Chapter 65: Jean Broody vs. Bradley Jackson ~ When suppressed desires explode… Broken heart!

***

“I drugged him and took him to my parents’ for Christmas dinner,” Jean said before Bradley could speak.

“What?” Ty gasped.

“Jean…” Bradley growled.

“Shut up, Bradley,” Jean said to Ty’s reluctant amusement. “I thought he’d been scooped up in here for too long. I knew he wouldn’t agree to come with me so I drugged his arse. Then I put him in the back seat so that the guards wouldn’t see him. When he came to, we were already there.”

Ty looked too shocked to speak. He just stared from Jean to Bradley and then back. That was it, he thought with a look of resignation on his face. Jackson was going to be sanctioned for sure. No one was going to accept that cock and bull story that Jean was spewing. Definitely not Admiral Mathias. Those guards could have been killed by Grupert’s men for goodness sake. And all because Jackson hadn’t followed simple instructions. Ty looked like he wanted to throttle Bradley.

“Did he forget to get back in the backseat when you were coming back?” Admiral Mathias folded his arms across his broad chest and watched Jean.

“More like I forgot to drug him when we were coming back,” Jean said. “There was an accident at that intersection close to Trinity. A car crashed into a pole just as we got there. I told Bradley to stay in the car. He didn’t because he wanted to help the injured. Human life comes first, right? I’m sure you can fill in the blanks. This wasn’t on him.”

“Interesting.” The Admiral murmured. Then he turned his eyes onto Bradley. “Was that how it happened, Jackson?”

“That’s exactly how it hap…” Jean began but got cut off by the Admiral.

“I’m asking Jack…Bradley, if you don’t mind.” Admiral Mathias drawled. “I’m sure he can speak for himself.”

“I…” Bradley began but Jean was not done.

“I’ve given up my home as a safe house to you guys. I didn’t charge you a dime.” Jean growled. “I treated your wounded soldier and nursed him back to good health, again for free. I have kept your secret even though I could have leaked the story to the press for cash. I didn’t. I think it’s safe to say you guys owe me, don’t you think? If I say that’s the story, then that’s the story.” Jean gave the Admiral a challenging look. If he’d seen Ty’s crossed fingers, he would have laughed his arse off.

“That’s the story.” Admiral Mathias nodded. “It is an offense to drug a person though.” He turned to face Bradley. “Wanna press charges?”

“After all that he’s done for us?” Bradley murmured, trying to curb the urge to kiss Jean right there in front of his superiors. “I think one good turn deserves another. I won’t be pressing charges.”

“Why, thank you, Bradley.” Jean’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. “You’re too kind.”

“Alright then. Someone will contact you within the hour, doc.” Admiral Mathias said as they all started towards the door. “We’re going to take care of your hotel bill for the duration of the work. I…”

“That won’t be necessary.” Jean quickly said. “I have six brothers.” He said with a grin…as if that was explanation enough. “I’ll stay out of the workers’ way.”

“Very well. Thanks once again. The president is very grateful.” The Admiral shook Jean’s hand again and turned to leave.

“Alright, buddy…” Ty grinned as he hugged Jean. “We will talk. Thanks for that back there by the way. You saved the idiot.” He added in a whisper.

“We didn’t give him a choice really.” Jean chuckled.

“We?” Ty’s eyebrow shot up.

“Who do you think?” Jean drawled.

“Oh, that brother of yours is going to see some real guns this time.” Ty gave a mock growl as he turned to go.

That left Bradley. He stared at Jean but Jean wouldn’t meet his eye. “Thank you, Jean.” He said quietly. “And thanks for what you told the Admiral.”

“Oh, I didn’t do it for you,” Jean said. “I just didn’t want any guilt on the heads of my brother and I, that’s all.” He shrugged. “All the best Bra…”

“Jean…”

“Goodbye Bradley.”

With a sigh and a heavy heart, Bradley turned and left. And every step that took him further away from Jean literally felt painful. It felt as if his world had come to an end. But he knew he’d do it all over again if it meant sparing Jean the desolation and heartache that went with having your own father hate you.

***

“Alright, that’s it. I’m calling Jackson.” Dean growled as he reached for his cell phone.

“Don’t Dean.” Jean breathed. “Please…”

“But I’m tired of seeing you like this, Jay. I want my brother back.”

“I’m right here.” Jean poured the contents of the glass he was holding, down his throat and reached for the bottle of whiskey on the bedside table.

“No, you’re not.”

The two brothers were in Dean’s guestroom, with Jean lying in bed. He’d been living in Dean’s house for the past three weeks and it wasn’t because the military was still working on the damage in his house. They’d finished the work within three days but Jean still couldn’t bring himself to go back home. The thought of sleeping there alone was not appealing enough. He could have gotten a number of people to sleep over but he didn’t want just anyone. He wanted one particular person. And that person had made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t going to have him.

“If you keep this up, I’ll have to move to Josh’s or Sam’s,” Jean muttered as he filled his glass. “Is Tyler back?”

“No, he’s not. I’m worried, Jay.” Dean moved from his perch on the table to the bed and took the bottle of whiskey from Jean. After putting it out of reach, he stretched out beside his brother and just stared at him. “Talk to me, brother. What happened? Did you do something?”

“I told you nothing happened.” Jean took a sip of his drink. “Sometimes in life, a person has to kick back and take it easy. It doesn’t mean there’s a problem.”

“I’ve never seen you as happy as you were at the Christmas dinner with Jackson. Then he leaves the following day and you become…this way. I would have said it was probably because you were missing having him in the house but…there’s more to it than that isn’t there? I’ve watched you all these weeks walking around in a completely depressed state. Your response to all my concerns has been that you’re okay which is clearly not true. I’ve given you enough time to tell me what’s bothering you. Now I’ve run out of patience. Maybe if I speak to Jackson, I’ll be able to…”

“Dean, mind your own business for once please.” Jean groaned, cutting Dean off. “Just leave it.”

“I can’t. Seeing you like this affects me too. You two are obviously not an item anymore. Big deal. Life goes on. But it’s obvious there’s more to this than a mere ‘break-up’.” He gave the phrase air quotes. “You’ve become a shell. All you do is go to the hospital and then come back home. You don’t even go out anymore. You don’t have your usual fun. You ignore calls from your friends and they end up calling me to ask what’s up with you. It is obvious, Jay. You have a broken heart. You do.”

Dean repeated when Jean snorted.

“Look at you. You’ve lost weight. You’re not eating well and obviously not sleeping enough. Mum says you keep postponing coming to see her because you claim you’re very busy with scheduled surgeries.”

“What makes you think I’m not?” Jean muttered.

“I called and spoke to Gina,” Dean said softly. “The last surgery you performed was on Christmas day. You haven’t been involved in any surgeries since. This is scaring me now Jay.”

“Did you tell mum?”

“No, you know I wouldn’t. But since you don’t want to tell me what happened, and it obviously has something to do with Jackson, I want to speak to him. At least before he goes on that mission tomorrow.”

“He’s going on a mission?” Jean turned on his side to face Dean with shocked eyes.