The next morning, I awake to some yelling coming from downstairs. I groan a bit as I force myself to get out of bed. I throw on a robe, not wanting to take the time to throw on some clothes, and leave my room. I lean over the rail and look down into the great room of the house. I see two men throwing punches at each other as several others crowd around him. This is not cool. It pisses me off to see my men acting like a bunch of high school boys.
“Hey!” I yell down to them. Everything comes to a halt as they all look up at me. “What the hell is going on here?!”
“Aw come on, Sweetheart, we were just settling some personal issues the old-fashioned way.” James answers with a smile as he pushes way into the middle of the crowd.
“You know we do not do this shit in here. There are specific rooms designed for this bullshit and plus a huge yard. NOT HERE!” I yell at him, pissed that he is allowing this shit.
“Alright, boys, you heard the woman. Let’s take ten and then meet back up in the combat room.” He tells them and then looks back up at me. “I’m loving the outfit. Especially because I can see up it through the rails.” He smiles at me while he wiggles his eyebrows at me.
I huff in disgust, but I don’t move away from the rail or go to adjust my robe. It isn’t like he has not seen it all before. I am just annoyed with him right now. “I really think you’re pushing your luck with me and believe me when I tell you, you don’t have much left” I tell him.
“You’re no fun. Didn’t sleep well again, I assume.”
“That’s really none of your business.” I glare. “Now, what in the hell was that about? I can’t have my men fighting each other like that. Personal shit brought in here will cause problems out there.”
“Our men and you need to chill out. That’s why I came up with this solution. They fight it out old school style and get their issues out and after it is all over, there is no more issue. Apparently Eddy hit on the girl Skinny has been interested in, and they both think they have a chance. They are fighting for a chance to ask her out. The loser backs off.” James explains with pride.
“Pigs. What happens if this girl is not interested in neither one of them?” I ask lean forward and rest my arms on the rail.
“That’s their issue and problem to deal with. I just solve the business shit.” His answer makes me roll my eyes and stand back up straight.
I turn to walk away and after a couple of steps I turn back to him. “And you wonder why we never worked, jackass. I’m going out later. Will you please act mature for a few hours and make sure everything here is being taken care of while I’m gone?”
“No worries here. I did it for several months. I don’t see why I can’t do it now,” is his response.
“I know that you are not trying to imply that I wasn’t taking care of things while Justin was here because I did. That is why he no longer is.” I throw back at him as I turn and leave.
I get to my room and slam the door. It is childish, but I do not care. He just frustrates me. He thinks he needs to point out his belief that I abandoned the job and remind me that Justin left me, and this will ‘knock me out of the funk’ I am in. I am not in a funk and I never abandoned my job or my men like he abandoned me.
This is why I never let myself get attached, have a fling and then end it. Do not get close and do NOT get them involved in the business in any way.
Later that afternoon, I pull into my driveway and see neither Chase’s nor Tabbetha’s cars. I have no idea how long I have here to be alone, so I rush in and grab some things I needed. I wanted to get some of my clothes, but I am mainly here to get a file that I had left in my room the other day.
I grab the things I came for and just about out when I hear Tabbetha’s car pull in. I roll my eyes as I ready myself for some kind of confrontation. I stand in the middle of the living room with my arms crossed across my chest as I hear her walk through the kitchen. I hear two sets of feet, so I assume Chase is with her.
“Arianna, I didn’t expect you to be back here anytime soon.” Tabbetha says and the surprise is evident in her voice.
“I had to get some things,” is my simple answer as I hold up the file in my hand. “I’m on my way out.”
“Please don’t. I never meant to cause a fight. I just wanted you to see that you aren’t the only one that was hurt in all of this. Justin thinks you chose to love another man, James of all people,” disgust in her voice, “and you just let him get tortured for nothing. That isn’t fair for either one of you.”
I roll my eyes as I move to walk out the door. “I honestly don’t care what he thinks about anything. I’m tired of you two not letting it go.” I tell them.
I’m almost to the door when I stop and turn to Chase. “I truly am sorry if this cost you a friend. I never meant for that to happen. If you wish, I will pay for any and every plane ticket you need to go visit him.”
“See you do care, so why won’t you admit you care about Justin. You love him.” Tabbetha yells out at me.
I walk back in with pure annoyance on my face. “I said I’m tired of it. Just drop it!” I growl at her through clenched teeth as I glare at them both.
I go to walk back to the door when Tabbetha stops me once again. “Don’t you want your fairy tale ending?”
Without even thinking about it, I pull my gun out and point it right at her. Her eyes widen with disbelief and fear. This is the first time she has ever shown fear towards me and as much as it bothered me, I could not seem to put the gun down. Chase slowly moves in front of her.
“Don’t you ever fucking bring up fairy tales around me,” I demand angrily.
“That’s enough!” Chase yells out. “You get that fucking gun out of our faces. You don’t do this. Who are you?” Chase asks me.
“I’m the same person I’m always been. I’m tired of everyone saying I’ve changed. Just because Justin left, everyone assumes that I should be all mopey and crying and whatever else like some girl out of one of your fucking fairy tales.” I yell back.
Tabbetha moves out from behind Chase but still keeps her distance from me. “I just thought –“
“Don’t do that. It obviously causes problems.” I tell her as I finally put my gun down and start walking back to the door when I turn back to them. “You want to know the truth about fairy tales?” I ask them, looking more at Tabbetha. “They are bullshit. They are society’s way of telling girls that they are destined to be damsels in distress. We are meant to just sit around wishing and hoping for our Prince Charming to come and rescue us and then we immediately obey their every command. They tell boys that they are meant to be some Prince Charming and they will be a hero and save some girl which only makes them pompous assholes.” I explain to her. “Parents tell us these tales over and over again because they are too lazy and scared to let their children live their own lives. I’m tired of it. Apparently I’m a horrible person for wanting to be a girl that doesn’t have to be saved by a damn Prince Charming.” I storm out after that.
I speed off back to the mansion, swearing never to return to my house. I cannot take it when those two are constantly pushing shit. They used to understand that I do not want things pushed on me and I cannot stand it when people assume I want or need something. What has happened to us? We seemed to have pulled apart, no longer the friends we were. I know what happened, fucking Justin Timberlake. I’m tired of him causing problems even after he is gone.
I get to the mansion and go to inside. I hear yelling coming from down the hall. James must have started the fight back up and it is still going. There is one problem that can come from having our men trained so well. They think they can fight for days. They will start to feel it in the morning, and I do not stand for whining when I send them out on a job.
I get to my office and shut the door to shut out the noise. I throw the file that I had retrieved from my house down on my desk, and I throw myself down into the chair. I slump down, not really wanting to do anything. I’m tired from not sleeping well and exhausted from yelling at my friends. I decide to put off work and find something else to occupy my time. I grab the few clothing items I got and take them upstairs to my room. I clean up a bit and then go follow the sound down the hall.
I get to the combat room and, not to much surprise, find two different people than the original battling it out. I spot James across the circle that had formed around the fighters and holding money.
I make my way over to him. “We aren’t a Fight Club, asshole.” I lean over to his ear and say.
“I know but we don’t have anything to do right now. It’s a good way to train them.” He tells me smiling. “Plus, it’s good money.” He hold the wads of cash up for me to see.
It is not long before the fight is over. I pull referee status and call it off. It is obvious who was winning, and I did not need to lose my men to some stupid severe head injury because of all this nonsense. I got a couple of boos until I look around and then it stops.
“Baby, you can’t just stop the entertainment. This helps the men. They have a release and if they aren’t fighting then they have something to take their mind off things.” James whines as he comes up and puts his arms around my waist but then starts to smirk a little, “Not everyone has a chance to release their pent up frustrations and stress the way we do.”
“Get off me.” I move out of his grasp. “I have an idea. They want entertainment and I need release. You and I fight. If you win, you can continue this nonsense until we have to start hiring new men because ours are in a coma, and if I win then this stops and everyone finds a new release.” I offer him.
The men heard my offer and are immediately up for the deal. They are excited to see the outcome. They have all seen both of us fight in some way or another, but we usually have guns with us, and never have they seen us fight physically like this.
“I’ll even spice it up for you, baby,” I smile at him. “We can use anything in this room we want against each other, anything but guns.” I tell him.
If you look around the room, there is pretty much anything and everything in here. There are wooden poles in a bin, there are chairs in the corner, there are swords on the wall, and there are so much more lying around.
“You game?” I ask him with an evil smile.
“I’m not fighting you. I don’t need my partner to be a vegetable just so we can fight.” He answers while shaking his head.
“That’s fine.” I tell him as I turn to the men. “Sorry, boys, no more fighting because Angel here is scared to fight me.” I tell them causing them to all boo and raise commotion.
“That’s low. Fine, let’s do this. I don’t want to hear you whining later either.” He smiles back at me. “Maybe we can work off some more steam later in the bedroom.” His smile turns into a smirk.
I just roll my eyes and remove any clothing that would be hindering, leaving myself in a tank top that fits snugly to my body and some snug fitting workout pants. I remove my shoes and James does so too. Just before the first punch is thrown, I can feel myself needing this. This is just what I need, take out my frustration on someone that can give it back, and the person that is the reason he left. This is going to feel good.
