by Nikki Mays
“What is everyone else doing here?” I ask, suddenly realizing that there’s way more people here than we had originally intended on.
Marc steps forward while watching to make sure that Mase doesn’t actually buck Kayla off of his back. “Well, when you and Kay wrangled me into helping, I decided to wrangle the rest of the guys in as well.”
I give him a frown and cross my arms. “How did you do that?”
“The shithead blackmailed all of us.” Declan pouts.
Marc shakes his head with an evil grin on his face. “No just you. Everyone else agreed willingly.” All eyes turn to Damon and Marc shrugs. “Michelle agreed for him.”
I give Declan a sympathetic look. “He threatened you with the ugly hooker video huh?” I ask while barely keeping a straight face. Just the memory of how he looked that night has stayed with me.
Declan’s eyes narrow into slits and if looks could kill, I’d be dead. “I didn’t look like an ugly hooker.” He grounds out.
I shake my head at him and put my arms on my hips. “Well you sure as hell didn’t look like a pretty one, that’s for damn sure. Even two-dollar hookers look better than you did that night.”
His head rear backs. “When the hell have you ever met a two-dollar hooker?”
I roll my eyes. “Duh, TV. They have a bunch of cop shows.”
Ben scratches his head while giving me a curious look. “Why are you watching shows about cops?”
All the women in the room snicker knowing exactly why I would watch those shows. I give him a sweet smile. “The same reason that women will watch sports too.”
Ben holds up his hands and motions for me to continue. I just shrug. “Hot men in uniform...why else? I mean hello. Do you really think that there are that many women in the world who really watch baseball and football because they care about the team?” I mean for real now. “It’s all about those tight ass pants.”
Every man in the room is giving me a nasty look, while Kay, Mel and Shell are nodding their heads in total agreement.
The guys deciding that they don’t care about our conversation, start helping Danny with moving equipment around.
Mellie steps forward and starts clapping her hands. “Have you guys seen that new show with The Rock? I mean I’ll watch anything with him any day of the week.” Morris makes a sort of choking sound while Marc makes a gagging one. “But holy hell. All the guys that compete on that show. Wow...just wow.” She ends her statement by fanning herself.
Kay tilts her head. “Is it called Gladiators or something?”
“Wait, hold on, I’ll look it up. If it has The Rock on it, I definitely want to see it.” Michelle states while typing furiously on her phone.
“Ah-ha, it’s called The Titan Games. Huh, it looks pretty awesome. One reporter even says that the show is unhinged and makes that ninja warrior show look like a baking competition.”
Michelle looks around at us girls with glee. “Thursday’s are our new girls night in.” She says while leaving absolutely no room for argument. Not like she was going to get any from us girls.
But she is getting some nasty looks from a few of the guys that she is masterfully ignoring. Huh, even JJ is giving her a dirty look. Geez, guys are so strange.
“Your woman is a menace.” Morris growls at Damon.
Damon lifts an eyebrow. “Mine? Yours was the one who started that shit in the first place.”
Declan walks up shaking his head no. “Actually, if anyone’s woman is the menace it would be JJ’s.”
I know that this motherfucker didn’t just say that. Every male head swivels in my direction, including her ex and brotherish guys.
Rocco smiles and slaps me on the back. “Ah, so my plan to get her worked?”
Have you ever woken up one day and just realized that you should’ve just kept your ass in bed? Yeah, that’s me at this present moment. Standing here in the middle of the unfinished gym, getting interrogated by all of these dopes.
“You mean my daughters and yours worked their magic.” Danny states, making me do a double take.
“You knew?” I ask.
Fucker actually scoffs at me. “Of course, I knew. I over-heard them on the phone with your daughter who was on speaker phone explaining the whole situation. I even told them to tell Sage that I was busy and couldn’t drive them over to your place.”
I give him a dubious look. “Why the hell would you help?”
He rolls his eyes and gives me a put out look “I heard how you guys went out, then Marc got shot and then you found out that you were still married to your ex.”
Damon’s eyes go wide. “You’re still married to that fucking shrew?”
“Makes sense why you’ve been so pissy lately. I’d be a miserable bastard being legally stuck to that too.” Declan ever so helpfully chimes in.
Danny gives me a smirk. “Ya know what’s funny. Your daughter actually said some of the same shit just better put. That’s what actually made me feel for you. If your own daughter dislikes her mother that much, then it must’ve been a total mind fuck to find out that you’re still stuck with the chick.”
“It wasn’t pleasant.” I drawl.
Morris gives me a grimace. “I thought that she was marrying the dude that she fucked around on you with?”
“Oh, come hell or high water, I’ll make sure she says “I Do” that damn day.” And I will. Even if I have to hold a gun to Harold’s fucking head. I will be rid of her.
“Damn, your kid didn’t mention that part. Sorry man.” Danny looks at me apologetically.
I shrug. “He did me a favor really. I married her while I was still on active duty because the condom broke. I love my daughter more than life itself but having a legitimate reason to be rid of her mother made my fucking year.”
I chuckle to myself. “Hell, I found them in bed together. All I did was smile, pack a bag and say good riddance. I literally walked out of the house whistling.”
Rocco starts laughing. “I remember getting that phone call. We met up and got piss drunk because we celebrated so much. I actually think you bought the entire bar several rounds while yelling “Bitch Can’t Have My Money!”.
“It was a pretty epic night...the next morning, not so much. I think it took me a week for my liver to fully recover. Totally worth it to be rid of Jackie’s horrible ass though.” I reply only feeling a little green at remembering the massive hangover that stayed with me for days.
“Your ex-wife sounds awesome.” Danny deadpans.
“Awesomely evil is more like it.” Declan states while randomly holding some weights. “She still comes into the station every now and then just to complain about shit. Even Deanna the receptionist has gotten into it with Jackie.”
We hear the girls snort from beside us. “What?” Declan asks.
“That bleached out whore gets into it with every woman that she comes into contact with.” Mellie states with disgust.
“Mel,” I start, “you’ve never met Jackie.”
Mellie purses her lips. “I was talking about Deanna. That bitch has got to go, or she might end up having an accident at the hair salon someday.”
I just stand there and blink along with everyone else. Mellie isn’t really the overly threatening one in the group.
“Honey,” Morris starts carefully. “what do you mean an accident at the hair salon?” That’s a valid question. How the hell could she, and let’s face it Shell and most likely now Kayla, harm her at the hair salon?
Mel and Shell share an extremely unnerving look. Mellie shrugs and looks up at us with her big doe eyed look. “Can we help it if she likes looking like whorie?”
Damon pinches the bridge of his nose. “I know that I’m gonna regret this but whorie?”
Michelle looks up at him and only gives him a mildly disdainful look. “Yeah whorie, Barbie’s whorish cousin who will never be as good or as pretty.”
Laughing Mason asks. “Okay, but how is she going to have an accident? What are you two goi
ng to trip some chick with scissors or something?”
Mellie rolls her eyes at us like we’re stupid. “No, obviously we,” she points to all the other women around her...including Sage. “would never do anything to hurt someone.”
Declan sniggers. “MSG is still trying to figure out how to put bacon in Max’s teacher’s food.”
Kayla gives him a dirty look and a smack on the arm for good measure. “It’s not like it would hurt her.” She hisses at him. “And don’t even try to act like you didn’t offer to help me.” She punctuates that with an index finger to his chest.
He shrugs carelessly. “I know what I offered. But don’t stand here and act like you’re some innocent little flower. Your ass has some evil thoughts.”
“I do not!” She refutes and then gives Sage a dirty look when she hears her chuckle.
Declan’s eyes widen comically. “How many times did you text me to come over because you were about to “shank”...your words....not mine, your husband?”
Kay turns bright red as Marc stares down at her with a look of pure betrayal. “Don’t even look at me like that.” She tells Marc. “I only texted him twice because I was about to kill you. All the other times were because the kids were planning your demise.”
The look of horror and disbelief on Marc’s face is the funniest thing that I’ve seen in a long time. “What are you talking about? The kids love me!”
Kay puts her hands on her hips and stares at her husband with a raised eyebrow. “Abby started planning your death after the second time you went into detail about how she should load the dishwasher. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Declan, you might actually be dead. He saved your life way more than once.”
She looks over at the gloating look that Dec is giving Marc. “Oh, cut the crap Loki. We all know damn well that you didn’t do it out of the kindness of your heart. We all know that your ass can’t cook to save your life. You made sure to always show up at dinner time. Don’t even act like you didn’t.”
“Still as salty as ever, huh Mother Goose?” Declan sniffs.
“And people say we’re bad.” Mellie states while looking at Marc. “Those two aren’t even related.”
Marc nods his head in agreement. “I know. They’re making us look pretty good.”
“You literally bought and hid fake spiders to scare the hell out of Doll and Mel.” Damon drawls.
Marc and Damon have a stare down. “Ya know for someone who is precariously close to getting poisoned at some point today, you should probably keep your mouth shut.” Marc states with a small shrug of his shoulders.
“Why did he just say that?” Michelle asks, inclining her head up towards Damon.
Damon side-eyes Marc quickly before looking at his wife. “Who knows? You know that he likes to be an asshole just for the sake of being an asshole.”
Normally I would whole heartedly agree with that statement. But there’s a gleam in Marc’s eyes that says otherwise.
Marc rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Huh.” He looks around making sure that he has everyone's attention. “So, I guess it’s safe to assume that you never mentioned that you were there while I was placing the spiders. Hell, I think I even remember you getting me a beer come to think of it.”
If looks could kill, I’m not certain who would actually be dead right now. Marc from the looks that Damon is throwing his way. Or Damon from the looks that both Michelle and Mellie are giving him.
Fuck it. As long as no one mentions anything to me, I can pretend that he went for some walk and got lost or some shit. If I don’t know, it means I’m not lying to the judge when I say I have absolutely no knowledge of Damon’s whereabouts.
“Are all of you always like this?” I hear Danny ask at my side.
I nod my head. “For the most part. At some point someone probably will end up dead or maimed, but no one else really seems to care. So, I just pretend that it won’t and keep on, keeping on.”
“I’m still curious as to how the chick is going to end up harmed at a hair salon.” Noah asks.
“You don’t need to worry about that.” I shit you not, all four girls answer at once.
“I would love to say that they’re a bad influence on Sage, but I feel like she might end up the mastermind if you all aren’t careful.” Danny mutters to me.
I look over at him. “Why are you telling me this?”
He gives me a smirk. “Right cause you haven’t been drooling after her for a long ass time. Shit man, you even had teenage girls help you out. Face it man, you got it bad for her crazy ass.”
I give him a dubious look and cross my arms. “As her ex, shouldn’t you be tryin’ to warn me off her?”
“Dude, you’re a million times better than some of the other shitheads she’s dated. And that’s even with you fucking up. Hell, I’m down if you want to fly to Vegas and marry her ass tonight. I can also guarantee that her father’s tears won’t be from sadness.”
All I can do is stand here and blink rapidly at him. “I’m literally still trying to get divorced.”
He nods his head. “So, that’s a not right now but a later kind of thing.”
I tilt my head. “How often do you get hit in the head?”
“I’m undefeated.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question.”
“She ain’t getting' any younger. She needs to find someone who doesn’t completely suck sooner rather than later.” He replies.
“You two really dated?” I ask
He shrugs. “We were sixteen. Hell, we were babies having babies. Does she mean a hell of a lot to me? Yeah...no doubt. Do I still want her like that? Nope and neither of us have in a long ass time.”
He continued “She’ll always be my best friend and I’ll always love her for giving me two beautiful daughters. I mean damn, she supported my dream and practically raised them herself. So, yeah, I want her to finally have someone who will be able to do all the shit for her that she deserves. Do I think that you’re that guy? Maybe...maybe not. But you sure as hell can’t be worse than that last dude.” He finishes on a mutter.
“What was he like?” I ask, genuinely curious.
Noah walks up shaking his head. “Don’t even ask. That fucktard was awful. Why Sage dated his dumbass for so long, I’ll never understand.”
“What are we talking about?” Mason walks up rubbing his hands together.
“Sage’s ex.” Noah replies.
“It’s not nice to talk about the meat head in front of him.”
Danny looks over at me. “How seriously do you take the whole being a cop thing?”
I give him a smirk. “Why?”
“Because if you take it seriously you might want to leave for like an hour or so. Also, ignore how it will smell like fresh paint again.”
“That’s cold man. We’ve been friends for years and this is how you repay me when I’m here to help your old, retired ass out.”
“I’m not retired yet, you gym rat fuck boy. I still have one more match before I retire as the undefeated champion!”
“Alright, alright...why don’t we get all of this shit set up and then go and get some food.” Sage pushes her way in between the two men staring each other down.
It works though. They both separate the minute that she comes in between them. But we’ll be having words later on about her putting herself in-between two men like that. She’s fucking lucky that neither of them had decided to throw a punch.
I gently grab her elbow and pull her behind me. She looks up and gives me a quizzical look. “You do not put yourself in between two men who are arguing. Ever.” I tell the gorgeous woman who shoots arrows out of her eyes at me.
She crosses her arms. “I was perfectly safe.” She huffs while tapping her foot.
I get nose to nose with her. “You can’t know that for sure.”
She snorts. “They would never hurt me.” She punctuates this with pushing out her hip. I swear I don’t know whether I want to kiss her or spank her ass.
> “They might not mean to, but if they had thrown a punch, they would’ve done some serious damage to you.”
“Your man’s right Sage.” Danny agrees. “It’s almost impossible to pull back once a punch is thrown. I would never forgive myself if I hurt you. Even if it was a total accident. The force of the punch alone could crack your skull.”
“I never said that he was my man.” She states petulantly.
His eyes widen. “That’s what you took from what I just fucking said? Are you shitting me right now?” He asks her incredulously before turning his head and looking at me. “There’s still time to run as far away from her crazy ass, as you can get. No one would even hold it against you. Hell, it’d actually be the smart thing to do.”
She shoves him with all her might, not moving him in the slightest much to her obvious chagrin. The chuckles from everyone else are probably not helping to improve her mood. “You’re such an asshole some days Daniel.”
“Watch it.” He threatens.
She gives him a smirk and cocks her hip. “Or what?”
“Or I might just happen to call my mother, you know, your mother’s best friend?” Sage purses her lips but remains silent. “I’m sure that she would be thrilled to hear all about the new man in your life.” He grins evilly.
Sage calmly walks up and gets toe to toe with him. She taps her index finger on her lips. “I wonder how your mother would feel about the quality, or lack thereof, of the women that you have been choosing to “date” recently. Oh, it would just make her so horribly disappointed in her baby boy to know that he isn’t even trying to find a good woman.” She says with a frown laced with mock sympathy.
Huh, guess I’m not the only one that she seems to best. Good to know.
They’re both still standing toe to toe glaring at each other. It’s actually kind of comical to see. Danny’s got to be at least 6”4 and nothing but solid muscle. He’s wearing a white wife beater, that shows off his full sleeve tats on both arms, ripped up jeans, work boots and a backwards black Nike cap.
Sage who looks miniature compared to him is standing there in those stretchy pants that women love and men love even more. You know the ones that show every fucking curve imaginable. She’s wearing those in some weird black, pink and purple stripe pattern.
