Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(63)

"You really did him one. I'm surprised he didn't swing back at you. Viola is going to be so proud."

I laughed and then whimpered as pain shot down my arms.

"What's wrong?"

"My arms hurt." I tried to lift them, but they were too weak.

Brady nodded. "You really walloped him. I'm sure you pulled a muscle doing that. You're nothing but a hundred plus? A pint-size girl took down Frank Stephens. Even Kid's impressed. I think Clarissa has a newfound lesbian crush on you."

I laughed weakly as I felt tears slide down my cheeks. "I'm a mess, Brady."

He slipped two fingers through the bars and caught my hand. "I'll clean you up."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

My heart skipped a beat when I looked in his eyes.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

"Why did you assault Frank Stephens?" Deputy Doug interrogated me with one leg propped by his phone and his chair tipped backwards.

Deputy Doug should've handcuffed me. As I rubbed where they could've been, I was thankful he hadn't. "Because I didn't want Brady to get into any more trouble."

He slammed a hand on his desk. "You can't say that, Rayna. Any second now, Frank Stephens' hotshot lawyer is going to sweep through those doors. I can't help you after that. It'll go over my head. I've already been lenient bringing you in here and not cuffing you. I might get my rear-end handed to me for the likes of you."

"Did you get a hold of my grandmother?"

"Already told you. She ain't answering the phone. It don't matter none. Judge Bailor's coming in to discuss the situation. You're eighteen. Brady can post your bail if you need it." As he eyed me, he added, "Besides, we both know you ain't in any trouble with your grandmomma. She's going to have a parade when she hears what you've done."

"Grandpa did tell me to make memories today."

Deputy Doug smothered a chuckle as peeked through the blinds. "No lawyer's showed up yet. I'm in a pickle of what to do with you."

"I thought you were going to arrest me."

He scoffed, "I should throw you in jail, but I can't arrest Viola Janke's granddaughter. When it comes down to it, I'm more scared of her than Frank Stephens. We all know a poker can take him down, but your grandmomma…I don't think a buckshot would graze her."

"Then why am I here?"

"Because I want Judge Bailor to sweat bullets with me. He's more scared of Viola than me. I don't want just my head on the chopping block."

"When is he getting here?"

Deputy Dog sat down and sighed, "Hells if I know. He went golfing. It might take him hours to sober up."

"Can I talk to Brady? Can't he come back here if you're not arresting me?"

Deputy Doug scratched his head and nodded jerkily. "Sure. What's it to me to keep you two apart?" He moved around the desk and opened his office door. "Brady. Get your bee-hinder back here."

A moment later, Brady sauntered through the door and flashed a grin. "Couldn't bear to be apart from me, Dougie?"

He got a snort in response. "Just don't get all hanky panky on the desk. Viola or not, I will arrest you both."

"Deputy Dog, you know how I feel about challenges," Brady taunted. When he sat the chair next to me, his thigh brushed against mine. "I'd say put the handcuffs on her, but you did say no hanky panky. I wouldn't want to be tempted."

"You're funny, Brady. You're a funny guy." Deputy Doug rolled his eyes before he gave us a stern glare as he exited the office.

When the door was closed, Brady turned to assess me. All laughter faded. He sighed instead and took my hand in his. "It'll be fine, Rayray. Trust me. How many times have I been where you're sitting?"

"I'm not you." I entwined our fingers and held on tight.

"No, you're prettier."

"I mean it." I wasn't smooth or sophisticated. I wasn't what Brady could be at his choosing. He got people to listen to him, strangers even. They followed him, did what he said to do. I didn't have those qualities. I was plain, boring, and sheltered. "I've never done something like this, Brady. I don't know what to do. I don't know what's going to happen to me. I don't know if this'll hurt my future. I don't know what to feel right now except that I'm scared and a little…content."

His eyebrows shot up. "You're content? To be a criminal?"

"No, not that. I'm scared about that, but I'm content about…I don't know, maybe like I was standing up for myself."

"Because you were being hurt by him?"

I wiped a tear away. I was sick of crying.

"What was he saying that was hurting you?"

Could I tell him? He already knew the rumours about my mother, but he didn't know the truth so I shook my head. "I can't explain it. He just said a bunch of stuff about my mom. And he said stuff about how she never wanted me, that I'm a burden to Viola and Neil."

Brady hissed and flexed his knuckles. "It's a good thing you laid him out. You're right, if you hadn't, I would've. No one should say that stuff to anyone, even if it's true. No one should hear that."