Fighting Wrath

by Jennifer Miller

  “Not a big deal? Tyson Aaron Martin, if you are getting in fights again…”

  “Chill out, it’s not anything like that.”

  “Yeah, you said it’s from a fight. Hazards of the job I’m learning,” I smile at Rowan but see her and Jax frown. I’m not sure what I said wrong.

  “A fight?” Jax asks, the look on his face questioning.

  Before he can answer Ryder steps forward, hand raised. “Guilty,” he says with a grimace.

  “What the hell, Ryder? You were sparring full throttle or what?” Rowan asks.

  Ryder shrugs and I look back at Tyson and he looks… odd. He and Ryder exchange a quirky glance and when I look back at Jax and Rowan, I see that he’s frowning and definitely sizing up the two.

  Before I can give it another thought, Tyson takes my hand. “Before I was smacked around,” he looks at Rowan with a frown, and she scoffs in return. “I was going to formally introduce you. Row, this is Sydney. Sydney, this is my sister Rowan and her boyfriend, Jax.”

  “It’s really nice to meet you. Tyson has told me a lot about you both.”

  “It’s great to meet you too.” I’m surprised when Rowan tugs on my arm, “Come on, I’d love to get to know you better. Someone has been surprisingly closed mouthed about you. Would you like to come with me into the office while we let these guys do their thing?”

  “Sure,” I smile and nod. We start to walk away together, but I’m surprised when Tyson pulls me back first, and kisses me. Right there. In front of everyone. Well, anyone that’s watching I guess. Regardless, I’m surprised but find myself falling into his kiss, quickly forgetting – or not caring - where we are. When we pull apart, he smiles at me and tucks my hair behind my ear. A gesture I adore. When I finally come down to earth, I hear some of the guys cat calling around us.

  “Oh, shut up,” Rowan says in my defense. “You’re just jealous it isn’t you.”

  Laughing, I turn away, but not before giving Tyson a private smile.

  As I walk with Rowan, Nikki purposefully bumps into me on our way. “Excuse you,” Rowan says giving Nikki a dirty look, but Nikki ignores her and gives me a wicked smile instead. Her presence makes me horribly uncomfortable. I don’t want her hanging out here and more, I don’t want Tyson to know where I work – not until I’m ready to tell him myself. I turn to look over my shoulder at her, worried that she’s going to say or do something. I don’t know why… I doubt she’s going to shout it to the world, or even gives a crap, but I’m still relieved when I see her go one way, and Tyson the other. Although, the look she gave me, makes me feel unsettled.

  “How long are you going to make me pay?” I ask Rowan for the third time.

  “I haven’t decided yet,” she replies, refusing to look at me.

  It’s been a few days since Rowan met Sydney at the gym and Rowan is still pissed at me. Here to pick Lily up for our uncle/niece outing, I watch as Rowan dramatically shoves all the crap her tiny little human being needs into a diaper bag. It’s insane how much she’s packing for a couple hours. I don’t see why I can’t just shove a bottle into one back pocket and a diaper with a couple wipes into the other, and be on our way. Rowan insists I take all kinds of crap with us.

  As if knowing full well her mom is pissed off, Lily watches us quietly from her highchair, wide-eyed while slowly bringing cheerios to her mouth, one at a time, as though she dare not miss the live entertainment.

  “Come on, I already apologized to you when you called me the night you met her. I also called you the next morning to apologize again when you told me you were mad. I’m apologizing to you now. Again. I’m so, so, so, sorry I didn’t tell you about Sydney, okay? Now can we be done with this?”

  She loudly places a bottle on the counter and her head flies up as her hands meet her hips. “Don’t you take attitude with me, Tyson Aaron Martin. I’m your sister, your twin sister. We,” she gestures between us, “have a bond. We tell each other things. Or at least we used to. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about her.”

  “You mean kind of like you didn’t tell me about Jason ditching you in the hospital when you were in labor?” She hates referring to that time because it still pisses her off. Not because she cares anymore about the asshole, but because she’s still angry and embarrassed at how he played her. I shouldn’t bring it up, but hell, I have a point to prove. Besides, she met Jax out of all the drama, so it had a happy ending.

  “That’s different,” she shoots back.

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “Yes, it is! You were in jail at the time. I didn’t want to worry you and put more on your shoulders than you were already dealing with.”

  “Oh, and I suppose not telling me promptly about Jax was also poor timing and about not worrying me too. Look, sometimes we each have things happen that we need to sit on for a bit…to see what shakes out. And, well you know about her now, so let’s move on, alright? Besides, at least I brought her to meet you.”

  She scoffs at my comment, “You did not bring her to meet me. You brought her to the gym, most likely to meet the guys and to show her off while you showed off for her, and I just happened to be there,” she pouts.

  Women are exasperating. No way in hell am I winning this argument. It’s better at times to not even try and respond. So I let her words float to the ceiling and step and bend to pick up a cheerio that has landed on the floor.

  “You really like her, Ty.”

  Standing astride, shrugging my shoulders and looking at Lily while I cock my head to the side, I reply, “Yeah, she’s cool.”

  “Don’t. Don’t you dare do that. It’s me you’re talking to. You like her a lot. I can tell.”

  Her soft words take my eyes from Lily and I look at my sister. Her warm, semi-amused eyes and the soft, calm smile on her face make me exhale. As crazy as it is, I hate it when she’s pissed at me, no matter how big or small the issue is. My role has always been to protect her, not to be the source of her ire. “Alright, fine,” I confess. “I like her. A lot.”

  “I know you do. Like I said, I can tell. It’s in the way you look at her, how you watch her when she’s not looking and the sweet way you touch her. A hand on her arm, the small of her back, it’s sweet. I think when a person is happily in love themselves, it’s easy to spot others that feel the same way.”

  “Whoa,” I hold up my hands in defense, “no one said a damn thing about love.”

  She laughs, “Okay fine, like, love, whatever. You know what I mean. Plus, I know you – and you my brother, are smitten.”

  Throwing myself into her soft leather chair, I confess. “There’s, something about her. I can’t explain it.” Realizing I’m staring at the wall in thought about the mystery of her and us, I return my focus to Rowan, “My mind has been wrapped up in her and wondering about her feelings for me. It’s fucking ridiculous.”

  “Mouth in front of the baby,” she admonishes.

  “Fuck, sorry.” She huffs and I cringe. “Sorry.” She rolls her eyes and I slant a half-grin.

  She walks over to me and sits on the arm of my chair, “Tell me what you mean.”

  “I mean, she’s more than just some chick I want to get horizontal with. I ran into her, literally, at the bookstore. From the second she looked at me, I felt this unfamiliar and strange attraction, like I knew her. There was this instant deep connection, a feeling of wanting to see her again, to know more about her. I’ve not been able to get her out of my head since. God, I sound like a pussy.”

  “You do not. Besides, if anyone can understand how you feel, it’s me. You know I went through a similar thing when I met Jax.”

  “Yeah, true. So thanks for confirming I am becoming a girl. Seriously. I’m just taking it a day at a time. I don’t want to scare her, or screw this up. She does something to me. She…I don’t know… she has an affect on me that I haven’t quite figured out. She soothes something in here,” I tell her patting my own chest. Rowan’s smile at my words practically breaks her face. “Oh
no.”

  “What?” she asks.

  “Get that look off your face.”

  “What look?”

  “The look that says you want to start making plans like making girly scrapbooks that contain all kinds of crap for my future wedding and family and life.”

  She stands and rolls her eyes, “Oh please, I’m not doing that.”

  “Sure you aren’t.” Standing, I walk over and take my very patient niece out of her highchair. “Is she packed? I’d like to leave now. My little angel here and I are going to meet Sydney at the bookstore.”

  After she packs up a couple more things, we finally are on our way.

  Arriving at the bookstore, I look for Sydney as soon as we walk in the door. It doesn’t take me long to find her. Her face is frowning while her nose is buried in a book, and she aimlessly twirls her hair. Wanting to, but knowing I shouldn’t interrupt her, I take Lily over to the kids section and type Syd a quick text, knowing she will come find us when she’s ready.

  Lily and I are sitting at a table, she in my lap, and well into our tenth book, Dr. Seuss’s Oh the Places You’ll Go, by the time Sydney joins us. I can feel her presence before I even look up, and do so while I’m in mid-sentence and sure enough, she’s standing watching us. “Hi,” I say smiling as I reach my hand out for her.

  “Hi, yourself,” she says and takes my hand.

  Tugging her downward as she takes it, I pull her down to my mouth and kiss her. Her lips are soft and I can’t help but give a quick swipe of my tongue in her mouth, tasting her. “Mmm,” I murmur in her ear, “if I didn’t think we’d scar children for life, I’d spread you out on this table.”

  She laughs, “Should you be thinking and saying that in front of your niece?”

  Laughing I start piling the books I’ve read to Lily into a stack, selecting the one I want to buy her. “Let’s pay for this and I thought we could go next door and get some ice cream. You game?”

  “That sounds great,” she smiles.

  “Would you mind holding her while I put these back?”

  “No, not at all.”

  Returning the books to their place on the shelf, I turn to get Lily’s stroller and stop when I catch the sight of my niece and Sydney together. They make a gorgeous picture. Lily investigating by tugging on Sydney’s hair and Syd smiling with amusement while conversing with her in a light-hearted manner as she gently removes her hair from Lily’s tight fist.

  Making our way to the register, Sydney carries Lily on her hip and gestures to the book in my hand, “A good one?” she asks in a teasing tone?

  “Lily seemed to like it. And I could pronounce all the words. So, it works. I buy her a book each time we come here.”

  “That’s a great idea. I bet she has quite the library already.”

  “She does. When my sister was younger I used to purchase books for her too. Our family life wasn’t always the greatest.” I pause and clear my throat. “Since I was too young to actually take Rowan away from the life we lived initially, I used to try and bring her other worlds to get lost in, at least for a little while.”

  When Sydney looks at me, the apprehension in my chest eases when I see absolutely no judgment in her eyes. “You are a really wonderful brother. Rowan is lucky to have you.”

  “We are lucky to have each other,” I smile. I pay for the book and we head out of the store and start walking toward the ice cream shop. “When we’ve finished our ice cream, I need to take Lily home and then I was hoping you’d be available to hang out with me for a bit? I have to do some work on a car I’m helping rebuild, but I’m only putting in a couple hours. I thought maybe you could hang out with me while I do that and then we can do whatever you want afterward. Are you game?”

  “Sounds great,” she says with a smile and I can’t help but lean down to press my lips to hers again. Pulling away, I realize we are at the ice cream shop. Just as we’re about to walk inside, a voice stops us.

  “Aw, well aren’t you two just the cutest. Playing house today, Tyson? Perhaps you should do so with someone that’s worthy of a man like you. You know, a girl that’s not a complete slut.”

  I’m about to say something I shouldn’t utter in front of Lily. Something that Rowan would slap me for, but before I can, Sydney beats me to it. “Shut up, Nikki. Mind your own damn…” she pauses and looks toward Lily, “darn business.”

  “Mind my own business, huh? That’s funny. Tyson was my business before he was your business, if you get my drift.”

  “Wait,” I say with surprise, gesturing between the two women. “You two know each other?” They continue to exchange death glares and I’m not sure they even heard me. I take Syd’s hand and tug it, wanting us to continue on our way. “Your suggestion is ironic, Nikki, considering you’re a slutty stripper, so get lost.”

  I’m surprised when Nikki starts laughing. “Oh god, that’s funny. I mean, that’s just rich.”

  Not exactly the reaction I was expecting, I shake my head at the crazy bitch. Looking at Sydney, I see that all the blood has drained from her face. Having enough, I usher Sydney into the store. Taking Lily from her arms, I place her in the stroller securely, then turn to Sydney cupping her face. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. She just makes me crazy. Did you seriously sleep with her?”

  Tucking her hair behind her ear, I shrug helplessly, “I really wish I could tell you no. I’d give anything to be able to tell you that, but the truth is that we hooked up a couple times a while back. It meant nothing – which I know is not a great statement either. But…I mean…she’s always hanging out at the gym. I found out that she has pretty much made her rounds with all the guys. I quit hooking up with her before then, but that just confirmed that I didn’t want anything else to do with her. I think she’s been pissed ever since.”

  Nodding, Sydney pulls away from me, “I’m going to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay,” I give her a tremulous smile then watch her walk away. Seeing her move doesn’t give me the thrill it usually does and when I look down to see Lily looking at me with what looks like disapproval I bark out a laugh. “It was stupid to be with her, I know,” I tell her. “Stop judging me.”

  I swear she shakes her head no.

  “I know, I need to tell him, but I just don’t know how,” I tell Rena as I walk through campus, headed to my morning class.

  “It’s simple. You’ll play some hot music, take off your clothes, and dance for him. He’ll love it, and you’ll know when the time is right. He’ll be all riled up, biting his lip at how sexy he thinks you are. There will be lust in his eyes and a hard dick in his pants. That’s when you make your move.”

  “My move?”

  “Yes, you work your way down his body and when you have him in your mouth you just look at him and say, ‘By the way, I’m a professional stripper.’”

  “Professional stripper? Is that what we are? Did we have to get some certification I’m not aware of?”

  “Whatever. You know what I mean.”

  Sighing with exasperation I mumble, “Great idea. In fact, while I’m at it, I’ll just tell him since he likes what he sees he can come check it out at the Pink Kitty every Thursday night when I’m on stage. With a bunch of his best buds. He’ll love that for sure.”

  “Exactly,” she replies not caring a bit about my sarcasm. “I don’t see what the problem is here.”

  Stopping at a large picnic area outside the building where my class is located, I stop and sit in order to finish my conversation before proceeding inside. “And that’s why I love you Reen,” she laughs in my ear and I can picture her pretty face and sparkling eyes. “Anyway, I’m supposed to see Tyson tonight since I’m off work, so don’t wait up for me. I’m hoping I’ll be staying the night at his place.”

  “Ooh, la la,” she teases. “Sounds good, no worries. Besides, after I get off tonight, I’m hanging out with Mark.”

  “Mark? Who’s Mark?” When the hell did s
he start dating a new guy? I try to remember the name of the last one, but I can’t. Some friend I am.

  “Oh, he’s a guy I met in the meat section at the grocery store.”

  “The meat section?” I ask, knowing she can hear the laughter in my voice. Not what I was expecting her to say.

  “Yeah. He was looking at rump roast, while I was looking at the chicken. I thought he was super cute, so I jokingly told him I had a rump roast he could check out and then shook my ass at him.”

  “Of course you did.”

  “It didn’t hurt that I was wearing those booty shorts of mine that make my ass fantastic. You know the ones. Anyway, the next thing I know we exchange numbers and he called me right away. We’ve hung out a few times.”

  “Do you like him?” What I’m really asking her indirectly is if she’s found anything wrong with him yet.

  “He’s cool. Although…” Here it comes. “He makes this really weird noise when we kiss.”

  Scrunching my nose at her words fearing where this is headed, I ask, “What do you mean a weird noise?”

  “It’s like a moan, I guess. But he kind of sounds like an animal dying or something.”

  Laughing, I shake my head even though she can’t see me. “Well I can understand how that could be troubling – or gross.”

  “Right? Anyway, I thought I’d give it another shot tonight and see how it goes. I’ll keep you updated.”

  “Please do. Okay I’ve gotta go – my class starts in five.”

  “Alright. Bye, doll face.”

  “Bye.”

  Class feels long and I do my best to keep focused and my eyes open as my professor speaks in monotone. It’s not easy. Taking notes in order to study them later, mixed in with a bit of doodling, I’m grateful when class is finally over. No matter what time classes are the day after I work late, they feel hard – mentally and physically. Stifling a yawn as I close up my bag, I make my way to the car thinking some caffeine is in order – coffee with a triple shot.