Waves of Reckoning (The Montclair Brothers) (18 page)

“Obviously you know something very important, which concerns your son and I, but you’ve kept it to yourself.” Renee leaned forward in her chair, as she practically spat venom at Tyler.

“Yes, but I did it for a good reason. This meeting has to do with Brian’s case against his parents, not Robert. Today was the only time that we could all get together, without interrupting Brian’s school. I know I could have said something about this sooner, but all it would have done was upset you, Renee. Please understand my logic.” Tyler sat down beside her and held her hand.

Brian’s eyes shifted from Tyler to Vincent. “What about it?”

Vincent cleared his throat, reached down and picked up his briefcase, and opened it on the table. “Brian, is there anything more you can come up with, which could prove the abuse your parents put you through?”

“You don’t believe me?!” Brian stood up.

“Son,” began Tyler as he put a hand on Brian’s shoulder. “Of course we believe you. Don’t ever think that you have to prove anything to us.”

“Hank and Shirley Waters may not have had the money to post their bonds, but in the time since you ran away, they’ve kept themselves busy. There’s no evidence of abuse under their roof.” Vincent had an angry look on his face as he pulled out the documents from his briefcase. “They even have records which show that you were homeschooled.”

“Oh. My. God.” Brian threw his head down on his arms. “You really think they were giving me an education?” He laughed, but his eyes were beginning to water. “Did they even bother to check in the basement? There’s evidence all throughout that house!” Now his tears were streaming.

“The investigators found nothing, Brian.” Vincent looked into Brian’s eyes, reached forward and squeezed his hand. “It doesn’t mean anything you’ve said isn’t true. We all believe you. But it’s not us who you have to convince. It’s the judge. As it stands right now, your mother will be released from jail tomorrow, and your father will be out in a few months, if there’s no more evidence.”

Renee took some deep breaths, letting them out slowly. “When do we go to court, Vinnie?”

“Tomorrow morning at eleven. Brian, the cops have your’s and Tyler’s statements from when your parents pulled their stunt at the hospital. Unfortunately, the prosecutor doesn’t think it’s going to be enough. I know this is difficult for you, but is there anything else you can add to the things you’ve already told the police about your past?”

“Yeah, there’s a lot that I’ve never told anyone.” Brian’s cheeks reddened when Tyler put his arm around him. “I really hate talking about it…like you don’t even know.”

“Is this going to be necessary? For him to relive his entire childhood trauma?!” Renee started to stand up, but Tyler quickly put his arm around her to keep her sitting. She took another deep breath.

“Renee, if the judge doesn’t believe there has been any crime committed, it’s highly probable that Brian will have to be sent home with his mother, tomorrow.” Vincent’s hands were beginning to tremble. Tyler now knew, just how frightened his brother was.

Carrie wiped at her eyes and looked at Renee. “I’m here for you, Sweetie. We’ll get through this.”

“Thank you two for coming by,” smiled Renee. “I know it wasn’t easy to bring us this information. I’ll be okay though. We all will, because Brian will go back to those sickos over my dead body.” She calmly left the kitchen and slowly walked up the stairs.

Carrie and Vincent stepped outside to go to their car and Tyler caught up with them. The fear he was feeling was overwhelming him. “Vin, what Renee said in there, before she left the kitchen…She meant it.”

“Yeah I know she did, and it’s scaring the hell out of me.”

Chapter 18

B
etween four and
five in the morning, Vincent had fallen asleep at the kitchen table, while pouring over every piece of paperwork he could get his hands on. He startled awake at six, and turned on the shower to get ready. But all he could do was stand there, staring at himself in the mirror. He had two more hours to wait, before he could reach Anthony Chase, the prosecutor on Brian’s case. Until then, his hands were tied, making him feel even more helpless. A loving family, deserving of all the great things life had to offer, was going to be torn to shreds today, and there was nothing he could do about it. A tear slid down his cheek, and as he wiped it away, another one dripped down, then another. Before he knew it, Vincent was sobbing into a towel. He dropped to his knees on the bathroom floor and curled up in a ball. The sobbing had become uncontrollable. He could just picture Tyler and Renee, being held back by bailiffs, while Shirley Waters walked Brian to his death.

He had no idea when Carrie came into the bathroom, or how long she’d watched him lose all composure, but there she was. She lowered herself down to the floor and wrapped her arms around him, slowly rocking him. She rose from the floor and walked away for a moment. When she returned, she held Vincent’s hands and helped him to stand up. Carrie brought his head down to her shoulder and held him while the sobbing continued. She put her arm around his waist and walked him over to the bathtub. She leaned down and turned the water off, but Vincent hadn’t even noticed that she’d shut the shower off and filled the tub.

She slid his t-shirt over his head, and lowered his jeans and boxers. She took off her pj’s, and stepped into the warm water. After she was seated in the back of the tub, he slowly got in and sat in front of her. It felt good when he leaned back, like he was being caught by a safety net. She soaped up a washcloth and gently slid it over his skin, while he closed his eyes and tried to shut off his mind. While the warm water rolled down his arms and chest, Carrie could have easily tried to strike up a conversation, but she didn’t.

The bathroom remained calm and silent, aside from the slow trickling of water. Vincent didn’t know what time it was, or even what was happening outside the door, but somehow, he knew that she was handling it all. Carrie seemed to be lifting every concern, every worry, far away from his mind, until he couldn’t see them anymore.

The bath water started to cool, so Carrie stood and led Vincent to do the same. She dried him off, then herself, before cracking the door open to look down the hallway and make sure it was clear. She pulled him by the hand to his bedroom, where she wrapped the comforter around his shoulders. He began to warm, but Carrie hadn’t. Her flesh was full of goose bumps, and she’d begun to shiver. Despite her apparent discomfort, not one complaint came from her mouth. After she’d gotten him warm, she grabbed a rumpled t-shirt from a chair, and slid it over her head. Vincent opened up the comforter, which was now heated by his body, and pulled her against him. He enveloped her in the warmth, as they held onto one another.

Vincent pulled her down on the bed, where they lay facing each other. Still no words were spoken. Carrie’s breathing slowed as her body warmed against his. Vincent could have easily looked behind him at the clock on his nightstand, but he knew if he did, the overwhelming hatred, doom, and resentment, would take over again. For now, he only wanted to be in this moment.

Vincent constantly lived with the pressures of always being in control and always winning. Even if things could go wrong, he had no problem alluding to complete confidence. Ninety percent of the time, that’s how he felt. Tyler had raised him this way: “Stand behind your decisions, Vinnie, and if you’re wrong, promptly admit it and make things right.” Being an attorney made it difficult to abide by sometimes, but for the most part, his brother was right.

But this time, Vincent felt like he’d already lost the battle. He knew what the outcome would be, even though they hadn’t stepped inside the courtroom yet. There wasn’t a shadow of doubt in his mind that the judge was going to release Brian back into the care of Shirley Waters. Also, there’d be no adoption, but Vincent had been unable to raise that subject when he was facing all of them. It’d be just one more blow to the gut when that realization hit the rest of the family. Tyler already knew it though. As soon as Hank was released, if Brian was still alive, the torture would begin all over again. The kid had grown tall and strong, so he could overpower his mother, should she choose to attack him. But that insane woman would already be aware of that. She’d probably have a gun.

His mind and body began to coil again. His stomach felt as if someone had hit him with a baseball bat and sorrow was flooding every inch of the peace he’d felt just moments earlier. Carrie must have seen it happening. She put her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her. He could see her concerned eyes and furrowed brow, and he could hear her saying his name, but the bad in this moment seemed to outweigh the good; the echoes of failure in his mind, were ringing louder than her voice.

“Vinnie, stay focused on me. Come back,” she whispered with her mouth an inch from his.

Vincent closed his eyes. The emotional pain was breaking him. “I can’t.”

Carrie ran her hands down his back and hugged him closer to her. “You’re with me now. This is about us, not just about you. I’m not going to leave you alone in this fight, and neither is your family.” Vincent felt her soft mouth on his as she spoke. He backed his head away so he could tell her how fruitless today’s efforts were going to be, but she slid her tongue deliberately into his mouth, and rolled him onto his back with her hands on his shoulders. He felt her full weight on top of him. Carrie moved her mouth to his neck, kissing him from his strong jaw down to his stomach. She stopped and looked up at him.

“Focus, Baby,” she uttered. It felt like she was trying to melt into him, trying to make him stronger. “Stay with me, Vinnie. Let me in.” His body was responding, but his mind wanted to crumble down to the floor.

“Carrie, I have things to do, so I can help my brother’s family.” He started to raise his shoulders up from the bed, but Carrie climbed up his body and rested her weight against him again.

“
We
have to help your brother and his family. If you feel like falling, I’ll hold you up. If you start feeling weak, I’ll strengthen you. You’ll never be alone, Vinnie. You asked me to take your heart, and now I’m going to. You wanted my heart, and now I’m giving it to you.”

Vincent felt her hand move slowly down his body, until it rested upon his smooth shaft. He felt her fingers squeeze him, guiding him inside of her. He lifted his hips to fill her completely, and when he did, his mind finally centered on the here and now. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. He wasn’t fantasizing about the woman in the red dress, or the tomboy in his kitchen, or even how beautiful she looked when she got frustrated, or the fact that she was in his bed. His mind and heart were being flooded with an attraction he’d never felt before, because of why she’d chosen to lay with him, and why she’d freely picked up the pieces of his shattered self…Why she’d felt comfortable enough to get this close to him, without any fear or hesitation.

Carrie moved her body, squeezing him within her. She leaned forward and began caressing his face with her hands. Vincent opened his eyes and looked up at her. He held her firmly to him and rolled on top of her, plunging between her wet folds. He lowered his forehead against hers, feeling her breath catch against his lips. Vincent tucked his hand underneath the small of her back when it arched in pleasure. His uncertainty changed to confidence, his weakness was replaced by strength, and his feelings of loneliness were erased by the most amazing woman in the world. Carrie didn’t call out his name, nor did he yell out hers. No rehearsed words were spoken, and no expectations existed, while he held her close as his body spasmed. As he lay on top of her, he came to the realization that sometimes an act of kindness was greater than a ‘thank you,’ and sometimes an act of love meant more than any words that could ever be spoken.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Tyler hadn’t heard from Vincent this morning, though he’d received a text from him at midnight. He’d told him to make sure he had a bag or two packed for Brian, just in case he wouldn’t be coming home with him and Renee. He’d felt his heart crush in his chest as he read the message.

The court proceedings were going to begin in an hour. If he knew his little brother, he’d been going crazy all night long, just trying to fix this mess. But Tyler knew that there wasn’t anything that anyone could do to change the outcome at this stage of the game. It wasn’t easy, but Tyler accepted that he had no control over what the cops, or the investigators, found in the form of evidence. He knew that this was how abusers got away with it for so long. The child continued to suffer until one day, they’d die.

Regardless of what the judge decided today, Tyler had no intentions of ever allowing his son to go back with the people who’d tortured and tried to kill him. He was going to have to be fast, in order to stop Renee. She would become a force stronger than nature when Brian’s future was threatened. Tyler had watched her lay awake all night and stare at the ceiling. Her face showed no anger or sadness, but rather a look of calm resolve. Whatever her plan was, she’d carry it through, and he had not one doubt that she could.

He’d gotten up early and snuck out of the house. He was sure Renee had heard him, but nothing really mattered to either of them, except for keeping Brian safe at all cost. Tyler hadn’t checked on his son, because doing so would have delayed his plans and the time he needed to get ready for today. He’d made a phone call at five thirty this morning, but other than that, Tyler hadn’t spoken to anyone other than his family, at ten.

Renee and Brian seemed to be in deep thought on the ride to the courthouse. Emma tried to call, but he silenced his phone. There was no way he could risk anyone finding out about his plan. His brothers hadn’t even called to give him a pep talk, because everyone just
knew.

Tyler’s stomach filled with pure acid when he pulled up into the familiar parking lot. It seemed like they lived here. The court system continued to control their lives, dictating when they could feel relief, happiness, or anger. And now, the system was making them experience sheer terror. Tyler may have been the one who’d kept their family together for all these years, but it was Vincent who always fixed things. That’s just what he does; it’s who he is. Not in this case, though. He could only imagine the turmoil raging through his little brother’s veins right now. When Tyler put the car in park, Brian leaned forward and wiped the sweat off of his pale face.

“I’m going to throw up.” Renee and Tyler quickly got out and ran to him. Brian was already standing at the back of the car, retching with dry heaves. He’d refused breakfast, juice, and anything else that would have given him some nourishment. That could have been the last time Brian would ever be offered food, and the thought threatened to bring Tyler down to his knees. He looked at Renee, who still maintained a look of complete control, and it was scaring him to no end.

“I can’t go in there.” Brian let his body rest against the car. “Renee, I know you told me not to worry, but I’m going to get sent back with my birth mother. She may be evil, but she isn’t stupid. There will be cops escorting us back to her house. Hell, they’ll probably even handcuff me so I can’t bolt. Once I’m under her roof, I’m dead.” He began to cry, and Tyler wrapped his arms around him.

“No matter what anyone says, you’re a Montclair, Brian. We get through things together. You go inside, in front of that judge, and hold your chin high. Even if you don’t trust the system, have faith in our family. No one should underestimate us when we work together.” Tyler looked over at Renee for some agreement or support, but all she did was smile, eerily. The hair rose on the back of his neck.

When they reached the courthouse, Tyler looked over at the benches, and spotted Vincent. He was holding Carrie’s hand. They both rose and walked towards them. Vincent hugged Brian and spoke softly to him.

“All of us will be in there this morning, Brian. Your uncles, Emma, Elissa…all of us are here for you. We fought Robert together, so Hank and Shirley Waters don’t stand a chance in hell against us. You got that?” Vincent patted him on the back.

“Can I talk to you for a second, Vin?” asked Tyler as he started to walk around the corner.

“Sure thing.” Vincent followed him until they were no longer within sight of Renee and Brian.

“Are we going to lose this?” Tyler bluntly asked him.

“Unless some miracle trickles down from the heavens, I’m afraid so. Hopefully the judge lets Brian speak and can see through his freak parents’ lies.”

Tyler dropped his head and took a deep breath. After a minute, he looked at Vincent. “Let’s get back over there. It’s not a good idea to leave Renee unattended today. She’s got something planned, and it’s not good.” Vincent nodded at him as he headed back to where Brian and Renee were standing.

“Brian,” started Vincent. “The judge might ask you a few questions about your past. You can’t clam up in there. No matter how painful it is, just think of all of us by your side. We love you.” He hugged the kid again, and then escorted him into the courtroom with his arm around his shoulders.

“They aren’t in here.” Brian nervously looked around the courtroom.

“They’re transporting Hank and Shirley from the jail. They’ll be here, Brian, but I don’t want you looking at them though. Pretend they aren’t even in the room. Stay focused on the judge, or us, okay?” Vincent pulled out a chair for him at the prosecutor’s table.