Chapter 85

Richie rolled over and sleeply reached for Bri his hand encountering empty pillow where her silky hair usually lay. He sat up quickly, his eyes scanning the bedroom. " Darlin you in the bathroom?" When he recieved no answer he stood up, rubbed his eyes as they started to focus and frowned as he noticed her luggage was gone. "Bri darlin where are you ? " He went to the door and glanced out, only to see she wasn't in the sitting area, nor at her laptop. Matter of fact that tiny piece of electronic mayhem was missing.

Stepping to the door of his suite he opened it and glanced both ways in the corridor. Empty. Well where the fuck was she? Trying not to panic he slowly walked over to the phone and dialed Jon's room .

His hand grabbed for the bedside table, an oath on his lips as he blurrily looked at the display. One fuckin' day off and he was being woken early? Flipping the phone open he settled it to his ear grumbling, "You better have a fuckin' good reason..."

"I do man , have you seen Bri?" Richie willed his voice to remain calm as her words kept circling his suddenly wide awake brain. I have to go Rich, don't you get it? I have to!

His eyes rolled, "Man, I swear to fuckin' god, roll over she's there. What did you do wake up to piss and forget? Only Geena here and its.." He pulled his free hand up to glance at his watch, "barely 7 am. Shes probably sleepin' man."

"Her side of the bed is empty and her luggage is gone." Richie continued, "She is gone man I'm telling ya she's not here."

He pushed upwards with a sigh. Richie's tone was full of concern, he couldn't brush it off any longer. Poking Geena with his hand to wake up he kept talking. "Maybe she just went to breakfast, maybe she just put her stuff on the bus already man."

"I don't think so."

Geena opening her eyes and groaned. "Wha? "

He placed a hand over the phone quickly. "Where'd she go Geena?"

Geena woke up like she was splashed with ice water "She's gone? I don't know where she went. She just poofs. No contact no nothing."

He frowned. Best friends never just poofed on best friends. "If you're hiding shit baby...." His voice trailed off as he tried to calm Richie down. "Man we'll find her. Don't worry. Yeah come on over, we'll get breakfast or something."

He flipped the phone closed and slid from the bed. "If he spirals because of this and you know where she is....."

Geena was shocked over this attack and felt her temper rising in response. "Do you honestly think I would want to hurt Richie to protect her?? I do NOT know where she is or where she would go. And how dare you jump my ass because you're worried? Did you see me do that when Bri has me worried? No." Geena crawled out of bed , grabbed a robe and stormed to the bathroom. "I thought you had more faith in me than that "

He winced as the door slammed. It wasn't that he didn't have faith in her, he just worried about Richie more. Standing, he moved to the door, his voice going cajoling. "Aww come on baby, you know I do, but Rich, man he's been through the shits the last few years. If he falters cuz of this during tour, man we can't handle it. I can't handle seeing him fall apart again. He's MY best friend babe."

Geena opened the door and glared. "Do you think I want that either ? I have no fucking idea where she went. Just because she's my best friend doesn't mean I know every little thing she does. I can't control what she does especially if she's running scared. And before you ask she will NOT contact me."

The anger in her voice had him taking a step back, then a step forward as he grabbed her and leaned in to kiss her anger away. Pulling away with a groan he muttered, "Not trying to hurt you. Shit this is just insane. I thought she loved him."

"She does, more than you guys will ever understand. In her mind she is protecting him and to be frank I might have done the same thing if situations were reversed. "

His head shook. "How is running, abandoning him, loving him? How is it protecting him? Baby he gives his heart so easily, and usually pretty deeply. To have it thrown in his face? Fuck this will be worse than it was with Heather, and he was married to her."

"God you just don't get it do you . I never said it was right but when Jared makes threats he means it . I know, he did it to me. I never told you but one time my breaks went out on my car after he threatened me. Turns out my brake lines were cut. So yes she thinks she is protecting him if she isn't here."

He pulled her closer, his breath hissing from him like a broken tire. "He cut your fuckin' brakes?"

"Yes he did. I could never prove it of course but they were cut."

He glanced up as the door thudded. "That's Rich." He shrugged into a pair of jeans, tee, and boots. "I'll take him for breakfast, if he comes in, baby he'll be worse than me with the quizzing. Just understand he's upset okay?"

Geena sighed. "Great am I gonna get shit from all 4 of you?"

He opened the door, throwing a "Not if I can help it," over his shoulder. "Morning Rich. How about Breakfast downstairs?"

He grumbled as the phone rang, and dashed to pick the cell up. "Be right back."

Richie glanced at Geena a moment, then stepped into the room closing the door. "Where'd she go G? Ya gotta tell me. Only got a day before the next stop in LA. I gotta find her."

"Honestly Richie, I have no idea where she is."

He leaned in, "You're her best friend. Best friends tell each other everything! Don't fuckin' give me that you don't know shit!"

Geena took a deep breath. don't lose it G "I don't know. When she poofs she doesn't even tell me. I am telling the truth, why doesn't anyone fucking believe me?" She wanted to cry as she watched the hope in his eyes fade, only to leave the worry and anger behind.

He steeled himself against the tears. He had to find Bri dammit. "Like I said you're best friends. She told me herself she told ya everything.Ya can't fuckin' tell me she didnt leave you a message or something."

"Wanna check my phone? " Geena stormed over to her phone "and flipped it open. "Look no messages. Call the front desk but you won't find any. Here let me dump my purse!" Geena grabbed her purse and dumped the contents on the coffee table. She opened her mouth wide. "Wanna check me maybe I swallowed it ? "

He took a step back as her anger fired. "Fuck, I didn't mean that, I just.. well hell me and Jon tell each other everything and.." He sighed, his hand moving up to rake through his hair. "Im just so worried about her G."

Geena felt her anger cool " I know I am too. She did this to me , when Jared cut my brakes," she admitted. "I didnt see her for almost a year because she was afraid that he was gonna kill me or try again too."

Richie wanted to put his fist through something, anything, but the days of doing that were long gone. Couldn't put it off to rock star exurberance anymore. "FUCK!"

He glanced up as Jon stepped from the bedroom, the blaze of anger radiating from his friend's blue eyes worrying him more than Geena's anger. "What the fuck now?"

"He made bail."

"I knew it! See he can't be stopped. Now you see why she ran? God I don't blame her." Geena started to cry, her tears streakin along her cheeks. Damn why am I this freaking emotional?

Jon moved over, pulling her into his arms."It's ok baby, We'll make sure he doesn't get close again, and we'll find her. We will."

"No you wont. When she don't wanna be found she won't be. I've tried more than once to find her believe me. Sad thing is, that won't stop him from coming after anyone that threatens to take her away from him. She forgets that sometimes."

Jon glanced at Richie then back at Geena. "Unlike most people baby, we can afford the investigators."

Riche paced the room. "We have to find her before he does and so help me G, if you are lying to us," he warned his tone cold.

Jon's hand went up. "Woah Bro. She has no reason to lie to us. I know your upset, know your worried and KNOW you are hurting, but don't take it out on Geena. Got it man?"

Richie growled. "How do you know that? She could be protecting her anyway she can."

Jon's growl answered back. "Look in her fuckin' eyes asshole. Eyes don't lie."

"Fine. Sorry but that isn't getting us any closer in finding her." Richie fought the urge to go find a bottle and down it. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths as he considered that option.

No I will not do that, if I do and we find her she'll leave again. Fucking drink ain't worth losing it all over. As a picture of her smiling eyes floated into his thoughts he felt his determination renew. "We have to find her."

Jon watched as Richie reeled himself in and prayed he had the strength to not find a drink to soothe ragged nerves. "She'll show back up man. She has too. She loves ya right?"

"I thought so." He sighed as he sat down on the couch, his head dropping into his hands.

Jon moved to stand next to his friend, offering the only words he had. "Geena says that when Bri loves the hardest she does whatever it takes to protect the one she loves. This Jared ass has tried bodily harm before. She thinks she's keeping ya safe man. Hold onto that."

Richie glanced up at Geena searching her face for answers. "Is he right?"

"Yes, she did it too me right after he tried to-- " Geena shuddered as she remembered the day all too well.

Richie sat straighter, "After he did what?"

"Like I said a few minutes ago, she poofed on me right after the brake incident and I thought it was all done. I mean I honestly didn't know where she was. She was keeping me safe, I knew that. But one day I came home from work to find -- " Geena paused to collect herself, " To find my cat dead, and a note saying next time it would be me. Before the cops could arrest him he disappeared again. Took close to a year before she showed up again."

She watched the dismay filter into Richie's eyes and tried to lessen the hurt of her words. "But that was me Rich. She loves you so deeply I don't think she can stay away that long, not even with Jared around. Never saw her love the way she loves you."

Jon glanced up at Richie and watched the hope filter back into his gaze with Geena's words. "His lucks about to play out babe. I've already got people on his ass. If he tries anything else. we'll have him."

'I'll believe it when he is -- nevermind." Geena turned and walked to the balcony doors, her eyes staring sightlessly at the early morning.

Richie stood and moved too her, his hand settling on her shoulder. "We're in this together now G. You, me, Jon and the crew. We'll find her this time. We have the resources. Fuck Money ain't shit but its good to have in times like this. Jackass will fail and I will find her. You'll see. " He sighed and continued, "And I'm sorry for going off on ya, but I was worried."

"I understand. I don't blame you actually. Never realized how big the world is until someone you care about is lost out there somewhere."

Jon came back through the room and motioned to Richie. "Come on, I've got my lawyer on, we're gonna go find out what we can. Be back soon baby." At Geena's short nod he walked to the door with Richie and out.

Geena paced the floor, her emotions at full boil. She plopped down then punched the couch cushions. "How could they think I would keep this from them," She muttered. "Damn't Bri why did you have to run?" She glanced at her cell phone laying on the coffee table along with all her contents she had dumped out when Richie accused her of hiding information. "Carly that’s who I can call. Carly can make sense of this."

She leaned up and picked up her phone and did a quick dial not taking in the effect of what time it was in Jersey. "Pick up please Caro. "

Carly slowly came awake to an annoyingly ringing phone. Who the hell could be bothering her this early? “’Lo?”

"Caro its me G," Geena replied.

"Geena? Whats up girl? What are you doing awake this early? The rock star is not keeping you occupied?"

"I wish it was that simple," Geena sighed. "Bri -- well she took off . Jared showed up. It was horrible Caro, Seeing that asshole again," she rambled as she twisted a strand of hair nervously.

Carly instantly came awake. "What? Jared? He found you?"

"Yea I have no fuckin' idea how either . They don't list us on the hotel or anything," Geena paused. "OH god what if he broke in to my house?? "

"Oh NO! Are you OK? Did he try to approach you?"

"Yea he grabbed her at the arena and took off with her but luckily we got to her in time and he is in -- well he was in Jail anyway. Now Bri is gone and we have no idea where she is. I had two angry men accuse me of keeping shit from them too." Geena growled, her temper rising once again.

"Woah girl! Slow down! Is Bri hurt? Did Richie try to kill the bastard?"

'No and No. She freaked though and now she's gone. Richie wanted to kill him if it wasn't for Dave and the others he would have done more than than he did."

"Bri is running again? Oh No! Poor Richie must be beside himself!"

"Yea guess she left sometime in the middle of the night. Oh he is, I got my ass jumped by Richie and Jon. They think I have kept Bri's running a secret. "

"Did you explain to them that that’s her normal reaction?"

'Yea after I got pissed and dumped all my shit to prove it to them . I can understand Richie not believing me but Jon?"

"Its okay Geena, calm down! They are men...correction, they are spoiled Rock Stars! They are used to getting their way all the time! And now something has gone NOT according to their plan!” Carly paused a moment as the thought hit. “How long will she stay on the run this time? What do you think?"

"I know," She sighed. " God my emotions are nuts. I think Auntie flow is gonna visit soon. I have no idea about Bri though, she thinks she is protecting him. Maybe she’s gone for good this time."

"You want me to call Jon and warn him not to piss off a PMSing woman?” She laughed slightly at the thought before continuing, “But seriously, where did she run this time? Did she take her things with her, or did she leave her stuff in Richie's room?"

Geena laughed. Only Carly could get her to laugh when she most needed it. " Like Jon would listen to you about me," she rolled her eyes. " Her stuff is gone so who knows , she won’t go to Ohio but maybe she will show up at your place."

"Well that would be a good thing! I can let her crash and keep an eye on her! And keep you guys updated. The fact that she took all of her stuff worries me though... it’s like she's not planning to come back!"

" The state of mind she's in right now? I dunno Carly. She could be in the Bahamas for all we know," Geena replied soulfully. "IF it means protecting Richie she will and might stay gone.

Jared? God Caro he scared me. Jared threatened to kill Richie. " Geena shivered as a cold chill rain down her spine recalling those words he spat with such venom. Geena knew Jared meant every word.

"I hear you girlfriend! That bastard scares me too...And I'm from Jersey! I hope Bri does a smart thing and reaches out to one of us! Is Jared still in the slammer?"

"No he was released today on bail," Geena replied quietly.

"Well shit! Couldn't the almighty Jovi legal team do something to keep his ass behind bars?"

"I wanna know who bailed him out . Who in their right mind would?" Geena growled, " by the time they got to the jail he was released and gone who knows where the fuck he is . "

"Well can't Jon's army of lawyers find out?"

"I guess they are checking into it. I have no fuckin' idea. Jon and Richie took off and left me here." Geena stood up, walked over to the balcony and gazed out.

"Do they understand that you had nothing to do with her running?"

"I honestly don't know. I mean they think because they tell each other everything they assumed Bri would tell me . Caro, you know, not even for Bri would I keep something like this from Richie knowing what he has gone thru the last couple years."

" Do you need me to call them and explain that is her normal reaction to Jared? And that if we find out anything we will keep then in the know? Especially Richie! "

"Maybe you can call David and he can talk to them , I mean really we are still new to the inner circle so not so trustworthy yet I guess." Geena sighed. "Yea if you do hear please call because as much as I love Bri I aint a hurting Rich."