Chapter Eight
Bailey
“Okay, Lindee, tell me what happened.”
In her tiny apartment, I sat facing my scared half sister. Unfortunately, it was a scene played on repeat for years, but as big brother Bailey, I was determined to keep the promise I’d made to my father before he died. “Take care of your sister. You know your mother won’t.”
“I told you. I was out on a date, and afterward Jonas came by. First, he buzzed my apartment, but I didn’t let him in. Of course, some idiot in the building opened the door for him. You know he can be charming if he wants.”
Debatable. Jonas Thomas was many things—a bully, a fast talker, and a rude son of a bitch. Charming wasn’t on my list of adjectives to describe my sister’s ex.
“Go on,” I prodded.
She played with the ends of her hair. “Uh, well, he banged on the door, insisting I let him come inside and work on our problems. You should be proud of me. I didn’t. I listened to you.”
First time for everything.
“I am. Very proud. But I thought you were going to try and be alone for a little while. Figure things out, like getting a job.”
Jennifer had shown up to lay claim to my father’s World Trade Center disability payment, bringing little Belinda with her.
When I’d discovered I had a younger half sister, I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was that she had attachment issues.
Ten years younger, Belinda had spent her childhood watching our mother move from boyfriend to boyfriend.
It was no wonder she’d ended up with a skewed vision of a healthy relationship.
I tried to watch out for her, but it was hard enough looking after myself, going to school while my father grew weaker.
“I’m trying to find work, but it’s not easy.
” Tears glittered in her eyes. “I answer ads every day. I just wanted to have a little fun, so I thought I’d join a dating app.
This guy was nice—real nice. He didn’t try and get in my pants or anything.
Just walked me home and gave me a kiss on the cheek. ”
Unfortunately, she followed her mother’s tradition of falling for any man who’d pay attention to her, and at twenty-eight, with a slew of disreputable lovers, she was heading down that same failed road, unless big brother Bailey stepped in to save the day.
Which meant filing orders of protection to make sure she was safe.
Frustrated as I was, I understood her behavior.
Before Jennifer had returned to my father, there had been little to no stability for poor Belinda.
Coupled with a mother who cared only about herself, it wasn’t hard to understand why Belinda searched for someone who’d give her the love and attention she’d craved and never had.
She’d confided to me that she never knew who her father was—whenever she asked, Jennifer refused to tell her anything other than he was a bastard.
“And Jonas came right after?”
“Uh-huh. Calling me all kinds of names.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I know you’re probably sick of me, and I don’t blame you, but please don’t leave me, Bailey. You’re all I have.” Sobbing, she launched herself into my arms.
“Shh, I’m not going anywhere.” I stroked her back to calm her. “You know I love you. I just want you to be the strong woman I know you’re capable of being, and have healthy relationships.”
Belinda sniffled into my neck. “Is that even possible for us? You’ve never had a boyfriend, either. Are you dating anyone?”
I thought of Keston but immediately dismissed him. No matter how gorgeous or incredible he was as a lover, I refused to follow him around, hoping for a sliver of affection. Of one thing I was certain: Keston was not boyfriend material. “No. Nobody.”
Her laughter was muffled against my chest. “Our mother—and I use the term loosely—really did a number on us. You’re afraid to commit, and I fall for the same kind of jerk over and over.” Her wet laughter was anything but humorous. “We all need therapy.”
“No kidding,” I said lightly. “My doctor is a monthly expense.”
“What are you gonna do now?” Belinda wiped her eyes and went to the mirror to fix her makeup.
“First I’ll notify the police that Jonas violated his order of protection.”
Finished with repairing her face, she hugged me again. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Bailey. Thanks.”
“Of course.” I couldn’t help but hold her tight. No matter what, she was all I had. “I’d better get going.”
Shifting her gaze from side to side, Belinda clasped and reclasped her hands, then bowed her head. “I, uh, hate to ask, but…”
I knew. “You’re short? How much do you need?”
Cheeks red, she bit her lip. “Whatever you can spare. It’s just that I wanted to look pretty for my date, so I got new makeup and had my hair and nails done…”
And spent the last of the money I’d given her for the month.
She tried and failed at so many jobs—sales clerk, receptionist, customer service representative. Every month brought a new career, when the reality was, I helped Belinda stay afloat.
“I’ll send it to your bank directly.” A few taps on my phone, and I gave her a reassuring smile. “All done.”
“I really am gonna try harder to get a job. I promise.” Belinda walked me to the door. “Did you see her today?” Her lips pursed as if she’d tasted something bitter.
“Yes. She was getting ready for a date.”
“Why do you bother? I bet she didn’t ask anything about you, or me. She’s only interested in herself.” She put a hand on my arm. “You’re keeping your promise to your father, aren’t you? You’re such a good person.”
I chucked her under the chin. “I’m the best, don’t you know?”
Belinda held me fast. “You are. And I want you to know that it’s true, not something I’m sayin’ just ’cause you’re my brother. You deserve a man who loves you with his whole heart. As much as you always tell me you want me to have a healthy relationship, I worry about you too.”
Surprised by her fierceness, I made my usual attempt to brush her off. “No need. I’m a big boy, and I can take care of myself.”
But Belinda was as stubborn as she was beautiful and wouldn’t let me go. “Everyone needs someone to lean on sometimes. It’s not a sign of weakness.”
Unwanted tears burned my eyes. “I know. Thanks. I’m doing okay. Promise.” I opened the door.
She kissed my cheek. “Thank you, Bailey. I’m gonna make you proud one day. You’ll see.”
Once outside, I was depressed and worn out.
Seeing Belinda and hearing her stories of woe always put me in a lousy mood.
On the car ride home, a text from Keston popped up to see if I was interested in finishing what we’d started.
I was in no frame of mind to see anyone and told him no, figuring that would be that with him.
It was for the best. I had enough on my plate dealing with my family.
And I didn’t need anyone. That was the lie I’d keep repeating until I believed it.
**
“Good morning, Bailey,” Lincoln, my receptionist, chirped at me when I walked into the office.
I rented a small suite in a building on Broadway near the courts, occupied mainly by other lawyers.
Maybe if I didn’t have unexpected expenses and joined a firm, I could afford better.
Every few months, I’d field calls from headhunters looking to see if I’d be interested in merging with boutique firms, but I spurned them all.
I liked being my own boss. “How was the weekend?”
Eternally cheerful, Lincoln was a gem of a worker and person. He put up with me and my inability to function until I poured a gallon of coffee down my throat. “Great,” I grunted, then remembered to ask about him. “And yours?”
“Terrific. Thanks. Alan and I decided we were going to experience everything the city has to offer. We went to three museums, then walked through the park. Yesterday we had brunch, walked the High Line and the Brooklyn Bridge. My feet are killing me.”
I winced. “I’m tired just listening to you.”
Lincoln chuckled. “I know it’s a lot, but I’ve been living here for more than a year, and I feel like I barely know the city.”
“Well, news flash. I’ve lived here my whole life, still haven’t done it all, and I probably won’t.”
“Oh, don’t say that.” Lincoln waved me off. “Did you do anything fun?”
I did. Keston. And sadly, our third time was probably the charm and that was it for us.
“Yeah, it was fine.”
“Come on. No date or hot sexy times?”
“I didn’t say that.” I winked. “I have to take care of something, and then we’ll go over the calendar for the week.”
In my office, I drank the rest of my coffee, picked up the phone, and contacted Belinda’s precinct.
“Hello, this is Bailey Marks. Belinda Rayburn’s attorney. I believe she reported her ex-boyfriend, Jonas Thomas, violated the order of protection against her. Am I correct?”
“Hold, please.”
It took two full minutes before someone came on again. “Hello? This is Sergeant Mulligan.”
“Yes, hello. I’m waiting for confirmation that an order of protection was violated. I’d like to know what steps have been taken.”
“Lemme see. It says that the report came in around six thirty p.m. We tried to visit the ex, but he wasn’t home.”
“And? What about yesterday? Today?”
“Nothing yet.”
It took all my strength not to raise my voice and instead play nice. “Jonas Thomas is probably at the piers in downtown Brooklyn. He’s a longshoreman. He verbally threatened his ex-girlfriend Saturday night and pounded on her door in an attempt to get inside.”
“But he didn’t hurt her.”
“No, is that supposed to happen for you to do anything?”
I must’ve come off a little too sarcastic, because Mulligan snapped right back at me.
“No, Counselor. I said we’ll look into it, and we will. Is there anything else?”
“No, thanks.”
“Okay. We’ll be in touch.”
With that phone call done, I was about to buzz Lincoln, when my cell phone rang.
“Bailey Marks.”
“Bailey, it’s Grady. How are you?”
Was Grady calling to find out about me and Keston? This could prove interesting, so I reclined in my chair and waited for the questions.
“I’m well, thanks. And you?”
“Good, good. I’m having a little get-together at my new place this coming Saturday and wanted to invite you. Weston and Brenner will be there as well.”
My lips twitched. “And your brother? Will he be there?”
A deep chuckle filled my ear. “Was I being that obvious?”
“Like a brick to the face. Since when are you a schadkin? That’s Yiddish for matchmaker.”
“Well…yeah. Keston will be there. I might’ve heard the two of you saw each other after that night in the club. You took my advice and went to his shop?”
No need for Grady to know that his brother and I had hooked up more than once. Especially since it wouldn’t be happening again.
“Yeah. He has a nice business going there. And as for us seeing each other, I never pictured Weston and Brenner as bigger yentas than my grandmother and her cronies used to be. What happened? You all had a Monday morning coffee klatch about how Bailey got lucky? Here I thought big firms like yours were all work and no play.”
I wasn’t annoyed, but I didn’t exactly appreciate being the subject of gossip among my friends.
After a moment of awkward silence, Grady cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.
We weren’t talking specifically about you.
It simply happened to come up in conversation.
Look. I’m a little overprotective of Keston.
He’s still working through the trauma of a rough childhood, and he internalizes everything and doesn’t show his emotions well. ”
Sound familiar? He could be talking about you.
“He seems to have ended up in a good place—a stable job, a condo, and you two are close.”
Grady’s sigh filled my ear. “Only recently. I’m not sure Keston really knows how to open up to anyone. It took years before I could say with certainty he trusted me.”
“Then I don’t think we should be talking about him behind his back.”
Whoa. Who was this person defending Keston’s right to privacy? He and I had a casual hookup, nothing more. If Grady wanted to talk, it shouldn’t matter to me.
“I see.”
Dammit. I could easily visualize Grady’s smirk.
“Uh, so about that invitation. Yeah. Sure. I’d love to see your new apartment. Where is it?”
“Downtown Brooklyn. I’ll give you directions. I know how you city people don’t like to cross the bridge.”
He should only know. “I’m good, thanks. I’ll find it.”
“Great.” He hesitated. “Okay, listen. Maybe I am meddling, but I think the two of you could be good for each other. Keston needs someone stable and secure, and he could bring a little bit of the unexpected to your life. I know how boring it can get staring at documents and filings all day.”
I wasn’t ready or able to step onto that minefield, and so I chose to ignore it. “I’ll see you Saturday night. Bye, Grady.”
I got started on my work for the day—setting up a trust for Helen Gottlieb’s darling grandchildren—but I couldn’t keep my thoughts from straying to my conversation with Grady.
Stable and secure.
Maybe instead of law, I should’ve gone into acting because I sure as hell must be playing the part of a lifetime by fooling everyone.