Chasing Bliss

by Sabrina A. Eubanks

  “Could you give us a minute?” J.T. asked.

  Gibson nodded. “We’ll be outside. We have a few questions.”

  They left the room, and Chase removed his hands from his face. Bliss thought he was crying, but he wasn’t. He stood and pulled her to her feet. His eyes were full of misery, and a muscle clenched angrily in his jaw. “Let’s go. Dee, could you stay here and hold things down?”

  Dee nodded through her tears. “Whatever you need. Chase, I’m so sorry.”

  Chase nodded grimly. “Not as sorry as whoever killed Corey is gonna be.”

  “Chase what are you gonna do?” Bliss asked. This can’t be happening, she thought. She put her hand to her face and brushed away her own tears.

  Chase put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “Don’t get upset, Bliss. You stay here with Dee, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Come on, J.T.”

  When he turned to go, Bliss grabbed his arm. “I’m going with you.”

  He looked down at her like he was weighing the pros and cons in his head. He finally nodded and took her hand. “Okay.”

  They left the office and followed Gibson and Silva in J.T.’s Range Rover to Brookdale Hospital.

  Bliss watched Chase silently the whole time, waiting for him to fall apart. Other than his initial reaction, Chase had been extraordinarily calm, as if he’d retreated to some deep, dark place inside of himself. Bliss knew how much Chase loved Corey. His grief had to be enormous, but so far he was holding it in. She was very worried about him, and she didn’t like what he’d said about whoever killed Corey being sorry.

  They reached the hospital and followed the detectives down to the morgue. Chase held Bliss’s hand and walked slightly ahead of her, with J.T. at her side. Gibson ushered them into a small room with a monitor, and Silva joined them shortly and folded his arms across his chest. “It’ll just be a moment,” he said.

  They stood in silence and waited. A few moments later, the monitor turned white, and Corey’s handsome face appeared. It was swollen, and there was a hole right between his eyes.

  A small choked sound escaped from Chase as he put his hand over his mouth and turned his face away. He shook his head in disbelief.

  “Is this your brother, Mr. Brown?”

  Chase nodded. Tears spilled over and ran down his face, and Bliss’s heart went out to him. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s him.” His voice was a whisper.

  J.T. put his hand on Chase’s shoulder, and Chase shrugged it off, but J.T. didn’t seem offended.

  Bliss was afraid to touch him. She looked back at the screen. Poor Corey. Who could do such a thing?

  Chase looked at the screen again and walked out of the room with the cops following right behind him.

  Bliss looked at J.T., who was also staring at the screen. He put his hand out and touched it. “Damn, youngster.”

  Bliss left the room in search of Chase. She stopped short when she found him down the hall talking to Gibson and Silva. She didn’t know what to do, so she just waited for them to finish as J.T. came out of the room and dropped an arm over her shoulders. Chase waved them away.

  “Come on, Bliss,” J.T. said.

  Bliss felt sick as she followed J.T. out of the hospital and back to the car. Corey was dead, and it all seemed surreal. Corey…

  J.T. opened the door for her and helped her in. He stood there looking down at her with hurt eyes. “Um…” he said and choked up. “You okay?” Before Bliss could answer him, he broke down, sobbing harshly. He folded his arms on the hood of the car and buried his face into them.

  Bliss jumped out and put her hand on his broad shoulder. There were no words she could console him with. In fact, there was nothing she could do for anybody—Corey least of all. Bliss was crying, too, for she’d also loved him. She watched J.T. cry for Corey like his heart was broken.

  Chase touched her shoulder. “I got him, Bliss.”

  Bliss stepped out of the way and wrung her hands helplessly.

  Tears were running steadily down Chase’s face as his hand replaced Bliss’s on J.T.’s back. “Jayson, come on, man,” Chase said in a soothing voice, using his name that Bliss had almost forgotten about.

  J.T. straightened up, pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket, and wiped his face with it. Then he blew his nose and returned it to his pocket. His voice trembled at first but then grew stronger. “Well…I guess that’s that.”

  “No it ain’t. Let’s go,” Chase said in a low voice. He got in the backseat with Bliss as J.T. started driving.

  “Where are we goin’?” J.T. tossed over his shoulder.

  “Home,” Chase answered. Then he turned to Bliss and took both of her hands in his. The tears were still coming, but he acted as if they weren’t there at all. “Bliss, sweetheart, you have to listen to me. I know we talked about certain things before we got married, and I know I made certain promises, but, baby, this is different. Somebody took my baby brother away from me tonight. You have to understand that I can’t just let that shit stand. Somebody killed Corey, Bliss, and they ain’t gonna be walkin’ around like that don’t mean shit—like it’s all right.”

  Bliss didn’t say anything at first. She studied her husband’s face and examined his tears. He was crying for Corey, of course, but he was also crying because he was angry. She slid over to him and put her arms around him. She kissed his wet cheeks, and he hugged her back. “I loved Corey too. I’m so sorry. I can imagine how you must feel if I feel so bad. I’m your wife, Chase, for better or for worse. I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not gonna give you my permission to go lookin’ for revenge and gettin’ yourself shot too.”

  Chase looked so hurt and grief stricken in that moment. He narrowed his eyes in his sorrow and shook his head, but then he smiled through his tears. “Okay, Bliss, but I really didn’t ask you for it.”

  Bliss wasn’t mad at him. He was her husband, and she understood him. He ran his fingers through her hair. “When we get home, I’m gonna have to make a run, sweetheart—me and J.T. I don’t want you to be alone, because I don’t know what’s goin’ on, so I’m gonna ask Dee to come stay with you until I get back.”

  “Okay. Whatever you think is best, Chase.”

  Chase made the call, and they rode the rest of the way in silence. When they got home, Chase went to the bedroom to change his clothes. Bliss followed him and sat on the bed, watching him. He pulled on his black jeans, put on his black Uptowns, paused, and put on a vest.

  Bliss shook her head.

  Chase looked at her, but only smiled a little and didn’t say anything. Then he slipped on a black T-shirt and pulled on his driving gloves.

  “You’re gonna shoot someone tonight, aren’t you, Chase?”

  Chase laughed, and his eyes sparkled dangerously. “No, honey. I usually don’t shoot people.” Chase took a flat wooden box off the top closet shelf and opened it. From it, he withdrew a silver-handled straight razor and put it in his pocket.

  Bliss put a shocked hand over her mouth. “Jesus, Chase! You’re scaring me.”

  He smiled at her with that bone-chilling glint in his eyes. “I know. I’m scarin’ me too.”

  Bliss shuddered. She’d never seen that side of Chase, and she never wanted to see it again. She put an unconsciously sheltering hand over her stomach.

  Chase looked alarmed. “You okay, Bliss?”

  “I’m fine, but I don’t like this at all.”

  Chase looked at her. “Me neither, but I gotta go, baby. Dee should be here real soon. You want me to stay till she comes?”

  “No. Just get this over with and hurry back.”

  “Okay.” He reached into the closet and took a .32 out of the pocket of a suit jacket and handed it to her. “If anybody comes around here with an unfamiliar face—and I mean anybody—you shoot his ass without askin’ questions and then call the police.”

  Bliss nodded, even though she could never imagine herself doing something like that. “Whatever you say, Chase.”

  Cha
se frowned at her. “No, Bliss. Don’t just dismiss me like that. Do it.”

  She blinked back tears. “Okay, Chase.”

  His face softened. “Don’t cry. I’m sorry, but please do it.”

  “I said all right!” she yelled at him.

  He walked over to her and kissed her. “I love you, Bliss.”

  “I love you too.”

  They walked back out into the living room, and J.T. stood up. “You ready?”

  “Yeah, let’s go. Bliss, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She nodded.

  Chase kissed her again and left with J.T.

  Bliss went into the bedroom and put the gun Chase had given her on the dresser and changed into a pair of shorts and one of Chase’s T-shirts. She went back out to the kitchen, barefoot, and got a glass of water. She put the kettle on for tea and sat at the breakfast bar. Corey was dead, and her husband was going to kill whoever did it with a straight razor, and she knew it. She couldn’t really blame Chase; everybody loved Corey.

  The elevator started to rise, startling her. Bliss got up and looked through the peephole. She frowned and opened the door before the bell rang. “Cyrus? What are you doing here?” she asked.

  Cyrus looked her over slow and smiled sunnily. “Better question, Ms. Riley, is what are you doing here?” He pushed his way in and closed the door.

  Chapter 23

  So this is why Chase has been so difficult? I should have known. Nothing can fuck a man up more than a pretty woman. Cyrus chuckled to himself and shook his head as he locked the door.

  Bliss took a step back as he took one toward her. She looked uncertain.

  Cyrus smiled at her. “You didn’t answer my question, Ms. Riley. What are you doin’ in Chase’s apartment, barefoot and wearin’ his shirt? You his girlfriend now?”

  Bliss stared at him with enormous, almost scared brown eyes. “Um…no. No, I’m not.”

  Cyrus frowned. “Then what you doin’ chillin’ in his spot, wearin’ his shit? Is he here?” Cyrus rolled up on her, and she backed away. A sparkle caught his eye.

  “Cyrus, I don’t know what—”

  Cyrus laughed, not quite wrapping his mind around what he was looking at.

  Bliss realized what had caught his attention and put her left hand in her pocket.

  “Is that a wedding ring you’re tryin’ to hide from me, Ms. Riley?”

  “Why are you here, Cyrus?”

  He grinned and grabbed her arm. “Never mind me. Let me see your hand!” He pulled on her forearm and wrenched her hand out of her pocket. Bliss shrieked like he was killing her, and he just laughed, ogling at all the pretty diamonds that made up her ring. “Son of a bitch! You married him, didn’t you?”

  Bliss looked at him with those huge eyes, like she was afraid to move. Her mouth started trembling, and he could see in her eyes that her mind was racing. She put her hand out to keep him from coming any further. “Do you know about Corey, Cyrus? Is that why you’re here?”

  He laughed real low. “Of course I know about Corey. I killed him myself.”

  Bliss’s skin paled as all the blood rushed to her head. “Oh no! You killed Corey?” she asked in high-pitched, terrified disbelief.

  Cyrus nodded. “Oh yeah. I did it with this!” he said and pulled his nine out of his waistband with a flourish.

  Bliss started screaming and ran toward the bedroom.

  Cyrus caught her by the T-shirt and gave her a backhand across the face. “Shut up! Stop that screamin’ and come tell me about the wedding! I must have misplaced my fuckin’ invitation!” Bliss kept screaming, so he slapped her again, busting her lip this time. He threw her down on the sectional and pointed his gun at her. “You need to calm the fuck down before you end up like Corey.”

  Bliss had blood dripping down her chin. She wiped at her wounded mouth with her fingers and stared at the bright red blood for a moment. Her eyes narrowed in fury. “Chase is gonna fuck you up!” she spat at the monster.

  Cyrus sat down next to her and smiled. He’ d been tired, but he was suddenly invigorated, like he could tap dance to China. The police were looking for him, Fabian was looking for him, Khalid had gotten his last rites, and he’d killed his own brother. He wasn’t about to go back to prison ‘cause he knew that shit sucked. There was nowhere for him to go but down. However else this shit ended, he knew he was going to die and that Chase was going to be the one to kill him. But he’d have his say first, maybe raise his last bit of ruckus before Chase’s crazy ass silenced him forever.

  Bliss was whimpering now, and Cyrus wasn’t above hitting her again. He didn’t hold women in the same high esteem as Chase and Corey did, and he had his reasons for that. Cyrus slid toward her, and Bliss pressed herself into the sectional, making herself seem even smaller than she actually was. Cyrus leaned toward her. “You scared of me, Bliss? I can call you Bliss now that were family, right? You shouldn’t be half as afraid of me as you need to be of that crazy, unstable motherfucker you married.”

  Bliss bristled, even though she was terrified. “Don’t you talk about my husband like that! How dare you! Maybe you’re the crazy, unstable motherfucker,” she hissed at him.

  Cyrus laughed. That shit’s funnier than she knows. “You know what, Bliss? Maybe we’re both crazy…and I just may really prove to be a real motherfucker after all. Why don’t you tell me about this marriage shit that I somehow managed to miss.”

  “You better get out of here before Chase gets back. He’s going to kill you for murdering Corey.”

  Cyrus shrugged. “Yeah, yeah, yeah…and he’s gonna fuck me up for hittin’ you. So what? You think I’m scared of him? You think I give a fuck what that psycho does?”

  The doorbell rang, and Cyrus’s eyebrows went up.

  “Who the fuck is that? You expectin’ company?” He shot up and went to the intercom and buzzed in whoever was there, never taking his gun off of his sister-in-law. Cyrus scratched his chin and looked thoughtful. “Hmm…let me think like Chase. Corey was killed tonight. He’s taken J.T. and run out to kill whoever did it, only he’s got his new wife at home. He doesn’t want to leave her alone, not knowing the full situation, so he needs a babysitter to look after you. Corey’s too busy occupying a slot at the morgue, so he couldn’t ask him. Who else does he trust?” He walked to the elevator as it trundled up. “Good ol’ Dee!” he reasoned and laughed as the door slid open.

  Dee was inside talking on her cell phone. When she saw Cyrus her eyes grew wide with surprise and then narrowed in fright when they caught sight of his gun and Bliss’s busted lip and bloody nose.

  “Hey, Dee! Who you talkin’ to?”

  Dee stared at Cyrus and spoke calmly into her phone. “Yes, Chase, that was Cyrus. It looks like he’s been beating on your wife. He’s got a gun, and he seems a little undecided about who he wants to shoot first. Get here as soon as you can.” She hung up and put her phone in her bag as she looked at Cyrus with steely eyes. “You’re in a lot of trouble, buster.”

  Cyrus frowned at her. Dee was another one he’d always hated. She’d always treated Chase like he was God come down from the mountain. “Shut up, bitch, and get over there with Bliss, before I knock your teeth out.” He went to the bar and took out the Hennessey. Cyrus sat across from them and opened it up, and Dee looked disgusted when he started swigging from the bottle. “Oh, Dee, I didn’t get the chance to tell you the news.”

  “What news is that, Cyrus?”

  Cyrus gestured to Bliss with the bottle. “Go ahead and tell her, Bliss.”

  Bliss looked at Dee with shocked eyes. “Cyrus killed Corey!” she announced in loud indignation.

  Dee’s mouth dropped open, and her strong front faltered as her eyes filled with tears. “Cyrus! No! Why?”

  Cyrus smiled a dark little smile. “He told me to get out of his car. You know, Corey had entirely too much mouth on him at the end.”

  “Chase is going to kill you, Cyrus.”

  Cyrus nodded and took another swig
from the bottle. “Yeah, I know, but before he does, I got somethin’ to say to him that will ruin his life the same way he ruined mine.”

  “What are you talking about, Cyrus?” Dee asked like she was tired of him.

  “Chase painted me into a very nasty corner when he waited so long to kill Wolf instead of doing it when I asked him to. He fucked me over, and now it’s either go to jail or die. I been to jail, Delia, and I did not have a good time there. All this shit is Chase’s fault. He was supposed to be holdin’ me down…but instead, he was chasing Bliss.” He gave Bliss a black look and weighed the gun in his hand. “Now that I put it that way, maybe all this shit is your fault. I should smash your pretty little face for that.”

  Bliss slid real close to Dee, and Dee put her arm around her. “Haven’t you done that already? Leave her alone, Cyrus. You’re already in enough trouble.”

  Cyrus took another swig and laughed comically. “You’re right, Dee. Wouldn’t want to have Chase mutilate me before he cuts my throat just because he’s extra pissed, would I?”

  There was no answer from either one of them. They both just stared at him in disbelief, like he was a lunatic.

  Cyrus drank more liquor; he wasn’t drunk enough. As brave as he was, he was still a bit of a coward. He didn’t actually want to feel it when Chase pulled his razor through his flesh, and he thought a couple more would do the trick. He turned the bottle up again and looked at the frightened women huddled together. He had no real beef with them, and any he did have, he blamed Chase for anyway.

  Still, they were sitting there looking at him like they hated him, as they should have. He’d done plenty of damage to plenty of lives, but he wasn’t finished. His life was over, and he was sure it was all because of Chase. Cyrus frowned, and his thoughts began to get muddy. He stood up and swayed a little, and he considered it a good thing. He still knew what he was doing, but he’d just crossed the line into the altered state of feeling no pain. He walked over to Bliss and looked down at her.

  She shrank away from him.

  “You and Chase happy, Bliss?”