Madeline apologized profusely on the way to the station before we were separated, and taken away for questioning. I told the officers exactly what I’d told Devon. But his statement about me trying to bribe him didn’t sit well for my case, and I was put into holding until my bail could be granted. I’m in for a long wait, and I’m currently missing my friend and bandmate’s wedding.

I’m fucking fuming as I pace the cell that has three other inmates in here with me. An old man that has a shaved head, covered in tattoos and a beard that almost reaches his navel. A man with dreadlocks who looks like he’s ready to stab me with his glare at any second, and a short, skinny guy, that looks barely old enough to be in here. He’s gotta be barely eighteen, but he certainly appears troubled. Like he has voices talking to him in his mind or something, by the way he keeps looking up and to the left. He looks a bit menacing, to be honest.

I continue to pace back and forth up against the bars, trying to figure out how the hell I’m going to get out of here. They mentioned when they frisked me, and took my cell phone and wallet, that I would get one phone call. So I’m just passing the time until I’m able to make that call.

“You that bassist from Recoil?” the dreadlocked cell mate calls out through his death stare, and I turn to him and let out a small sigh.

“Yeah.”

He stands up, his massive stature towers over me. The sheer size of the guy is daunting, he has muscles on muscles, and he’s got to be edging on nearly seven foot. He’s a freaking giant. His veins pop out on his skin so much it’s like little worms running along his flesh.

“What’s your name?” he asks.

I look around the room as the young guy twitches slightly jolting his head to the side, and the old guy yawns like we’re boring him.

“Matt, you?”

“T-Dog…” His lips curl up. “You know what your crew did to Debt Money was pretty disrespectful,” he says, and I slump my body and clench my eyes shut while rubbing my temple.

Trust me to be put into a cell with the rapper Debt Money’s goon, and have to pay for a beef that’s held more between Danger and Ryan than with me.

“Look, T-Dog, I have no beef with Debt Money. I know Recoil and he have history, but we’re cool now.”

He brings his fist up and cracks his knuckles as a scare tactic.

It works.

“You’re not cool. He’s my cousin’s, friend’s, uncle’s, nephew. And you mess with my family, you mess with me. You feel me?”

I screw my face up at how exactly that makes them family, but I’m not willing to argue with a giant. Nodding, I exhale. “I feel you, T-Dog.”

He steps closer as I take a step back. My back hits the bars, and he pushes right up against me. The kid starts giggling as he jumps on the floor and squats but starts hopping like a frog, while laughing like a mad man. And the old guy looks, yawns again, and rolls over facing the wall like he’s not getting involved in any of this. I breathe heavily as I look up at T-Dog and grit my teeth wondering how this day could possibly get any worse.

“You gonna feel all of me right now,” he says lifting his fist up as the kid laughs maniacally.

I bring my hands up in surrender and open my eyes wide. “Wait, wait, wait,” I call out just before his fist connects with my face.

He stops his attack, and the kid moans out in frustration as I breathe out in relief that he actually stopped. “What if I give you something, will you promise not to smack me up?”

He stands back and clicks his tongue to the roof of his mouth. “What could you possibly give me?”

I realize that the guards took my wallet and I’m pretty much fucked. So I start rummaging over my body for something, anything, and he grabs at my arm stopping my movements.

“This… I want this,” he says pointing to my watch.

It’s a sixteen thousand dollar Rolex. But my bet is T-Dog knows that, and that’s why he’s gunning for it. But fuck, my bones in one piece are worth more than one fucking watch. I can buy another one. It’s not sentimental, it’s just expensive. So he can have the fucking thing.

I pull it off my wrist and go to hand it to him, but hesitate before handing it over. “You can have it if you swear to not hurt me and the other guys in here. Or the other members of my band if I ever see you in public,” I demand.

“Yeah…” He puts his hand out for me to shake, which we do, and then I hand him the watch with the other. He grabs it and then shoves my shoulder, pushing me into the bars with a grunt and he turns strutting off back to the bench.

Calm settles in the cell, and I go back to pacing while the other three sit on there and watch me. I pace for ages and my legs start to feel a little weak. I must have been here for hours. The wedding would be well and truly over by now. The reception almost over even, and Danger and Lunar would be pissed off at me, let alone what Alex is thinking.

“Rocker, will you sit down, you’re making me feel even older,” the old guy says, and I turn to face him as T-Dog and the young guy laugh.

I shrug and walk over to the bench where they’re sitting and finally take a seat with them. I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my head up against the brick wall taking a deep breath.

“Levine?” a cop calls out.

“Yeah,” I say back, staring at the cop who’s not even looking in the cell, his eyes are wandering around like he’s completely bored with his job.

“You can make your one call now.”

Finally!

 

***

 

Calling Alex seems like my only option, but as I go to say the next few words, I wonder how she’ll take the news. I wonder if she’ll hate me for this and if she’ll think less of me…

After her usual rhetoric, I get down to the issue at hand.

“Alex, you need to come to the police station and bail me out. I’ve been arrested…”

She’s quiet for a pause and takes a deep breath, snorts, and bursts out laughing. “Oh, good one, Matt, you almost had me there.”

Exhaling I let her laugh it out until she slowly stops and then pauses again. “Wait… Matt, you’re not laughing. What the hell are you playing at? Are you really at the police station?”

“Yeah, Alex, I’m really here. I need your help. I need to be bailed out. Can you get Nate and come down? I need to be bailed out.”

“Fuck! What the hell did you do?” she asks, and there’s nothing but complete seriousness in her tone.

“I didn’t really do anything. It’s more about wrong place, wrong time, type of thing.”

“Cryptic much. Matt, how much trouble are we talking here? Should I just bring Nate or Tillie, too?” she asks.

“Yeah, probably Tillie, too.”

“Shit! Matt, you’re scaring me. Are you hurt?”

I smile that she cares about my safety in all this. “Not physically. Mentally though, I’m a little worse for wear, but I’ll be okay. Can you just get down here?”

“Can you tell me what the hell you’re in for, please?”

I sigh. I didn’t want to have to say it aloud, it sounds so dirty when you say the actual words. “Soliciting a prostitute and bribing a policeman.”

The phone is quiet, and I bang my head against the side of the phone knowing that Alex must be going through a range of emotions right now.

“Umm, okay, well, I’ll get the team together and we’ll be right down. I ahh… don’t really know what to say…”

“It’s not true, Alex. It’s all a misunderstanding.”

I hear her force out a breath like she’s relieved. “Okay, we’ll be there quick smart. We’ll get this sorted, Matt. What happened to Madeline?”

I let out a terse laugh. “She’s the fucking prostitute.”

Alex chokes on thin air. “What? Wow! Okay… didn’t see that coming. We’ll fix this, Matt. I’ll be there soon. Just hang in there, okay?”

It’s so good to hear her voice. She’s like a bright spark in this shit hole of a day. “Alex?”

“Mmm…”

“How was the wedding?”

“It was beautiful... Lunar was stunning and Danger cried like a little bitch.”

I genuinely laugh. That was just what I needed to get me through until my family comes and rescues me. The guard taps his watch and I nod.

“I gotta go, I’ll see you soon?”

“I’m gonna go round everyone up and we’ll be there as soon as possible. Just hold on, okay? We will sort this mess out, Matt.”

“I know, I’ll be here.”

“See you soon, horn dog,” she teases, and I groan.

“Too soon, Alex, too soon.”

She giggles. “I know this hurts now, Matt, but you’ll laugh one day…” she hesitates, “… probably. Okay, going. Bye,” she says and hangs up before I can say anything else.

The guard looks at me and tilts his head back toward the way we came. I roll my eyes and start walking with him.

 

***

 

It’s been ages since I called Alex. I have no idea what’s taking so long. It’s got to have been at least three or so hours, and I’m starting to wonder if maybe she isn’t coming at all. T-Dog has been let out. The kid has been taken for a psych evaluation, and I’m here with the older guy, Hank, who’s a patched member of a biker club which I’ve found out from talking to him. He doesn’t affect me much, after hanging out with the Satan’s Savages back in Australia. I’m pretty good with bikers I think, so me and Hank are getting along reasonably at the moment.

“Levine,” the guard calls out, and I turn facing the bars.

“Yeah?”

“You’re free to go.”

I turn to Hank raising my brows. “Well, I hope it all works out for you, brother.” I turn and shake Hank’s hand.

“You too, Matt, you’re a good kid. Ever need a biker formation to ride with you, give us a holler. You hear me?”

“Yeah, thanks, man. Appreciate that,” I say slapping my hand with his and stand up. I glance to the guard, and he still appears bored. The gate opens slowly and I step off with him through the long hall, this time without the cuffs, and back out toward the front of the station.

I wonder who’ll be there when I walk out, and as I make my way through, I see Nate, Ria, Ryan, Tillie, and Oliver, all still in their formal attire from the wedding. I dart my head further to see Alex talking to a policeman, she’s wearing a yellow summer dress, which is not her usual style. It makes her look more innocent and sweet, even with the aqua hair. But, her hair is curled and framing her face perfectly. Her makeup is flawless, and I stand still, just staring at her. She looks… fucking beautiful. I’m amazed at how Alex can dress up in rocker chic, and then dress sweet and innocent like this and pull off both looks so perfectly. It’s like I’m seeing her in a whole new light. Shaking my head slightly as the guard pushes my back forcing me to move forward, I clear my throat, and everyone looks up.

“Here he is… the king of all idiots. I thought I wore that crown, but dude, you’re giving me a run for my money,” Ryan mocks. I roll my eyes, and Alex looks at me chewing on her bottom lip.

“Shut up, Ry. Matt are you okay?” Tillie asks, and I nod with a deep drawn out sigh.

“Yeah, just wanna go home and wallow in a vat of ice cream.”

“You sure you don’t wanna go hire a hooker and have some fun?” Ryan chuckles.

Tillie scoffs at him, smacking him upside the head, as he moves to my side and bumps my shoulder.

“So, I know I had a run-in with a prostitute, she helped me into a cab when I was drunk, but finding one online, Matt? Yeah, that takes it to new heights…” Ryan states.

“It wasn’t like that,” I defend.

Alex steps up to me and wraps her arm in mine defensively. “He knows, he’s just teasing like the asshole he is…” She looks up at me. “But really, are you okay?” Her eyes sparkle with intensity.

I nod, grabbing her hand wrapped in mine. “I am now,” I say and lean my temple to hers.

She cuddles into my side, as Tillie signs some paperwork and Oliver shakes his head at me.

“I swear you guys never do anything by halves, do you?” He grabs a plastic bag from a policeman, and I notice it contains my cell phone and wallet.

“Gotta keep life interesting for you, right?” I ask, and he huffs and rolls his eyes.

“C’mon, let’s get out of here before they change their minds,” Oliver says.

I furrow my brows. Change their minds. What does that mean?

We walk outside toward the waiting car. They were smart enough to bring a limo so we can all fit inside and that’s when I notice Scott and Dwayne in the front.

“Hey guys, I just wanna thank you all for coming,” I say, and everyone nods as Ryan chuckles.

Tillie glares at Ryan.

“That’s what she said,” Ryan calls out and Tillie groans. “Oh c’mon, I had to.”

“I’m so sorry, Matt. My fiancé is a douche,” Tillie defends, and I chuckle as Alex slides in next to me.

“No, it’s fine. I can see the funny side, I just had absolutely no idea. Speaking of no idea, what’s happening? Do I have to go to court, or what?” I ask, and Tillie shakes her head.

“No, thanks to quick thinking from Alex, I persuaded the sergeant to drop all charges.”

My eyes bulge out of my head and I gasp. “What? How?”

Oliver opens the plastic bag and throws me my cell and wallet as Tillie smiles and Alex cuddles into my side further. “We told them to check your cell because on there would be the proof that you were talking to Madeline… Maddison… whatever her name is, and you had absolutely no idea that she was a prostitute. That you were taking her out on a date, and you weren’t hiring her for her services.”

I scoff. “Why didn’t I think of that? But wait, what about the bribery thing?”

Tillie purses her lips. “That was a little tougher to get rid of, but once they saw that Madeline and Maddison were the same person, and she corroborated the story, they saw that the bribe was merely a desperate attempt, not a cover up, just a man trying to get to his best friend’s wedding. So they were willing to let it slide… this time.”

“Fuck! So I don’t have any charges against me?” I clarify.

“None. You’re damn lucky.”

“Tillie, you’re brilliant!”

“Wasn’t me, Matt. Sure I did the talking, but the idea was all Alex.”

I turn to look at her and her face is pale. She’s so beautiful and looking at me like I’m the best thing in her world.

“Ronan? Shit! Where is he?”

Alex shrugs. “Dunno. I kinda ditched him. He was—”

“Too Irish,” Ryan bursts out, and I chuckle.

“How can someone be too Irish?”

“Get this… Irish dancing to rock and roll, the guy’s a total weirdo,” Ria says, and I raise my brow. Coming from her that must mean he was really bad because Ria doesn’t normally speak out like that.

I chuckle as I look to Alex and she winces and nods. “Yeah, dud-town, and then I was fully crushing on this biker called Techie, but he’s taken, too. Bummer. Looks like it’s a strike out for us both,” she says.

“Is Danger really pissed at me?” I ask the question more focused toward Ryan.

He sighs. “He was, but then when Alex explained what was going on, he was a little more understanding. I’m fairly certain he doesn’t give a shit right about now, if you know what I mean. In the words of Monty Python… ‘Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more.’”

The entire car laughs including me as everyone breaks off to talk amongst themselves. I lean my mouth against Alex’s ear. “Thank you… come back to my place with me?” I ask, and she looks up at me and nods.

“Who am I dropping off first?” Scott asks, and Tillie smiles.

“Matt, he’s had a long day, and he needs to go home and recover.”

“Thanks, Till,” I say.

“Anytime, just don’t have any more contact with Madeline, okay?”

I nod thinking that’s probably for the best too. As much as I want to yell and scream at her for what she’s done to me, about lying and deceiving me, what good would that do? The relationship is broken. There’s nothing that could possibly fix it, and there’s no way I could be with a prostitute anyway. I couldn’t hire one let alone be in a relationship with one. Yeah, we were doomed from the start. We both lied about who we were, and that’s not a good thing.

Sighing, Alex rests her head on my shoulder, and I place mine on top of hers for the rest of the car journey. When we arrive, no one seems to say anything when Alex gets out with me. Nate smiles, and so does Ria, but everyone else keeps to themselves, and I wave them goodbye and thank them all yet again for everything they did for me tonight. I can never thank them enough for helping me out.

We walk to the house and I let us in. The place still looks picture perfect from when I left this morning. I never thought I’d be bringing Alex back here tonight instead of Madeline, but that’s not what tonight is about. I just don’t want to be alone and Alex is my best friend. She gets that I need comfort right now, and I need my best friend more than ever.

Alex sighs and moves in next to me, as I stand in the living room just staring into space. She runs her hands up my chest, in a way that’s not something a friend would do, but it soothes me nonetheless as her hands run up over my shoulders and around my neck pulling herself to me in an embrace.

“I’m here, Matt. I’m so sorry,” she says, and I wrap my arms around her tightly.

Warmth.