Wolf at Law by Heather Long

Author:Heather Long
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Six

“Mrs. Taglioni…” The judge studied the petition in front of her. If Ryan hadn’t been sitting steadfast at her side, Tiffany would have left. She’d thought having a woman judge would make all the difference, but the sixty-year-old woman seated across from her at the desk scared the hell out of her. From the moment she’d taken a seat in the office, she’d wanted to flee. Ryan had brushed her leg with his and it helped. Not as much as she wished, but the panic swelling within seemed to quiet.

At least until the judge focused on her. “This is a private session. There’s only you, your attorney and me.”

I guess the court reporter doesn’t count. Keeping that thought to herself, she nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“You understand your daughter is also included in this Order of Protection.”

Why couldn’t she stop shaking? “Yes, ma’am.”

“I also see you stated your husband—Mr. Taglioni—never struck your daughter. You have those words here in your statement.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The judge nodded and wrote something down. “Has she ever witnessed the alleged abuse?”

Ryan nudged her leg, a light rub, a reminder of his presence. Clasping her hands together, Tiffany fought her dry throat to speak. “I don’t think she has. I pray she hasn’t. I’ve done my damnedest to try and keep her from seeing it.”

“Yet now, after what looks like six years of varying abuse where you charge mental, emotional and physical cruelty, you’ve decided to take action. Why is that?”

“Your Honor,” Ryan began, but the judge held up a hand.

“No, Mr. Huston. Your briefs have been very thorough, as were both of your petitions. I know exactly what you have stated, but I want to hear it from Mrs. Taglioni.”

The standoff between the two bought her a few seconds. She had two choices here—go with the testimony she and Ryan had discussed, or be brutally honest. “You want the truth?”

“I would prefer it, yes.” The judge studied her, waiting.

“It’s not pretty, and it’s not eloquent. I’ve learned a lot about myself over the last few days. I’m not just uneducated, I’m ignorant and I’ve let myself be ignorant.” She didn’t look at Ryan at all. The man deserved so much better than her. “Because it was easier to be ignorant and pretend I didn’t understand how ugly my situation was than it is to stand up and try and demand something better for myself. If it were just me…well, I’d probably be in my kitchen in my apartment, making dinner and setting the table just so, waiting with the food and trying to keep it the right temperature so it was warm and perfect if Giles decided to walk through that door. If he wasn’t there by ten or eleven, chances were good he wouldn’t be home and I could go ahead and eat.”

Digging her nails into her palms, she pulled her feet back and withdrew from any contact. She had to get this out. Clearing her throat, she said. “If I were lucky, he wouldn’t come home at all.

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