No place like hell by H.N. S (reading women .TXT) 📕

some kind of ‘accident’ and was in a coma! I never really found out because his family always hated me... and Simon forbidden me from going to see him! But i knew it was Simon fault because that night- i had seen him the happiest i had seen him for a long time.. it sickened me!!”

We both sat in silence for a while, until i felt tired from sharing the information i had kept a secret for a long time and the bucket load of tears i had cried! I rested my head in the base of Jacks neck. Breathing in the enticing smell of lavender, helping me into a relaxed sleep! Jack lifted one of his arms from my waist and up to my head, stoking and brushing my hair until i fell asleep... mmmmm, i could get use to this... use to being in Jacks protective arms, safe from the world around us!
Chapter 14- Make or break

A week has passed since i told Jack about Liam and today was the day.. the day that could decide whether i would never see Simon again!! But worries kept flooding my mind all week.. what if there isn’t enough evidence? What if Simon is let free and i would have to go back and live with him...

Jack put his hand at the small of my back, leading my to the car parked outside. The drive to the court hearing was silent and I appreciated it as it let my mind wonder, it let me think about what the plan for today was even though I didn’t want to think about it anymore.. about Simon anymore.. but I had to. I didn’t want Simon to see me broken, I didn’t want him to win.. so I kept taking deep breaths to try and calm myself down but the further we left the safety of Jack’s home and closer to the court the worse my breathing got!

To distract myself, I mentally made a plan in my head…
‘ok you can do this Emma!
1. Walk into court
2. Act strong, its going to be hard, but I have to! If I’m going to be in front of Simon again… I have to show him he can’t intimidate me.. not ever again!
3. Speak my case
4. show evidence….
SHIT! I have more evidence!!’ Thinking back, I do have more evidence I could show the court and secure Simon’s prison sentence.

I snap my head to Jack, who’s sitting in the back seats with me, his arm around my waste and our hands entwined.

“There’s more evidence!” I exclaimed to Jack. He looked at me confused, and I would be to if he had just randomly sprung this on me. I turned to Robert, who was driving us,

“Quickly go to my home.. there’s something I need to get!” I told Robert, almost an order to which he complied straight away. He sharply turned off the motorway, in the direction to my old house.

***

We pulled up outside my house, it had seemed like an eternity since I had last been here and to be honest, I thought I would never have to come back! But there was one last thing I needed to do before I could completely blank out this part of my life.

I didn’t even bother wanting to get my clothes or belongings because they reminded me of him… also the things I had were either old or broken, Simon didn’t get me anything..
But that miserable memory made me smile, because then it made me think about the clothes I had on now, clothes that Jack and his father had gotten for me! Everything was designer.. smooth to the touch! When Jack walked in to my new bedroom in their house, one of the many guest rooms they had! with all the bags containing my new belongings I began to cry.. I know I have been crying a lot these days, but these were happy tears! It was the first time someone had bought me something… because they just wanted to..

I walked into my old bedroom.. it was a mess! I guess when I didn’t come home Simon had trashed my room in anger, I kind of expected worse! Shit the camera!!

I frantically search the room, “please be ok, please be ok” I repeated in my head.. hoping that it wasn’t damaged from Simon’s rampage, or worse, he had found it and destroyed it!! I went to where I usually hid it, behind my headboard on my bed.. I had to lift the mattress and pick up the table that usually sat next to my bed.

My heart sank!..... It was still there! I sighed, a deep sigh of relief…

I picked it up and quickly flicked through the pictures to make sure that they were still all there. As I clicked from picture to picture I felt sick to my stomach! All the abuse I had experienced since the age of 15.. I felt sorry for myself!

I stopped, closed my eyes and tried to fight back the tears! ‘no Emma! You can’t cry because Simon anymore!! In a couple of hours he will be out of our lives forever!!’ I told myself..

I hadn’t heard anyone walk into my room but when I felt Jacks arms around me and his warm body press into my back I let myself go. I turned and fell into his chest and cried.

After a minute or two Jack spoke, “We really need to get going, come on…” he whispered softly as he pulled away. I missed him, his touch, but he was right… we needed to get this over with.

***

We were only 5 minutes away from the court when Jack leaned in to me and kissed me on my cheek, bringing me from my trance I didn’t know I was in. I turned to him, putting a fake smile on my face that I knew he could see right through me but it was the best I could do. He smiled back, but I could see the hint of worry on his face.

As we pulled up outside the court house, I tried to think of an escape plan, I don’t think I could do this! Maybe if I just run… Simon wouldn’t be able to find me..

Jack reached out and gently placed his hand in mine and my thoughts had gone! How could I possibly run away.. how, when I have Jack. He brought me strength, enough for me to get out the car and make my way into the court room.. this was it… the make or break point..

***

Court had been going on for 11 days now, and it was coming to the end. I never thought it would drag on this much and it was physically, mentally and emotionally draining the life from me! I have not been able to sleep or eat properly the whole time.. meaning neither had Jack. I felt sorry for him for falling in love with a broken girl!

When I would scream from the nightmares or refuse to eat Jack would be there to comfort me and force me to eat. In the end I had moved from the guest room and back into Jack’s.

I was upset when I moved into the guest room, so moving back into his comforted me.. the nights I spent curled up with Jack, hugged tight to his warm chest had been the best nights I have had the whole time! I actually slept through the nights!

***

It was the last day of the court hearing, FINALLY!!

On the way to court, a journey we all knew too well, it was silent from the nerves we all had. We knew we had won this, after showing my back and pictures to the jury it had made a few of them cry and all gave me sympathy looks.. I had won them over! But even with that I still feared that there was a chance he could get away with it!!

The hearing was dragging, it had only been an hour.. but it felt like a life time! Every tick of the clock, every cough from the audience, every drop of rain on the window had become louder and more annoying as we waited for the jury to make their decision.

The silence in the room was cut off and the door squeaked open and in came the jury … this was it! My mouth went dry, hands sweaty and my heart seemed to have stopped beating altogether..

“All rise…” The judge said as he read the slip in his hand. He looked down at me then over to Simon..

Simon looked worse than I did, he hadn’t shaven for a while, he looked like he also hadn’t slept for a long time and during the time we were in court, each day he had fresh bruises on his face… I guess the other prisoners had found out why he was there, many of them are very strong about family values! Ha!

“The jury have decided the defendant, Simon Ross Wilson, has been found…” He paused… the anticipation had me gripping tighter on Jacks hand.. was the judge playing a joke with me?? This was not funny, not now!! “Guilty, He must serve his time in a high security prison for the duration of 25 years..”

I blacked out the rest.. what did he say? He’s guilty, guilty, FUCKING GUILTY!!!! A smile split my face, I turned and jumped into Jacks arms and I could hear his laugh, his deep sexy laugh and I joined him! Jack put me down and in the corner of my eye I saw Simon being led out.. finally I would never have to see that man, never ever again!!!

Chapter 15- Forgetting

The weeks after Simon had been sentenced had gone quickly.. It was filled with me and Jack spending a lot of time together! We slept together.. ate together.. went to school and even