Between Brothers

Foul Play

Foul Play

Julian

It’s been four years since we’ve spoken, I know I shouldn’t be here but we need to talk. I took the stairs, it’s easier to not be seen this way. Out of breath, I sauntered into her apartment, finding the door unlocked was surprising but lucky.

“Hello Love” I say as she emerges from the hallway, still as beautiful as ever. She looks surprised to see me, I guess that’s an accurate response. I lean against the counter top and wait for her to round the counter to look at me. 

“Julian!” She says, words must be lost on her. She’s just standing there looking at me, as if she’s trying to figure out what's going on.

“I know, I’m surprised I’m here too but we need to talk”

“About?”

“I’m sure you’ve been made aware Chris is back”

“Yeah, I know the asshole is back. What does that have to do with anything?”

“He can’t find out we dated”

“Are you fuckin’ kidding me? We broke up four years ago and you decide the only reason you can talk to me is to tell me you’re still his b***h?!” She says, anger pouring off of her. She’s wrong, SHE DUMPED me because she couldn’t get over him but I’m the b***h? I shouldn’t have come here. 

“No, I just don’t have time for the additional bullshit that seems to be attached to you and Chris”

“Goodbye, Julian.”

“I can’t believe I thought you’d be rational”

“You’re alike you and him, both selfish assholes” 

“I’m not the one who ended things!” I shout, not meaning to but the words left before I could stop them. My heart broke when she left me, she said it was for school but it was mostly because of Chris. She loved him then, and she loves him now. I loved her then, I might actually despise her now. 

“Julian, I don’t care enough to tell Christopher anything. So you can go away”

“I missed you for a split second, then you opened your damn mouth”

“I thought you liked it when I opened my mouth, or was that only so you could put something in it?” She smirks, lightly biting her bottom lip. I want to bite that damn lip, I want to f**k that smirk off her face while she moans my name. 

Nope! No… Not going down that road again. Isn’t she getting married? Julian get it together.

I squeezed my eyes closed and pinched the bridge of my nose. This woman is going to be the death of me, or pleasure I don’t know.

I walk out of her apartment, finding a tasty little treat walking towards me. I think I’ve seen her before, she’s a friend of Tara’s. I quickly exit the hall and enter the stairwell when my phone rings, the screen lights up and Chris’s number does a little dance. f**k!

“Sup!”

“Hey, Getting the Gang together for Drinks and Cigars at my place. Be there or I’ll kick your ass” I let out a nervous chuckle, never knowing when he’s joking or not. 

“Sure man, I just gotta finish my shift. I’ll be done around 9 PM, so see you then”

“Oh s**t! I forgot you’re officer Julian Mendoza now. Always were a goodie, goodie.”

“Nah man, just got tired of being arrested for dumb s**t. Haha”

Why am I so f*****g nervous? I’m not his little friend anymore, I can do this. Can’t I?

My partner Trevor, sits in the car waiting for me as usual. He never really cares, but can always tell when something is wrong. 

Climbing into the car, I sigh as I slide down into my seat. He doesn’t ask what happened but gives me a knowing look. I ignore him and stare out the window, f*****g women!

We head to the station, so we can do our end of shift reports. I hate paperwork, I try to zero in and complete this mundane task but all I can think about is her perfectly pouty lips wrapped around my now aching c**k. Damnit! The hold that woman has on me is unreal. 

“Trevor,” I whisper to him, trying to get his attention.

“What?” He says staring at his computer screen, this guy is the ultimate cop. He does everything by the books and never looks at me stupid when I slip up here and there but puts me back on the path. Path of Righteousness that is.

“Why’d you look at me like that earlier?” I’ve been wondering what that knowing look means since he gave it to me, this guy never cares about much but his job. But for some weird reason he has an opinion on my current life choices. 

“Because I know you’re going to do something stupid.”

“Not true, I’ve been doing alot better with my choices in women!” I say, knowing full well that’s a fuckin’ lie. Just last week I slept with Teresa, someone I arrested for hitting her husband in the middle of a grocery store with a shovel. So choices are definitely to be questioned but I’m not going down that road with her, I swear. 

“Bullshit! Everytime one of the guys mentions her name, you get tense. You clam up and shut down like a broken toy. That chick messed you up, and if you find a way back to that you’re gonna go for it.” He says, leaning back in his seat staring at me. I hate when he’s right, but he’s not right. 

I AM NOT GOING BACK TO TARA!

Who am I kidding? First chance I get to sink my teeth into her I’m taking it. 

Quick glance at the clock tells me work is over and it’s time for me to head over to Chris’s House. I take a shower and swap clothes, this is going to be a long f*****g night. 

About an hour later I’m standing outside of the Christopher Blane Enterprises Hotel, where this asshole lives in the penthouse on top of the world. I take the elevator up and you can already hear the stupidity, he must’ve invited the whole damn high school. 

The doors open and all I see is the same idiots we used to hang-out with, which includes Daniel, Gregg, and James. They are just blasting the music and smoking cigars, thank God. I don’t think I could take a full house at this moment. 

As I step into this very evident trap, I notice I don’t see Chris. How do you throw a party but you’re not even here for it? Bullshit!

Just as I go to change my mind I’m spotted by Gregg, the King of Stupid.

“f**k! Officer Mendoza, how the hell are you?” He says, words slightly slurred. Great, he's been drinking.

“I’ve been good man. You?” I reply, slowly entering the room. The smoke swirling overhead like a storm, I can feel the charge in the air. We’re f****d!

“That’s awesome! I got married back in May, sorry I didn’t invite you”

“It’s all good brother, we haven’t spoken in a few years.”

“Oh yeah! You stopped talking to me after whatsherface broke up with you”

Damnit! I forgot he was around for the forbidden relationship, if he says her damn name I’m f****d. I need to either get him out of here or I need to leave. Where the f**k is Chris? Surely, he’s somewhere hiding and listening to these morons become inebriated. 

“Yeah, well that was a long time ago. Unlike your DUI that you got three weeks ago”

“Narc!”

“I’ll drive you home, so you can’t get into trouble”

“No, he can stay” Chris’s voice booms from across the room, making me jump a bit. 

I knew he was watching us, he’s always been a sit back and watch type of guy. It’s honestly a bit creepy, and to think Tara is in love with this. 

“Sup man! Welcome back.” Trying to sound unaffected by his presence, it’s not working.

“What's wrong Jules, you look like you just saw a ghost?” He says crossing the room, he’s just as evil as when we were kids. There’s no coincidence that he invited all of us here, he’s up to something.

“No ghost, just dealing with a DUI issue”

“I’m sure Gregg can learn to shut up. But what’s this I hear, you were in love?”

“Yeah, a while ago. I can’t even remember her name, not worth mentioning”

We walk towards the table, meeting there at the same time. Daniel is already sitting there, shuffling playing cards. Taking our respective seats, the music goes down low. Gregg sits next to Chris and Daniel, leaving me on the other side of this table alone.

I can’t let him slip up! This will end in blood. Three of Tara’s men are sitting at the same table, all of us pretending to not know what roles the others have played in her life. 

Tara.

The subtle image of her breast enters my mind, and now I sit here uncomfortable and horny. f**k!

Several rounds of Poker are being played but the prize I feel is something unspoken, the chips mean nothing now. Gregg, luckily, ended up leaving early and James took him. Leaving just Daniel, Chris and Myself sitting in a heated game of Poker. 

“Last game for the Prize?” Daniel says, he’s no longer the kid I remember him being. I feel like he knows something, He knows more than he pretends. But I’m game for an interesting game.

“Bet!” Chris replies, both of them now looking at me. 

We know what the prize is, though it’s gone unspoken. Is she a toy we can just claim? I wonder if we’d be so calm if she were here with us? Definitely not. 

“Sure, why not?” I say, shrugging my shoulders. I’ve never been one to back down, so why start now? Nope. I will win this hand and she will be mine.

The game continues on…

And I lose. I lost five thousand dollars and her. 

“Tough hand man, shouldn’t have put so much on the table” Chris says clearing up the proceeds he’s just taken from Daniel and I. 

Asshole!

I lost.

I… Lost… This thought replays in my head as I go home. 

Midnight is the time I walk through my door, everything is the same. Quiet solitude that I honestly don’t want but I guess it’s better than being with someone I dislike. 

Disrobing as I have many times before but something feels different, seeing her face has awakened something in me. Something won't be squashed so easily, I need sleep but it won’t come easy. 

Damnit! 

I need to get away from this damn town, these people, that woman! 

That Woman! 

I lie here letting the darkness swallow me whole…

Swallow me as she’s done so many times before…

The darkness… SHE IS MY LIGHT! SHE IS MINE!

And I won’t give in this time.