by Bella Jewel
“Mel, are you there?”
“Lee?” I whisper into the phone, my hand trembling.
“What is it? Mel, what’s going on? Is it Brody?”
“I don’t think I can do this anymore. I don’t ... I can’t ...”
“Calm down, take a breath, and talk to me. Tell me what’s happened.”
I exhale, then take a few calming breaths, and I tell him what has happened since I’ve been here. When I’m done, the phone is silent for a moment. For so long, he doesn’t say anything. I figure he’ll get angry, be on my side, tell me that Lincoln is wrong and help me figure something out, but instead, he shocks me completely by saying, “I think he has a point.”
“What?” I say, my voice a breathy hiss.
“Melanie, calm down and hear me out. Please. You’re putting your emotion into this, which I understand, I really do, but please listen.”
“He’s signing him up to die, Lee!”
“No, honey,” he says, his voice calm, “Brody already signed himself up to die. He did that on his own. Your friend Lincoln is right. One way or another, Brody is going to find this Sniper guy, and he’s going to seek out his revenge. He’ll likely get hurt, or worse. This way, it’s controlled. This way, he might actually have a chance.”
“So by putting him in a ring with a professional fighter who is unbeaten is the best way to save Brody right now? That’s what you’re saying to me?”
“Melanie ...”
“No, Lee,” I yell, my chest clenching. “You’re his brother. You’re not supposed to give up on him this easily.”
“This easily?” Lee snaps back. “You can’t be serious? We’ve all tried. We’ve all done everything we can to change Brody’s mind. Nobody, and I mean nobody is changing his mind. Not you. Not me. Not anyone else. He’s going to do this, Lincoln is right about that, you can either help him to give him a chance at making it out alive, or you can keep your head buried in the sand and let him die. Because he will die, if he does this on his own. If you can’t see that, then you’re not truly looking.”
“Screw you,” I whisper, hanging up.
I throw the phone across the room and tears burn under my eyelids. I try to fight them, I really do, but I can’t hold them in a second longer. They roll down my cheeks in angry waves. My phone rings across the room somewhere, no doubt Lee calling back, but I don’t answer it. I have nothing to say to him, or Lincoln, or Damon, or anyone else for that matter.
“Honey?”
I look up to see Lucy standing at the door, a cup of tea in her hand. She takes one look at me, puts the tea down, and rushes over. She sits on the bed beside me, turning to face me but not touching me.
“It’s going to be okay,” she tells me, her voice understanding and calm.
“How?” I croak. “Either way, they’re basically telling me he’s going to lose his life. He’s going to die. He’s going to die because of some stupid revenge path. What about me, Lucy? Does he ever stop, even for a second, and think about what this will do to me?”
“Oh, honey,” she says, reaching over and putting her arm around me.
It feels nice.
After being so alone it feels nice.
“He’s so determined to get his revenge, but he’s not once thought of the fact that in doing that, he’ll leave me alone, heartbroken and wounded for the rest of my life. He’ll go out, feeling better about himself, but he’ll transfer all that darkness onto me. Doesn’t he see that?”
“I don’t think Brody sees anything clearly and that’s his problem right now.”
“They’re going to send him in to die. Nobody understands why that hurts me, kills me on the inside. Nobody.”
“I understand,” Lucy tells me. “I understand because I accidentally saw a death match, and it has tormented me ever since. It was horrific, and I don’t ever know why anyone would help another person be in that situation. I’m on your side, honey. I know you want one last chance at changing his mind.”
“Is that pathetic?” I say, looking to her, tears still rolling down my cheeks. “That even after it all, I’m still hanging onto to some pathetic chance that he might change his mind? That I might just be enough to get him to want to stop what he’s doing and be with me? That he loves me enough?”
“No,” Lucy tells me. “No it’s not pathetic, it’s not pathetic at all. You love him. You don’t have to apologize to anyone for that.”
“If he dies ...” I whisper, hanging my head.
Lucy reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “We’re going to do what we can to make sure that doesn’t happen. I swear it.”
I believe her.
But she doesn’t know Brody.
Nobody does. Not like I do.
If I’m being honest with myself, there is nothing in this world that will stop him.
Not even me.
That hurts the most.
10
THEN – MELANIE
I LAUGH HYSTERICALLY as I trip over the sand, landing on my hands and knees. Aria and I are racing through the thick, luscious sand, and it’s proving to be hilarious. Of course it doesn’t help that we’re drunk and obviously invincible.
“Run harder, Aria!” Blade calls. “I’ve got fifty on you!”
“Trip her, Mel,” Lee cheers. “Come on. Play dirty.”
I get up on my feet again, still laughing hysterically, and start running toward the finish line where Brody is waiting, a huge grin on his face. I grin at him and start trudging through the sand. It’s really freaking hard to run through sand. I don’t know how those people on the television slide so gracefully over top of it. They must be lying. There’s just no way.
Aria squeals beside me as she starts hopping, taking big lunges, to try and get closer to the finish line. Mid lunge, I put my foot out and when she comes down, I trip her. With a squeal, she hits the sand. “Cheater!” she calls.
“There were no rules to say we couldn’t do what we had to.” I giggle as I run the last part over the finish line.
I make it and Brody grabs me, pulling me into his arms and kissing me, “Fuckin’ winner, baby.”
“I’m always a winner for you.”
Laughing, we all head back to the house, to finish our night off with dinner and some games. Being here with everyone, it feels nice. Really damned nice. Brody has made love to me every night for the last three nights, and it has been incredible. We’re bonding again, coming closer, things are feeling like they might just go back to normal.
Finally.
Mick has been fairly good the last few days, only drinking at the house. In the morning when he wakes, he has been going for a run. I’ve not seen him do that, but it seems to be helping him. He seems easier to talk to, less wound up. Maybe slowly, really really slowly, he’s getting it together. That would be the best thing for everyone.
Mostly for him.
I want that for him.
I really do.
We grab a plate of cut up deli meats, cheese and crackers, a few board games, and sit down on the massive table on the deck looking out over the ocean. This is definitely the break everyone needed.
“Board games make me violent, I’m not going to lie,” Aria says, grinning. “Prepare for the worst, ya’ll.”
“You’ll be fine.” I laugh. “It’s just a little bit of fun, remember that.”
She rolls her eyes, and Blade grins, kissing the side of her cheek. Damn sweet, if I do say so myself.
“Whoever wins this game should be able to make one rule for everyone, for the rest of the trip,” Lee says, laughing. “What do you all think?”
I shrug my shoulder. “I’m cool with that.”
“Game on.” Brody chuckles.
“Sounds good to me.” Aria nods.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
Three more drinks, a lot of cursing, and a shit load of laughter later, and I’m up to get the next round of drinks. I stand and walk into the kitchen just as Mick is coming through the back door. I stare at
him, and then offer a friendly smile. “Hey, Mick, how was your night?”
He shrugs. “Was okay. Yours?”
“It has been really good. Thanks. Did you want to join in the board games?”
He shakes his head. “No, I’m good. I’ll make some food and go to bed.”
He goes to walk off, but my stupid mouth gets the better of me, and I say, “Oh, hey, Mick?”
He stops and glances at me, waiting for me to ask whatever it is I need to ask.
“Aria and Blade have a few friends that are hiring, so I’ve asked them to put in a good word for you. I know it must be hard, trying to find a job, but I thought it might help if we took some of the burden away from you. It’ll help you get back on your feet.”
It’s clear the moment I’ve finished speaking that I’ve done something wrong.
I made a very bad choice mentioning this to Mick.
His face crumples into a scowl and he growls, “If I wanted a fuckin’ job, Melanie, I’d go and find one. Not sure when I asked for your help, but I don’t fuckin’ want it.”
“Oh, no, it’s not like that. I didn’t mean to make you feel silly. I just wanted to make things easier for you, that’s all ...”
“I didn’t ask for you to make things easier!” he roars, and I flinch, stepping backward as he takes a step toward me and leans in close. “Keep your nose out of my business, do you fuckin’ hear me?”
“Hey!”
Brody grabs Mick’s shoulder and hauls him away from me, stepping in front of my body and growling, “What the fuck, man?”
“Tell your little girlfriend to mind her own fuckin’ business and stop tryin’ to help me. I don’t want a god damned job, and I don’t want handouts.”
Brody turns and looks to me. “What’s goin’ on?”
“I just said we were looking for a job for him,” I squeak. Everyone is in the room now, and I feel stupid, so incredibly stupid. I had no idea he’d take it like this. “I was only trying to help.”
“Well don’t fuckin’ help,” Mick barks from behind Brody. “Keep your nose out of my business.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Blade says. “Calm down.”
He grabs Micks shoulder to pull him away, and Mick flips a switch. He swings around and lashes out at Blade, missing him by mere millimeters. Blade ducks to the left and then bounces back, growling, “Calm the fuck down.”
“Don’t fuckin’ touch me,” Mick roars, backing up, fists clenched. Then he looks to Brody. “Tell your fuckin’ bitch to stay the hell out of my business.”
“That’s enough, Mick,” Brody growls. “I’ll help you, but I won’t have you disrespecting my girl. Calm down.”
“So you’re on her fuckin’ side now? Of course you are.”
“You’ve been drinking, go upstairs to bed, we’ll talk about this in the morning.”
Mick glares at me, and mutters, “Don’t interfere in my life again.”
“Go to hell,” I mutter, so damned embarrassed and angry.
I didn’t know Mick would over react like that, but I also didn’t mean any harm. All I was trying to do was help him out. Offer him a path, something to guide him in the right direction. I didn’t say anything mean, or cruel, or even insulting.
“What did you say to me?” Mick snarls.
“Go the fuck upstairs, Mick, before we have problems,” Brody snaps.
“You better watch yourself,” Mick mutters, looking me dead in the eyes.
Brody snaps, grabbing him by the shoulders and slamming him against the wall. “What the fuck did you just say to her?”
“Let me go, Brody,” Mick’s voice is calm now, too calm.
It’s terrifying.
“You threaten her again, and you’re out on your ass, I swear to fuckin’ god. I will only tolerate so much.”
“You want me out?” Mick growls in Brody’s face. “I’m out. Thanks for nothing’. Let me the fuck go.”
Brody lets him go, and Mick gives him a look full of anger and betrayal, and then he says, “We’ve been friends a long time, Brody. That bitch has only been in your life for a quarter of that time. You’re taking the wrong side. So much for friendship.”
Then, with that, Mick disappears up the stairs.
The whole room is silent.
Mostly me.
Because honestly, what is there to say?
“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?” Brody seethes as we’re alone later that night in our room.
“I wasn’t trying to cause any harm, Brody. I was just telling him that we could help him find a job. I didn’t insult him in any way, I was just trying to help.”
“But you did insult him!” Brody growls, spinning to face me. “You did because he knows he’s fucked up, he knows he can’t get a job on his own right now, he knows he’s pathetic, and you just reminded him of that.”
I let my shoulders slump, because I never meant to do that. I never meant any harm. “That wasn’t my intention. You know it wasn’t. I’ll apologize to him. I didn’t mean it that way.”
Brody exhales and walks over, grabbing my face in his hands. “I’ll fight for you, Melanie, I’ll always fuckin’ fight for you. But this, you need to leave this to me, yeah? You can’t help Mick, hell, I don’t even know if I can help Mick.”
“He worries me, Brody. I can’t lie about that ...”
“I know,” he murmurs, rubbing his thumb over my cheek. “I’ll find somewhere else for him to stay, but I will continue to help him. You have to understand that he needs someone and I’m all he’s got, but I respect that he can’t stay with us any longer, either.”
“But where will he go?” I ask.
“I have a few friends with rooms that wouldn’t mind him staying; I’ll have to look into that. He should be fine.”
“What if he gets drunk and abuses them? Not many people will enjoy that, Brody.”
“He only gets mouthy when he’s confronted—I have a few people that will leave him be. That’s all he needs is to be left alone. I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry.”
He leans forward and kisses my head, holding for a few moments before pulling back. I glance up at him, tipping my head back, and murmur, “I’m sorry, I really am. I didn’t mean any harm.”
Brody strokes my cheek. “Don’t worry about it. Keep the job offer open. I’ll talk to him. You’re right, he does need to work. Something has to give, or he’ll go so far down the hole I won’t be able to pull him back up.”
“You know it’s not your job to save him, right?” I whisper, holding his eyes.
“No, but he’s my best friend. It is my job to stand by him, to try and guide him in the right direction. He has no one else.”
I nod.
I respect that, even if it scares me.
I respect it because Brody is an incredible man who would do anything, for anyone.
I love that about him.
“C’mon,” he murmurs, stepping away from me and pulling off his shirt. “Let’s go to bed so I can fuck you all night long, take my mind off it.”
I flush and smile. “Sounds good to me.”
We get ready and crawl into bed, and I roll over, pressing my lips against his, loving the way his hand runs up and down my bare back, pushing warmth through my skin, so deep it feels like it touches the very center of me.
Brody is my world.
He’d do anything for others.
I’d do anything for him.
“You know,” I say, after kissing him for a few seconds, “I’d do anything for you.”
He looks into my eyes and murmurs, “Same baby.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“I’m sorry I’ve made things so much harder for you.”
He shakes his head and cups my jaw in his hand. “Don’t be. You’re right. Mick is too close. I don’t want anything to happen to us. You gotta know that even though I’m doin’ everything in the world for him, it seems you’re the only thing that I’d die for. The only
fuckin’ thing in this world, Melanie. I love you. I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
God.
How, I mean how did I get so lucky?
I don’t know, but I do know that I’m going to hang onto it with both hands for as long as I possibly can.
Because, well, life is uncertain.
My love for Brody, though, it’s as certain as the sun.
No doubt about it.
11
NOW – MELANIE
“HONEY, YOU’VE GOT A visitor.”
I stare over at the door where Lucy has just walked in. I had a long night. A hard night. But she was incredible support. She listened, and we talked, and she helped me with everything. I adore her for that. She would make an incredible friend.
“I do?” I say, standing from my spot on the bed and walking over, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Who?”
I round the corner and see Ripley standing at the end of the hallway. The moment I see him, my bottom lip starts shaking. He takes three strides, and he hits me, wrapping his arms around me, holding me close. He hangs onto me so tight I can hardly breathe, but I don’t care, oh, no, I don’t care.
I need him.
“I’m sorry, Mel,” he murmurs into my hair, still holding me. “I’m sorry for what I said.”
I pull back, swiping at my tears, so happy that he came all this way just for me. “It’s okay,” I whisper. “I’m just so glad you’re here.”
He looks down at me, narrowing his eyes. “Have you slept? Have you had enough to eat in the last few weeks? You don’t look good. We’re going out to lunch today, you and I, then you’re going to sleep.”
I open my mouth to argue, but he narrows his eyes, basically to let me know not to bother. I know by now not to bother, too. He’ll win, no matter what.
“I see you met Lucy, then?”
He grins, nodding and smiling at Lucy. He’s such a good looking man. He’s almost he perfect cross between Blade and Brody. Blade has this sandy colored hair, with blue almost greyish colored eyes. He’s big, he’s built, and he’s gorgeous. Brody is the opposite, with short dark hair, big brown eyes, and a stockier build than any of his brothers. Ripley is a nice mix, with brown hair that’s long, hanging around his shoulders and eyes that are a mix of brown and blue, possibly a hazel color. I’m not sure, but they’re gorgeous. He’s not as solid as his two brothers, but has most certainly grown into a well-muscled, well-formed man.
