“Looks like Lexi is calling you.”
Destiny grabbed the phone off Brian’s king-sized bed and held it toward him. She was stretched across the bed, her head resting comfortably on his pillow. They’d only been at his house for a few minutes. Destiny had immediately turned on the music, then plopped onto his bed, like she always did. It was way more comfortable than hers and they both preferred it.
He watched her move his guitar to the side of the bed. He’d been playing a little bit more recently. It was a good stress release for him and he was trying to scale back on drinking when he was bothered about things. His mom was an addict and whatever sickness was coursing through her veins was probably lying dormant somewhere in him too. He wasn’t interested in waking it.
“Answer it, baby,” he told her, not turning around.
He was digging through his dresser drawer, searching for an undershirt for her to sleep in, although he fully planned on taking it off in just a few minutes. She’d pretty much stolen all of his undershirts and he needed to wash, so it wasn’t looking too good for her. He glanced over his shoulder as he yanked open another drawer, still searching.
“Hey Lexi.” There was a smile in her voice as she stared up at the ceiling, the phone pressed comfortably against her ear.
“I can’t understand you, Alexis.”
Her tone had turned serious and he turned around, watching as Destiny sat up on the bed, her face concerned. He quickly crossed the room to where she was now sitting, his heart thudding in his chest. He still felt guilty for leaving Alexis in the first place. Although she was safe living in Phoenix with his aunt Clara and uncle Alfred, Brian still shouldered a lot of the financial and even emotional responsibility for her. He was ten years older and in some ways, he was more parent than brother.
“What’s going on?” he asked, as he reached for the phone.
Destiny shook her head and put a finger up, indicating for him to wait, her face scrunched as she concentrated on whatever Lex was saying.
“I heard you, Lexi. Where are you?”
Brian ran a hand over his head, still waiting for Destiny to tell him what the hell was going on. She glanced up at him and mouthed, “She’s drunk.” He frowned.
“Let me talk to her,” he demanded, reaching for the phone again. She handed it to him this time.
“Where are you, Alexis?” he said as calmly as he could. It wouldn’t do anybody any good for him to lose his cool. He just needed to find out where she was and what was going on so he could handle the situation.
“Brian!” she shouted exuberantly into the phone. “I was just telling Tasha that Rihanna is way more talented than Beyoncé, but she thinks Beyoncé is better than Rihanna because she has a YouTube video of Beyoncé playing the piano…”
“Lex,” Brian said abruptly, interrupting her as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
He released a breath and leaned forward so that his forearms were resting on his knees as he struggled to stay cool. His fifteen-year-old sister was drunk and rambling on about pop singers and he had no idea where she was, or if she was safe. What if she was out and Tasha, who also had to be drunk to engage in such a retarded-ass conversation, was driving? What if she was at a party and there were other little drunk assholes around waiting to take advantage of her vulnerable, goofy ass?
Alexis was giggling in the phone, still rambling on about Rihanna to whoever was with her.
“Lex, where are you?” Brian asked.
“I called you because you know so much about music and I need you to tell Tasha that Rihanna…”
“Alexis!” He raised his voice, his baritone vibrating through the phone angrily and she immediately stopped talking. “Where are you?”
“I’m at Tasha’s, Brian. Shit, calm down,” she huffed, her words slightly slurred.
He released another long breath. He never said anything when she cursed because she rarely did it in front of him. She was really intoxicated.
“Okay, you’re staying the night there then,” he said definitively, not expecting any argument.
It was the only thing he could think of that would pretty much ensure her safety, even though he admittedly knew that Tasha’s mom was batshit crazy. And horny. She’d flirted relentlessly with him the last time he’d visited and it was uncomfortable as hell.