CHAPTER 19: C.R.E.A.M.

ALWIN BUILDING

MICHAEL

I can’t even believe they wouldn’t let me back into the building. Once I figured out that I couldn’t get upstairs using the elevators, nor the stairs to the side of them, which also required a key card, I thought the most logical thing would be to go through the lobby. Instead of just letting me pass through like he was supposed to, the fucking rent-a-cop told me that without a key card I wasn’t allowed anywhere in the building, including the fucking lobby. When I told him to call my phone, thinking that Lindsay would at least have the decency to answer it, even while suppressing the laughter I heard anyway. 

“No one is answering,” he told me. “So once again, Mr. Novotny, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Look, why can’t you just let me up and then I’ll bring you back the damn key card so you can see for yourself that I belong here?”

“No.”

“No? What the hell do you mean 'no'?”

“Just what I said, with big N and a little o.”

As I was about to respond again, I was interrupted by two of the most unwanted sounds I never wanted to hear. Turning around I was confronted with both Emmett and that fucking bitch, Jennifer. Apparently, they heard the entire exchange, and couldn’t even pretend they hadn’t for my sake.

“Oh dear, Michael. Looks like you’re in a bit of a bind,” Jennifer says, faux-sympathy in her voice. 

I scowl at her, wanting to tell the woman to fuck off and take her asshole son with her. But I need to get back upstairs, and not only because of this stupid ass competition. My phone is up there as well as my wallet. If Lindsay takes a look inside of it, not only will she have my cash, but my fucking receipt with the actual balance of my account is in there! As far as she knows as of this moment, I only have five thousand left. 

If she sees that I have a little more than eleven thousand in there, she’s going to ask where I got it from. Not only that, but she’s going to demand that I use it for her benefit. Then I definitely won’t have anything left, after she gets through planning out every single dime in my account, most of which was the reason I couldn’t ask Boy Wonder for more money than the ten grand he gave me to let go of Rage. I can’t let that happen! That will just be one more thing for the bitch to hang over my head, and there’s so much already, such as hiring the private investigator that was the start of my downfall.  

FUCK!

I turn pleading eyes on Jennifer and Emmett, letting the desperation I feel shine through. “Look, please Jennifer… Emmett, I really need to get back upstairs. I left my phone and wallet upstairs by accident.”

“Oh? And just what were you doing up there?” Emmett asks me, cheerfully.

I can’t help narrowing my eyes at him. I have no doubt he knows exactly why I’m here. It’s not like Lindsay was quiet about our intentions to get Boy fucking Wonder back to New York, where he belongs. Or that both she and I agree that Brian needs to let that punk go live his life, without him being there to cushion the bastard's epic fails. Brian needs to get back to his own life, which includes honoring the friendship Lindsay and I have given him over the years in exchange for his ongoing support. Both of us need him, and Justin gets in the way of him concentrating on us and our problems. 

That’s where Brian’s focus should be, not in the crack of Justin’s ample ass!

Apparently, my silence must have said all they needed to know, since the bastard’s mother laughs outright. “Michael, go home… or go find a job. Go do something that doesn’t involve you minding anyone else’s business but your own.”

“Brian IS my business!”

“No, Brian was your meal-ticket, amongst a host of other things, which it would take too long to get into right now. But if you think I’m going to do anything to help you and that she-wolf continually harass my sons, you really need your head examined.”

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “If Justin would take his ass back to New York where he belongs, then there wouldn’t be a need to harass him, would there?”

Emmett shook his head. “Justin is exactly where he should be, with his HUSBAND. You, on the other hand, are about to end up where you belong, especially if you keep following Lindsay around like you don’t have a brain of your own.” 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Emmett!”

He shakes his head, and takes a deep breath, before talking to me again. “Michael, here’s some free advice: seek some God-given help, start living your own life and not following the wishes of Lindsay, and finally open your damn eyes while cleaning out your ears! Your motives for being the asshole you’ve been for a while now have always been as clear as scotch tape to most of us. But Lindsay’s aren’t… at least, not to you. I just hope by the time they are, you still have the underwear covering your behind, because no doubt, she’s going to leave you hanging with what’s left of your ass hanging out to dry.”

“Come on, Emmett. We have to get upstairs,” Jennifer says, already moving past the security guard with her key card in hand. “What he decides to do now is his choice, but he can’t say he wasn’t warned.”

Emmett shrugs and follows her to the elevator. “Hey, what about me?” I screech.

“What about you?” Emmett calls back, but I’m already addressing the security guard.

“Why is he allowed through and I’m not?”

“He’s authorized.”

“What?! What the hell does that even mean?! I want an answer, and then…”

“Oh, Michael,” Emmett calls back, and I’m hard pressed not to throw up my middle finger, even as I turn to look at him again. Pulling back the collar of his shirt, I see the white object resembling a credit card before he says, “It’s because I belong here, and you don’t.”

As the doors closed behind them, the security officer once again advised me that it’s time to leave the building and to next time have the required key card or this will happen all over again. I just want to tell him to shut the hell up, but instead, I decide to head back to the apartment, just before realizing that not only are my phone and wallet upstairs, but so are my keys.

Double fuck!

LINDSAY

Well, that was excruciating. Out of thirty points, I’ve only gotten ten for that stupid Superhero contest. Because I couldn’t get the glam portion of the competition completed, I received a big fat zero. And whereas everyone was professional enough not to laugh aloud, I could still feel their silent hilarity down to the pit of my soul. This shit just isn’t fucking fair!

I can’t help but watch as the little bastard and his crew head back over to their section of the workroom, laughing and joking with each other and I’ve never felt so alone. As Brian wraps his arms around Justin, and kisses his temple, I can’t help the jealousy I feel. That should be me over there with him, receiving the attention everyone is lavishing on fucking Justin. Instead, I’m over here by myself, cleaning up my area and supplies, which is something Michael should be doing. He better have a fucking good reason why he didn’t come back to hold up our end of the bargain. 

As I begin to gather up our things to leave this godforsaken building for the day, I notice as a folded piece of paper falls from between one of the pockets of his Super Stupid wallet. Even holding this thing makes me want to burn it… well after emptying it of the cash and atm card within it. As for the paper, I was going to leave it for Janus to clean up- I mean, it’s his job, after all. But upon closer inspection, I see the emblem I know all too well from First National Bank. Unfolding it, my eyes narrow, before I smile. 

So the doofus has been holding out on me, huh? 

Now, I realize that I have options here. I could put it back and act as if I’d never seen it. I mean, that would be the correct thing to do. Or I could teach the fool that it’s incorrect to lie to me. But how to do that exactly? 

Do I just come up with a list of things I need? Would it be better to move the money into my account now and save my trip aboard the Whine Express later? There’s no doubt that finding this little slip of paper plays into my ultimate plans concerning Michael nicely. I want nothing more than to see all my adversaries broke, and broken. But is it too soon to make that kind of move against the ONE person willing to help me achieve my goals, even though he doesn’t fully know them? But more importantly, I need to find out where he accumulated this amount of money, and if it will come back to bite me in the ass should I use it or move it.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the most unwanted voice whispers in my ear from behind.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Melanie,” I say, annoyed that I hadn’t even realized she was still in the room because I was initially focusing on Brian and Justin. 

“Lindsay, I didn’t just meet you, although part of me wishes I never did.”

“Then what the hell are you doing over here talking to me? If our former association was so abhorrent to you, then why are you over here?” I pull out the little girl lost voice that usually gets her to at least apologize for her rudeness towards me.

Instead of the regret I was hoping to see in her eyes at my tone, Melanie chuckles. “Nice try, Lindsay, but your act needs work before you try it on the next sucker, although it seems to have worked quite a bit on MIchael. But then he really doesn’t know or understand the toxic bitch you are.”

“If I’m so toxic, then why the fuck are you over here, Melanie?” I ask, louder than I had intended. But my patience has officially run out, especially seeing Brian is still kissing Justin, as if he’s depending on the bastard for his next breath. 

THAT SHOULD BE ME!

Melanie looks at the scene behind her and smiles. I just itch to slap the bitch before marching over there and bodily removing Justin’s ass out of Brian’s large hands. The fucking nerve of them showing off in front of me like that! Oh I can’t wait for my plans concerning that prick to work! Let him go play the whore for someone else!

“Careful, Lindsay. That WASP mask is just about off. And let’s be honest, if anyone is an expert at playing whore, it’s you. I mean, no way your money-sucking barracuda just started hunting for coins and clout with Charles and Mimi, right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 

“Cunty Simon Caswell. The asshole agent, who you first tried to get to jump on Justin, Jeremy Myst, Slimy Sam Auerbach. And let’s not forget about Brian’s ex-bosses before we even left Pittsburgh. ” 

I gasp. How the fuck did she know about Ryder and Vance? No one was ever supposed to know about them! Ryder I’d done so that when it came to the partnership, Brian would be passed over for it. I didn’t want him spending more time out of my orbit than he already was because of fucking Justin. 

Then Vance found out about it from Ryder running big his mouth, and proposed the same type of deal. Well, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make Brian pay at first, and then bow to my wishes later, once I’d figured out how to remove Justin permanently. Ethan was the perfect fool to do that, but then fucking Leo Brown went and messed that up for me by getting the partnership for Brian with Vanguard before Ethan could make good on getting Justin to leave Brian. True, Ethan finally did, but by then it was too late. 

If Brian ever found any of this out…

“Melanie…”

She shook her head. “Save it, Lindsay. It no longer matters to me. I’m moving on, and your extracurricular activities don’t rate anymore. However, no doubt you’re over here thinking about getting yourself into even more trouble than you’re already in from entering this competition.”

“I’m not in trouble.”

“Yes, you are. But as usual, you’ll have to find out for yourself just how much. However, even though he’s not my favorite person right now, and hasn’t been for years, I won’t let you rob Michael blind, even if that’s what he tried to do to Justin.”

“Justin? What the hell has he got to do with anything?”

“He’s the only reason Michael still has that amount of money in his account. Because Justin decided it was worth it to just pay Michael’s way to get the fuck out of the Rage franchise, rather than reporting his ass to the authorities for embezzlement… and you as the accessory. since we all know you benefitted just as much as Michael did in his law-breaking actions.”

I feel the shortness of my breath sawing in and out of my lungs. Could it be possible that Mel knows about the detective I had Michael hire so we could find out what Brian was up to on his supposed business trips? Originally, it was just a way for us to make sure he wasn’t with Justin. But then it became about having a file to rub in Justin’s face, and vice versa, whenever we would suspect Brian’s resolve weakening in staying away from the little asshole. But nothing else worked to keep them apart since they are now fucking MARRIED! 

And just when the fuck had that become a conversation past the cancelled dinner where Justin announced he was going to New York?

Melanie didn’t allow me to respond, even as she snatched Michael’s wallet, phone, and keys out of my hands. When the receipt fell, she hurried to pick it up before I could get my hands on it again. “I’ll just drop these off by Deb’s when I go to collect the kids and take them home.”

“And just where is home, Melanie?” I sneered, still pissed that she has one, and I most certainly do not.

“Someplace you will never know the location of.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“I would. Anyway, I’ll be sure to have Deb let Michael know to check the balance of his wallet. I’m sure he’ll want to add whatever you spent today to your bill for his benevolence in helping you out. I hope for your sake it wasn’t too much. Bye now!”

She left me standing there infuriated and near tears, while she went to collect her Harley-tart and kissed everyone else goodbye. The others were still over there, and although I would have liked nothing better than to march over there and rain on their little laughing parade, I just… couldn’t. Today was just simply too exhausting. Everything about it, from the people, to the art, to being judged in that ridiculous contest. I just want to go have a bath and regroup, so I can make a better showing tomorrow. But with the worry of Mel’s implications moments ago fresh in my mind, I know I have to figure out a way to spin whatever she says before any of it can take root.

Michael may seem dumb or naive at times, but that’s his gift. Most people would never believe that behind those blank looks he sometimes gives, is a calculating sonofabitch, almost on par with me in the scheming department. It’s how he managed to fool David, and then Ben, with that faux-innocence he’s had years to cultivate. Being around me has just honed the skill even more. My one saving grace, and my curse of the moment, is that where he and I are concerned, like always recognizes like. 

And that’s something I just don’t need right now. 

I have to find a way to turn the tables on Michael, who will no doubt start questioning me about anything Mel says. Maybe it’s time to call my parents, or at the very least, Lynette. Perhaps they can lend me the money until I can either win this competition, or find another way to get Michael off my back, and for Justin to leave. My ringing cellphone has me grinning. Speak of the devil and he shall appear- or in this case, call. 

“Hello, Daddy…”