Off Limits, Brother's Best Friend Chapter 170

Chapter 170: Just Say No 

Callan

“Umm, I will just handle it.” Brianna said quickly, almost ready to hang up once realizing it was me on the line now.

“Brianna?” I quickly tried stopping her. We need to settle this, I don't like police poking around.

“I wasn't trying to drag you into this, it is why I called Gelo and not you.” She pointed out, using his nickname that even I don't use much.

How fucking often do those two speak that she was calling him Gelo instead of Angelo?

“Don't talk to that detective without my lawyer, I will send you his number now. But I will talk to him before sending him to you, he will handle the detective, alright?” 

I needed her to understand how this goes, I know he is missing because I fucking killed him, Bryce and I actually. His body was a garbage mean by now, I have a waste management company for a reason. Still, they could get on her case, there will be phone records of them two from last year when he was harassing her. So I can see why they had come to talk to her.

“Okay,” her voice said quietly and I can tell she was nervous.

“Callan?” She called quickly, and that fire just fucking burn me.

“Yes?” She hesitated again.

“You didn't kill him, right?” She asked in that same small voice, I obviously can't answer that question honestly.

Bryce and I, both agreed she can never know the murder side of us, she couldn't handle it. She already doesn't like that her brother is in the mafia, she doesn't know what to do about it. So, she just pretends it doesn't exist. She has no choice, Bryce is her only family.

“No, I didn't kill him.” I told her honestly 

Technically, Bryce delivered the final blow, so I did not kill that piece of shit. I broke every bone in his hands, beat him to a bloody pulp, choked the guy and more but I didn't kill him.

“Okay,” she said.

“Thank you,” She added, her voice stayed quiet but she hung up after that.

I can tell by her voice that there is something else there. Something sad, hurt and I know why. I can't pretend that I don't, I was an asshole to her. I said mean shit to her, of course, she doesn't want to chat with me on the phone. I hoved the phone back into my cousin's chest and stood up. He followed me out of the restaurant.

“What are you going to do? It is hitting a little close to home, don't you think?” He said.

“I am calling the lawyer and he will settle it, there is no reason why they would look for much beyond speaking with the girl. She hasn't even been in the country, it will be fine.” I waved him off.

Fucking hell, I hate police and this one isn't in my pocket. He is from another state and he is a detective, which usually means he is an arrogant prick.

Bryce isn't picking calls because he is in the basement that is a drop zone. We have some of the idiot gangsters down there and he is giving them a beating. We want to know information on the Blank Knight and if they had any knowledge of the car bomb attack. I have to physically go there to reach him, but I know he will want to know about this, so I drove over and Angelo came with me. Gelo, as she called him. Fucking Gelo, since when does she call him that?

“This won't land on the girl, will it?” He looked displeased.

“No body, no crime.” That was all I said about it.

And trust me, there will not be a body to find. He is a low crook idiot, he has probably gotten another arrest aside from the domestic violence dispute Brianna herself had to put on him. They will think he can run off somewhere, maybe he owes money. Maybe he found a girl, maybe wanted change. Who knows, they can't assume he is dead, just because he is missing from that fucking dirty strip club his uncle runs. They will leave Brianna alone after a few questions, it will all be fine. When I told Angelo that, he just shrugged and accepted my words.

“Bryce is going to get worked up about this, you know how he is about his sister.” He finally pointed it out after a minute.

“Yes, I know but it is fine. I am calling the lawyer right now.” I replied.

I called the lawyer and explained things to him, not that I murdered the prick, just that Brianna stuff. Then I went into my establishment and down to the vault when I could hear someone groaning. A clicking sound of chains could be heard and that means Bryce has him strung up by the wrists. When I walked through the archway, Bryce paused in what he was doing. His sleeve was rolled up and he has worked himself into a nice sheen of sweat. It glistened over his forehead under these horrible fluorescent lights. I tipped my head to motion that he should follow me out, one of my men was standing in the corner of the room with his hands behind his back like he was supposed to. I won't talk in front of any of them, even the prisoner who won't make it out of the dungeon anyway.

He was tied by the wrists, hanging from the ceiling in thick chains he won't be breaking out of. With his arms up that way, it is always fun to do body shots or face shots the he can't block from that set up. Quite fun.

“What is going on?” Bryce asked as soon as he came towards us. 

There isn't much down here which is on purpose. It is not meant for hanging out, it is where my men keep prisoners. It is not meant to be decorated beyond the bricks and concrete. One hall and two opposing rooms in high arches.

“Brianna called Angelo because she couldn't get through to you.” I began.

“Why? Is she alright? What happened?” 

I put my hand up, telling him to relax and explained the situation to him.

“Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. His eyes were down at the ground, but I could see he was thinking.

“I don't want her getting mixed up in this, she didn't do anything wrong.” He huffed.

“She won't,” I shook my head at him. It won't get that far, I won't let it get that far, not when I am involved. He started cleaning his hand and fixing his shirt, I knew he was going to go looking for her.

“Let the lawyer handle it.” I followed after him.

“She is probably really nervous about the police. She has never dealt with them, so I am going to find her and make her more comfortable.” He said and I knew he would.

“Callan, what are we going to tell her about that day? She left that garage seeing him already half bloody and beaten, she is going to ask us what we did with him.” He looked like the one getting nervous now.

“She asked me on the phone if I killed him, I said no and she dropped it. So just say no, Bryce, that is it. Don't freak out and raise her suspicions, you know how she is.” I looked at him pointedly.

Brianna is a perceptive little thing and she is already suspicious of her brother for putting protection on her. She knows we were lying about something.

“Obviously, I am going to say no, I just know she will start asking for details. When did we let him go and how? What did we do to him? Could he have died somewhere shortly after from the injuries? You know she will.” He was the one looking at me pointedly now.

“Am I going to have to go with you? You are acting like she specialized in torture and retrieval information. She isn't a soldier or a crook, she is just a girl.” I deadpanned, he snorted at that, calming down.

“You are right, I will handle it.” He nodded. 

We had just gotten outside from leaving the basement, so he was ready to walk down to his car.

“Maybe, I should come with you, so our stories line up and I can know what the lawyer was saying.” I stopped him.

I shouldn't go there, I know I shouldn't get there. I pictured her face after I screamed that I hated her. I remembered her expression dropping and her eyes watering, I had to look away. I can't imagine her expression today if I show up at her apartment after telling her to stay away from me. But isn't this more important? I think so.

“It is cool,” he waved me off, I grit my teeth.

“I am coming too.” I changed my wording, so he realized I wasn't asking him, I was telling him. He gave me a once-over look but nodded hesitantly. He knows Brianna and I don't speak anymore, he knows it has been that way for a long time now.

He went into his car and I went to mine, when Angelo got in, he looked right at me.

“What?” I huffed, knowing already.

“Is it really such a good idea to stick yourself in this? Bryce can handle it.” He informed me like I didn't already know that fact.

Nobody knows what I said to her that day, I obviously wouldn't talk to Bryce about it but I didn't tell Angelo either. Not that I am hiding it, I just don't feel the need to share every detail of my life. What if Brianna flips out in front of them today when she sees me though? Maybe she will yell at me to leave, they would want to know why she had that kind of outburst.

“Callan, what is it?” Angelo sighed, because he knows me well enough to know my expression.

“Nothing,” I shook my head and turned the ignition on. I am going anyway, fuck it