Every Rose has it's Thorn.

Epilogue...

Yesterday morning, Jonah's lawyer had approached my lawyer with information that Jonah had indeed broken into my house when I was at the Doctor's office and planted recording devices in every room, Jonah wanted to make a deal but my lawyer was confident that the jury would give him the maximum sentence for his crimes, something he would have to reduce to make a deal, I trusted him enough to know that he was fighting for me and I agreed that I wanted the jury to sentence him.

Finding out about the recording devices felt almost as if I were being violated all over again. To know that he had been listening into private conversations and when the technicians who swept the house actually found a video camera pointed at my bed, I had barely made it to the toilet where I threw up violently. Thinking about the times Jeremy and I had been intimate, about the things we talked about in those private moments - I obviously felt as if I was never going to be rid of my ex. It was part of the reason why I agreed with my lawyer when he advised me to refuse the deal proposition.

Sitting in the small hallway of the courthouse, my stomach was in knots as Jonah and his family and friends sat at the other end and spent the entire time trying everything in my power to intimidate me, but I would be damned if they saw anything but the confident and self-controlled version of myself. Thankfully, after 15 minutes of deliberation, we were all called back into court.

It took little more than 5 minutes for the courtroom to come to order, I watched as Jonah stood with his lawyers, facing the jury as the judge addressed the foreman. "Have you reached a judgement in the matter of Austen v Steven's, foreman?"

"We have your honour!"

"What say, you?"

"We the jury find Jonah Stevens guilty of one count of sexual battery," he began to talk and a gasp echoed around the room as Jeremy took my left hand, squeezing tightly, my brother took my right hand; he was shaking as badly as I was, "we find Jonah Stevens guilty of one count of kidnapping," my heart was beating so wildly that I feared the whole courtroom could hear it, a sob pierced the air from Jonah's mother, "we find Jonah Stevens guilty of one count of battery," another sob bounced around the space, " and we find Jonah Stevens guilty of one count of rape in the first degree!"

"No! Please no, not my boy!" Jonah's mother wailed dramatically, and I had to fight the roll of my eyes at the whole dramatic nature of her response. I mean seriously what had she expected?

Her precious son had raped me. He had forced himself on me.

I barely managed to focus on the sentencing of my ex because all I really wanted was to get the Hell out of here. I heard the basics - 14 years for the rape, 6 years for the sexual battery, 3 years for the battery and a further 7 years for being held against my will. Jonah was going to be a very old man by the time he was released from prison and one of the conditions the jury requested was no parole be granted before 20 years at least.

I didn't even realise that I had started crying until Jeremy tenderly brushed the tears away with his thumb as I stared numbly at my ex.

Had I really loved that man once? It didn't feel real. All we had once felt tainted and fake now that I am looking back on it. I turned my attention to Jeremy and felt a rush of love that swept my breath away from me and it was in that moment I caught a fury of action to the left of where we were sitting and a rush of security intercepting Jonah's mother before she could reach me as she charged towards me, screeching angrily, "are you happy now you have ruined my boy's life? You were always a whore, never good enough for him - now you have pulled him into the gutter along with you. You are going to pay for this, mark my words, slut!"

"Order in my courtroom!" The judge swung his gavel loudly, but Jonah's mother was on a rampage.

"Does it make you feel good ruining an innocent man's life you dirty fucking slut! You won't get away with this bitch!"

"Mrs. Stevens you are in contempt of my court, officers take her into custody, maybe a little time in a cell will give her some perspective!"

Jeremy, Jensen, Hailey, and I watched along with the jurors as she was led from the courtroom, struggling, and fighting every step of the way as she continued to screech obscenities at me with no shame what-so-ever.

Finally, we were permitted to leave the court and the moment I stepped outside I felt at ease. I felt vindicated in a way that I hadn't expected to feel. I guess my case worker had been right when she assured me that every single survivor she worked with, felt relief at having their day in court. Hugging Jeremy's lawyer, Matthew, I thanked him profusely for all the hard work that he had done. I couldn't thank him enough for all he had done for me and Jeremy.

Jeremy was my everything. There was no one better on the planet that I could or would have asked for. Without even realising it, or even taking credit for it, he had given me my life back. And I was ready to make a start on that new lease of life.

It was time to push through the last remaining dregs of what my ex had done. With Jeremy, Jensen, and Hailey by my side - I could do anything I wanted. The world was my oyster and the thorn that was Jonah had been withdrawn from my side.

The End.