A Dangerous Affair Chapter 57

Stephanie fights for her life

Hamilton-Brown slammed his car door shut and sped out of the driveway, dialling a telephone number at the same time.

“Damn you Brick! You let Stephanie go chasing after blasted Carlton again!” he shouted into the phone.

“Where is she?" Brick had been tearing his hair out for the last ten minutes when he'd discovered that Stephanie had seemingly disappeared.

“She’s at the bloody country club and Carlton’s turned up. He’s threatening some girl or some girl’s lad, I don’t know, but Stephanie is there and it spells trouble. Go get her back. I’m on my way but it’ll take a while for me to get there. And damn it, if she gets hurt because of this I’m holding you personally responsible!” he said, ending the call.

*************

A cold numbness began to spread through Stephanie’s body and she was only vaguely aware of the sudden commotion around her. There were more gunshots and a series of shouts and flashes of movement before she felt her head being lifted slightly off the ground. Her feeling of isolation and desperate hopelessness was dispelled then as she put her faith in the man with the strong, firm hands and the deep authoritative voice.

“She’s still alive, get an ambulance. Now! You’re okay my girl, you’re okay,” Brick said, resting her head on his legs and stroking her hair out of her face. “Is it on its way? Is it on its bloody way man?”

Stephanie looked up into his face and struggled to speak. “Sir, Tom…”

“He’s all right; let’s concentrate on getting you to hospital right now Stephanie.”

“No, Sir. It’s Carlton...he’s done some deal... the men who want to hurt Tom... are waiting for him... in Ireland.”

Brick hesitated then, staring down at her with wavering eyes. “We’ll get him back. The police have got Carlton now. It'll all be okay now Stephanie,” he reassured her.

“Where’s that damn ambulance?” Brick hollered. “Stephanie, don’t close your eyes. Look at me.” He began to talk to her so that she had something to focus on. “You didn’t need to do this Stephanie. Your father was sorting all this out. I know why you did all of this, it was to impress him wasn't it? You want to write the top story to get his attention but you have it already my girl, he’s so proud of you already. So this has to stop right now. No more of this Stephanie.” He looked away from her and to the sky for a moment, hiding the fear and emotion in his face, but when he turned his attention back to her he had a calm, far away expression. “I remember the first time your father brought you into the office. I remember that day like it was yesterday. But you know I don’t think you remembered it. You’ve never mentioned it to me before. You were only a toddler. It was after your mother died and your father wasn’t dealing with things very well. He didn’t come near the office in weeks and the first time he did he brought you with him. I don’t think he wanted you out of his sight. I thought he was insane bringing a child into the office but you were so well behaved and polite. Except that you did something that really surprised me. You ran around my desk and climbed right up onto my lap.” Brick laughed at the memory of it. “I didn’t know what to do. You just stared up at me with those big eyes of yours. To tell you the truth I think you were in awe of me,” he teased. “Followed me around all day you did.” A slight smile flickered across Stephanie’s face. “The next time I saw you you were all grown up, well a young lady anyway, and when your father introduced us and you looked at me with those same eyes I wondered if you or your father had remembered that we’d met before. I still don’t know.” Stephanie began to lose focus again. “Stay with me Stephanie!” he said firmly. Where was that damn ambulance? “Don’t you dare give up on me now! Your father needs you alive, I need you alive...and Tom.” Stephanie seemed to respond to the sound of his name spoken and Brick continued. “I know what’s developed between you two. He’d do anything for you you know. Anything to protect you. That’s the only reason he left. He left you with me to keep you safe…so did your father. But I can’t help thinking I’ve let you all down…” Brick looked up at the blood and chaos around them and the burden of responsibility fell heavy on his heart. He shook his head abruptly then, turning his attention back to Stephanie. “But Tom will be back. He’ll fight like hell to get back to you if I know Tom. So you’d better make sure you’re still here when he returns or it’d kill him. You know that don’t you? It’d tear him apart to know that he wasn’t here for you. You think about that Stephanie and hold on because I know that you care about him too.” A lone tear spilt out of her eye and slid slowly down her face. “I think you two have been playing silly games with each other, beating around the bush,” he said suddenly. “You haven’t told him how you feel have you? I don’t blame you though. He can be an arrogant b*****d at times and you are wondering if he’ll treat you like all the other women before but Stephanie Tom has been desperate for you for months and months. I’ve never seen him like that with a woman before,” he laughed, “and I’ve seen him with a few. That’s why I avoided letting him work with you at first but the way he’s looked out for you, protected you, through all this...you have to know how much he cares about you. He’s just too bloody stubborn to tell you himself. Stubborn and insecure too. I know he doesn’t show it but he is. You must understand that’s why he hasn’t told you just how much he cares about you. But when we get you better I’m going to make sure that he gets his bloody act together because you deserve to be happy, and I think he will make you happy too. But you’ve got to stop this obsession with work. I know I shouldn’t say that considering that I’m your boss but it’s going to get you killed! So I’ll do you a deal eh. You concentrate on Tom, hold on now till the ambulance gets here and I’ll let you write this damn story but then that’s it. No more dangerous work. Run off into the sunset with Tom will you for god sake but just stop all this!” he finished, beginning to feel panic set in as he saw her fading in his arms. She felt the soothing touch of his hands stroking her face and the heat from his body transmitted from him to her, bringing her warmth and comfort as she fought to keep from falling into an empty abyss.

Author's Note

I tried to develop Brick's character a bit more here, show him in a slightly different light. I hope it worked.

Reviews

[Daydreamer54]

I say oyou did a good job bringing out his character a bit more. I see he's like a second father for sstephanie and he cares for her like a father does too. I just know stephanie gonna make it through this. I'm on the edge of my seat anticipating! ^^

[Dupree]

I love how Brick knows everything. Stephie has to hold on.