“You’re not helping,” Bear tells him.
“It’s not every day you get to meet beach hippies,” Otter says. He looks sorely disappointed that they aren’t in the car with me.
“We got them on the Internet, where else?” Kori says. “Today’s beach hippies are very modern, you know.”
“I demand to speak to my lawyer!” I shout above them. “Get me Anna Thompson on the phone! I know my rights! I am an American citizen!”
“It’s good to know the volume hasn’t changed,” Dominic says to Bear and Otter.
“The volume? Why, I’m going to—”
“Screech like an angry diva?” Kori asks. “G
ood job. You’re already doing it.”
“When I get my hands on you, I’m—”
“Such threats!” Kori exclaims. “It seems as if the life of crime has changed you completely.”
“You going to let him out?” Bear says over my ranting. “I think he’s got the point. Kind of.”
Dominic shakes his head. “No. I’ve got some things to say to him. I don’t think there’s a better time than when he’s handcuffed and can’t go anywhere.”
Everyone goes quiet.
I see Bear stiffen even as my heart thuds in my chest. His gaze darts over to me then back at Dominic. Something flickers across his face that I can’t quite make out. Fear? Anger? I don’t know. I think he’s going to refuse to let me go, and even though I’m nineteen and perfectly capable of answering for myself, a part of me wants him to. To tell me to get out of the car. To make Dominic uncuff me so I can go hide behind my big brother, because, really, I’m just a little guy. I’m just a little guy who is not quite right in the head, no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise.
Bear shrugs off Otter’s arm and walks until he stands in front of Dominic, who has a good six inches and a hundred pounds on him. But Bear has a bug up his ass, and not even the size of the cop in front of him is going to stop him. I feel a moment of fierce pride that comes out of nowhere and almost knocks my breath from my chest. I’m still royally pissed off at him (which is really a lie, because I’m mad at myself more than anyone else—well, myself and the beach hippies), and would rather be anywhere than here. But I can’t take my eyes off him as he glares up at Dominic, and I have to stop myself from shouting “Kick his ass!” I don’t think that would help the situation very much, and I think it’s technically illegal to threaten a cop.
I glance at Otter to see if he’s going to try to stop Bear, but Otter’s just watching my brother with that look of exasperated love on his face that he does so well. He knows as well as I do that Bear’s going to say what Bear’s going to say, and nobody can tell him otherwise.
Which probably means Bear is going to make it a billion times worse and embarrass the crap out of me.
“Now you listen to me,” Bear says in a low voice, his eyes flashing. “You haven’t been around for the past four years and—”
“That wasn’t my choice,” Dominic says quietly.
“I didn’t say it was. Don’t interrupt me again. We clear?”
Dominic nods. His jaw twitches.
“You haven’t been here, Dom. I know that’s not your fault. I’m not blaming you for anything. But things are different now. We make the choices we do to protect those we love. You, of all people, should know this. The Kid might be a pain in my ass, and he might not think things through all the time…”
“Gee,” I mutter. “I wonder where I got that from.”
“… but he is my brother and he belongs to me. I’ve raised him. I’ve cared for him. I’ve held him when the panic attacks became so fucking strong he couldn’t breathe. He’s stronger than anyone else I know, but he can still break, and if you’re the one to break him, then may God save you from me. You’re still a member of this family, and I love you, but if you hurt him, Dominic, I will end you.”
“I’ve never wanted to hurt him. All I’ve ever wanted—”
“Doesn’t matter now,” Bear interrupts. “You can have your say, whatever it is, and I won’t stop you. But panic disorder is a very real thing, and the panic attacks can be extraordinarily harmful. Do not do anything to set that off, you get me?”
Dominic watches Bear, and I think there’s a very real possibility that Dominic is going to reach down for his Taser and shoot Bear in the face. That would be a perfect end to this already magnificent day.
“I get you,” he finally says.
Bear’s eyes soften, but only just. “Do you need us to pick up Ben? It has to be close to the end of your shift.”
Ben?