Chapter 202 · My Hockey Roommate’s Filthy Desires

Chapter 202

ARIA’S POV"Order! Order in this court!" the judge yelled. He hit his gavel over and over against the wood, his face looking totally angry.But Julian didn't hear him. He was completely past the point of acting normal. He jumped over the low wooden wall of the witness box, his chest moving up and down fast under his suit jacket."You planned this," he shouted, his red eyes moving between Brandon and me. "You've been planning to throw me away from day one. Aria, look at me. You're letting this guy buy your way out of my life?""Mr. Vance, sit down or I will lock you up," the judge yelled. Two big court guards moved in fast, grabbing Julian by his arms.He fought against their grip, his boots making a loud noise against the floor as he tried to get away. It took a third guard stepping in and holding his arms behind his back to finally stop him from moving.I stared at him from our table, my body completely frozen as a sick feeling hit me. He looked like a crazy person. His hair was messy, sweat was running down his face, and even from across the room, I could see his hands shaking.Then, I realized it. The bad, bitter smell of old drink was there, sticking to him even though he used expensive cologne to hide it.He hadn't just been drinking the night before—he was very drunk right now, standing in front of a family court judge. Beside me, Brandon didn't move at all.He just shifted his weight, using his big shoulder to block Julian from looking at Amelia, who was watching the whole thing with big, open eyes.Brandon’s main lawyer fixed his tie, not cared at all by the shouting, and turned back to the judge. "Your Honor, what we are seeing today is not a sad father who cares. It is a scary show of crazy behavior. And the reason he is acting like this is right on his breath."Julian’s lawyer jumped up, his face pale. "Objection. Your Honor, my client is just very stressed out—""It is not stress, Your Honor, he is just very drunk," Brandon’s lawyer said back smoothly, his voice cutting through the noise. He picked up some papers from our table and held them up."We have medical records, bar bills, and police reports from the past three years. Mr. Vance does not just drink for fun. He has a very bad, proven drinking problem. A father who uses drink to run away from his life is not a father. How can this court think about giving a kid to a man who is drunk during his own final custody court day?""Get your hands off me!" Julian yelled at the guards, his voice cracking as his head fell back. "I'm fine. I'm completely fine. Aria, tell them!"From the front row of the seats, Julian's father stood up fast, looking very proud and mean as he hit his fist against the wood. "This is crazy!" the older Vance shouted, his loud voice hitting the high ceiling. "My son is a top athlete with a lot of eyes on him. Everyone in high society drinks to deal with stress. To use a few private times of drinking to say he is a bad dad is just a mean lie."Brandon’s lawyer turned around slowly, looking at the old man, then back to the judge. He shook his head like he felt bad for them."Everyone drinks, Mr. Vance? Maybe," Brandon’s lawyer said, his voice turning hard and cold. "But they do not drink the way your son does. Julian Vance drinks like there is no tomorrow. He uses it to forget his jobs, his mistakes, and his past."The lawyer walked back over to the witness stand, where Julian was now leaning weak against the arms of the guards holding him up."I ask this court to look at what is real here," our lawyer said, looking back up at the judge. "How can a man take good, daily care of a little five-year-old girl if he is so drunk that he cannot even act right in a room of law? Amelia needs a safe place to live. She belongs with her mother.”Julian started to open his mouth to scream another lie, but the judge hit his gavel down one last time. The loud pop went through the room like a gun."Silence, Mr. Vance!" the judge barked, his face looking very grossed out. "You are standing in a court of law acting wild, showing no control at all, and you want this court to give a five-year-old child to you?"The judge shook his head, looking down at his papers like he was completely let down before looking over at our table. "This court will not play games with a child's safety. To help make a final, real choice, I want the child, Amelia, to come up to the stand."A sharp knot of fear went tight in my chest. Amelia looked at me, her big eyes looking at my face to see if she was safe. I squeezed her hand gently, whispering that it would be okay, and then the court worker walked her to the front of the room.Meanwhile, the guards forcefully pulled a sweaty, shaking Julian out of the box, pushing him back to his table with many men watching him.Amelia looked so small sitting in that big wooden chair, but she sat up very straight. The judge leaned forward, making his face look kind and talking in a much softer voice."Hello, Amelia. I just have one very important question for you, okay? Who do you want to live with? Your mother, or your father?" I closed my eyes tight, my heart hitting hard against my ribs as I prayed for my daughter to be safe.Amelia didn't wait at all. She looked right at the judge, her small voice sounding very clear in the quiet room. "I do not know my dad. I know my mother, and I will stay with her."That was the exact second Julian completely lost his mind. A wild, scary scream came out of his throat as he went totally crazy. With a sudden burst of wild strength, he broke right past the guards holding him.He ran across the courtroom floor, jumping straight into the box area, and grabbed Amelia hard by her small shoulders."No. You are a Vance." Julian screamed, his face looking totally twisted with anger as he started shaking the scared little girl. "You belong with me. Tell them you're coming with me, Amelia. Tell them."Amelia let out a sharp, loud scream of fear, her little legs moving fast as tears came out of her eyes. Brandon moved before anyone else could even think.Like a shadow, his big body crossed the room in a split second. With pure, scary strength, Brandon slammed his hands into Julian’s chest, pulling a shaking Amelia completely out of Julian's tight arms.Brandon shoved Julian back into the waiting guards, standing right in front of my crying daughter like a big wall."Calm the fuck down, Julian." Brandon roared, his deep voice shaking with a dangerous anger that made the whole room move. "Look at what you're doing. You are scaring her.""She's my daughter!" Julian shouted back, fighting wild against the four guards who finally pinned him to the floor, his eyes big and red. "Aria is keeping her away from me. You're all stealing her from me.”"Enough!" the judge yelled, standing up from his seat, his gavel almost breaking the wood. "Get him out of my sight. The court has seen more than enough to make a final choice."As the guards dragged a screaming, crying Julian out through the side doors, the judge fixed his robe, his face looking sad and serious."Based on the father's very crazy, dangerous behavior today, and the clear words of the child, this court rules that full custody goes only to the mother, Aria. Amelia deserves a safe, good home, and it is clear she will not find that with the father. Case closed."The moment the gavel hit for the last time, I ran forward, pulling a crying, shaking Amelia tight against my chest. A big breath of relief came out of me, and my own tears finally fell fast, getting into her hair.It was over. We had won.But as we started to gather our bags, a shadow fell over our table. I looked up to see Julian's mother standing there, her face twisted into a look of pure, cold hate."Don't think you've won, Aria," she said, her voice sounding mean as she looked down at us. "This is not over. Not at all."I stared back at her, the fear completely gone from my eyes. I felt the strong need to protect my kid. "I will file a court order to keep you, your crazy son, and your whole bad family away from my daughter," I said, my voice sounding flat and very firm."If any of you come near her again, I will make sure the police lock you up."Without letting her say another word, Brandon stepped between us, his big shoulders completely blocking her from my sight. He put a safe arm around my waist, leading me and a crying Amelia fast out of the courtroom, walking right past the loud reporters waiting in the halls.

Chapter 202