- Text Size +

BEN

 

I walked into the house and saw Michael in the kitchen eating cereal. After Brian left I sat in Woody’s trying to understand what Brian was implying. Looking at Michael’s arms and face, I didn’t know what to think. He gave me a look I’ve never seen on his face before, it was as if he couldn’t figure out why I was there.

 

“What happened to you last night?” I ask.

 

“You should know, or did the steroids affect your memory?” He asks.

 

“I didn’t do this to you.” I tell him.

 

“Are you sure, I mean all I did was try to get you to see that you could never take Brian’s place.” He tells me, putting the bowl down.

 

“What are you talking about?” I ask, when he reaches for a glass.

 

“How I could never love a man who isn’t Brian?” He asks me, throwing the glass against the wall.

 

I stood there watching Michael throw things off the counter and then hit his head against the refrigerator. I went to grab him to stop him, not understanding what he was doing. He backhanded me then slammed his hand against the counter and I heard the break.

 

“Michael what the hell are you doing?” I ask the man who I didn’t recognize.

 

“Making sure that I get what I wanted when I married you.” He tells me, pulling his phone out.

 

“My husband is going crazy and I’m afraid of what he’s going to do.” He tells the person on the phone.

 

“Michael?” I ask.

 

“He’s still here, I don’t know what to do. He’s smashing up my kitchen.” He tells the person on the phone while looking at me and smirking.

 

BRIAN

 

Justin and I were in the car taking a sleeping Gus to the girls. Alex promised that Gus could come visit anytime, and won Gus’s approval and mine.

 

“I like your friends.” I tell him.

 

“I could tell, Alex is easy to like. I know sooner or later Grant will get over his ‘Brian the God’ fixation.” He tells me.

 

“He actually said a full sentence, so there’s progress.” I tell him as his phone rings.

 

“Do you know this number?” He asks, showing me the phone.

 

“It’s Deb’s number.” I tell him, taking the phone.

 

“Brian, Ben is in jail.” She tells me.

 

“Michael decided to press charges?” I ask.

 

“After today he did.” She tells me, sounding like a protective mother.

 

“I saw Ben last night, he didn’t do anything to Michael.” I tell her.

 

“I want to believe that, but it was bad at the house when we got there. Everything was tossed around and Michael has a broken arm. He said Ben showed up and went into a rage when Michael threw all his steroids in the garbage.” She tells me.

 

“Deb, I can’t do this.” I tell her.

 

“I know he said some things last night, but this is different, Michael had to go to the hospital.” She tells me.

 

“How bad is he?” I ask, as we pull up to the girls house.

 

“I’ll take Gus in so you can talk.” Justin tells me, pulling Gus out.

 

“Brian, can you pay attention to me, Michael needs us.” She tells me.

 

“Then be there for him, I won’t let Michael use me this time.” I tell her.

 

“I need you to help me.” She tells me.

 

“Then get him some help, because telling me that I belong to him, means I can’t be there.” I tell her, hanging up.

 

Justin was upstairs with Lindsay, putting Gus to bed when I came in. I sat down next to Mel.

 

“Ben is going to need a lawyer.” I tell her.

 

“Why?” She asks.

 

“Michael showed up at my club and said Ben beat him last night. I guess Ben didn’t believe me when I said no one was safe from Michael’s agenda.” I tell her.

 

“I can see if a friend will at least go talk to him. There are just too many bad feeling between us for me to offer.” She tells me.

 

“I have a friend that could help him, it’s just I don’t want to cause more problems.” Justin tells us, coming in the room.

 

“We shouldn’t help either of them.” Mel tells us.

 

“If Ben didn’t do anything it could ruin his life. I wouldn’t want that for anyone.” Justin tells her.

 

“Why do you think it would cause problems?” I ask him.

 

“He’s someone I dated for a while. We broke up, but he’s still there if I need him. He’s a lawyer.” Justin tell us.

 

“As long as he understands that your not available, then call him.” I tell him.

 

JUSTIN

 

I listened to what Brian was saying to Mel and I knew that Dan could help. I called him and I smiled as he greeted with me the usual.

 

“I knew you’d miss me, so who do I owe to hear from you?” He jokes.

 

“My new boyfriend needs someone to help him.” I tell him.

 

“So it was just to break my heart.” He laughs.

 

“You seemed really heart broken that last time too, what was his name?” I tell him.

 

“I don’t really remember. So what do you need from little old me?” He asks.

 

“Remember the problem I was having at school with the college professor’s husband?” I ask him.

 

“Remember I told you to get the fucking restraining order? Justin, that guy is a psycho.” He tells me.

 

“Calm down it’s not me that has the problem, but the professor. His husband is accusing him of abuse. Brian said that he doesn’t think Ben did anything, but now apparently Michael’s in the hospital and Ben’s in jail. I just didn’t ever get the feeling that Ben was abusive, a prick for letting his husband harass me, yes, but not the kind of guy who hits anyone.” I tell him.

 

“Where are you?” He asks me.

 

“I’m at a friend’s with my boyfriend, but I can meet you in town.” I tell him.

 

“Meet me at the coffee shop you like.” He tells me.

 

I hung up and looked at Brian who was standing behind me. “He doesn’t mean what you do to me. He’s a friend, that’s all.” I tell him.

 

“I trust you.” He tells me, kissing me.

 

“Just don’t take the way he is as anything, he cares for the people he loves.” I tell him.

 

“Does he still love you?” He asks me.

 

“He never understood that I didn’t need someone to fight all my battles. He always wanted to be someone’s hero, I didn’t need that.” I tell him.

 

“If you do, you let me be that for you.” Brian tells me.

 

BRIAN

 

I walked in with Justin and Mel to meet the ex. I will say Justin has excellent taste in men. He stood up and picked Justin up off his feet, kissing his hair, but nothing I could argue with.

 

“You replaced me with Brian Kinney?” He asks Justin.

 

“I found someone who didn’t want to put me on a pillow.” Justin tells him.

 

“I can deal with Brian.” He tells me, staring me down.

 

“I can deal with the fact that he wants me.” I tell him.

 

We stood as tall, but like Ben, he had more muscle mass. Then he smiled and it was not hard to smile back at him.

 

“Just take care of him.” He tells me.

 

“Can we get to why I called you?” Justin asks him, looking unhappy with the comment.

 

“You want me to help the guy that let his husband harass you? Explain to me how in your mind this sounds like something I should help with?” He asks Justin.

 

“If he did do it, then I don’t expect you to help him, but if he didn’t, could you sit by while someone get’s prosecuted for something they never did?” Justin tells him.

 

“That’s not fair, you know I couldn’t.” He tells Justin.

 

“I know, so can you at least go with Brian and see what you think?” Justin asks him.

 

“Anything you ask, you know I would do.” He tells Justin.

 

“Thanks.” Justin tells him.

 

“Brian, this is Justin’s friend? Do you know who he is?” Mel whispers to me.

 

“No, and right now I don’t know if Ben is worth this.” I tell her, looking at the way he seems to drink Justin in.

 

“He’s one of the best defense attorneys in the city. I will tell you this, he won’t help if he thinks Ben is guilty.” She tells me.

 

“So Brian, let’s go, so Justin will be happy with me.” Dan tells me.

 

“I’m going to go home, I’ll wait up for you.” Justin tells me kissing me.

 

“You don’t need to smirk, I lost him a long time ago. I wanted to wrap him up and protect him from the world. He wanted to experience everything. I’m a jealous bastard and he brought it out in me. He didn’t like it, so we broke up.” He tells me.

 

“Yet, you’re available if he needs you.” I tell him, sounding like the jealous bastard I am.

“Yes, and I always will be. You need to rein that in, because he won’t be happy to hear it.” He tells me.

 

“I know you still want him.” I tell him, trying to stop.

 

“Of course, but I also know he doesn’t want it from me, the way he wants it from you. Just don’t fuck up with him and you’ll never have to worry about me.” He tells me.

 

“He brings out the protective in all of us doesn’t he?” I ask him.

 

“If you meet Alex, then you’ve won without knowing it.” He tells me.

 

“What do you mean?” I ask as we pull up.

 

“Justin only introduces people to Alex if he serious.” He tells me.

 

“So you were introduced to Alex?” I ask.

 

“Nope, met him only because Justin and I were at the same restaurant one night. Otherwise I don’t think we would have met.” He tells me, getting out.

 

“He took me to meet Alex.” I tell him, feeling a bit smug.

 

“Yeah, well then explain why you want me to help this asshole.” He tells me.

 

“For my adopted mother, otherwise I wouldn’t bother. She needs to not fall into her son’s shit, but right now she can’t see past his broken arm to see that Ben is a lot of things, but not an abusive asshole.” I tell him.

 

“I fucking hate false reports, it ruins lives. You know that even if nothing comes of this, he’s forever stained with it.” He tells me.

 

“Then he learns, and moves on with his life.” I tell Dan.

 

Carl was standing at the front when we came in. He looked at Dan then at me as if to figure out why we were standing there.

 

“Dan is here to talk to Ben.” I tell Carl.

 

“Isn’t this a bit under your radar?” Carl asks Dan.

 

“A friend asked me to help, so here I am.” Dan tells him.

 

DAN

 

I walked into the room and I knew the minute Ben realized who I was. Brian walked in and sat in the chair staring between us.

 

“Look, if you're here to warn me to leave Justin alone, I am.” He tells me.

 

“Actually I’m here because Justin seems to think you need my help. I’d let you fry, but Justin wouldn't be happy with Brian or me if I did. He has this problem with right and wrong, to him no one should be punished for breathing, but then you didn’t mind doing it to him. Why would your loving husband suddenly decided you're an abusive prick?” I ask him.

 

“He wants him.” Ben tells me, glaring at Brian.

 

“Lots of people have, but they don’t charge people with abuse. Are you doing steroids?” I ask when I read that in the complaint. “Don’t lie to me, anyone else you need to is fine, but I need to know everything, including things that will make you look bad.” I tell him, when I see the moment he wanted to lie to me.

 

“Yes, but when I get that angry I leave.” He tells me.

 

“You need to get counseling, now we just have to prove you didn’t break his arm and smash up the house.” I tell him.

 

“He did it to himself.” Ben tells us.

 

I turn to Brian and look back at Ben. “Why didn’t you tell the police that?” I ask.

 

“Carl is Michael’s soon to be stepfather, who do you think he’s going to believe? Michael looks like a freight train hit him.” Ben tells me.

 

“Yet, you don’t have a mark on you.” Brian tells him.

 

“Which would be hard if you and he fought the way Michael indicates in this report. I’ll have you out in an hour, but do not go near Michael or his family, do you understand me?” I tell him.

 

“I need my things.” Ben said quietly.

 

“Emmett can go and get them, do what your lawyer is telling you.” Brian tells him.

 

“I need you to give me written permission to see your house, and I’ll help the guy get your stuff.” I tell Ben.

 

“Thanks.” Ben tells me.

 

“Don’t thank me, I honestly wouldn’t help you, but Justin wants me to for Brian.” I tell him.

 








You must login (register) to review.