Chapter 3 Jean Broody vs. Bradley Jackson: When suppressed desires explode, it takes on a life of its own…mistaken identity!

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“Fuck Dean, I’m gonna kill you.” Bradley groaned from the backseat.

Jean shrugged out of his shirt, leaving his undershirt. Then still driving as if the hounds of hell were on his tail, he threw his shirt over his shoulder onto Bradley. “Keep that pressed on the wound. Where does it hurt?” He asked even as he began to dial Ty’s number.

“What the fuck is it to you?” Bradley snapped. “Last time I checked you were a fucking architect.”

“I’m not Dean.” Jean sighed. “I’m Dean’s twin, Jean. Remember me?”

“Are you shitting me?” Bradley growled and tried to sit up but fell back down when the pain intensified. “Oh shit. I can’t believe I got shot for nothing. You’re not even Dean.” Bradley remembered Dean’s outrageously crazy twin. They’d met at Ty’s bachelor party and also at his surprise wedding. “I should have fucking left you to die you asshole. I’m sure I would have been given a medal a least for your death.”

“I just saved your life you dickhead.” Jean retorted as he redialed Ty’s number.

“You fucking got me shot, idiot.” Bradley bellowed. “Did you by any chance just escape from a mental institution? Or is it that you’re just dense. What the fuck were you doing in the area anyway?”

“Came to have sex.” Jean deadpanned, wishing he could give the rude, grumpy, ungrateful son-of-a-bitch behind him a dirty slap. “Why the fuck didn’t you pick up on the first ring?” He snapped immediately Ty picked up the call.

“Settle down, Doc.” Ty’s amused chuckled could be heard through the car’s audio speakers. They could also hear soft gurgling sounds coming from a baby. “I wasn’t near my phone. What’s up?”

“Your stupid best man went rogue and got shot by some military guys. What…”

“Jackson got shot?” Ty’s bellow drew a wail from the baby he was obviously near, making Jean wince. “Shh…sorry darling,” Ty murmured soothingly. “Tell me he’s okay Jean.” Although he tried to speak calmly, the desperation in his voice couldn’t be masked. “Where is he?”

“In my car. I’m driving directly to the hospital.” Jean said, driving through a red light.

“Jackson?” Ty called out, the anxiety in his voice, palpable.

“Ty.” Bradley tried to mask the pain in his voice but couldn’t.

“Talk to me, buddy. How bad is it?”

“Hurts like a bitch but I’ll live.” Bradley groaned.

“Good.” Ty’s sigh of relief was audible. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Hey, mind your language around the babies, dickwad…”

“They’re only three months.” Ty retorted. “Better start talking.”

“Utter crookedness that will blow your mind, Ty. With the level it was coming from, I had to find hard evidence. Fortunately, I have it.”

“How high up?” Ty breathed.

“Very high Ty. I’d say the pinnacle.”

“Shit!” Ty swore. “Why didn’t you come to me?”

“I didn’t want to put your life in danger.”

“Bullshit,” Ty growled.

“You have to think about Tanesha and those little angels buddy. I had…have everything under control.”

“You call getting shot having everything under control?” Ty sounded incredulous.

“Everything was going great till this asshole here showed up,” Bradley growled. “He got me shot. So stupid.” He added under his breath but Jean heard him. Fortunately, he was too busy maneuvering the car to pay him any attention.

“Have you been made?” Ty sounded so worried.

“I don’t think so,” Bradley grunted. “No.” He said with more conviction.

“Jean?” Ty called.

“Yeah?”

“No hospitals. Take him home and fix him.”

“Are you nuts?” Jean screeched. “He got shot. It has to be treated in a hospital. That’s where he can receive the best care.”

“Listen to me, Jean,” Ty said quietly but urgently. “His life is in danger. Even as I speak, whoever is behind it is working hard, trying to know who he is.” Ty was certain that whoever Bradley was on to, was bound to know his identity soon enough. “Some high-level people are involved in whatever is going on, Jean. Their goal at the moment is to silence him.”

“Well, they and me both…” Jean muttered.

“Jean…” Ty grunted in exasperation.

“What?” Jean barked, jumping another red light.

“This is serious.” Ty sighed. “You need to take him home. I don’t know how close they are to figuring it out so I can’t come to your house now. I might lead them right to Bradley. Your house is the best place, Jean. I know you have everything you’d need to treat him. Stay in. Don’t come out. Even if you have to, be cautious.”

“Fuck!” Jean muttered.

“Please do this for me, Jean. Save him.” Ty sounded desperate. “You’re the best person for him right now.” He added, sounding hopeful and relieved. As a General Surgeon, Jean was a specialist trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with a broad spectrum of surgical conditions affecting almost any area of their bodies.

“Asshole might just kill me himself before those criminals even get to me.” Bradley rasped.

“At this rate, I just might.” Jean drawled, turning to give Bradley a quick glance. It was a quick one but it was enough to see that his white shirt was already soaked with blood. “Shit.” He muttered with a frown. “All right, I’ll take him home,” Jean said but he didn’t change course. He kept driving towards the hospital. “This is fucked up.”

“Don’t contact me.” Ty cautioned. “I’ll contact you. Stay safe.” With that, Ty hung up and plunged the car into silence.

“Just great!” Jean muttered even as he began to dial another number. He hated what he was about to do but it had to be done.