| Chapter Thirty Five |
| "Asshole." Brianne stood looking down at a lifeless figure, then straightened her shirt, readying herself to face the guys. They already worried about her enough, no need to know about this pervert. She had handled the situation herself, too bad he had missjudged her ability. She looked pitifully at the guy one last time then made her way back toward the dance floor, satisfied she wouldn't have to worry about him grabbing her again. She hadn't made it back to the main part of the club when she bumped into Justin. "What are you doing?" He hovered over her, grabbing her shoulders to pull her away from where she had hit him. "Just going to the bathroom." She threw him a convincing smile, then edged around him in the narrow hallway. "You're too much." He mumbled, taking it upon himself to finish what he felt Brianne hadn't since the guy was already starting to right himself. "Hey babe, how about a dance?" His arms already sliding around her hips and taking her to the floor, she felt no need to reply. "Where have you been?" "Dancing, you?" Her tired body couldn't take it much longer, she had been certian she could make it through the night, but after having to fight off the pervert from before she wasn't as sure. Luckily a slow song came on and she leaned on JC for support. "Are you ready to go home?" Her head nodded against his chest and he quickly led her from the club, the other guys had already been warned they would be leaving early. "I'm ready to crawl into bed for the rest of the weekend." She informed when they were safely seated in the car, already on thier way to her house. "Mind if I join you?" He had meant for it to come as a joke, but it came out a little too serious. "Josh, I'm not sure I would mind if we stayed in bed for the rest of the month. As long as you were going for the food and drinks." She let her head fall back, the exhaustion taking over her. Before she knew it, she was in JC's arms as he carried her to her bed, not wanting to wake her. "Shit." He realized he didn't know where her keys were, well he had a pretty good idea they would be in her pocket, but wasn't sure he'd be able to dig them out and hold her at the same time. "Here you go." She reached into her pocket, and her hand returned with the keys, handing them over to a relieved JC. "Thanks, now go back to sleep." He carried her in and set her on the couch, retreating to the kitchen to get a drink. "Brianne, what the hell is wrong with you?" Justin bounded into her house, happy to find JC was no where in sight, which to him meant he wasn't there. "What do you mean?" She sat up, rubbing at her eyes to see the expression on Justin's face. "That guy at the club." "What guy at the club?" She thought it over for a second and the memory came back to her. "Oh that guy. You saw that?" "Yeah I saw that. And you were just going to act like nothing happened?" Justin paced the living room, his temper showing. "It was no big deal." She shrugged her shoulders, patting the area next to her for Justin to sit. "It was no big deal? You knocked the guy out for something, I think that constitutes as a big deal." Justin refused her offer, putting his hands on the back of a chair and leaning against it. "It was nothing. He was being an idiot, and I took care of it." She glanced around the living room expectantly. "Where'd Josh go? Is he mad at me for this?" "He doesn't know, yet." Justin took a few steadying breaths then licked his lips. "What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell me? JC I can kind of understand, kind of, because he's your boyfriend and he'd probably go crazy. But why not me?" "Justin, I hate to tell you this, but your knuckles are still red from hitting him. Why in hell do think I didn't tell you?" A motherly look took her face, and he looked at his knuckles ashamed. "Oh." "I would have told you, I just wanted to wait until he was out of reach. He didn't hurt me, I didn't give him the chance. Had I needed your help I would have gotten it, but I handled it. I'm not a little girl, sometimes I have to fight my own battles." She finally stood, looking around the room for JC once more but he was no where in sight, she guessed he had left and she had drifted off to sleep. "You're right, I guess I play the big brother too well?" His sheepish grin made her pull him in for a quick hug. "You didn't hurt him too bad did you?" "I hope for your sake you did." JC stormed out of the kitchen, done listening, and started for the door. "Where are you going?" Brianne was at his side in a matter of seconds, matching his pace toward the door. "The club, that bastard." If she hadn't known better she would have sworn his eyes were a deep red. "Josh, I think he's been punished enough. First me, then Justin, I doubt he's even still there." She blocked the door, knowing full well he could easily get past her, but hoping he would stay. "She's right, he's gone." Justin slumped into a chair, cursing himself for not being more careful before he spoke. "Gone? Why didn't you tell me?" He pleaded with Brianne with his eyes, not sure why he hadn't been informed when she was in trouble. He felt helpless, like there was nothing he could do, which there wasn't. "Because, I didn't want you to worry. I would have told you eventually, and Justin, too. But you didn't need to make a big scene at the club, and I had it under control." She retreated to the stairs, frustrated and tired. "Nevermind, I'm going to bed." She made her way up the stairs then changed her clothes and laid in the bed. A few minutes later she heard JC enter the room, and was happy he had reconsidered. "Lay with me Josh." She instructed, but a few seconds later he hadn't done so, so she opened her eyes to glance at him. "He left." Justin took a seat at the foot of the bed, pulling her feet into his lap. "I should've known." Her eyelids fell closed, and her arm laid across them. "I'm sorry I was such a....heathen?" "That'll do, for now." She teased and he stood, depositing a kiss on her forehead. "I'll let you sleep, good night." "Night bubba." |