Blurred lines - Bodyguard Steve
Part 9
Warnings: Suspicious & scary Brock, mentions of potential divorce, speculations of cheating, implied steaminess, Steve & Holly are in love 💙
Tagging: @schlean
Find the Masterlist here 😊
In five years, since Brock took over the family business, Alexandria's life changed so much, she often had a hard time recognizing it. When they got married, she pictured a small flat, filled to the brim with books, vinyls and plants. They'd drink morning coffee on the little balcony, she'd study for her PhD and he'd write. They'd do what they wanted for so many years, what they have planned for so many years.
But when Brock's father got sick and they cut their honeymoon short the shift in her new husband was vivid. John and him were with their father for hours each day and Petra and Alex were worried about their husbands - especially with the possibility of Rumlow's head death. Brock would return home each night completely exhausted but would still go to the office to do some work his father couldn't at that moment.
Alex often thought about that pivotal moment when John turned down the title and all eyes turned to Brock, but she couldn't remember anything else as time stopped and all she could remember was the beating of her heart. She could remember how all their plans were disintegrating and when she found the eyes of her husband again...to this day she can't describe the emotion that crossed his face. But she could see him stand up and accept the burden that wasn't his to carry.
She should've seen it coming honestly, John was seen less and less at the family house as their father's disease progressed and Brock had more to do because of it. Alex should've known John was going to pass on the heavy load of being the new head to his younger brother, but she was too worried about her husband to notice. Maybe if she had, she could've done something about it.
Joe opened the door for her as she exited the house, wearing her baggy jeans and black sweatshirt that she liked to wear whenever she was on her way to the other side of the island.
"Thank you Joe, but I'm taking the subway today." She smiled at him through her sunglasses and rested a hand on his clasped ones.
"If I may ask: when do you expect to be home?" He asked cautiously. He had to answer to Brock, even though his heart went out to Alex - he has seen her cry too many times in the past 5 years.
"Late." She didn't say anything for a moment, but then she pulled off her sunglasses and sighed. "If my husband asks, you can tell him I'm in Brooklyn on the look-out for new art."
After Joe nodded, Alex walked out the gates of her house and towards the metro station. The first time she made it to the Brooklyn heights promenade she cried, stopping a few runners that passed her. She spent the next 5 minutes trying to explain that she was okay and that this was her first time seeing this place. After that when she felt suffocated by her life, she'd disappear for the day and just soak in the sun on the rocks and watch the sunset at the Manhattan bridge with other people. She felt like she was normal then.
She put her headphones on when she sat down on the metro. Her parents loved classical music, but she was more of an old school rock fan. Like Brock. When he proposed to her, he bought her a Creedence Clearwater Revival vinyl she was searching for months. They wanted to fill the small closet in their flat with vinyls.
There's no gramophone in the house now.
Alex thought about leaving and divorcing Brock so many times. Too many times that she was comfortable admitting to herself. But even though she thinks about leaving, she knows she never will - he is the love of her life. He did the only right thing he could've done at that moment and she can't blame him for that, especially not when he tries so hard to make her happy.
She got off the subway and walked downhill, among the little brick row houses and she wondered about the people living inside them. She often wondered about other people's lives. What they dreamt of, what were they scared of, what made them want to get up in the morning. She tried answering the same questions, but it sometimes made her sad. As she saw the first sun rays breaking on the water she sped up, wanting to see the water as soon as possible and grabbed an ice-cream from the vendor - Paul - on the way to her spot on the rocks.
~Brock~
It had been happening more and more recently - Alex disappearing for the whole day and returning only in the evening. She never told anyone where she was going and she always took the subway. Joe always told him the same - she was in Brooklyn searching for art. The first couple of times he brushed it off as she was a fan of art, but when she never added anything to the collection, he became suspicious.
After the conversation they had a week ago, Brock was feeling antsy. He knew what he was about to do was wrong and if Alex found out, she'd have his head, but he needed to do something or his head was going to explode. Picking up the phone, he dialed the newest number in his phone.
"Steve. It's Brock." He paused for the other man to catch up. "Listen, I know it's early, but if you want I have a job for you. Can you come over tomorrow to discuss details?"
~Steve~
"Sure. I have to pick something up from the post, but I can come over straight after that. Would 9am be okay for you?" Steve asked as he walked around the apartment. Holly watched varily from the sofa, twirling the remote in her hands.
"Perfect, see you then." He hung up and exhaled.
"Was that Brock?" Holly asked as he plopped down next to her, putting his arm around her, scooching closer to her. He hummed in response and reached for the remote to unpause the movie.
"I thought we talked about it, Steve. I don't want you close to the business." She moved the remote out of his way. "You're too pure to be in this business."
"Holly, I can handle myself. It's not like he'll ask me to move a body or something."
"Maybe not now." She joked. "But seriously Stevie...I know you don't have a job but this is serious. He won't make you do anything illegal but he might put a target on your back. And I love you too much to watch you get killed."
"Oh, you love me?" Steve quickly changed the subject.
"I do." Holly blushed and turned her body to him, slowly kissing his jaw. "You are the most honest and nicest man I have ever met and I love you because of it."
"I love you too." Steve grabbed her chin, looking into her eyes. She stared at him before kissing him hard and stradling his lap, tugging at his belt.
~Brock~
He couldn't focus, he stared at the man in front of him but he couldn't hear a single word the man said. The only thing that played in his head on repeat was that Alex might be cheating on him.
"Mr. Rumlow, I would need your answer by the end of today. I'm meeting with new potential client tomorrow and unless you'd agree to a higher price, I will have to stop supplying the coca plant." That made him snap out of his throughts. Brock let his hand fall from his beard to the table and he met the eyes of the man sitting in front of him. The man visibly flinched.
"Mr. Gilson, I thought we had a contract that was valid for the next 3 more years."
"W-We do, however as you hopefully recall, there is a clause that mentions the other competitors." Gilson gulped. Brock stood up, motioning to his bodyguards to leave, before he cornered Gilson in his chair.
"I don't like to be fooled, Gilson. We both know there was no such clause and you're only greedy." Brock sneered. "You know damn well what kind of reputation I have and I don't like to prove anyone right. So unless you'd like to be on the receiving end of it, I suggest you call off tomorrow's meeting as I am the only one that has the legally binding right to your coca plant."
"M-Mr. Rumlow, p-please, he is offering a lot more money and I'm not asking you to match his price, just a symbolic value, so I can justify saying no."
"Are you in money trouble? Have any debt?" Brock straightened up, looking down at the man in front of him.
"No."
"Is the competitor threatening you?"
"No."
"Have you had a good harvest and have additional coca plants that will go bad if you don't sell them?"
"No."
"Are you afraid of the competitor?"
"Not really."
"Are you afraid of me?"
"Not always."
"What about right now?"
"...yes." Gilson gulped and when he saw Brock's hand move, he flinched, closing his eyes. Brock slapped his shoulder.
"I will tell you what's going to happen now." Brock inhaled. "You are going to leave my office and never, or for the next three years, raise this topic to me again. Unless there will be some real problems, I don't want to hear about your greed. And there will be no other buyers. Do you understand me?"
"Y-Yes." The man scurried out of the office and his bodyguards entered the room again, sitting at the table, observing their boss rubbing his forehead.
"Find out who this competitor is. Someone has been snooping around and I don't like it." His bodyguards nodded and left again, leaving Brock alone with his thoughts.
~Steve~
After Holly showered she left for some event she needed to attend and Steve decided to take a walk and think about tomorrow. It was going to be a pivotal day for his mission and he wondered what the job will be, what will be asked of him. He knew that undercover cops don't undergo trial or face consequences but he still wondered if he will be able to do what will be asked of him.
He made his way to the water, walking around the lively restaurants and bars, observing the happy chatter and music that filled the Pebble beach. He thought of Peggy and he remembered how she left him - in the middle of Per Se with a ring in his palm. He had a plan then, for them. He was going to buy the small brick row house in Brooklyn and they'd have a family, like they dreamed of, he'd request a transfer to a desk job or even maybe potentially change jobs, so he wouldn't worry her. They'd dance in the living room to jazz and they'd cook together while they recounted their days.
Steve made it to the lawn next to the Manhattan bridge and took in the setting sun. He pictured having picnics here with Peggy, they'd sit in silence and just be with each other, appreciating something so spectacular and beautiful.
He saw a lone figure far from anyone else, resting on her hands, head lulled to the side and he recognized her.
"Alex. What brings you to the other side of town?" Steve made his way to her, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Steve...what? Did Brock send you?" Alex quickly stood up, wiping her hands in her jeans.
"What? No, of course not, I live near by and walk along the promenade oftenly." Steve looked utterly lost and her stern look fell and she tried laughing it off.
"Sorry about that. Of course you live near by. You mentioned last week at dinner."
"Mind if I join you?" Steve asked and pointed to the patch of grass she was sitting on a few moments ago.
"Not at all." They sat down and watched the sun set on Manhattan.
"The first time I saw it, I cried." Alex said after the last rays disappeared. "The sunset I mean." She turned to him. Steve didn't know what to say.
"I can understand that - it is truly breathtaking."
"I don't think I'd ever get tired of seeing it."
"You would." Steve sheepishly laughed as Alex looked at him, eyebrows arched high. "I grew up here so I have seen it thousands of times. It's nice, but you get used to it."
"I don't think I ever would."
"That's because you live far away and can't be here everyday. Let me put it like this - at the dinner I commented on the Kandinsky that hangs in your living room and you said that it was okay. If you only saw it once in a museum, you'd think it is one of the most beautiful works of art. But now you look at it everyday and you don't think it's that interesting anymore."
"That's true, but I also think that each day you'd come here, the people are different and so is the vibe. I think that makes each experience different from the one another." Alex smiled.
Steve insisted on walking her to her subway station across the Brooklyn bridge. Alex felt weird not talking to him, while she suspected Steve didn't mind the silence.
"How's the job search going?" She finally aske, breaking Steve's train of thoughts.
"Actually Brock called me today with a job offer." He was surprised by her surprised expression. "You don't know anything about it?"
"No...but to be fair I am the least involved in the family business."
"How so?"
"I don't want anything to do with it. The less I know the better."
"For your protection?"
"And my sanity - I don't want to know the business my husband is involved in, especially when I know that I won't agree with it."
"Why marry into the family then?" Steve inquired and paused as Alex turned to him. "Forgive me, that was completely out of line."
Neither of them spoke for the next few minutes. Steve took off his jacket and put it around her shoulder as she shuddered due to the wind. She stayed way over what she calculated and was severly unprepared for the NYC wind in the middle of Brooklyn bridge. She was surprised by the act of kindness. He really was different than Holly's other boyfriends.
"Brock wasn't supposed to take over the business. When we got married, we were supposed to move to Europe. I was supposed to continue studying and he wanted to write." She decided to answer his previous question. Steve nodded but decided to keep his mouth shut - after all this wasn't his business and was irrelevant to his mission, so he thought it was better to not snoop too much and make her uncomfortable.
She returned his jacket when they arrived at the Fulton street and they said goodbye, before she disappeared into the station and he continued to walk to the Chamber street.
When Alex returned home, Brock was still up, reading his book in bed.
"How was your art hunt?" He smiled at her, putting down his book.
"Joe really can't lie, can he?" She joked. "Not as productive as I would've liked. There were good pieces but none of them really moved me." She said from the bathroom. His smile fell and he had to restrain himself from accusing his wife of anything without proof.
"I sure one of these days you'll find what you're searching for."
"I'm not really searching for anything - I'm just looking around. I know it when I'll see it."
"Right...listen I want to talk to you about the business."
"Brock, no, I don't wa-"
"I know. But this is pressing and it concerns you. I don't want you to be blindsided tomorrow."
Alex could sense something was off, but now she was becoming uneasy. She walked out of the bathroom in her PJs and sat on the edge of the bed, next to Brock.
"There's something going on and until I get to the bottom of it, I want you to be safe at all times. I have a meeting with Steve tomorrow and if he accepts he's going to be your bodyguard for the time being." Alex stood up abruptly.
"No, Brock. We had this discussion already, I don't need a bodyguard."
"This was before. Things changed. You're getting a bodyguard and that's the end of this conversation."
"You can't make decisions for me whenever you feel like it."
"For fuck's sakes Alex, someone has been snooping around and I can't have you sneaking off for the whole day, making me worry what has happened to you!" Brock was now standing in front of her, yelling in her face. She piped down, looking into his blazing eyes. In the 20+ years she has known him, she has seen him angry only a handful of times.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but please just grant me this until I figure things out, okay?" He sighed as he stared into her big eyes.
"I don't like this, Brock." Alex sighed as well.
"I know, but just until I get to the bottom of this, okay? I swear." He kissed the top of her head.
Thank you for reading! 🙏😊
The GIF and the clothes picture aren't mine - they belong to the amazing creators.
Phew this was a long chapter! And it was a long time coming 😁 I hope it's still okay that @schlean you are still tagged?
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