'Drinks' At The Bar

Joey

I sat beside Leah at the table in the courtroom, waiting for Will to show up. I could see that Judge Tolliver was getting irritated by how late he was. I had an inkling that he wasn’t going to show up. Men like him never did. He thought he owned her and didn’t think she would actually show up. What he didn’t know was that Leah had changed. She was stronger now, even if the last week had been hell on her.

She had planned her and Brennan’s entire wedding with the help of her bridal party. I didn’t get the brunt of her emotions like Maddie did. Hell, I barely even saw her. As soon as they got home from whatever wedding planning they did that day, Leah disappeared into her bedroom, completely drained, which I fully understood. Divorce was hard. It was even scary for some people. Especially when they were divorcing someone who abused them.

I was proud of her for following through. When I went to knock on her door this morning to make sure she was up, she was already in the kitchen eating breakfast with Brennan. I was ready for this to be over with, and not just because Leah needed it to be. I was tired of Maddie coming home emotional because Leah was anxious. It almost felt like Will had gotten to both of them. And that was not going to keep happening. I loved Leah like a sister, but Maddie was my wife. Once someone made her cry, I was done, as were they.

“Alright, well, we have already been here for an hour. We will reschedule,” Judge Tolliver said.

Leah trembled at my side as she took my hand. I knew she would rather be comforted by Brennan, who was sitting behind us with the rest of our family.

“I knew he wouldn’t let me go,” she whispered, her voice full of distress.

“What did you say, Mrs. Adams?” Judge Tolliver asked.

She lowered her head, too emotional to continue speaking. I could feel her body vibrating as she took ragged breaths. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders as I met the judge’s eyes.

“She said, ‘I knew he wouldn’t let me go,’ Your Honor.”

He narrowed his eyes on me as we held a silent conversation. I knew what he was asking. I had made sure to include that I was taking the case pro bono in the papers that I filed, which I only did in cases of abuse. It wouldn’t matter which judge presided over her case; they all knew what my pro bono meant. He sighed before nodding.

“I will postpone this case until Thursday. I trust that will work with your other case schedules,” he finally said.

I nodded, again knowing what he was asking. ‘Would it give us enough time to ensure that the bastard showed up?’ Three days would give us enough time. Not that we needed it. Caleb and his bikers would ensure his presence the next day if that was when it was rescheduled.

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

After dismissing us, Leah immediately let me go to throw herself into Brennan’s arms, sobbing. He scooped her up, not waiting for us to follow him before he left the courthouse. Caleb sighed as we slowed to a stop outside of the doors.

“He knows we are going to Rose’s, right?” He inquired.

I shrugged. “I don’t think he cares.”

“Maddie, do you think you can drive my truck over there? I want to speak to Joey.”

She eagerly held her hand out, making both Caleb and me groan.

“Carefully, babygirl. It’s new,” I told her.

“I promise to only do 70.”

Caleb glared at her. “We are on city streets. You better not go over 40.”

“But the speed limit is 45.”

“I said 40. Take it or leave it!” He said sternly.

“Fine! You old, grumpy, bossy man!”

He handed her the keys, groaning when she took off toward his truck. “She is going to wreck my truck.”

I chuckled as we walked to my car. “You gave her the keys.”

“Which I now regret!”

“You should have regretted it enough before you handed them to her.”

“Whatever. If she crashes, you’re buying me a new truck.”

“She’s not going to crash! Stop saying that!” I hissed.

“Anyway, so what are we doing about this whole Leah thing?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we should ask Brennan. He is probably pissed. Did you see his face when he picked her up? He wants to kill the bastard.”

“Yeah, well, I’m right there with him. Do you think he’ll want to go when we go to get him?” Caleb asked.

“I’d like to see you try to leave him behind,” I laughed before sobering up. “Look, he feels deeply for Leah. I have no doubt that he is capable of killing for her. I know he is going to want to go with you. You just have to make sure that Will makes it to court.”

He groaned again. “I don't know if I can do that if he goes. He’s pissed.”

“He has every reason to be. He hates to see her cry. The other day she stubbed her toe on the table in the living room, and the next morning it was gone. He put it out on the curb to be picked up with the trash. Do you have any idea how expensive that table was? It was $2,800. For that little fucking table, and he just threw it away because his woman stubbed her toe on it. I don’t even want to think about him coming into contact with the man that hurt her so bad. Not after he made her cry today,” I told him.

“Thanks for making whatever confidence I had going into this disappear.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Asshole,” he grumbled before getting out and slamming my door as he jogged up to where the rest of our party was gathered. I stopped in front of Leah, who was still sniffling.

“How are you feeling?” I asked softly.

“Why can’t he just let me go?” She whispered.

When I reached out to hug her, Brennan’s arms tightened around her waist, letting me know that in order to take her away from him, even for the smallest amount of time, I would have to kill him. I patted her hand.

“Because he thinks he has a claim on you. And that’s not true,” I answered her honestly.

“But what if it is?”

Brennan narrowed his eyes on me angrily. “It’s not, Phoenix. We wouldn’t be standing here together if it were. You are safe. You are not someone’s property. You are in control of your life. And men like that don’t like women who fight back. You worked so hard to take your power back, princess. Don’t give any of it back to him.”

She turned around in his arms to wrap her arms around his waist as she leaned against his chest.

“I’m scared, Brennan. What if he never lets me go?” She asked almost silently.

“He will.”

“But what if—”

He tipped her face up so he could look into her eyes. “Don’t worry about that, Leah. I promise you that he will be at the next hearing. He will give you your divorce. He doesn’t have a choice.”

“But—”

He kissed her, cutting her off. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes. Of course I do.”

“Then trust me in this too. Go inside with Madison and Ramira. We’re right behind you. I just need to talk to Joey and Caleb for a moment.”

She sighed before letting Maddie lead her over to Ramira, who gave us a stern look before she walked inside with the other two women.

“When are we going to get this asshole?” Brennan spat.

“Wednesday night,” Caleb answered.

“And what happens after the divorce is finalized?”

“Whatever Leah wants. She won’t have to worry about him anymore,” I told him.

He shook his head. “Not to Leah. To Will. What happens to him after the divorce?”

“Ummm, we are not sure. I suppose whatever he wants to do. It’ll be the same for him as it is for Leah,” Caleb said slowly.

“Okay.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “Why are you asking?”

He shrugged. “No reason.”

I grabbed his shoulder when he went to walk away, making him turn back to me. “Why are you asking?” I repeated.

He looked at my hand before meeting my eyes. “You’re an attorney, Joey. It’s best if you don’t know what’s in my head.”

“Brennan—”

He shrugged my hand off. “Whatever you have to say, Joey, you can save it. I have an infinite number of reasons to feel like I do. Every single tear she has cried over him, he should have to answer for. Every second of every day she lived in fear, I will make him pay for it.”

I chuckled, patting his shoulder as I walked by. “I was just going to say, maybe take him for a drink at the biker bar after court. Talk about your issues there.”

“The biker bar?” He repeated, making Caleb laugh.

“Yep. The biker bar. I will tell them to expect you.”

“Ummm, thanks. I guess?” Brennan said, a little confused.

“Sure thing, brother. We all love Leah. And you’re right, he needs to pay. Just like the asshole that tried to hurt Maddie that Joey spoke to there.”

I grinned as what Caleb was trying to convey to him finally registered. His eyes lit up as he vigorously nodded.

“Yeah. Drinks at the bar sound great…”