Date = 27 June
Place = San Francisco (UCSF Medical center)
POV – Aria
I watch them walk away. They seem happy. The previous anxious aura now gone. His father looks just like him – dark hair, dark eyes. So does his sister. I’ve seen them in here before. The little girl with the ice cream. In total contrast, his brother inherited their mom’s blonde hair.
“I’m going in. Talk to you just after.” I end my conversation with Mel. She told me everything Enrique left out earlier … the part about what’s gonna happen with Lee, one way or the other. I also learned that Amanda died in an unthinkable horrible way. On the bright side … she sent me a photo and her tummy suddenly popped … looks like she swallowed a basketball.
“You can go in now,” a nurse announces to me. I’ve patiently waited for his family to leave. I didn’t want to intrude. Or rather … I didn’t want to answer their, what would be, awkward questions. They seem so friendly; loving; normal. So where did Brian fall off the bus? Why did he do all those bad things?
I disconnect and get up. Well, I suppose that’s why I’m here … to find out. If he’ll tell me that is.
Brian’s face lights up when I enter the door, but quickly contorts and he looks away. I guess he’s not happy to see me. Or he feels ashamed. Well, he should.
“Brian,” I say in an emotionless voice; and open with the cliche question, “How are you feeling?” not sure where to start or what to expect.
“I’m okay,” his voice is hoarse … probably from the pipe that was stuck down his throat this whole time. He quickly peeps at me and then he stares into the distance again.
“Great, cause I need you to answer some questions for me.” Still continuing to avoid eye-contact, he nods. I take out the little notepad and pen I brought with me and start the recording on my phone. The boys sent me some questions while I was waiting. Questions they need answers for.
“Question one,” I start nervously.
He takes a deep breath and raises himself to sit more straight. He casts a self-conscious gaze my way.
“Wait,” he croaks, and swallows. I watch his Adam’s apple move up and down. He’s got nice skin; smooth; unblemished with just the right shade of tanned perfection … like Alejandro.
“Before we start. I want to say something.” I bite the back of the pen lightly. His dark eyes looks like sad chocolate. It gives me hope that he might actually help us. We need to find Lee.
“Aria, I want to apologize. I’m really really sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” His eyes wander again.
“Actually I do know …” his voice falters, “Jealousy. I’ve always envied Enrique … I believed he had everything … the perfect life.” His gaze fixes on me again. “I wanted that.” I believe he’s sincere. And I get it. Looking from outside, the Blackburns seem to have the perfect lives. It’s only when they let you in that you manage to see all the broken parts.
“That day when you bumped into me, I didn’t know you were Enrique’s girlfriend. I fell a little in love. So I followed you, thinking that maybe I could ask you out or something.” He draws a deep breath. “But when PJ told me who you were … something inside me just snapped. I wanted you at any cost.”
“I’m not a possession.” I’m starting to think that he never loved me, but was more obsessed with the notion that I belong … eh … belonged (past tense) to Sport. Now it’s me that has to get used to it being over.
“I realize that now.” His voice breaks and he takes a sip of water before he continues.
“My father talked some sense into me,” he smirks. “Anyway, he said that I should rather value what I have … like loving parents … instead of wanting what’s not mine.” That’s actually very deep and clever.
“So I did some rethinking … Enrique’s life maybe is not that perfect after all. And he has you because he’s the better man … not because he forced you to be his girlfriend.” Eh … I guess our contract was not forced … it was a mutual benefit conclusion.
“I just wish I got it sooner, but my brain was one green-eyed mess.” He feigns a smile.
“That’s why I called you to the parking lot … to apologize … but things didn’t go as planned. Chloe and Amanda tricked me … said they also regretted everything … that they also wanted to ask forgiveness from you and Mel. And I stupidly believed them.”
I walk to the side of his bed and put my hand on his shoulder. Never thought I would ever do that.
“Dad told me I need better friends.” That’s stating it mildly.
“You have a very wise father,” I smile at him. He looks surprised. I’m a little surprised myself.
“I’m through with those bitches.” I wonder if he knows about Amanda. Probably not since he just woke up.
“Eh … Brian … there’s something you should know … well while you were … out … ” I start and tell him everything what happened from when he was shot up to yesterday’s happenings at the warehouse.
“Amanda is dead?” He looks perplexed. At least he seems more shocked about it than Enrique. Emotionless frickin robot, that one.
“I’m sorry … specially about your baby … ” I try to console him.
“My baby?” He is clearly baffled. I disclose that we know it all; the stolen condom, the changed DNA and that he was the real father. His jaw drops.
“And you guys believe all that shit?” I pull up my shoulders.
“Well, it’s definitely not something my mind would ever come up with … that’s for sure.”
“It wasn’t mine. I haven’t slept with Amanda in years. Some or other old married movie producer knocked her up.”
“That lying bitch!” It’s out before I realized. I don’t want to speak ill of the dead.
“I’ve warned her a million times. She got in the sack with anyone who could further her career. Stupid whore.” He shakes his head in disbelieve. My mind is just blown.
“Anyway, she decided to exploit it,” he snorts. “I wasn’t part of any of that. She did it all by herself. But I AM guilty for not telling you the truth. I selfishly misused the opportunity.” He gives a little laugh.
“I swear you must think very very lowly of me to believe I would steal a used condom.” He pulls a disgusted face.
“Well, to be honest … up until now my opinion of you has not been extremely high.”
“But really … sticking a used condom into my pocket?” I sneer at the look on his face. It’s the one you get when you step in dog poop. I guess that was a little far fetched and I feel slightly stupid.
“What were you doing in Enrique’s office then?” He conveys guilt. So he did do something bad.
“They wanted me to plant a camera and listening device. But I didn’t have time.”
“Camera? They wanted to film him?” I think about how he spread me open on his desk and a warm blush colors my face. That could have been caught on video.
“More akin to spying on them. The guys spend a lot of time in that office.” That’s true I guess.
“They had bugs everywhere. You know the guys Mel hired to paint at Grimms … they forced them to plant some all over the place.”
“Flip,” I can’t believe it, “those guys looked so decent. We even paid them a bonus. Bastards.” Brian places a hand on my arm.
“Don’t worry, someone quickly found and removed them.” I’m relieved. But I’m still steaming.
“How can people be so cruel?” Brian scuffs and removes his hand while biting his lip.
“I think every person in this world can be coerced to do the wrong things if you have the right bargaining chip.” Is he trying to lessen his guilt? Or is he looking for excuses? I bite my teeth. I don’t believe that. Not that I’m so naive to think that good people never makes mistakes … but good people won’t intentionally do evil things, would they?
“Good people won’t just turn bad for no reason.” I’ll never believe that.
“Really?” he sounds sarcastic. “Let’s say a judge has to choose between his child getting killed or letting a murderer go free … or the president must either shoot down a plane full of passengers or have it fly into a building … ” Eh … I’m stunned. My brain can’t comprehend these worse case scenarios. It’s like dealing with an impossible choice … like the one Jackson has to make now … no matter what … you get a doomsday outcome.
Now those are horrible people, right there … doing bad things because they want to … not because they’re forced to.
“I see what you mean, but they’re not bad … they are more helpless … under duress.”
“Helpless … okay … what if that murderer, after being released, kills Enrique … ” My heart almost stops. “Would you still find the judge pitiful? Or would you now think he’s evil?”
I don’t know. And I’m getting a headache.
“Ug, what is the point of all this? Are you trying to say you’re not guilty?”
“No, not at all … I’m guilty of everything I did. Nobody forced me to do anything. I just need you to understand something … everybody can make the wrong choice for the right reason. Say they found a cure for your sister, one injection that would remove all the cancer cells from her body for ever, guaranteed. But you need to kill a polar bear to get it … ”
“I’ll kill the bear.” I don’t even hesitate. I could endure a lot for my sister.
“Will you kill yourself?”
I quickly answer, “Yes, I think so.”
“Okay, what if you had to kill a person?” This time I hesitate.
“I don’t think I could do that.” He grins.
“But you thought about it. Just for a second. Okay, and what if the person is holding a gun against her head?”
“I’ll kill him.” This time I don’t even think twice. Now he smirks at me.
“See, anyone will bargain … if presented with the right chip.” Flick, maybe he’s right. If someone is being forced with their loved ones … they could do anything. I’m starting to get the picture Brian is trying to paint.
“And, Aria, these people … they have all the right chips.” He’s scaring me. We sit in silence for a while … my mind trying to comprehend what he just said. He breaks the silence, startling me.
“Do you think Jackson is a bad person?” I blink a few times, baffled by his question. Jackson? He’s crazy for sure … but bad …
“I think he lost a few marbles, but overall he’s a good guy.” My truthful answer.
“So the fact that he killed Darren and his family doesn’t make him evil?” Brian pulls his brows in a row; a scrutinizing look focused on me.
“Their car crashed. It was an accident.” Or so I was told.
“An accident that Jackson caused. And Darren was like a brother to them. Lucinda a sister. They all grew up together … even went to the same schools. Why do you think these guys are so pissed?” Jackson lead to the deaths of their loved ones. I sort of figured that out already. Still, it’s not enough reason to put everybody else through hell. I swear that one guy is doing it for fun …
“Because they truly ARE bad people. And it’s not as if Darren and his family were innocent victims … they sort of deserved it. They wanted to kill a little boy; to rape Mel in front of her boyfriend; they tortured an old man and Jackson … and for what … something an evil grandfather did years ago.” I’m on a roll. “Whom, by the way, they already killed. Well, I don’t feel very sorry for any of them … the dead ones or the ones that’s now after us. I mean … Lee wasn’t even around when it all happened and now they’re doing who knows what to the poor guy.” Brian shakes his head and pulls up his shoulders.
“The point I’m trying to make is that these people don’t give a shit about any of you. And wrong or right … they’ll force you to do just what they want. Like Lee … he doomed himself when he ruined their plan …”
“No shit.” Seriously. “What plan?”
“Remember the time Enrique and Damion got drugged … and … eh … the Viagra thing … ” His cheeks color red. Is he shy? I nod. How can I possibly forget the best recovery sex I’ve ever had? It’s etched into my mind. Now I’m blushing.
“Well, the plan was to secretly take sexual photos of them fucking around.” I’m not sure I follow exactly. We figured it was part of a plan … but not exactly sure what that plan was. Each had his own theory.
“Huh?” Brian sighs deeply and starts to explain.
“At first they tried to seduce them both the normal way … but they didn’t bite … so the next best thing was to drug them. The two girls would violate them while they were stiff … you know … put their peni … eh … things in their mouth and vagi … eh … you get the picture … their would have been rather embarrassing photos swirling through the news. Both their reputations and their relationships would be ruined.”
I have to give credit where credit is due … both Lee and Jackson guessed it right. I thought it was way too crazy and far fetched. Who the hell comes up with ideas like that? It’s brilliant … but sick.
“The little guy however busted up the whole plan. Who knew he was such a little fighter.” I could have told him that. He’s a smaller version of his roommate.
“Were Amanda and Chloe going to be in the photos?” I know being jealous of a dead girl is stupid, but I can’t help it. Brian smiles knowingly.
“No, that would have been to obvious. Just two random girls.”
“The one wore red shoes … do you know the blonde I’m talking about?” I would like to get my hands on that bitch.
Brian shakes his head.
“Patsy … Chloe’s friend. Always with the red Pradas.” He pulls a disgusted face. Guess he’s also not her fan. “She’s the one that introduced Chloe to her boss, a guy called Mattia. I haven’t met him, but Chloe talked about him a lot. Some spoiled rich kid whose daddy is a mafia leader.”
“She nearly killed Mel’s baby.”
“Aria, I didn’t know they were going to attack you. That was all Chloe and Amanda’s plan.”
I look at the forgotten notepad on my lap. I haven’t asked any of the specified questions yet. Let’s do that. I read the first question.
“How did you know about Logan’s different DNA?”
“Chloe gave me the envelope. Said I must use it to force you away from Enrique. I should have never listened to her.”
“Where did she get it?” I wonder.
“From The Old Man. I think that Mattia dude works for him.”
I lightly chew the back of the pen again. Could Mattia be one of the men from the boat?
“Do you know someone called Emilio?” Brain shakes his head.
“No.” I quickly scan through the left over questions on my pad. It seems we’ve covered it all. I want this to end. I need to be alone for a while … to rearrange my thoughts before I go see Leyla. So I ask the last question on the list.
“Is there anything more you know that could be helpful to find Lee?” He stares into the distance, thinking. I let him.
“Chloe always goes to meet them at this restaurant … mm … eh …” He picks up his phone from the bed stand and scrolls through it. Then his face lights up. “Lamortes … it’s a very top notch Italian place. She once asked me to pick her up from there, that’s how I know.”
“Thanks Brian.” I get up to leave.
“Aria,” he grabs my arm, “do you think we could ever be friends?”
I stop the recording and send it to Axel, trying to bide some time. I run my fingers through my hair and only then do I look into his dark pleading eyes; see the hope captured inside them. The longer I hesitate the more that hope dissipates.
“Maybe … who knows,” I answer slowly. If he really changed … if he really repents his sins … if he moves to our side … if he let’s go of his jealousy … then we’ll see.
My phone vibrates in my hand. It’s a message from Mel.
Mel: Jackson chose – Lee’s being sold to the highest bidder.
My phone slips from my hand and lands on the bed. Brian picks it up and reads the message out loud. It sounds even more unreal hearing the words.
“Fuck me!” he shouts shocked. I fall back onto the chair and a single tear rolls down my cheek.