Fallen Woman(61)

We enjoyed the silence and another lingering but lazy kiss before he broke away, dragging me back to the safety of his embrace between his legs, with him perched against the headboard. “You have to press charges.”

“I can’t do that, Jase. I don’t know what happened.”

“Forget Holland violating your body; I’ll deal with that issue. Were you with anyone else who could have slipped drugs in your drink?”

He knew the answer but forced me to acknowledge it on my own. “Not unless the waiter at the restaurant did, but we were at his house before I felt anything, and it happened fast.”

“So, why wouldn’t you press charges for that alone?”

“I can’t prove it, and it would be his word against mine. A war with him—come on, even you know I’d be killed in court. Think about this logically. Look at who I am versus who he is. What do you think people in the community are going to see? What do you think a jury would see? Oh, that’s right…the same thing your friends see when they look at any woman who approaches you guys—a money grubbing gold digger. I’m not willing to put myself in that position.”

“This really isn’t open for discussion, Gianna. You can either do it willingly, or I’ll go down to the police station and turn him in myself.”

“Please don’t push this, Jase. I’ve warred with people who have more money than God. I didn’t win. Not only did I lose, but my husband was murdered, and I was escorted out of town. My kids can’t go through that again. I’m barely holding on as it is.”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair for what seemed like the millionth time in less than an hour. “I can’t let this go, baby. I can’t let him get away with it. Not again.”

My head snapped to his. “Again?”

“Something happened in college; I’m not sure what exactly took place. All I know was he was accused of something very similar. His mother went to mine, and my parents got him out of whatever had taken place. At the time, it seemed too coincidental, but I couldn’t lay that at my friend’s feet. He dated her, they broke up, and then a couple of weeks later she cried rape via the date rape drug. She looked vindictive, so my parents helped make it go away to keep from ruining him. I never believed he was capable of something like that. I’d always thought they did the right thing, but now…now I wonder if he prays on people he knows won’t be able to fight back.”

“Don’t you see, though? He’s going to say the same about me. Except now he has all the money and reputation around town. I live in the projects, my husband was a felon murdered in prison, and I don’t have two nickels to rub together. I look exactly like the women your group hates. He could argue we went out several times, there had been some foreplay, and when he didn’t want to see me anymore, I hollered foul play. I can’t do it.”

“Fine. I’ll handle it my way.” He was seething mad, but I didn’t know how to make him feel any better. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he took my hand and kissed my knuckles. “I’m so sorry I got you mixed up with these guys—first Willum and now Holland. If it weren’t for me, neither would have had the opportunity to hurt you.”

“Willum didn’t hurt me.” I’d go to my grave arguing with Jase about that night being my responsibility. It had damaged their friendship, and now I knew why.

“We can agree to disagree. Again, another friend who knew what you meant to me and didn’t protect you.”

“None of this is your fault. I’m a grown woman. I could’ve said no. I played with fire and I got burned. Everything in me told me being an escort of sorts was a bad idea, but I sold myself for the almighty dollar.”

“Yeah, and taking care of your children was more important.”

We could’ve debated all night long where the situation went wrong, but the truth was none of it should have ever happened. I played the role of a hooker, and I got treated like one. I tried to make light of the situation. “At least now I have enough money to buy a car.” There was zero evidence Jase found any humor in that statement.

He cut his eyes sharply in my direction, but when I tried to dodge his stare, I fell over on the bed. Finally, the smirk I so desperately love eked its way past the frown and lit up his face. “I can’t help but smile when I see you. You light up a room, Gia.”

I found my way to his shoulder and tucked myself into his side. “This is going to be okay, somehow. I know it is. Please don’t do anything that’s going to get you in trouble. Promise?”

He didn’t make that guarantee, and I knew there was nothing I could do to stop him from confronting Holland. I only hoped he did it in the manner he had Willum, but something told me he considered this a different violation. Willum’s was carelessness—Holland’s was intentional…and sexual.

“Are you mad at me?” I had to know where we stood on the incident a few months ago. If he had an issue, we needed to address it now, not in a fit of anger or a fight down the road.

“For what?”

“What happened in the limo with Holland a few months ago.”

“I can’t say it makes me happy, but I can’t fault you for it, either. I knew what I was risking not telling you how I felt…I just thought I could trust my friends with you. Had I known the game he was going to play, you would never have been in the situation.”