Gray

A lot runs through your mind when you’re having the shit kicked out of you. Survival should be at the top of the list. But as many blows as my head is taking, I can only think about her. She’s worth the blood dripping down my brow. The ache in my arms from being suspended in the air for the last hour. She is worth every threat they hurl at me and the slow agonizing death that they promise.

I just wish I’d told her that before I let her go.  But behind my swollen eyelids I see her soft face and her tantalizing lips. They’re whispering to me. Begging me to hold on. And for her I grasp on to every memory and allow it to numb me. She is my lidocaine for this horrific punishment.

As my nerve endings stop firing off a deep voice booms into the room. It cuts across the cackling and smell of blood.

“That’s enough!” He shouts. “As much as I am enjoying this, we need him alive. Cut him down.”

In a breath I plummet to the cement floor then roll to my side coughing up the blood stuck in my throat.

“You’re a fool Gray.” Robert Chapman laughs. “A fool. You should have ran away with her when you had the chance.”

No. This was the way it was supposed to be. I was never going to follow her. Doing that would mean exposing her and I’d happily die first.

            The back of my head burns as my face is pulled out of my own personal pool of blood. He leans in purposely to what’s left of my good ear.

“Twenty-four hours, Gray.” He spews venomously. “I want EJ here in twenty-four god damn hours! Or so help me I will—”

I spit the blood rinsing around my mouth out into his face. Within seconds I’m being pummeled again, until his laughter echoes around me. When I look up he’s wiping his face with a crisp white cloth and staring down at me with the devil in his eyes.

“Keep testing me and I’ll send you to her in pieces. Imagine her coming home on a hot day finding you neatly gift wrapped in a box. Your body would burn fast in the Georgia heat.”

An ice cold shiver trickles down my spine.

“Don’t look so surprised.” He says condescendingly. “I know everything. I’ll have Alisha out of Georgia and back where she belongs too. Now whether or not you get see her is up to you. Twenty-four hours. Bring me my little pet and I’ll let you live.”

He’s gone leaving my hotel room in complete shambles. All the his other henchmen file out behind him. All except one.

“Well you’re a pathetic piece of shit aren’t you?” Dwayne says bending down to my level. “Fucking the boss’ daughter and what the deaf chick too?”

I try to swing at him but I have no real use of my arms left. My poor effort sends him into a hearty laugh.

“Unlike the old man, I don’t think we need you.” He pulls a pocket blade and before I can move drives it into my side.

I grunt out in pain and he leads me to the floor. “An eye for eye big man.” He whispers. “And don’t worry about the girls. When I find them, I’ll take good care of them.”

The last image I have is the smirk on his face as everything fades to black.

Emmy

Left alone in Ben’s apartment, I feel ill. I hate myself for the threat I made against his brother. I sounded like Uncle and it sickens me to my stomach. I start to gather my things. No plan. No reasoning, just the notion that I need to get out of here. I shove everything that I own back into my bag. Then I get a pen and paper from Ben’s office and scribble out an apology.

I can go down to the police station on my own. When I go to move it vibrates madly in my hand. I reach down into the side pocket for the burner phone Gray purchased for me. A message from Alisha pops up.

We’re safe.

That’s all I need. And I remember why I’m here. More importantly, why I have to do this the right way. It’s all or nothing and they’re worth it. The next message quickly follows behind the first.

When will we see you?

The phone shakes in my hand my thumbs type out a quick response. Tears slip down my cheek. I hadn’t told Gray or Alisha the full plan. That there was no scenario where I walked away from this with them. It had to be this way or neither of them would agree to the plan.

One month. Love you both. So much.

Ben

Long after the renovations to my office were complete, I spent my evenings at the library hoping to see Emmy again. Hoping to talk to her as well. I had nothing to go on, but I spent every morning and every lunch practicing ASL. I never told anyone but I never stopped hoping I would see her again.

Women have always come easy for me. Even before I became a lawyer, I am still my father’s son. A Cornerstone. Old money in a city owned by it. My name could get me anywhere and with anyone. And I spent my youth using it to my advantage. But her. I didn’t think it could get me her. And then it did. She needed a lawyer and the Cornerstones are the best. After months of searching for her, Emmy found me. And as cliché as it sounds, it feels like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

“Burning the midnight oil or what man?” Owen asks plopping down into one of the empty chairs in front of my desk.

He loosens his tie and I glance down at my watch.

            “It’s not that late, man.”

He shrugs. “I know but it’s after seven. We’ve got zero cases to work on. You should be at home relaxing.”

“You’ve got zero cases to work on.” I emphasize.

“I didn’t know you picked up another one. Why didn’t you say anything?”

When we decided to go into practice together, Owen and I made a deal that we wouldn’t take on any case that we didn’t truly believe in. There are enough ambulance chasers, rule breakers, arrogant litigators in New York. We would take cases that we believed in. That we were willing to lose sleep over. Above all else we would never take a case related to the Chapmans. So, I don’t exactly know how to tell him about Emmy.

“It’s private.” I murmur.

“Private…or personal?”

“What’s the difference?”

“The look on your face.”

I run my hand over my face as if it will somehow take away some of the tension there. Nothing happens. I’m still on edge.

“What do you want anyway?”

“Ah I get it. You don’t want to talk about it. No worries.” He drops two tickets on my desk. “These are for you. Charity Ball is in a month. I picked up your tickets.

I hardly give them a glance as I shut down my computer.

“Got anyone in mind?” Owen asks.

I shrug. “Not really.”

Not anyone I could actually be seen with in public anyway.

Owen snaps his finger. “What about that girl from the party Saturday night. Ugh. What was her name?”

“Megan.” I supply.

“Right! Megan. She was cute.”

“Yeah, she was.”

I drag on my coat. My heads already home wondering what Emmy is doing in my apartment. And what I actually plan on doing for dinner for us both. I didn’t even ask her favorite food. So I’ll have to take a guess. Pasta should suffice. Everyone likes pasta—-

“Holy shit!” Owen exclaims right after the sound of glass shatters onto the floor outside my door. “What was that?”

The cleaning crew aren’t due to be here for another few hours. And as far as I knew it, everyone else went home for the day.

“Stay here,” I command.

My army training kicks right in. The gun I keep in my desk is in my hand by the time Owen takes a step back. Another sound of glass crashing to the floor rings out. This time closer than the first noise. Before I get to the door, a tall man covered in lumps and dried blood barrels in.

“You get out!” he urges pointing a silver barrel gun at Owen before turning his one good eye to me. “You sit the fuck down.”

I look at Owen and his blue eyes are more terrified than I’ve ever seen.

“It’s fine.” I reply with all the calmness my military training instilled in me. “Get some rest. I’ll call you in morning.”

“Y-y-you want me to leave you here? Are you insane?”

“I said it’s fine. Don’t call anyone. Everything is oaky.”

“Get out!” Gray barks impatiently.

“Are you really in a position to be barking orders at people Gray?”

To make my point he falls against the wall and groans in agony. I roll my eyes and lower my gun. “We’ll talk in the morning. I have everything under control. Trust me.”

Owen eyes me. He knows me. He knows me really well. I’m not sure what has happened to Gray but I do know I don’t want it to happen to my friend. I drag him out by his arm.

Over his shoulder he says, “If I don’t hear from you by seven, I’m calling the police.”

I nod and push him out the room. When I turn around Gray is back on his feet pointing the gun at me.

“You’re bleeding.” I tell him walking back to my desk for my first aid kit. “More importantly you’re ruining my floor.”

“Where is Emmy?”

“How about you start with putting the damn gun down.”

“I-I need Emmy.”

“You need a hospital.”

“Listen to me, you rich pompous asshole. Y-y- Emmy.”

His speech slurs as he loses his balance and staggers back to the wall. I’m on him in seconds taking the gun and helping him to a chair. I’m in full combat mode now. Assessing him quickly and processing all the relevant details.

He’s been beaten pretty bad. One eye is swollen shut. His lip is bruised and bloody and he’s clutching his side. I move his arm and everything falls into place. The bandage that he likely placed there himself is saturated with blood. He’s been stabbed and he’s bleeding out. At the same time he’s losing consciousness which is not a good sign.

I undo my shirt and grab my cellphone.

“What are you doing?” his eyes begin to roll back.

“Saving your life. Now shut the fuck up and let me.”

With his last bit of energy, he whispers. “I love her.”

I shouldn’t envy a dying man. But the commitment in his voice, the way she’s on his mind when he’s so close to death it’s messing with my head. It shouldn’t. She’s nothing to me but another paycheck I remind myself. Then I focus on the task at hand. Saving Gray’s life.

By the time my phone call is answered, he’s got nothing. His eyes are shut, and his breathing becomes shallow.

Emmy

I don’t think he’s coming back. Why would he? I haven’t even paid Ben for his time, nor have I properly thanked him for taking my case. Even if he doesn’t really want to. I let out a grievous sigh and watch the red digital numbers on the clock turn to a glaring four. Then I roll onto my back and try to formulate a new plan.

Alisha is safe. Her baby is safe and that’s all I wanted. Gray is with them where he belongs. And me? I’m going to keep it that way. Maybe I thought that I needed Ben, when really all I need is to be strong. Whatever happens from here on out, I’ll take it. Jail would be paradise compared to the hell I was brought up in.

Danger.

I wake up with a jolt. My heart races wildly as I look around the room panicked. The digital clock reads just after five. A familiar aura falls over me and makes me tremble. Something is wrong.

I carefully peel the blankets back and ease open the bedroom door. Light streams in from the hallway. With my body held from view, I tip my nose in the air. A familiar rich sensual musk teases my nostrils. But it’s mixed with a lighter sweet fragrance. Ben is here. He’s with a woman. And—

Gray.

Blood.

It all hits me at once and bolt barefoot down the hallway. A thousand signals fire off in my head. The messages ram into one another shaking me to my core. At the center is one truth. Gray is hurt. And only one person could have hurt him.

Ben

“You’re impossible.” Molly huffs, tossing her red hair over her shoulder and stuffing some medical supplies back into her bag. “You and your brother. Impossible.”

I’m in the middle of sipping on a stiff drink and taking the blunt of Dr. Molly Grant’s wrath when the unmistakable sound of feet padding down the hallway catches my attention.

Together we both look up to find Emmy standing there with her big brown eyes wide and round. Her eyes go to me for a second. Enough for me to read the shear terror on her face. Then they fall on Gray. His entire body spans the length of the couch. He’s bare chested with a chest tube sticking out of him completely unconscious. I take a slow drink and watch Emmy collapse at his side. Then she takes his hand in hers.

“Really Benedict?”

Not knowing that Emmy is deaf, Molly takes my arm and drags me out of earshot.

“What is with you Cornerstone men, huh?” she hisses, pushing her glasses up her petite nose. “I thought it was just your brother but apparently you both love the damsel in distress complex.”

“She’s a client.”

I glance over her head and Emmy is running her hand down the side of Gray’s face. I’m not jealous. I convince myself, looking back down at Molly.

“And Sora was just a friend. And Nikki—”

“Hey,” I stop her. “Don’t throw your and my brother’s bullshit on me. I appreciate what you did here but I’m not Alec. Take your problems up with him.”

They have a history. I still don’t know exactly what went down between the two of them but I know Molly hasn’t moved on. Regardless, it’s not right for me to yell at her especially after all she’s done. But I guess that’s the true definition of transference. I’m more pissed at myself than I could ever be at her.

“I’m sorry.” I apologize. “It’s been a long night. I’ll take you out and try to make things right for all Cornerstone men. But in the meantime, can I trust you won’t tell anyone about this?”

“Just do me a favor and leave me out of your mess.”

Molly takes her things and leaves out quickly. I’ll have to send a gift basket to her office. Something that says thanks for saving a gangster’s henchman. Whatever I do, I’ll have to figure it out in the morning. When I’ve had at least an hour of sleep.

I walk back into the living room and stop right away. My law school t-shirt falls just above her exposed thighs. Emmy crosses the distance between us. It’s the sadness in her eyes that breaks me. I hadn’t thought of it before but what happened to Gray was purposeful. It was vengeful. It was her Uncle. And Emmy is scared.

When she reaches me, I pull her into my arms and kiss the top of her head. Her arms wrap around my waist. The feel of them pushes me further to the line. The imaginary one I drew in the sand before I left. The one that was supposed to divide us. It’s only drawing us closer and I don’t know how to stop it. Just that I don’t really want to.