Chapter Nine
Brian swallowed as he closed his eyes, taking in a deep, soothing breath. Another couple of weeks had passed since Eric had come in, confessing that he’d seen Brian dumping something over the bridge. So far, nothing had come up, but the search crews were still looking, not giving up quite yet. Praying so hard that nothing was found, Brian was unsure of what would happen if it did. No, he knew what would happen.
Looking around the courtroom, he felt as if he spent more time on the stand or in that room than he did in prison. Not like that was such a horrible thing. It meant he was out in the world, free so to speak, for a couple of hours at least. But then again, when locked away, he didn’t have to have the gut wrenching feeling, like somebody stabbing him over and over again, of what was going to happen, because at any given moment, the trial could take an unexpected as well as unwanted turn. Then again, it could also turn around for the better.
“Brian, can you tell us what happened the night of March twenty-fifth, two thousand and five?” Mr. Settina asked, pacing the court room three feet at a time, back and forth for several seconds before stopping dead center, looking at Brian.
“We’ve been over this before.” Brian grumbled in exasperated annoyance.
“Answer the question.”
Brian tried his best not to roll his eyes without much accomplishment, his blue eyes showing how foul his mood was. It seemed that every single time he was on the stand, he was asked the same questions over and over again. He was getting sick and tired of it all. It was as if everybody in the room were morons, not getting it through their thick skulls what he was answering with. Was it really that hard to understand?
“Brian, answer the question.”
“We were about to make love…I’d just gotten back from remainder of the Never Gone tour. I was reaching for a condom, and found a pair of boxers stuffed between the bed and the night stand…which weren’t mind. She confessed that she’d cheated on me…” Brian closed his eyes at the thought of the painful memories, “We started to yell, she slapped me...more yelling…” Brian’s voice trailed off, shaking his head. He honestly didn’t want to go there. He didn’t want to replay the night in his mind, for it was one he would never forget for the rest of his life, no matter what the outcome of the trial was.
‘And then, what happened?” Mr. Settina pressed, “You said before that you hit her back.”
“I…I grabbed her arms…to restrain her, so she couldn’t hit me again. She kneed me in the crotch, and…I pushed her…”
“You pushed her?” Mr. Settina asked, “And then what?”
“I…she fell through the window. I left the room after that, just so upset and…I don’t know.”
Gasps were heard all throughout the court room at Brian’s latest confession. One that he’d failed to mention before, and Brian realized his slip right away. He closed his eyes and groaned inwardly, knowing he’d made a huge mistake and possibly enormous sacrifice to his own reputation. He could see the eyes of everybody looking at him with such hatred and such animosity for his previous lie. Even those of his friends. Suspicion could be seen by the gazes they were casting his way. All of a sudden, Brian’s skin started to prickle in heat and uncomfortableness, knowing he was about to be caught. He’d left that specific detail out for a reason, and now he’d have to try and fix his blunder.
“I thought you said that he left your home willingly,’ Mr. Settina reminded him of what he already knew, “You got in to a fight and told her to leave, and she ran from the house.”
Sweat started to bead on Brian’s forehead as he recalled saying that as if it were just yesterday. This was not good…not good at all.
“I…um…I” Brian felt like slamming his forehead against the desk in front of him. This was backfiring. He’d dug himself a hole he knew that there was no way he could pull himself out of.
“So what you are saying now completely contradicts what you’ve said in the past.” Mr. Settina appeared to almost be glowing at this revelation.
Brian bowed his head in shame, knowing that he was done for. In fact, he barely heard another word the Lawyer was saying, his answers vague until the last inquiry. It was then that his head snapped up, feeling the need to defend himself somehow.
“So after you pushed her, you went and got her body, driving her hours to the other side of the state to throw her off of the bridge in to the Kentucky River, hoping she would never be found.”
“No!” Brian nearly shouted, “I did not do that.”
“Then how did she get there?”
Brian tried to think of something…anything to come up with. He wracked his brain, knowing that time was his enemy in this situation, and the longer his pause, the worse his position looked. Finally, he said the only thing he could think of, it being about the lamest answer he could have come up with.
“I…I don’t know.” Brian mumbled with a troubled sigh.
He looked around, hoping that since his confession, people would believe his attempt to try to look innocent. He could tell though, that not a single person believed him now. Everybody had turned their backs on him because of one small, unintentional slip up. Even his friends, who couldn’t even look at him anymore, and that hurt him just as much as everything else.
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Flashback
December 28th, 2005
“I can’t believe I’m moving in with you…three days after you asked me!” Julian laughed with a shake of her head, setting down a box of her clothing, “I mean, I canceled my lease and all at the apartment, but…I still technically live there for another month…”
“Which I’m taking care of for you,” Brian reminded her, “Everything you have is being moved to a storage area…and your clothes and things…” he smiled at her, pulling the woman in to him to kiss her neck lovingly, “I can’t believe we’re going to live together.”
“Yeah…pretty surreal,” Julian agreed, “When you asked, I assumed after the tour ended…and here we are…”
The couple exchanged a look before going back down to Julian’s car to retrieve a few more boxes, carrying them up the flight of stairs. Setting them down along the wall with the dozens of other boxes, Julian stretched, bending backwards to stretch her back, lifting her arms way above her head. She could definitely feel herself wearing down from the move. Her body was sore and tense, knowing she’d have to somehow guilt Brian in to giving her a massage later. Not that it would take much…
If on cue, the man came up behind her, rubbing her shoulders in firm yet gentle circular motions. Julian closed her eyes and moaned softly in pleasure, the feeling incredible to her knotted muscles. In her mind, Julian wondered if she was making the right choice, leaping in to living with Brian so quickly. But in her heart, she felt it was a safe thing to do, and it would only bring their relationship to higher, closer, more serious levels. It was her heart that had overpowered her mind, telling her to just do it. And even though she was nervous about what the long-term outcome would be, she decided that now was the perfect time to find out. So far, everything seemed better than ever.
“Why don’t you say we go grab another load of boxes from your old place, bring it in here…then order pizzas.” Brian suggested, “Grab a six pack of coke or whatever?”
“Sounds great!” Julian enthused, her stomach rumbling all of a sudden from hunger, not realizing how famished she actually was until the man had mentioned food. And to make maters worse, she was starting to feel herself salivating at the thought of the oozing extra cheese and the scent of pepperoni and freshly baked pizza dough.
“You okay, baby?” Brian asked, automatically taking her silence personally and as a bad sign, “You aren’t changing your mind on me now, are you?”
Julian laughed, “Oh, God no! Just…thinking. All good stuff, I promise.”
“Like what?” Brian inquired with a flirtatious smile.
“I don’t know…” Julian teased with a wink, “How I can’t wait to have this house all to myself…”
“Hey!” Brian defended himself with a gasp, mocking being offended.
Julian laughed as she rolled her eyes, them moving in together and their relationship seeming so natural, so fitting. Especially when Brian charged at her, grabbing her in his arms as he tickled her sides. Julian squealed, trying to squirm away as they both fell to the floor, Brian holding on tight as he continued to tickle her, tears streaming down her face as she laughed, wriggling her body and twisting with no luck of breaking free.
‘STOP!” she cried out, gasping for air, “Please…stop it!”
“Give me one good reason why I should?” Brian teased, slowing down slightly, but not quitting completely.
“Because…I said so!”
“Hmmm…” Brian seemed to be deep in thought as he slowly moved his fingers against her bare sides, “I guess so.”
And just liked that, he stopped, turning over so he was lying on his back, Julian against him with her head on his chest. She took in a deep breath as he leaned in to kiss her softly, taking in the sweet scent of her hair. He could have laid there like that forever, the comfort of their bodies so close to each other, just listening to the rhythm of the others heart beating. Nothing could have broken the spell that he was under. Things were perfect.
“This is really going to work, isn’t it?” She asked, “You and me…it’s going to be okay.”
“Yeah, I think it is.” Brian replied without any doubt in his mind whatsoever.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's 9 for ya...I have this story completed...all 12 chapters...so if ya want to see what happens by the end of the week, leave a review! lol. Enjoy!
