bowers as well.

“What happened next, Mr. Bowers?”

Jimmy took a dramatic breath and glanced at the jury. “Andrew attacked me. I tried to defend myself but he wouldn’t stop even when I asked him to.” Jimmy looked down, a forlorn expression on his face.

Madison was livid. Jimmy was laying it on thick and she was desperate to jump up and call him out on his lies. She glanced at the jury who looked as if they believed every word that Jimmy was saying. How they could believe all of it amazed her.

“Thank you, Mr. Bowers.”

“Would you like to cross, Mr. Bennett?” The judge stated matter of fact.

“Yes, I would, Your Honor.” Elias pushed back slightly in his chair and set his glasses down. He then turned to Madison and leaned close to her. “Did Jimmy ever apologize to you?”

Madison shook her head, not sure why that was relevant. Mr. Bennett smiled and rose. He straightened his tie and casually strolled up to the witness stand, offering a knowing smile to the jury.

“Mr. Bowers, it’s my understanding that you feel the fight between you and Mr. Harrison was unprovoked?”

“Yes, sir. I did nothing to warrant that kind of attack. I was trying to help Madison,” he said glancing at the jury again.

“I see. Just one moment,” Elias stated, holding up his finger momentarily before walking to the table and picking up his notebook.

Elias walked back up to Jimmy and made a show of flipping through the pages before stopping on one. He nodded and glanced at Jimmy, raising his eyebrow slightly.

“So, the fact that there are seven eyewitnesses that claim you were antagonizing not only Mr. Harrison but others as well throughout the day is inaccurate.”

“Who said that?” Jimmy asked, showing the first signs of frustration.

“Well, we will get to that later. But the witnesses I spoke with indicated that you continued to pick a fight with Mr. Harrison throughout the course of several hours. They state that with each interaction you had, you became progressively bolder in your statements in hopes of eliciting a reaction out of him. In fact, did he not pull you off another person who you also antagonized into a fight?”

Jimmy leaned back in the chair and furrowed his brows. Mr. Bennett smirked as he tapped his notepad on the juror box.

“Did you or did you not pick a fight with another individual that was also at the lake?” Elias said with force as he gave Jimmy a hateful glare.

“That was different,” Jimmy said angrily.

“Object, Your Honor, Mr. Bowers’ interactions with other individuals that day is not relevant,” Arturo quickly countered.

“Mr. Bennett, move on,” the judge said, eyeing Elias who nodded his acknowledgement.

Elias stepped back for a moment and placed one of his hands in his pocket while the other held onto the notepad, his finger tapping it. He then walked closer and set the notepad down as he placed his hands on the witness stand, eyeing Jimmy as the loathsome creature he was.

“Isn’t it true that you wanted to fight with Mr. Harrison because you felt threatened by his presence, that the more he avoided you the angrier you became until the point where you made a ridiculous claim of rape when you knew that Andrew and Madison were indeed a couple and willingly engaging in an intimate moment with one another, as two consenting adults are allowed to, and that it was only after Madison called you out on your negative behavior throughout the day that you pushed her, hard enough so that she fell to the ground and it was only then that Mr. Harrison was forced to confront you as he came to her defense, to protect her from what he deemed as a viable threat to her safety,” Elias said in one long complete statement, escalating his voice as he went along.

Jimmy was shaking his head in a meek attempt to thwart Mr. Bennett’s attack. Elias slapped his hands forcefully on the stand and stepped back again.

“Isn’t it true, Mr. Bowers; that the reason you pressed charges was because Mr. Harrison embarrassed you in front of your peers. That inherently you are a coward who picked a fight and lost?”

“OBJECT!” Mr. De Luca stated angrily. “The witness is not the one on trial here.”

Elias turned quickly, giving Arturo a lethal glare. “Well, maybe he should be.”

“Mr. Bennett, another outburst like that and I will hold you in contempt.”

Elias raised his hands in a surrender type motion and turned back to Jimmy. Jimmy was glaring at Elias, his face and neck red from his anger. Elias had him right where he wanted him. An angry witness always revealed their true colors.

“I expect an answer, Mr. Bowers,” Elias said, once again placing his hands on the jury box directly in front of Jimmy.

“I tried to help Madison. I thought he was trying to rape her,” he said with less conviction.

“Well, I suppose you would know about that, wouldn’t you?” Elias stated coolly.

There was movement in the audience as Jimmy’s father rose. Jimmy looked in that direction. Mr. Bennett turned slightly and could see the look on Senator Bowers’ face. Elias smiled, knowing that he would probably be getting a call before the end of the day but he didn’t care. Jimmy didn’t hold up his end of the bargain so that left him fair game as far as Elias was concerned. He turned back to Jimmy as his father sat back down and crossed his arms.

“Mr. Bennett, you are dangerously close to the line,” the judge warned.

Elias glanced at him and nodded once again. He knew he was skirting the line but he needed the jury to see what kind of person Jimmy was so they would question his testimony.

“You said earlier that you were taught to respect women, to treat them with honor. Is that correct?” Elias asked, glancing at the jury who was staring at the two of them.

“Yes, that’s true,” Jimmy said assuredly but uncertain where this was going.

“So tell me, Jimmy, is it honorable to threaten a woman that you can,” Elias picked up the notepad again, “take her, as well, a respectful thing to say to someone?”

Jimmy’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared while Elias’s lips quirked into a smile.

“Object! Mr. Bennett is antagonizing the witness and disparaging his character.”

“I am merely pointing out that a man who threatens to rape a woman may not be the best judge of character,” Elias said with a shrug as he uncrossed his arms and placed them casually in his pockets.

“Your Honor?” Mr. De Luca stated angrily as he stood up.

“Mr. Bennett, you have crossed the line. I will not allow you to malign the character of a witness. Get to your point. NOW!”

“I will rephrase, Your Honor,” Elias said with a smug look. He turned to Jimmy who was sitting there dumbfounded. “Isn’t it true that you had eyes on Madison, you wanted her and she chose Andrew, a man you deemed unacceptable and, in turn, you harassed him until he was forced to retaliate and then later you threatened her because Mr. Harrison humiliated you at the lake.” He moved just a tad closer. “The reason we are here today is because you want to get back at Mr. Harrison? Isn’t that so?”

Jimmy stared at him and then his father, looking for some guidance.

“Don’t look at him, Mr. Bowers. Your father can’t help you now. It’s time for you to man up and take responsibility for yourself and your actions,” Elias said eyeing him.

Jimmy closed his eyes and looked down, not saying anything. Elias watched him and gripped the railing on the witness box once again, leaning in real close.

“Did you or did you not push the defendant into fighting you because you were jealous and angry that Madison recognized the unworthiness of your character and wouldn’t give you the time of day?” Elias stated with venom.

Jimmy’s head shot up and his face showed none of the 'boy next door' persona it had earlier. He was furious and it was reflected in the way he glared at Mr. Bennett. His lip quirked up angrily as his fists clenched at his side. At that moment, the hatred he had for Mr. Bennett outweighed the hatred he had for Mr. Harrison.

“She wanted that fucking loser over me,” he motioned towards Andrew.  “He’s just some ex-convict bastard that could give her nothing. He doesn’t even have a job. Well, fuck her and that fucked up asshole. She’s nothing special. She’s not even that pretty,” Jimmy seethed.

“I see,” Elias said, turning to the jury. “Sounds to me like you have some unresolved issues with Mr. Harrison.”

Several of the jurors looked shocked and when Elias saw some of them shake their heads a minuscule amount he turned to the judge. “I have no further questions at this time.”

“Mr. Bowers, you may step down.”

Elias sat down and Andrew was staring at him open mouthed. He had never seen anything like that. Andrew turned his eyes away from Mr. Bennett as Jimmy walked passed them, stopping to stare at Madison who gave him a dirty look as she crossed her arms, giving him her best bitch brow. Andrew turned even further and saw Jimmy’s father stand abruptly and place his hand on Jimmy’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. Jimmy flinched slightly and shot his father a spiteful glare. As Andrew’s eyes followed the Bowers’ out of the courtroom, they settled on a familiar face. Jamal sat in the back row with his arms folded across his chest as he too watched the Bowers’ exit through the door. He then turned and made eye contact with Andrew as he stood up, smiling just slightly before he slid out as well. Andrew grinned and shook his head slightly, shocked that Jamal had come, considering he had told Andrew he didn’t do that kind of thing.

“Mr. Bennett, are you prepared to start your defense?” The judge asked.

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“We will resume at 9 a.m. Court dismissed.”

Andrew turned around, not having heard the prosecutor state that the prosecution had rested. Mr. Bennett rested his hand on Andrew’s shoulder, tapping it lightly as everyone rose, respecting the judge who was now exiting the courtroom.

“Andrew, let’s meet at my place tonight around 6 p.m. and go over what transpired today. I need to go into the office for a bit and put out whatever fire Senator Bowers is surely attempting to set,” he said with a roll of his eyes.

Andrew nodded but didn’t say anything as he turned to Madison, who immediately wrapped her arms around him. All Andrew wanted to do was get lost in Madison but he knew he wouldn’t be able to do that, at least not yet. For now, he would hold her and pretend that he was free and that everything would be settled soon.

Madison pulled up to her grandmother’s house and sat in the car for a moment, glancing at her reflection in the rear view mirror. She had wanted to go with Andrew to the Bennett’s home but she had already been gone all day and couldn’t shirk her responsibilities to her grans. She could tell that Andrew was disappointed but she had no other option. With a heavy sigh, she exited the vehicle and walked inside. Her grandmother looked up from her recliner as she entered the room and, taking quick note of Madison’s appearance, she patted the arm of the chair.

Madison smiled as she remembered her grandmother doing that when Madison was a little girl. When Madison was only a few years old, her grandmother had broken her leg so Madison’s mom had told her she couldn’t sit on her lap for a while. Madison had cried and cried so her grandmother would have her sit on the arm of the chair to hug and comfort her. It soon became their special thing but Madison hadn’t done it in a very long time. Madison walked to her grandmother and sat on the arm of the recliner as she had done when she was young. Her grandmother’s arm embraced her waist while Madison wrapped her arm around her grandmother’s shoulder, resting her head against her grandmother’s head.

“How did it go today?” she asked sympathetically. Madison shrugged. “I’m sure it will work out the way it’s supposed to, Maddie,” she said sweetly.

“I know, Grans,” Madison replied with a sigh. “That’s not what’s bothering me. Well, it is, but not entirely.”

Her grandmother waited patiently. She knew her granddaughter well enough to know that if she just gave her a few moments that she would start talking.

“I don’t want to go back to New York. The two people I care the most about are here,” Madison said, barely audible.

Her grandmother tapped her leg lightly. “I wish I knew what to say to make it easier for you, Maddie, to help with your decision, but life is not easy and sometimes, when you gain one thing, you lose another. Just make sure that whatever you lose is something you are comfortable being without.”

Madison kissed her lightly on the head. “Thanks, Grans.”

Madison stood up and walked to the kitchen to start dinner, wondering what she was willing to lose. Her job. Andrew. Her grans. Madison was deep in thought when her phone rang, catching her off guard. She shook her head slightly and dug her phone out of her pocket, frowning at the caller id.

“What do you want?” Madison answered with a huff.

“That’s not a very nice way to answer the phone, Madison,” Kurtis said with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes. “Kurtis, I’m busy,” she said with bite.

“I just wanted to see how you were and...”

“I’m fine, Kurtis. What’s the real reason you called?”

“Alright, alright. Look we had a meeting this afternoon and your name came up.”

Now Madison was interested. “Why would my name come up?”

“Madison, you are one of three candidates being considered for the executive manager position for the downtown office. When are you coming back? You need to lobby for this. I’m doing what I can but it’s not the same,” he said enthusiastically.

Madison closed her eyes, absorbing what she just heard. Her friend Monique had said Madison was on the short list but Madison didn’t believe it. It would mean a serious increase in pay along with a lot more responsibilities. This complicated her decision.

“Madison,” Kurtis said softly, bringing Madison out of her thoughts, “Look, I know that you never wanted anyone in the office to know about us but if I get offered the position at the uptown office, which I’m confident I’ll get, and you get this one then we could stop this once in a while bullshit and date publicly like a normal couple would,” he said eagerly.

Madison pinched her eyes shut even further and shook her head. She knew this would happen. It happened every time they were together. She and Kurtis had hooked up the night before she found out about her grans and he had found her crying in the living room. In a moment of weakness, she had found solace in his arms, albeit temporarily. When he left that morning, she knew it would be problem, so when he tried to hook up with her again before she left for California, Madison had avoided him. She was aware that he liked her a lot more than she liked him but she had no desire to take their relationship to another level. She thought she had made that clear to him but obviously she hadn’t been forceful enough. Kurtis was her occasional ’friend with benefits’, not someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She had felt more for Andrew after knowing him for five minutes than she did for Kurtis after knowing him for nearly three years. She needed to nip this and quickly.

“Madison, you still there?” Kurtis asked concerned.

“Look, Kurtis, thanks for the heads up but...” Madison paused and took a deep breath, she hated this part. “In spite of what you may think, we don’t have a relationship,” Madison murmured as she walked down the hall towards her bedroom and out of earshot of her grandmother.

“Madison, we’ve been sleeping together for years. Don’t you think it’s time to quit this little game you’re playing with me?” he asked, clearly annoyed with the way things were turning out.

“It’s not a game, Kurtis. I really have no desire to be the other half of your little power couple idea,” Madison said with nonchalance. “I thought we had an understanding.”

Kurtis was quiet on the other end and then laughed. “Alright, whatever you say, Madison. So when are you coming home? Aren’t you tired of being in that shit hole?” Kurtis asked with disdain.

“I have to go, Kurtis,” Madison stated angrily, trying to reign in her temper. “I’m cooking for my grandmother, who is improving, by the way, so thanks for asking...”

“Madison, I’m sorry, I know I’m being an ass. It’s real sweet what you’re doing but you have a life out here. Can’t you hire a nurse or something?”

“Goodbye, Kurtis,” Madison said as she hung up, hearing him call her name as she did.

Madison closed her eyes as she leaned against her dresser. She lightly tapped her phone against her lips as she thought about what Kurtis had said and how that would impact her decision. She slipped her phone into her pocket and headed back to the kitchen to finish cooking, deciding that she would talk to Andrew about it after the issues of court were settled.

~*~

“Mr. Bennett, Senator Bowers is waiting to see you,” Mallory said as Elias grabbed his messages.

“I don’t doubt that,” Elias replied with a sigh.

Elias walked in to his office and Senator Bowers was standing near his desk, holding up the 5x7 picture that Elias had there. Elias strolled over and snatched it out of his hand, setting it where it was supposed to go. He motioned for the senator to sit down as he walked around his desk and sat down as well.

“How can I help you, Senator?”

“We had an arrangement,” the Senator said crossing his legs.

“Your son was supposed to formally apologize to Madison for the way he acted at the bookstore in lieu of her pressing charges, he didn’t hold up his end of that arrangement which makes it null and void. He made himself fair game,” Elias said with a smirk on his face. “Besides, he doesn’t get a free pass because he’s your son. He’s had enough of those, don’t you think?” Elias asked, crossing his arms in defiance.

The senator was quiet as he contemplated what his plan was. He never liked Mr. Bennett. He didn’t care for his lifestyle, for lack of a better word, but his dislike for him did not stem from who he bedded every night but because of who he was as an individual. Mr. Bennett was a loose cannon and therefore difficult to control and most certainly difficult to predict. He had aired his son’s dirty laundry out for the world and, in doing so, had tarnished the family name. The senator couldn’t allow that. Something had to be done.

“Regardless, you need to resolve this,” the senator said slowly.

“I plan on it,” Elias replied with a chuckle.

“Let me clarify. You need to resolve this without disparaging my name.”

“Well, that will be difficult considering your son bears the same name.”

“You better find a way, Mr. Bennett. I can see that the jury is leaning in your direction. That bastard better not get off,” the senator said, giving him a steely expression.

“Or what?” Elias asked with a heated glare. “I won't 'throw' a case for you or anyone else. You can’t intimidate me, Senator.”

“I am not trying to intimidate you, Mr. Bennett, and would never ask you to sully your principles,” he said with a smirk as he picked up the picture on Mr. Bennett’s desk again. “Nice family. I hear he works for a firm in town. Does he enjoy what he does? Well, I suppose he must since he works late many nights.” He tapped his finger on Liam’s face in the picture. “Does he still enjoy running by Nottingham Estates?” he asked casually, but there was a tone that said more than the words he was actually expressing.

Elias pushed back from his desk and stood abruptly, his anger boiling to the surface. “Are you threatening my family, Senator Bowers?” Elias fumed, his fists clenched at his sides.

“Of course not, Mr. Bennett,” he said with a smile. He had found Elias’ weakness. He always knew he had one.

“Get the hell out of my office before I forcibly remove you.”

Senator Bowers grinned and stood up. He gave Mr. Bennett an off handed wave as he exited the office, feeling as if he had shifted the balance of power between them. The minute his door closed, Elias sat again, picking up the picture of him, Liam, and Jayden that was taken a few years ago at Big Bear. As he set the picture down, his brain flashed to that dreadful night so many years ago.

“El, take care of Jayden!”

Elias closed his eyes and willed his breathing to steady. He rested his forehead on his desk with his hands entwined in his hair as he tried desperately to get the images out of his head. He would never forget Texas and how helpless he was in that situation. Liam had been in the hospital for a week and then it took several more weeks before all of his physical wounds healed. His emotional wounds would take years to go away. During that dreadful time, Elias had to call upon Liam’s sister to come down, all the way from Ireland, to take care of Jayden because he had been a non-functional parent.

Elias had not handled Liam’s injuries well. He had handed all his cases to other attorneys and stayed by Liam’s side, vowing that he would never let anything or anyone harm him again. Elias sat up abruptly and walked out of his office with purpose.

“I’ll be on my cell,” he said to Mallory and waved her off when she tried to tell him his partners wanted to speak with him. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

He pushed the door open and quickly made his way to his vehicle. He sped across town and entered the small unassuming building that housed four offices and a conference room. The waiting room was not very large but served its purpose well and the receptionist, Jaimie, was kind. She smiled brightly as Elias walked in.

“Mr. Bennett, what a pleasant surprise.”

“Hello Jaimie. Is he free?”

“Go on back, sir. It’s not as if he wouldn’t make time for you,” she said with a knowing smile.

Elias returned her smile and stepped into the open office down the hall, closing the door behind him. Liam looked up and smiled brilliantly. He quickly stood and walked over to embrace him and then kissed him softly, his hand moving down his back slowly.

“What are you doing here? I thought you would be in court all day.”

Elias frowned. “I’ll start my defense tomorrow.” He ran his fingers along Liam’s face and sighed. “Senator Bowers showed up.”

“Well, that was unexpected.” Liam chuckled and rolled his eyes as he walked towards his desk. “I’m sure he wasn’t too happy with the ass kicking I presume you gave his son.” He sat on the edge of his desk and reached his hand out for Elias.

Elias laughed as he took Liam’s outstretched hand. “Yes, I did tear up that cocky little bastard.”

“I bet you did.” Liam smiled, pulling him closer and kissing along his jaw. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

It had been a few weeks since they had been intimate, as any time Elias started a new case it would consume him. He would stay up most of the night and usually fall asleep in his office working late. Liam understood that that was his process and never questioned it but he missed the intimacy between them.

“I’ve missed you too,” Elias murmured.

Elias closed his eyes, running his hands into Liam’s hair, fisting it and bringing his mouth to his. He kissed him hard, getting lost in the way his lips molded to his. Elias knew that he had to talk to him about Senator Bowers’ threat, he needed his feedback on how to handle the situation but for right now he just wanted to be connected with him.

~*~

Later that evening, Andrew pulled up to the Bennett’s, wishing Madison was with him. He understood why she couldn’t be there but he felt lost without her by his side. Jayden invited him inside and they ate dinner, chitchatting before moving into the living room to talk about the case. Both Jayden and Liam excused themselves to give Andrew and Elias privacy.

“We still have the jury. Jimmy has been discredited in most of their minds and the other half is skeptical of him,” Elias said as he took a sip of his Guinness.