Miss Congeniality (23 page)

“Are you two always like this?” Derrick asked, bemused.

“No, sometimes we actually argue,” Lance managed with a straight face.

“Shut up.” She pushed him playfully. He grabbed her chair to pull her close, kissing her forehead. Silvia and Derrick sat their grinning like loons, comforted she found someone like Lance. He challenged her, made her laugh, loved her, and he always put her first; she couldn’t wish for more. She did, however, wish she could bottle this feeling to put away and pull out whenever she needed a pick me up.

“You two are so cute,” Silvia said, patting Lance’s hand where it lay on the table.

“Thanks.” Brea laid her head on his shoulder. “So Derrick, as much as I hate to kill the mood, will you tell me what happened when you went to see my birth mother today?”

“Are you sure you want to know this?”

“Not really, but I need to know. Did she mention Alex?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Not until I asked. She told me in no uncertain terms she wasn’t going to the trial, and he could rot in jail for all she cared.”

“Are you serious? After all that woman put us through, she isn’t even going to try to help her son?” Brea raged, the desire to hurt her mother surging through her system. She never considered herself a calm person by nature, so she knew if her mother were sitting in front of her, she would have punched her.

“Not to defend her, but she was high at the time.”

Brea snorted. “What else is new?”

“I know she frustrates you.”

“Frustrates me? She doesn’t frustrate me. She infuriates me. I thought I was over it. I’ve spent enough years in counseling to know it’s a disease and part of it’s the drugs, but I can’t help thinking if she wasn’t so fucking selfish, she wouldn’t be abandoning her children when they need her. Again!” She stormed out, ignoring calls of her name when she ran up the stairs to her old bedroom. She slammed the door and collapsed on the bed, wanting to shut out everything temporarily.

The soft knock on the door interrupted Brea’s thoughts. She glanced at the clock, noting she’d been in her room about ten minutes, which was nine minutes longer than she thought she’d be there without someone bothering her. She wanted to be childish and say ‘go away’ but figured a little maturity was needed after her tantrum. The door opened before she could say anything and Lance popped his head in with a soft smile.

“Don’t you know you’re supposed to wait until someone says come in?” She scowled, her promise to be mature forgotten.

“Would you have let me in?”

“I might have.” She pouted, pursing her lips when he came closer for a kiss.

“Uh-huh.” He didn’t look convinced. “So…how’re you feeling?”

“Hurt, confused, upset, irritated, stressed.” He sat on the side of the bed and tried to push her over on her stomach. She stared at him like he was crazy. “What the hell are you doing? I’m not in the mood for sex.”

He chuckled. “Get your mind out of the gutter. Besides, when have I ever rolled you on your stomach for sex? You’re stressed out, and I want to relieve some of that stress by giving you a massage, not have sex with you.”

She perked up at the prospect. “Oh. Well, why didn’t you say something instead of trying to shove me over?” She rolled on her stomach, twisting her hair around with her hand and brushing it off her back.

“Sometimes it’s just easier to maneuver you where I want you without giving you options.” He tugged on her shirt so she took it off and unhooked her bra. He got the lotion off the bedside table and squeezed some on his hand before he straddled her waist and started kneading her back muscles.

“Right there,” she moaned when he hit a knot in her upper back.

“Damn, babe, you are tense. What’s got you stressed? Besides your brother?” He continued his ministrations, wanting to provide Brea with some relief.

“My mother, my brother, the whole damn lot of them. It’s no wonder I didn’t come back often. Where are Derrick and Silvia?”

“They went outside after you stormed out. Derrick was really upset. He said he wasn’t trying to hurt you, but he needed to see her because it could help Alex.” Brea sighed, knowing she needed to put an apology to Derrick and Silvia at the top of her to-do list.

“I know. I just wish we didn’t need her at all. We may not if I can get him to talk to me tomorrow.”

“Do you think you’re going to get him to talk?” He was skeptical but didn’t want to rain on her parade.

“I don’t know, but if anyone can get through to him, it’s me. It’s always been him and me against the world, from the time we were kids. If he sees how this is affecting me, he may be persuaded.”

“That’s an awful big task, baby.” She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about her brother anymore.

“I know. Thank you for this.”

“For what?” He kissed her shoulder before he moved to her lower back.

“This massage was just what I needed, even if your erection is poking me in the back.”

He chuckled. “What can I say? I’m a guy and you’re hot.”

“That thing should come with a warning label. Is that the only reason you want me? I’m hot?”

“No, I’m also in love with your crazy ass.”

“Whatever.”

He slapped her ass. “What did I tell you about that word?”

“What did I tell you about slapping my ass?” she countered.

“You’ve never said anything about my slapping your ass.” He turned her over, boxing her in with his arms on either side of her head, rubbing his nose down hers.

“I didn’t? Well, then, feel free to do it anytime you want.”

“You ready?” Lance placed his hand on the small of her back while they walked toward the county jail. She stared at the imposing gray structure with barbed wire at the top of the building, refusing to consider her brother lived there for the time being.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” They walked inside, going through an invasive search before being allowed entrance to the waiting area. Lance was told to wait while Brea was led back to a row of tables, each with a chair and a phone.
Great, I have to talk to my brother through a damn piece of glass
, she thought miserably.

“Number five,” the guard commanded. She wanted to ask him how long until her brother got here, but his face told her he wasn’t taking questions. She wondered when the chair was last washed, the dirt streaks making her want to break out her wet wipes, but decided she didn’t need to be a prima donna. Not that she had any wet wipes; they only allowed her to bring her car key back here. She sat quietly, hands in her lap, her leg shaking uncontrollably. After a door opened on the end, Alex walked in with an orange jumpsuit, chains on his wrists and ankles. She wanted to scream he was her brother and he wasn’t dangerous, but knew she would do him no favors by speaking out.

He stood by the chair while they unlocked the chains on his hands so he could sit. Her mouth fell open in shock; he looked horrible. His black hair was shaved close, he looked too thin, and his blue eyes were impossibly large against his face. The circles below his eyes remained unchanged, but what really alarmed her was the cut below his eye. He pointed at the phone. She picked up, nervous about what he had to say.

“Hey, Sis,” he whispered, causing tears to swim in her eyes. She couldn’t talk and sobbed uncontrollably, overcome with everything going on with him. “Hey, hey, don’t do that,” he crooned soothingly, “Shh, it’s okay.”

“I’m…sorry,” she choked out. “It’s so good to see you.”

“I know the feeling.” His eyes were mysteriously wet, as well.

“How are you doing?”

“I’ve been better.”

“I know.” She nodded. “I was coming for you. Before you did the outburst, I was coming for you.”

He looked chagrined. “Sorry about that. I just…wanted you with me. It’s always been us.”

She wiped the tears which fell. “It’s still you and me. I’m sorry if you felt like it wasn’t, but I was still here for you, even if it was from far away.”

“I know I told Derrick to leave me here, and I hate to ask this of you, but can you get me out?”

“Consider it done. I’ll call today so you can be out this evening, but there are conditions.” He looked wary. Smart man. He knew she was willing to exact whatever she wanted from him.

“What?”

“No more bullshitting. When you get out of here, you and I are going to have a serious come-to-Jesus meeting, and you are going to tell me everything. Like what the hell has been going on with you and our mother that I don’t know about, and why in the hell you decided to start doing drugs. I know you hated the stuff, so there has to be a reason. And you’re going to start cooperating with the lawyer I gave you. He’s the best damn lawyer money can buy and he can get you out. But you need to get with the damn program!” The guard moved forward, alarmed by her raising her voice. “I’m okay,” she said to him.

“One more outburst, and you’re gone.”

“I’m sorry, and thanks for the chance.” She picked the phone back up to talk to her brother. “I guess I was a little more pissed than I thought I was. But I want you clean, and I want the brother I remember.”

“The brother you remember is gone. As far as the other stuff, I’ll do it for you, because I would do anything for you. But just understand it’s not going to be the same.”

“I can deal with that, if you can make an effort to improve yourself.”

“Five minutes!”

“Damn, they don’t give you anything in here.”

“Who you telling? We got a deal?”

“Yeah, I’ll call Derrick. He’ll want you to stay with them.”

Alex nodded.

“Okay, I love you,” he said into the phone, his palm face out on the glass. She put her palm on top of his.

“Love you, too,” she whispered before hanging up. She stood up, not quite happy but at least satisfied she was getting answers from Alex this evening. If anything, they would at least be able to get him to assist in his defense, instead of letting the system do whatever they wanted with him. Lance wasn’t going to be too happy with her, but Alex wasn’t his brother, so it wasn’t his call. She walked outside quickly, not wanting to stay any longer than necessary. She didn’t know how Alex was able to stay in here for over a month, but she was getting him out tonight. It was the first item on her agenda after she talked to Lance.

“Hey, babe.” He got up when she approached. “How was the visit?”

She shrugged. “It was all right. We didn’t really get to talk a lot, but he asked me if we could get him out.”

Lance stopped walking. “What did you say?”

“Let’s not argue right now.”

Lance left her standing there while he walked away.

“Are you serious?” she hissed when she reached him outside. Lance was pacing back and forth, his hands linked together behind his head. “Who in the hell are you to tell me what I can and can’t do with my brother? You don’t know him.” He stopped suddenly, jabbing his finger in her face. She stepped back, alarmed at his temper.

“No, you don’t fucking know him. When was the last time you were home to talk to him?”

Brea saw red. “You are out of line! You know how hard our job is! I try to get home as often as I can!”

“Well, I’m pretty fucking sure I would know if my sister started using illegal drugs.”

“You are such an asshole.”

“I may be an asshole, but I’m the asshole who’s been here. You don’t know your brother like you think you do. If I asked you a month ago if Alex would beat a man so bad the guy would end up in hospital, what would you have said?” She didn’t say anything, anger blazing in her blue eyes. “You would have said no, but you would have been wrong. So I’m sorry if I want to protect you, which is what you’re supposed to do when you love someone, but I can’t stand here and pretend like this is okay.”

“So, what the hell would you expect me to do? Leave him there?”

“If I thought it was best, yes.”

“What if it was your sister in there, or your dad?” He stood silent, his jaw working furiously. “That’s what I thought. You wouldn’t leave them either, so I don’t want to hear shit from you. I just want you to take me the hell home.” They were at a standoff, neither one giving in to the other.

“Fine.” He finally caved, holding the door out for her to get in. They rode in silence to the house, Brea texting Derrick to see if he could get the ball rolling on getting Alex out of jail. He stopped the car in the driveway, leaving it running.

“Are you not coming in with me?” she asked, worried, staring out the windshield to avoid looking at him. She was pissed at him, sure, but she needed him with her. She couldn’t do this without him.

“I think it’s best if I not come in right now.”

“But—”

“I’m not leaving,” he reassured her, “but I can’t be near you right now.” She got out of the car and walked in the house, waiting until she was in Silvia’s arms before she broke down.