{ LIVING THE POGUE LIFE }

{36}

Brie woke up with JJ's arms still wrapped around her as they lay on the roof with the sun high above them. It must have been almost midday by now, judging by how high the sun was in the sky, but that didn't stop the goosebumps from covering her skin.

She looked up at JJ, still fast asleep. The cuts and bruises on his face looked even worse now than they did last night. She kissed his cheek, careful not to wake him, and smiled to herself.

She gently pushed his arm off her, shuffling over to the edge of the roof.  She dangled her legs over the edge and dropped down, landing softly on the ground below.

She headed inside and began pulling things from the fridge to make her and JJ breakfast. She grabbed a couple of plates, turning around to place them on the counter. She suddenly shrieked and the plates slipped from her hands, crashing onto the floor.

"John B!" She cursed, "You scared me! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Brie, where's the gun?" He demanded.

She frowned in confusion. She could literally feel the anger radiating off of him. He stepped closer, jaw clenched.

"Where's the gun?" He asked again.

She inadvertently glanced at JJ's bag that was poking out from under the sofa. John B noticed and grabbed it, digging through it and pulling out the gun. Brie carefully stepped around the broken ceramics and grabbed his arm.

"What's going on?" She begged, "You're seriously freaking me out right now. Why do you need the gun?"

"Ive got something I need to take care of," he said, picking up the keys to the van and storming outside.

Brie ran after him, more confused than ever. She saw John B glance at the hot tub and all of the decorations that covered the yard, but he didn't bother asking. She glanced up at the roof, with no sign of JJ, wondering how he had slept through the smashing of those plates.

John B ripped open the door to the van with such rage it made Brie freeze on the spot. She broke out of her trance and ran over to him, standing in front of the van so that he couldn't drive off. He glared at her angrily through the windshield.

"Brie, get out of my way!" He yelled.

"What are you doing?" She cried, desperately, "Please, talk to me!"

"Ward Cameron knows about the gold," he said, "He killed my dad."

Brie stumbled back in shock. John B took the opportunity and drove off, speeding away down the road.

Brie tried to gather her thoughts. Ward Cameron had killed John B's dad, and now John B was going to kill him. She knew better than anyone that rash plans of revenge never ended well. He was going to get himself arrested and spend the rest of his life stuck in a cell.

She ran back inside, grabbing the keys to JJ's bike and following after him. There was no way she was going to let him make the same mistake that she almost made. She sped up so that she was right next to him. He looked over at her and then back at the road.

"Pull over!" She screamed.

He tried to ignore her. She could still see the rage coursing through his veins.

"John B!" She warned, "Stop the van! Now!"

"Go home, Brie!" He yelled back.

"No!" She shouted, "Pull the fuck over! Now!"

She must have taken her eyes off the road for a little too long, because John B's eyes suddenly went wide. She quickly looked up, seeing someone on a bike speeding towards them. Like right towards them.