Page 12 of Saved By the Game

“Yes, ma’am. She’s been cleared go. Please don’t upset her because we just got her levels back to normal. I don’t want to have to readmit her.” The nurse advised before leaving the room.

“I pray you’re feeling better Kybella. The caramel-skinned, wide hip, detective announced as she stepped in standing at five feet. She flipped the bluntly cut bobbed hair out of her face. Then she took out her note pad and pen. I just have a few questions and then you all can leave. I had to follow protocol by prioritizing your medical care over questioning, by recognizing that preserving life takes precedence over gathering evidence. Iknow everything has been rough. During the time you were held hostage, did Brian hurt you? Please provide details.”

“Yes. He slapped me a couple of times, choked me, and put a gun to my head. He also threatened to kill me.” The questions brought flashbacks to Bella’s memory. Her head began to hurt from the thought of the gun to her head.

“So, he didn’t assault you with the gun?”The detective raised her eyebrow in scrutiny.

“No ma’am. Not this time. He only pointed the gun at my head. He tied rope across my chest and shoulders to pin me to the seat. The tight ropes made me have severe cuts and made it hard for me to breathe.

Bella saw Adonis suck his teeth after hearing how Brian had hurt her again.She stopped giving the details of the situation when she saw him looking up to the ceiling of the hospital room. She could tell he was trying to avoid looking at the pain in her eyes as she relived the horrific time alone with Brian.

“Sir, do you know Brian?” Did he cause any harm to you?”

“No. I don’t know Brian personally. I don’t even know Bella personally.”

“How do we know you didn’t have anything to do with her kidnapping? I mean where were you during the time of the kidnapping?” She investigated sternly.

“I was in the hotel room with her. She left the room without my knowledge. I have no reason to want to kidnap her! We just happened to stay in the same hotel. I helped her in the hotel lobby when she was trying to escape from him. I saw a beautiful woman in need of my help, so I saved her. Her bodywas bleeding from so many cuts and bruises that she endured from his attack. Brian didn’t cause me any harm, but he hurt Bella tremendously. I want to see him receive the highest degree of punishment the law will allow.”

The detective wrote down every word he said on her note pad. She cleared her throat after processing everything. “We’ll use this information. I appreciate you both for cooperating with me. If I have any further questions you can expect to hear from me. Here is my card. If you remember anything else, please call me. Brian is still in the local Paris jail awaiting a court date. There are reasons the prosecutor can seek the maximum sentence. He used a weapon during the crime and that can influence the prosecutors to seek the maximum sentencing.” Bella took a deep sigh in relief. “You all are free to go. Please take care.”The detective gave Adonis a look of skepticism.

“Did you hear that miserable detective insinuate that I was involved in your kidnapping? She had some nerve!”

Bella couldn’t help but giggle at the insult he spewed out about Detective Shantell. “She was only doing her job, babe. Don’t let it bother you. I know you didn’t have anything to do with my kidnapping. I remember her explaining to me about how you had everyone looking all over the hotel for me. I’m grateful to have you. Without you I could still be his hostage or worse.” Bella pulled him in for a kiss. “Now get me out of this creepy hospital prince charming. Let’s get to Texas.” She smiled.

“I have a surprise for you here in Paris. Then I’m taking my gorgeous babe home.” Adonis couldn’t believe that he was going home with the Kybella Vonshire. He still couldn’t wrap his head around the idea he would share his mansion with her. It was like taking an Olympic medal home after all.

“Huh, what surprise? I don’t like surprises, Game.”

“Oh, you might as well get used to surprises from me. I like to keep my woman happy. Life is too short for unhappiness. Come on, so we can get ready. Adonis walked alongside her as the nurse escorted her out in a wheelchair, and they waved goodbye to the hospital staff.

8

Brian Porter

It was Sunday morning, the last day of the Olympic games and the day of the Olympic game celebration. Brian was fuming inside. After two weeks in Paris, he would miss the celebration with his peers. In his mind, the owner of the NBA should personally put a medal on him. He believed he was superior to all the players in the league even though he couldn’t keep his spot on the team. The thought of everyone learning about his arrest upset him more. He took his fist and hit the wall with anger. “Man, can you chill out! The guards should be letting us out for the yard soon. We usually play basketball, you can take all your frustrations out on the court against the guys,” spoke Bourbon.

“Oh, yes. Do you think a professional basketball player should play against some dummy criminals? You sound crazy. I’m not putting myself in a game with losers. I’ll lift some weights and have you spot me.”

“News flash… You aren’t any better than us. We all in jail, so I guess you’re a dummy criminal too. Yeah, I’ll spot you with the weights after our basketball game. You’re participating in the game, young blood. Do you hear me?” Bourbon chuckled.“Maybe the exercise from the game will allow you to get some sleep.” He chuckled louder.

Brian looked away to avoid eye contact with Bourbon. He wasn’t used to another man telling him how to live. He wasn’t scared of Bourbon, but he had to live in the same cell with him. After Bourbon told him about all the murders he’d committed inside and outside the jail, Brian decided not to get on his bad side. He killed his previous cell mate over a disagreement about religion. The guards assumed the cellmate died peacefully in his sleep until an autopsy was done. Bourbon strangled the cellmate with his bare hands. He heard rumors the autopsy report showed signs of struggle since the victim had many scratches and abrasion on the neck. The story spooked Brian after he heard it, and he feared sleeping at night in the cell. In fact, he hadn’t slept for 48 hours. When he dozed off, the image of Bourbon standing over him strangling him woke him up. He’d lay awake all night until a guard announced breakfast at five a.m.

Brian could feel the tension in the air, so he decided to lighten the mood. With a half-smile he leaned back on his bed and asked casually, “So, how do you maintain your mental health in here? Do you have any women come to see you I don’t see how you’ve been without good loving from a woman. I’ve got to have some tender loving from one of my tenders. How do you do it man?” He figured getting to know his cellmate better might make things a little less hostile.

“Only married prisoners can have conjugal visits. I have pull in this prison, so the guards bend the rules for me. Bourbon stuck out his tongue after bragging. “I set up conjugal visits with one of the guards. I mess around with some of the female guards from time to time. I’ve been here over ten years with a lifetime to go. I can get away with anything. You’ll just have to lift weightsto relieve pressure until you out of jail.” Bourbon threw up his arms.

Brian Porter was used to having any woman he wanted. He took his pick on any given night. His need for love and belonging were at odds now. Women made him happy, especially his girlfriend Bella. When he was away for games he would enjoy time with other women. When Bella would make him mad, he would cope by having sex with another woman. In jail he couldn’t use a woman to help with his needs. He began to have obsessive thoughts about Kybella spending time with Adonis. Imagining his girlfriend with Adonis caused him pain. He didn’t want her to share his love with anyone else. Now he feared he would never have it again. Everybody needed love, even a man like Brian Porter.

“Snap out of it, young blood. The guards will do a quick security search on our cell and then us. Then the guards will let us go to the yard. Come on, let’s get ready to go.” Bourbon announced as he snapped his finger in front of Brian.

“Say, how is the order I put in?” Brian asked quietly. “My lady told me the money was transferred to your canteen successfully.”

“It’s in motion young blood. Don’t worry about it. Right now, it’s time to worry about me beating you in this basketball game.”

The guards released the handcuffs on each prisoner once they made it to the prison yard. Brian inhaled deeply to take in the fresh air. He hadn’t taken a whiff of fresh air in twenty four hours. The yard was crammed with over one hundred men standing around in tan dickie suits. It was nothing to see but one basketball goal without a net. A white concrete prisonyard, without vegetation enclosed with barbwire fencing. In one corner was a weightlifting bench. Brian followed Bourbon.

“What’s up? Do y’all want to form teams of five for a game? I got him on my team.” Bourbon announced as he pointed to Brian. The other men formed teams, and Brian checked the ball in. An older prisoner took his position as the referee. The prison guards watched the game like hawks, clutching their guns tightly. Each player was big and tough. So tough they passed the ball around with great force. The rough ball handling was beginning to aggravate Brian. He played with a chip on his shoulder and dunked the ball over one of the other prisoner’s head.

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