• Tomorrow Will Be Different • {J.C} (P.1)

•Chapter Thirty-One•

"You're fucking insane." Nick shook his head, idly tuning the guitar stretched across his lap.

        Fab had called Julian to meet up under the guise of showing off some new equipment. When Jules showed up to the rehearsal space on Eighth Avenue, he was greeted by his troubled friends—it was an ambush.

Albert had phoned Nikolai, knowing he would have a better shot at talking some sense into Julian.

Nik rounded up the guys to discuss the implications of what Julian's actions could have on everyone if something were to go wrong.

Julian could get beat, or killed; he could be arrested—they could lose their weekend residency playing at the Mercury Lounge. Julian's reckless plan had the potential to affect everyone in the group.

All seemed to be in agreement—Jules was fucking insane.

"I'm just goin over there to pick up her stuff, I'm not goin over there to kick this dude's ass. But if it comes to that... then, yeah." Julian tried convincing; but he wasn't fooling anyone. They all knew that Julian was determined to invoke pain.

"If she goes down to the station and files a report," Nick strained. "They'll send an officer out there to pick her shit up for her."

"You don't understand, she's terrified of this guy. She's too scared of him to press charges. She won't say it, but I know—she's scared to death of him." Julian explained.

Fab said, "I don't really see the harm in us just goin down there and trying to get her stuff—I mean, the worst he can say is no."

"Yeah, but what if Jules decides to deck him?" Nikolai argued; hoping that Julian's little speech hadn't swayed everyone's mind.
"He'll be at guy's apartment—so not only could he get Jules for assault, he could go after him for trespassing too." Nik's gaze wavered to Julian.
"You could go to jail for this. Is beating up this guy really worth that?"

Julian dropped his head, chewing the skin on his lip as he looked to the floor. He appeared to be thinking it over, but Julian had already made up his mind—it was undoubtedly worth it.

"You didn't see it... I saw it. If you guys saw it... none of you would be standing here tryin to talk me out of goin to this guy's house—you'd already be there." Julian spoke low, but loud enough that everyone heard.

"What'd you see?" Nick asked as he set the guitar on the A-frame stand.

Everyone looked to Julian with questioning eyes. He suddenly realized that Albert hadn't told them—at least not everything.

"You guys know I'm like... the last person to ever wanna fight—violence is always my last resort. You seriously think I'd whoop this guy's ass without a valid reason?" Julian scoffed.

"Al said you've got a hard-on for Erin." Fab chuckled.

"And that's true... but that's not the reason I wanna go over there." Julian admitted without shame.
"He got physical with her—and I mean bad. I wanna send him a message- I want him to keep his hands off her- I want him to stay the fuck away from her. I don't ever him near her again."

Nick's brows furrowed in question. "When you say physical?..."

"She's got handprints on her arms. She's got a back bruise all the way down her side that goes down to her fucking hip."

"You saw her hip?" Fab asked with a laugh hiding in his throat. "And she just showed you this?"

Julian looked to the floor once more, feeling the stares of his friends.

He shook his head. "She didn't show me—I found it."

"You slept with Erin?" Nick sat up straight, leaning forward out of the metal chair. "You lucky bastard."

"Are you guys coming with me, or not? Either way, I'm goin over there." Jules was heading toward the door, already making his way out.

Nikolai spoke, "We're gonna go with you, but you've gotta be smart about this. You can't just kick this guy's ass on his turf, you get what I mean? You've gotta do that somewhere else."

"Like where?" Julian asked, genuinely curious. He wasn't so sure he wouldn't lose control the moment he laid eyes on him.

"I don't know—the park, a bar? Just about anywhere other than this guy's house, or his job." Nik shrugged.
    "We're just goin to get Erin's stuff for now, you can kick his ass later—agreed?"

The corner of Julian's lips twisted into a frown. He didn't like the idea, but understood the rationality of it.

He expected Erin to be angry with him for even considering what he had planned to do—what he was going to do. He couldn't imagine how upset she'd be if he ended up in jail over it—she'd probably never forgive him.

"Whatever." Julian agreed reluctantly.