Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(46)

He glanced over his shoulder. When he saw that his father was still at the front desk, he replied, "Clarissa was so drunk that when I took her home, she fell getting out of the car. I tried to help her and ended up banging my head so hard I was knocked out."

Brady's shoulders jerked. I ignored his muffled laughter. "How is she? Is she okay?"

"Oh, yeah. She's fine. She's zonked to the world. Me, on the other hand, had to stay put because Clarissa's parents wouldn't let me leave until Daddy dearest showed up. They didn't trust me driving. Said I might have a concussion." He cringed again. "I hate this. I feel like an imbecile."

"Because you are." Brady shot him a dark glare, but couldn't contain his smile. "For a tool, you got what you deserved. Drunk Clary knocked you out? Anybody can knock you out."

"Shut up."

"I bet Rayna could knock you out."

"Shut up," Kid growled louder this time. His fist clenched around the wet towel on his forehead.

I flicked the magazine. "Why don't you continue reading? Let the adults talk."

Kid laughed and Brady glared at me briefly, but hunkered back over his magazine. I eyed his father at the counter. "Why are you sitting over here?"

"Because I know he won't come over here. I can't handle too much time with my dad if you hadn't noticed by now."

"He terrifies me." I shuddered.

"He terrifies everyone." Kid grinned from the side of his mouth and then grimaced.

"Not me." Brady looked up and stared at Frank Stephens long and hard. There was no fear, no caution or regret. Nothing.

Watching Brady as he watched Frank Stephens, a shiver passed through my body. This wasn't the comedic or fiery Brady. I was staring at someone who looked like he'd aged thirty years in that moment. He was older, wiser, and stronger. When I glanced at Kid, I was surprised to see a sudden wonderment in his dark eyes. Then he looked at his father and I looked too. Frank Stephens sensed our scrutiny and turned to our direction. I squawked, but he didn't flinch or look away. He stood there, straightened away from the counter, and narrowed his eyes. Cold.

Finally, Brady broke the tension and murmured, thumbing through his magazine, "He doesn't scare me. Not one bit."

"That's not what you said the first night I bailed you out of jail."

Brady shrugged. "I wasn't scared of him."

"You were scared of someone else?"

Brady reflexively looked at Kid, but didn't reply. When I looked over, I knew Kid wasn't going to say anything either. His fierce frown seemed permanently etched into his face and I couldn't handle it anymore. "You guys are driving me crazy! Grow up. You had a fight. Deal with it. You were best friends and then Kid comes back and now you're enemies? Yeah, right."

Brady looked over. "What bee is stinging you in the ass?"

"I am pissed off." I folded my arms and leaned back in my chair.

Brady and Kid both fought off grins, but neither said what I knew they were thinking. I looked like a little kid having a temper tantrum, but I didn't care.

"I'm really mad about this. You guys were so close and now nothing makes sense. It should be a great thing that Kid came back. Instead, you're going gorilla crazy on him and my grandmother doesn't want me to have anything to do with Kid. I don't know why this is all happening and it's making me go crazy."

"That's the only reason you're crazy?"

It took a second before his statement registered with me and I reacted in the next instant. My fist balled up and I swung wide. My punch was perfectly aimed with my whole body behind it. When I made contact, Brady fell back against the magazine rack, more from shock. Kid gasped and then started laughing so hard he groaned from the pain. As he scrambled for the garbage pail to vomit, Brady reared back and held a hand to his cheek. He watched me cautiously now. "Don't hit me again."

"Don't patronize me again," I retorted. I wasn't stupid. I knew I wouldn't get another punch in. Brady was too fast, but it didn't matter. I didn't want to punch him again. I just wanted to wake him up. This was serious to me and it was wreaking havoc in my life.

"Sir, Miss."

We looked up at the approaching nurse dressed in pink scrubs with elephants on them. She was tall, but just as round. However, it was her eyes that caught our attention. She meant business when she added, "There will be no violence in the waiting lobby. There will be no violence at all and if it happens again the police are usually in the emergency room. It won't take long to get them here."

"No, no. We're good. I made her hit me, thought she would hit like a girl and all." Brady saved the day.

The nurse looked from my stormy face to his passive one and arched a waxed eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really."

"Does she hit like a girl?"

"Hell, no." Brady laughed. "It'll be the last time I ask for it again."

"Mmm mmm," she harrumphed. "Don't do it again."

"We won't. Promise." Brady smiled. That was all it took. Sometimes I found it disgusting. The nurse melted, but I caught the awareness in her eyes. She knew he was putting on the charm and she tried to not heed it, but she failed. She plundered. "Well okay, but remember my words."