Chapter 36

Myrna didn't understand what was happening. Why was she being pulled from Brian's steady and comforting embrace? Why were two police officers wrestling Brian to the floor and handcuffing him? Why had they let Jeremy walk casually out of the apartment?

"What is going on?" she screamed.

"It's okay, ma'am. We've got him," one of the police officers said, and then he started to recite Miranda rights to Brian.

"Why are you arresting my boyfriend?"

The two cops looked at her in confusion.

"I'm not the guy you're looking for," Brian said, still face-down on the floor. "You let him get away."

The officers looked at Myrna as if they didn't believe what Brian was saying and needed her verification to proceed.

"That's Brian Sinclair, not Jeremy Condaroy," Myrna said. "Jeremy is a tall, prudish, blond man."

"Shit!" said one of the officers and he took off out of the apartment and down the corridor. "Freeze," he yelled, his footsteps carrying down the hall. "I said freeze. I'm going to taser you if you don't stop."

The younger of the two officers hesitated, looking down at Brian with a giddy sort of expression. "Brian Sinclair. The lead guitarist of Sinners?"

"Be a fan boy later," Myrna said. "That dickhead you let escape broke Brian's hand. Are you just going to let him get away?"

The officer's eyebrows drew together. "I'll take him down," he said and headed after his partner.

The sound of electrical crackling carried down the hallway, followed by a yelp of pain.

"Heh, I think they got him." Brian smiled. "I hope it fucking hurts, you asshole!" he called.

Myrna helped Brian sit up, but there wasn't anything she could do about the cuffs holding his hands together behind his back.

"I'm so sorry about all this." She knelt in front of him and touched his face.

"No big deal. I've been arrested before."

Her heart skipped a beat. "You have? For what?"

"Fighting. I used to be a hotheaded little snot."

She chuckled. "Somehow I totally believe that." She circled around his body and leaned close to examine his hand. It was horribly bruised and swollen. She couldn't tell if it was broken and didn't want to hurt him by examining it too rigorously. "How's your hand? Do you think it's broken?"

"I can't tell. But it doesn't matter. What's important is that you're safe."

He was so sweet. If Jeremy had caused permanent damage to Brian's hand, Myrna would never forgive herself. "I'll go get you some ice." She started to rise from the floor but he leaned against her.

"No, stay with me."

She stared unseeingly at his shoulder. "I should never have called you."

"What? You can't be serious, Myrna. I don't even want to think of what could have happened if you'd been here alone with that guy. He's a total nutcase. How is he out on the streets?"

"Parole. His father has friends in high places."

"Maybe this time they'll keep him locked up. He obviously hasn't learned his lesson."

Myrna rubbed her forehead, a feeling of helplessness washing over her. "I guess I need to change my name again. Move to a new city. Start over. God, I'm sick of this. I'm sick of him controlling my life."

"Fuck him, Myrna."

Myrna stiffened, the very idea filling her with dread. And nausea.

"I don't mean literally." Brian shook his head at her. "He's the one with issues. You shouldn't have to hide in fear because someone beat him with a crazy stick."

"Sometimes it's easier to hide."

"Since when are you the kind of person who takes the easy way out?"

She knew she wouldn't be able to explain it in a way that he'd understand. She didn't really understand it herself. Jeremy knew her every button and he pushed them all repeatedly, without hesitation. "There's just something about him, Brian. He gets to me."

"I know, sweetheart. You do whatever you need to do to feel safe." He shifted so his shoulder pressed against hers. "I'd really like to hug you right now, but I'm sort of stuck."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I do like you restrained from time to time, but not like this."

"You're going to let me stay here with you in Kansas City until we go back on tour, aren't you? I obviously can't record with my hand all jacked up."

"I'd rather go back to L.A. with you. I don't know if I can stomach being in this apartment right now." She glanced around. Yeah, Jeremy's presence was fouling up the entire place. Forget finding the focus to work on her research. She'd never be able to sleep, much less concentrate.

"If you're really set on changing your name, you're more than welcome to mine."

She covered his mouth with one hand. "Don't you dare suggest Vegas again."

The younger of the police officers entered the front door. "Well, we have him in custody," he said. "Let me get you out of those handcuffs, Master Sinclair."

Myrna moved aside and the officer squatted behind Brian to unlock his cuffs. As soon as he was free, Brian cradled his left hand against his chest. He tried to disguise his wince of pain with a smile of gratitude, but he wasn't fooling Myrna. His fingers were already black and blue. She needed to get him to the emergency room and have his hand X-rayed.

"I hope there was some police brutality involved in that arrest," Brian said.

The officer winked. "Maybe a little. I feel stupid asking this, but I'm a huge fan of yours. Can I have your autograph?"

"Yeah, no problem." Brian climbed to his feet.

While Brian signed an autograph with his uninjured right hand, the officer talked to Myrna. "We probably have enough to keep your ex-husband incarcerated until he goes back to court—the idiot removed his house arrest ankle bracelet, is hundreds of miles outside his perimeter, and violated a restraining order—but I suggest you press additional charges against him. The more we have against this guy, the easier it will be to keep him locked up."

She glanced at Brian, who was pushing on the knuckles of his injured hand and scowling. "I need to take Brian to the hospital and get his hand checked out. Can I press charges later?"

"Um, yeah. Just go downtown and file a complaint as soon as possible. Sinclair should press charges, too."

"I will definitely press charges," Brian said. "I'm even considering making some shit up."