I stared down at my plate, pushing a piece of pancake through a puddle of syrup. “I can’t believe I let it happen again. After everything, after the trial, after… I should have known better. I should have been more careful.”
“This wasn’t your fault,” Damian said, his voice firm. “None of it was your fault.”
“I know that,” I said, the words sounding hollow even to my own ears. “Logically, I know that. But I still feel…” I struggled to find the right word. “Ashamed. Like I should have done something different, been stronger somehow.”
“You did exactly the right thing,” he said. “You called me. You kept the line open. You stalled until help arrived. You survived, Alex. That’swhat matters.”
I forced myself to take a bite of pancake. It was delicious, of course. “What happens now?”
“Police officers will be coming this afternoon to take our statements,” he said. “I recorded the entire call on my digital recorder, which will serve as evidence. Sandra will provide her statement as well.”
“And Marcus?” I couldn’t keep the fear from my voice.
Damian’s expression darkened. “He was arrested for breaking and entering, assault, and attempted kidnapping. But…” He hesitated.
“But what?”
“He’s already posted bail. He was released this morning.”
The pancake turned to ash in my mouth. “Of course he was,” I whispered.
“He won’t come near you again,” Damian said firmly. “Not here. This house has a security system, and I’ve already spoken to a private security company about additional measures.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Marcus was out there, furious, humiliated, determined to finish what he’d started.
“There’s something else,” Damian continued. “What he said last night about paying the jurors—that’s jury tampering. It’s a serious federal offence. With the recording, we have solid evidence.”
“Will it be enough?” I asked.
“It should be. The recording is clear. And combined with the assault and his previous defence, it builds a compelling case.”
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that this time, finally, Marcus would face consequences. But experience had taught me otherwise.
“I’m sorry about last night,” I said abruptly, setting down my fork. “For… clinging to you like that. You didn’t sign up to be my emotional support system.”
Damian’s expression softened. “You have nothing to apologize for. You’d been through a traumatic experience. You needed comfort and safety. I was glad I could provide that.”
“Still,” I said, unable to meet his eyes. “It was unprofessional of me to put you in that position.”
“Alex,” he said gently. “Look at me.”
I raised my eyes reluctantly.
“What happened last night wasn’t about professionalism. It was about basic human decency. You needed someone, and I was there. That’s all.”
But it wasn’t all, was it? Not for me. Not when my heart raced every time he looked at me like that, with such genuine concern. Not when I’d spent the night pressed against him, feeling safer than I had in years.
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. Damian glanced at his watch.
“That’s probably Sandra,” he said, standing. “She said she’d come by early to help prepare for the police interview.”
I nodded, grateful for the interruption. “I’ll clean up here.”
“Leave it,” he said. “We have more important things to focus on.”
As he went to answer the door, I took a deep breath, trying to centre myself. Marcus was out there. The police were coming. I had evidence, witnesses, a lawyer who believed in me.
Maybe, just maybe, this time would be different.
