“I think I should tell Lisa and let her handle this for you. I really shouldn’t—”
Frank was getting frustrated. She would be available and down for whatever otherwise, but when it’s something this serious . . . she puts it off on Lisa? “Why not? This is my daughter’s life.”
“I need to think about our child too.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Frank’s heart stopped.
Chapter 42
Brianna wished she was dreaming, but she was painfully aware that it was real. The theater had seating for about ten people, and Javan had filled every seat. Blowup dolls completely dressed and named, all present to view the short. Brianna laughed to mask the discomfort she felt. This was some weird mess. She recognized some of the dummies, dressed as a few characters from different iconic pop culture television shows and movies. Upon closer inspection, she realized they were all couples: Lucy & Ricky, Clair & Cliff, Bones & Booth, and even Dwayne & Whitley! He could not be serious!
Javan let her know on the way down that it was an original film. He hired a few students from the University of North Texas’s film department to help him do it. Brianna was no longer uneasy. She was flat-out scared.
“Javan, what are these dummies doing in here?” Bria laughed nervously.
“I don’t like watching movies alone.” He laughed. “They don’t talk or anything.”
The film started innocently enough. It was a cute love story, and she was rather enjoying it. It was pretty funny, and then . . . Something cut her laughter short. A scene that was eerily familiar, and so were the next few scenes, including the day at the arboretum that Javan had described, and it was not long before Brianna realized she was the female lead! She nearly jumped up out of her seat, knocking Dwayne to the floor. She looked at Javan, who had a smile a mile wide plastered across his face.
Everything Brianna and Javan had ever done had been captured in the film and plenty of things they had not. The first time they met in the parking garage at work. The shameless rump session they had in the elevator shortly after. More recently, the mandatory staff meeting that was a ruse to get Brianna alone, even the massage she received last night was included! Bria started hyperventilating. This was not happening. Just when she felt it couldn’t get any worse . . . They married.
The whole thing was absurd. Brianna lost her cool. “Javan, what is this?”
“Do you like your surprise? I made it just for you, babe.”
“I don’t know what to think . . . When did you do this?”
“A little while ago. You like it?”
“It’s . . . something.”
“Excuse me?” Javan had not expected this type of reaction. He wanted her to be pleased; thrilled. He put a lot of thought and a moderate financial stake into this short. And he did it all to impress her.
“I mean . . . It’s just so shocking. So . . . creative. I’m speechless.” Brianna really was speechless. She could not think of one single word or phrase to describe what she was thinking. This was not normal. Between the fake photo upstairs, the dummies, the denied phone calls, and the end of the movie, Brianna was beyond disturbed.
“Javan, why did you do this?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I love you. I want to be with you, Brianna. I was afraid to say it before, but now I’m ready to profess it in front of these other great couples. I love you!”
There’s that L-word again. This was not what she needed. Javan had lost his mind. What in the hell was he talking about? “What other couples are you talking about? I know you’re not talking about these dummies?”
To her dismay, he motioned to the dolls. Brianna shook her head. This was not happening.
Javan thought Brianna would think the dummies were cute, a sweet gesture. Perhaps they had been a bad idea. “Look, forget the dummies. I love you. I’m pouring out my heart here. Don’t you love me?”
She couldn’t lie to him. He always saw through it, but she was sure her truth would hurt him. She had to choose her words very carefully. “Javan, I love you too, but . . .”
“There’s no but . . . I want you.”
“You’re not thinking clearly. I’m not good for you. Not good for anyone.”
“But I saved you! Brianna, what more do I have to do?”
His impatience was shining like a new pair of diamond earrings. What more did he have to do before he would be good enough for her?
“It’s not you . . . It’s me. You know intimacy is not a strong suit of mine. I love you, but this is a bit too soon. Don’t you agree?”
Javan took her hand in his and spoke lovingly to her. She needed to understand. “I never wanted this space between us, but I got a lot of love for you, Bria, and never wanted to pressure you into anything you didn’t want. The moment I realized I was in love with you . . . I decided to love you from where I was in whatever manner you’d allow.”
Brianna thought she might hyperventilate. This was too much.
“I have been more than patient with you, Brianna. I dealt with the ridiculous rules, the curfew, the whole nine.”
“You have been patient, and I appreciate that about you.” Brianna felt awful. She avoided his love to protect herself but hadn’t really considered how the distance affected him. She didn’t fully appreciate his humanity. She stood up and slowly started backing out of the short aisle. “You have been the perfect gentleman. Really, you have, and I love you for that. I even thought of you when I was lying on the floor at your brother’s. I hoped you would come and save me.”
“And I did.”
“Yes, you did. That was pretty amazing. You were amazing.” Brianna tight roped the line between the truth and the version Javan wanted to hear.
He had not been looking at Brianna as she spoke and most of her words escaped his hearing. No longer actively listening, he replayed her words in his head, you were amazing. Brianna continued talking as she made her way to the door taking advantage of his being distracted. “I was so relieved when I heard your voice.”
“You were?”
“Of course! I had been so scared and all alone.”
Javan whipped his head around and stared at Brianna with crazy etched into his eyes. Rattled by his sudden movement, Brianna lost a few vertical inches, nearly falling into the door frame.
Confusion cluttered his mind for a moment as he tried to determine why Brianna would leave without him. She had walked to the door without saying a word to him about it. Shrugging off the questions in his mind, he walked to where she was standing.
“You’ll never be alone again. Ever.” Javan meant every word. He spent his life looking for someone to love him and someone to love. His parents had disposed of him, and his brother only loved him when it was convenient, but Brianna was different. Being with her gave him life.
She backed slowly into the hallway. “What . . . What do you mean?”
“We’ll have each other.”
He quickly closed the space between them. The momentum carried the two of them into the hall. Javan was on fire, and he felt a tingling sensation all over his body. His breaths were ragged. He placed his hand around her throat, leaning into her, whispering into her ear. “I can’t get enough of you.” He slid his tongue into her ear and began to suck it lightly. He drew a line from her ear down her neck and stopped just atop her shoulder. “I have waited so long for this. To have you here. Just like this.”
“Javan, please. Don’t do this right now.” Brianna was afraid. Javan had never been so rough with her. Certainly never choked her. The universe had to be messing with her. This was a test; it just had to be. She had to think of something quickly.
“What’s wrong, Bria?”
“I’m just not in the mood.”
Javan was not deterred in the least bit. Brianna always teased him.
“Why?” he asked as he gently covered her neck with kisses.
“Come on, Javan. You said I could call my family af
ter the movie.”
Javan still did not want her talking to anyone. He expected to be rewarded for his romantic gesture. How many guys create a short film for their women? Brianna was spoiled and unappreciative, but he loved her. Besides, what harm would one phone call do?
“All right, Brianna. Be quick, though. I have a lot planned for us today.”
Brianna was relieved. She hoped her suspicions were wrong, but she would send up a flare just in case. Michelle was still her best chance. It took a few tries, but she finally remembered Michelle’s number. The first time she called, she didn’t get an answer. She immediately hung up and tried again.
“Michelle . . .”
“Brianna . . . Oh my goodness. Bria? Are you okay? Where are you? I’m coming to get you.”
“Hey, sis, I love you too. I missed you so much.”
Something was wrong, and Michelle could hear it in Brianna’s voice. She was not answering her questions. Brianna did not say she was safe. Michelle was happy to hear from Brianna and thought that meant she had somehow gotten away, but she could tell her sister was still in trouble. She just needed to figure out where she was.
“I hear you. Where are you, sis? Give me something.”
“My friend, Javan . . . You remember him, Javan Harris? That’s him . . . he came and got me.”
“Brianna, is he standing there?”
“Yes, and I think I’ll stay here for a few days.”
“Are you in danger still? Is he connected to the guys that took you?”
“Well, it’s a nice, big, beautiful home. Took awhile to get here, but I feel free; there is definitely a relationship here. Reminds me of us.”
“They’re twins?”
“No, nothing like that, but there are some major similarities.”
Javan stood a little way down the hall waiting for Brianna. She knew he was listening to the conversation. She tried to keep it simple. Fortunately, Michelle caught her subtleties.
“Bria, are they brothers?”
“That’s the one! Exactly, and so you know I am in good hands.”
“I cannot believe this. I am so sorry this happened, sis, but I will find you.”
Brianna was on the verge of tears, but she had to hold herself together. She laughed, hard and loud to scare the tears away.
“I love you too and look forward to seeing you in a few days or so.”
Reluctantly, Brianna disconnected the call. She took a deep breath and composed herself. She had dated Javan for nearly half a year, but she realized that she did not know anything about him. Something was off about Javan; his energy was weird. “Thank you! She’s relieved that I’m safe. You’re her hero.”
Javan beamed with pride. “It was nothing.”
Brianna wanted to run out of the house, but she did not know where she was, and she did not want to make the situation worse. She was growing increasingly uncomfortable. She had to trust that Michelle would find her. It’s hard to feel safe when you’re still fighting to get home. If they had a long day ahead of them, she shuddered to think of what else he had planned for her.
Chapter 43
Brianna was no longer with the Marx Brothers, but she was still not out of trouble. Someone related to one of them, a brother, had her. Michelle shook Armand awake.
“Babe, wake up. Wake up. Brianna called.”
“What? Did she get away?” Armand was exhausted after a long night with Michelle, but news of Brianna’s phone call gave him the boost his system needed.
“She is not with the Marx Brothers anymore, but wherever she is . . . She doesn’t feel safe there. Do any of the brothers have any other relatives, a brother maybe?”
“Not that I know of. I mean . . . Mike might, but I’m not sure.”
“Well, she is with someone named Javan Harris, and I think he might be bad news.”
“What makes you think that? How did she get there?”
“It’s hard to explain. She just didn’t sound like herself.” Michelle vacillated briefly as she wrangled her emotions. She was antsy and frustrated with Armand’s questions. “Talking in code . . . We need to find her!”
“I didn’t speak with her. I need to know what you know.”
“You know everything I know.”
“Okay, well, this may be a good thing. She might be easier to get with just him in the way. I’ll find out what I can. Did she say anything about where she is?”
“Only that it’s a big house, and it took awhile to get there. I’m not sure how much help that’ll be.”
“Well, you never know, babe. Let me get up, shower, and see what I can find out.”
“Okay, I’m going to take a taxi to my mom’s. I don’t like the way I left the other day. I have never talked to her that way before, and we need to talk it out.”
“All right, babe, just be careful.”
“I will. Hit me on my cell when you find out something.”
Michelle left the hotel suite and headed for her mom’s. She was not worried about running into Lisa. In fact, she was hoping she would. She still had a few talking points to go over with her. However, she made it downstairs and into a taxi without incident.
Armand thought about what Michelle told him; the information was bittersweet. Had Brianna still been with the Marx Brothers, he could use his familiarity with them to his advantage. Even though he did not know exactly where they had hidden her, after two years of working with them, he at least knew their habits, but this Javan Harris character was alien to him. It would have only been a matter of time before Armand would have figured out where they were. He pulled out his phone and saw that he had another missed call from Mike. There was no harm in calling him since Brianna was no longer there.
“Mike, it’s Armand.”
“Dude, where have you been? Shit is all fucked up right now.”
“I’m sorry, I had some personal business. Family stuff. I had to leave town. No reception in that part of New Orleans.”
“Whatever. You had a job to do, and you failed.”
“What are you talking about, Mike? I got you the girl, didn’t I?”
“You fucked up.”
“Told you where she would be.”
“Yes, but you didn’t tell us that she wasn’t alone!”
“I told you to grab her from the beach. I’m no genius, but you grabbed her from a vacation spot. Are those beaches ever empty? Besides, I gave you the time and everything.”
The information he had passed along had been useful. He thought that Armand had lost his way for a minute, but he came through strong in the end. Mike could not deny him that. “True, but something went wrong. The girl got away.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, I was a little nervous about John. I didn’t want to hurt the girl, you know that, but after John found out Lewis was dead . . . she became a loose end.”
Armand assumed that it would be John that would cause an issue. He also knew Mike would keep her safe. It was wrong to gamble with Brianna’s life, but he had to protect Michelle. She was his priority.
“Well, where is she?”
“My brother took her.”
So, it was Mike’s brother. Mike’s brother, Javan Harris, had taken Brianna. Now Armand needed to figure out how and why.
“Your brother? How did that happen?”
“Like I said, I was nervous about John. I didn’t know if I’d be able to control him too much longer . . . So I called my bro over, to get some advice. He’s a smart dude. Plus, he’s kind of been in a situation similar to this awhile back.”
“Cool, that sounds straight.”
“Well, he got here and started wilding out. Walking through the house screaming and shit. Then the weirdest shit happened.”
“What?”
“Michelle recognized his voice or something and started yelling his name! I couldn’t believe it; then he turned to me and asked me why some girl named Brianna was there. I told him I didn’t know Brianna. He insisted that the girl w
as Brianna, and he took her.”
Armand’s mouth went dry, and he started choking.
“You all right, Armand?” Mike sounded concerned.
“Yeah.” Armand talked through his coughing fit. “Wow. Who is Brianna?”
“I don’t fucking know. I didn’t at least. Then, I got to thinking. That girl running down the beach . . . Maybe she was Michelle.”
“What are you talking about, Mike?”
“The girl we snatched . . . She responded when my brother called her Brianna.”
Armand played it cool. No need to panic. He needed to reassure Mike that they had grabbed Michelle. He didn’t need them looking for her.
“Mike, did she ever say she was not Michelle?”
“No, but come on . . . That was just too much of a coincidence.”
“Look, if I were confined and someone was trying to save me . . . I’d be whoever they wanted me to be. She was probably just pretending because she saw a way out.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“I mean, you said it yourself, John wanted to kill her, right? I’m sure she knew that.”
“True . . . I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“So, what’s the deal with your brother? You think he’ll talk?”
“Nah . . . He ain’t goin’ to say nothin’. I’ve seen that look in his eyes, and honestly, shorty might have been better off here with John’s crazy ass.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, Armand, I like you, and that’s the only reason I’m telling you this. My plan is shit, and I’m tired of all this. I’m being square with you. John is violent, but my brother? My brother is a different type of crazy. He’s my little brother, and I love him, but some females . . . haven’t fared so well with him.”
“I don’t understand.”
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