Naked and Defiant Read online

  "That rat bastard. He certainly is making it impossible for you to escape. Well, I promise that this is going to blow up in your daddy's face, my girl," Griffon said, aloud. "I just hope you can see that I did all this to protect you as well as myself."

  "Tash?" he lifted the phone to his ear. "These statements are very incriminating, but how can we get them accepted as evidence? You know the PI didn't obtain them legally."

  "Hello to you, too," Tasha grumbled. "It's nearly two in the morning."

  "Yeah, well." Griffon glanced at the clock. Where had the time gone? "Sorry, I got caught up reading these reports. There are a bunch of loose strings here that concern me."

  "Don't worry about that, Griff. There is no reason to have to bring these up in court unless Brockton comes after you personally."

  "Do you think he will?"

  "He has a reputation for slinging dirt in public arenas, so it would not surprise me. That is why I will be coming with you. If he does try to causes problems during Simon's trial, then we have something to use as leverage to silence him. If he does not bring it up during the trial, then we can approach him afterwards with the evidence and do some bullying from our end."

  "You are brilliant, my friend. Another question: how can we use this information, since it was obtained under, uh, questionable circumstances?"

  "You worry too much," Tasha chuckled. "First, they have Jade's name on them, and with her permission, we can use them however we need to. If what you have told me about her is true, then she will be more than happy to sign over the documents. I can also pretty much guarantee that Brockton the Beast will do almost anything to prevent a scandal like this from leaking to the media. It would destroy his business overnight, if the public found out he abused his daughter."

  "Who would have thought that luxury would be considered abusive?"

  "That just goes to show how our society has deteriorated, honey," Tasha sighed. "You need to get some sleep. This nightmare is almost over, and you can have your precious jewel back in your arms."

  "Actually, Jade is an ornamental rock," Griffon chuckled. "One more week?"

  "One more week. Trust me. I'm pretty good at my job. That's why you pay me the big bucks, Boss."

  "I don't pay you enough. I am going to …"

  "Don't even think of saying it. You pay top dollar already, and the benefits are wonderful," Tasha giggled.

  "Thanks," Griffon said, humbly. "Call me if you hear anything, okay?"

  "Shall do. Sleep well, Griff."

  ***

  "Stop messing with your tie and sit still," Tasha whispered."You are fidgeting like a kid in church."

  "I can't breathe. It's cutting off my air," Griffon grumbled."And these shoes hurt like hell."

  "You are impossible. Remember the whole idea is to present yourself as a respectful businessman with honorable intentions."

  "I'm the not the one on trial. Simon is, remember?"

  "I warned you that if Brockton has anything to say about this, he will find a way to drag you in. It is his m.o. to use a courtroom for self-gain. When he does, we have evidence to use against him and promote silence."

  "Inadmissible evidence!"

  "Please just calm down and act natural. I know the judge, too. He won't tolerate it for a minute," Tasha paused with a frown, looking at his suit. "Are you wearing your good luck T-shirt under that?"

  "Yeah," Griffon grinned.

  Tasha shook her head. "I don't know what to do with you sometimes. You are such a child. It's time to go in. When you see Jade, be formal. Don't give anyone any ideas that you are anything other than casual friends who underwent a grueling experience together."

  Griffon's heart pounded when his gaze feel upon of Jade's smooth profile. He stepped behind her and touched her arm with an unusual degree of timidity. She turned, shrieked loudly, and flung her arms around his neck. Cameras flashed wildly around them as the 'reunion' of the survivors were captured on film.

  "How are you doing, Miss Brockton? You look quite well," Griffon asked, giving her a perfunctory pat on the shoulder before gently pushing her away.

  She stepped back, putting distance between them, her face registering pain at his reaction to her embrace. "Once this horrendous day is over, I will be much better, thank you." Her voice chilled the air around him.

  "I believe you. I got this for you." Griffon placed something in her hand. "It will give you the strength to see this through. Excuse me, but I have to get seated."

  He watched out of the corner of his eye as Jade unfurled her hand to view the object. It was a piece of nephrite jade with a tiny, south pacific hut and palm trees carved into the center. Framing the sides and back of the miniature was raw, unpolished stone. The word 'promise' was etched deeply into the back. She looked at him and mouthed the words, "Thank you."

  ***

  The trial commenced. With evidence exposing Simon Kinslow's AKAs of five different names, the prosecuting attorney made quick work of the case. The mood of the courtroom changed when Griffon was called to the stand to testify as a witness to the abandonment and Jade's physical condition.

  "I find it interesting that you happened to be present when the daughter of a competitor just happens to need assistance. Mr. Badger, it is true that you negated a contract with Brockton Industries just prior to this event?" Mr. Woods suddenly questioned.

  "I object," Tasha stood. "The corporate dealings are irrelevant to this trial."

  "Are they, Miss Hart? Would you care to step forward and defend the witness? Perhaps explain his motives behind keeping Miss Brockton stranded alone with him for a month, forcing her to depend on him for her very survival? It appears a little coincidental, don't you agree?" the attorney asked, directing his question towards the new cameras. He launched into a speech, insinuating Griffon had used the unfortunate incident to hinder Jade from returning home to her loving father as vengeance for a bad business deal.

  Tasha raised another objection, reminding the court that the issue was Simon's actions against the victim, not how Griffon had saved her. In the midst of her speech, Jade interrupted, blurting out the truth about her father.

  "I tried to take the boat and destroyed it. Griffon had nothing to do with any of this, except he got me out of the water before the sharks smelled my bloody forehead. This attack on Griffon is pure bullshit, and …"

  "Miss Brockton! Please, contain yourself!" the judge ordered, pounding his gavel upon the bench. "This problem between your father and Mr. Badger is not up for discussion in this courtroom. Not another word. Counselor, return to your questioning and keep in mind that Mr. Badger is not the one being brought before the bench on charges."

  Jade ignored the judge's comments. "Contain myself? Do you hear what is going on? Simon is on trial for kidnapping and abandonment, and they are trying to turn it into a trial against Griffon for saving my life. My father has been holding me captive in that place he calls a home since I returned. He is the one who is using me to get back at Griffon!"

  "Silence!" Brockton shouted. "Your honor, you know that I had her examined by a psychologist. She was diagnosed with PTSD and cannot be held responsible for things she says. Her emotions and memories are skewed, largely due to the ideas Mr. Badger planted in her head."

  "That is a fucking lie!" Jade screamed, standing to glare at him. Cameras flashed in her face as reporters saw her outbreak as something media-worthy. "You are a cruel, inhumane, son of a …"

  "Your Honor, if I may interject," Tasha said calmly, as the judge repeatedly beat the desk with his gavel.

  "Yes, Miss Hart?" the judge asked wearily.

  "May I approach the bench?"

  Jade ran into Griffon's arms, sobbing, as the two counselors stood before the judge. "It will be okay, baby. I promised you that I would find a way for you to be free, didn't I? I am just sorry that it had to come to this."

  "You didn't even yell at me for cussing," Jade sniffed.

  "I'll scold later. Let's just get this finished,"
Griffon said, softly. "Now go sit down and act like we are only friends, okay? Trust me."

  "May I have your attention? Order!" the judge banged the gavel again. "Mr. Brockton! I will not have this screaming in my courtroom. You are not a witness in this case, and the issues you are raising are pure speculation. I am not going to have you turn my court into a circus so that you can have your vengeance."

  "I have evidence that suggests that Badger conspired with Kinslow," Mr. Brockton hissed.

  "Is this true, Mr. Woods?" the judge asked, glaring at the pale attorney.

  "It is circumstantial only, Your Honor. Nonadmissable," the attorney said, timorously.

  "That is bullshit! This bastard …" Mr. Brockton began.

  "I have heard enough of this. Court is at recess," the judge announce. He pointed to Mr. Woods, "I will see you and Mr. Badger in my chambers immediately."

  "I'm coming, too!" Jade announced, clinging to Griffon's hand.

  He patted her knuckles. "No, you stay here and let the attorneys handle this issue."

  "Do I have a choice?" Jade asked, eyes narrowed.

  "Of course you do," Griffon answered. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "You have the choice to mind me or go over my knee once this whole thing is done."

  "You already promised me a spanking for slapping you across the face," Jade whispered back. "Do you think I would forget?"

  "I guess not," he chuckled. "Stay out here. I'm not asking you. Do not talk with the media, either. You can't trust their spin on things."

  "Since you put it so nicely, okay." Jade stepped back, releasing his hand. "Good luck."

  "We won't be long. We'll make it so that you are free to do what you want in your life, okay?" Tasha promised, touching her arm.

  "I want to be with Griffon," Jade said firmly, looking up into the man's serious expression.

  "That can't happened until this dies down, Jade. We need to put this trial to rest and get your father off Griffon's trail." Tasha leaned forward and said quietly, "Griff is my best friend, and I am going to do everything I can to make him happy. That includes freeing you. But you need to give me some time."

  "I've waited almost four months," Jade sighed. "I guess I can wait a little more. Thanks, Miss Hart."

  The moment the chamber doors were shut, Mr. Brockton began shouting obscenities in Griffon's direction, blatantly ignoring his attorney's advice to control his temper. The judge clapped his hands, gaining their attention. "I have heard enough. First, this outbreak is unacceptable. Mr. Brockton, you might be able to throw your weight around in the business world, but in here, I am the CEO. Mr. Woods, control your client or I will find him in contempt."

  "Your honor, if I may ask for a moment to discuss this situation with Mr. Brockton. I …"

  "There is no situation! This man took advantage of my poor, innocent daughter and seduced her to believe a fantasy about herself," Brockton spat.

  "I did no such thing! We were nothing but casual friends, trying to survive, and you damn well know it!" Griffon rebutted.

  "I see the way she mourns over not being with you. That says you pushed her into something more than a casual friendship, you pervert! She is a child, compared to you! You used your experience to manipulate her feelings and turn her against me."

  "Your honor," Tasha interjected, holding Griffon at bay. "Mr. Brockton's statements are unwarranted and without merit. They are also irrelevant to the matter at hand. We are here to prosecute criminal charges against Simon Kinslow and not civil allegations against Mr. Badger."

  Brockton interrupted, "Her ideas are obscene, and I had a psychologist confirm that she has suffered in this man's hands. He forced her to be dependent on him and now is using his power of persuasion to make her come against me. Get her medical records, and you can see it for yourself."

  "Miss Hart?" the judge raised an eyebrow.

  "I wish to make the point that my client has not had any contact with Miss Brockton since they were rescued. That fact, supported by communication records that I hold in my hand, negates Mr. Brockton's insinuations that Mr. Badger has been using the victim in this crime to plot against him. Mr. Brockton's paranoia has etiologies unrelated to his daughter's abduction and abandonment. I am more than happy to address these particular findings, if deemed necessary for the conclusion of this trial. Regarding her psychological condition, it is true that Dr. Torrance evaluated Miss Brockton upon her father's request. She was diagnosed with unstaged PTSD."

  "See?! Even your attorney can't deny what the professionals think about this! I told you that Badger was scum!"

  "However," Tasha continued, ignoring the man's gloating, "Dr. Torrance concluded that the majority of Miss Brockton's post-abduction and abandonment issues were directly related to the present conditions she is experiencing under the confines of Mr. Brockton's attentions. According to the report," Tasha read aloud, "Miss Brockton claims that she has been effectively imprisoned in, and I quote, a gilded cage."

  "That is a lie! I give that child every amenity under the sun! She lacks for nothing…."

  "Except freedom," Griffon growled. "You cut off her finances, her phone, her Internet and all communication with the outside world. You are forbidding her the pursuit of a formal education; you dictate what she wears, what she eats and how much she is allowed to engage in physical exercise. You are a warden, not a father!"

  "You sonofabitch! How dare you!"

  "My parents were happily married, thank you, so don't bring my mother into it. You are despicable ….

  "Gentlemen! Enough of this. This is not a boardroom. I brought you into my chambers to spare both of you unwanted media attention over an issue that is inappropriate for these proceedings. Mr. Badger, you have made some very serious accusations. Do you have any evidence to support your statements?"

  "We do, your honor, however, we must obtain Miss Brockton's permission to present it to the court," Tasha said calmly, holding up a thick folder. "In my hand, I hold all bank statements, communication records and billings that prove Miss Brockton's claim."

  "How did you come by this information, counselor?" the judge asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  "How does one usually obtain information, your honor? One asks for it," Tasha met him squarely in the eye. "I assure Your Honor that, after having to deal with Mr. Brockton's behavior, there are a multitude of people willing to donate information to see that he loses his influence over his daughter."

  The judge turned to Mr. Brockton, whose face was inflamed with dark, angry red. "It sounds as though you are burning a hell of a lot of bridges, Brockton. Are you certain you wish to pursue these accusations against Mr. Badger? Do I need to call in your daughter to release this information to the court?"

  "No, Your Honor," Mr. Brockton's attorney quickly interjected, holding his hand across his client's chest. "I am certain that this is nothing but a big misunderstanding, brought about by horrific events. We know that poor Miss Brockton was distraught and incapable of making decisions based on prudency. There is no need to drag her through the mud as she is struggling on the edge of sanity."

  "Quite the contrary, Mr. Woods," Tasha raised an eyebrow. "The psychiatry report indicates that Miss Brockton is not only highly competent to make life decisions, but that the choices she prefers are considered positive personal goals. Would you care to see? After all, Mr. Brockton is the one who initiated this examination."

  "That is impossible! I hired that therapist to declare her incompetent! He assured me that he would find the source of her problem and give me a recommendation to resolve it!"

  "You sure got what you paid for," Griffon glared at him. "When he told you that you are the source of her problem, what did you do to help her? Well?!"

  "Mr. Badger, please …" Tasha said, hand on his shoulder. "I am curious, though. Mr. Brockton? Would you please explain to the judge the details of Dr. Torrance's instructions on how to handle her issues?"

  "That is none of anyone's business except my own. Y
ou should not be privy to his reports. I did not give my permission to release that information to you!"

  "No, but your daughter did. She signed a full release while in the hospital after her rescue. Mr. Griffon had the foresight to get that completed prior to her return home. Your honor? Would you care to know what the physician endorsed for Miss Brockton?" she waited for his nod and lifted the paper in her hand. "The report reads that he recommended allowing her to pursue her education, which would give her a sense of control over her life. He also believes that allowing her the opportunity to explore her new interests would be both uplifting and beneficial in building self-confidence. Her desire to maintain personal health and conditioning are favorable for a positive lifestyle, and ..."

  "He set me up. That son of a …"

  "Shut up, Brockton!" Mr. Woods hissed. "Please pay no attention to Mr. Brockton; he is distressed and not thinking clearly."

  "It appears that 'not thinking' is somewhat of a habit for him. I have heard enough," the judge said, sternly. "Mr. Brockton, I am warning you that you ever try to use my courtroom again as a means of settling a personal vendetta, I will find you in contempt. It would be wise to exit these chambers pleasantly and calmly and not provoke Mr. Badger to say anything regarding this little discussion to the press. We do not want your daughter to have to endure any more public humiliation than necessary, now, do we? Mr. Badger? Do you agree?" the judge raised his thick, bushy eyebrow as he leaned forward with his elbows on the desk.

  "If Mr. Brockton releases the hold upon his daughter and allows her to pursue her own life, and if he does not make any farther attempt to either use her, me, or my company and affiliates against one another in an attempt to manipulate, I have no reason to say a word to anybody, Your Honor."