by Sarah Tork
“Ladies don’t say shit,” Demetria snapped, pulling her arm with the figurine down.
“Yeah, well, I’m not a lady,” I said, taking the figurine from her hand and putting it back on the side table. “There, that’s better.”
Irina giggled, and I blanched instantly, slowly turning to face what was about to come from Demetria, who was obviously desperately in love with Xander. Which I totally didn’t get.
He was a sleazy pervert.
Demetria’s face blanched, mirroring mine except for one small detail. Her mouth turned into a snarl, her eyes raging with fury.
“Get your hands off him!” Demetria screamed hysterically. She tried grabbing the figurine I just put back, but I grabbed it at the same time, stopping her again from creating a crime scene.
“Let go,” I ordered sternly. “Let go of the fucking thing!”
She started to cry again, not letting go of the figurine. “He’s being taken; she’s taking him from me.”
“Calm down; he’s not letting anyone take him. He’s a grown man with his own mind, and he’s going to do things with her because he wants to.”
She eased up on her grip, and using an extra tug of strength, I yanked it out of her hands. “Why can’t you see it?”
Demetria collapsed to the ground, curled into the fetal position, and really began crying.
I turned back in horror to see what Xander had to make of this, only to find the living room empty. “What the fuck!”
I heard a wild giggle echoed out from the bedroom and instantly I pieced together where they went.
Those mother fuckers! They left me, left me to fend off this crazy girl!
“Xander! Xander! You better get your ass out of that room right now!” I yelled at the bedroom. “This is your problem to fix, you hear me? Bitch, he’s got the clap, I hope you didn’t suck that dick!”
The volume of the giggles escalated as they ignored me. I had half the mind to march right into the bedroom and scream bloody murder; but I didn’t want to leave Demetria just in case she got another burst of wind and decided to take deadly revenge as a viable option.
How did I get myself into this mess? Why me? Why fucking me? I’m a bullshit magnet. I can’t run away from this shit; it follows me everywhere.
I curled down right next to her, smoothing her hair back, trying to calm her down. “Stop, don’t be like one of those crazy psychotic girls who can’t take a hint. Trust me, it’s not a good look.”
Yeah, I know, my calming down methods were shit.
Heavy footsteps barged through the doorway as I kneeled next to Demetria, trying to calm her down. So into trying to calm this girl down, I didn’t notice when the footsteps stopped behind me.
“What the fuck?” a deep, masculine voice said.
I slowly faced whoever stood over me. My eyes instantly focused on black dress pants that fit perfectly. I followed the leg-line upwards, settling for a few seconds extra on the crotch area, which I wouldn’t allow myself to describe, but kept going upwards. My eyes continued upwards to a deep-blue dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled to the elbows, showcasing long, muscled, tanned arms, with beautifully-groomed hands that were about as feminine as the entire Miami Heat basketball team.
They were all man.
I slowed down when I reached the first sliver of chest hair. Whoever this was had left three buttons unbuttoned. I followed to his neck, then to his face.
Wow!
It’s as if ‘Love’ by Nancy Adams began playing from the sound system. My eyes instantly focused on his beautiful, deep-blue eyes that looked like they’re laser-beaming into my soul. I felt something stir down there as I stared up at his lips, lush and puffy, perfect kissing lips. Lips that I wanted everywhere, right here and right now. Xander, Irina, crazy girl Demetria, all be damned.
I wanted to say hello to this gorgeous Adonis, wearing clothes that looked as if they were made to accentuate every single inch of his manly body.
“Who are you? And why are you in my brother’s room?” he asked quietly but sternly. Crossing his arms across his broad chest, he asked, “Why is this girl crying on the ground?”
“Um,” I stumbled to say anything, still in shock over his beauty. And those gorgeous blue eyes I was desperate to swim in… to do anything with. “I um, I’m trying to calm her down.”
I kneeled further down, his deep-blue eyes turning furious. “Yes, but who are you, and why are you in my brother’s room?”
“Your brother is Xander?” I choked out, blinking.
“Unfortunately!” he roared. “Where is he?”
“The bedroom,” I choked out again; and as he snapped to and headed towards the bedroom, I remembered that Xander wasn’t alone in there. “Wait! He’s in there with someone.”
“Like I care,” he said, then kicked open the bedroom door that had been shamelessly shut to give them privacy while I was busy attending to Demetria, who was, again, not supposed to be my problem.
“Alexander! Alexander!” he hissed, on the verge of hostility. “Get up, you fucking piece of… you’re nothing but trouble!”
“Liam!” I heard Xander gasp loudly.
“What?” Irina squealed in shock. “Why is everyone ruining our privacy? Xander, what is this?”
“Alexander! Move – now!” Liam growled, entering the bedroom. “Get out. Get the fuck out!”
“Why do I have to leave? I was here first!” Irina whined. “This isn’t fair.”
“Who is that out there on the ground crying her eyes out? What did you do now?” Liam growled.
I heard the bed squeak.
“I didn’t do anything,” Xander replied. “I’m innocent.”
“Like you always are,” Liam growled, unconvinced. “Why was I called by hotel security, complaining about another disturbance coming from your room? I thought we talked about this? I thought you said you were finished with this lifestyle?”
“I’ll do whatever I want, whenever I want, big brother. There’s nothing you or that old man can say to stop me!” Xander yelled back rebelliously. “I’m not your little brother anymore; I can do whatever I want. I can fuck whoever I want, and take whatever I want!”
Shit!
All of a sudden, Demetria stopped crying. She quickly wiped the tears off her face, smearing wet mascara marks across her cheeks. She pulled herself up into a sitting position. My hands were still on her arm from before.
“Get your disgusting hands off of me,” she ordered brashly, glaring at my hand on her with disgust. “How dare you put your low-class hands on me; get them off of me or else I’ll sue!”
Um, excuse me?
As I pulled my hands off her arm, she yanked her arm away, snarling in the process. “Don’t you ever touch me again!”
She wiped the spot on her fur jacket where I was trying to calm her down, as if it would be contaminated soon if she didn’t swipe away any of the germs I must have spread on her.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve,” I hissed at her in disbelief. “I was trying to help your psycho, fucked–up, shitty ass. Stupid!”
She got up, holding on to the side table next to the door for support. “I don’t need your help; I never asked for it either! Why would I need your help? Who the hell are you? You’re a nobody!”
My eyes bulged.
“You’re crazy. You know that.” I told her, getting up. “Bat-shit status.”
She fumbled around in front of the mirror, checking her reflection for any imperfections, even though her face is covered in mascara and tears. “Call me that again and I’ll sue.” She turned around abruptly and left the room.
“Hey!” I called out to her as she walked out the door. “You can’t just leave; you made this mess!”
She shuts the door behind her.
“What’s going on out here?” Liam growled from behind as I was trying to go out and catch her. “Trying to leave without anyone noticing? Where did that other one go?”
I’d had enough of these ‘
people’ thinking they could talk to me like this. “First of all, don’t talk to me like that. I don’t have to answer to you.”
His eyes glowered, and I blinked. “Oh really?”
“Yeah. I don’t owe you anything, or your stupid, piece-of–shit, good-for–nothing-but-trouble brother,” I snapped at him, then take a huge breath before speaking again. “He’s been nothing but trouble for me for the last twenty-four hours.”
Liam’s expression softens a little, amused now. “He’s been nothing but trouble for you; yet you’re here…in his hotel room…late at night?”
It sounds wrong. But he doesn’t know the whole story. I had a debt to pay and I intended on paying it and moving on, forgetting this horrible mess ever happened.
“There was a problem; he helped me out. I owed him a debt; I’m here to pay that debt and get out,” I snapped at Liam. “Understand now?”
“Well, consider your debt paid. You can get out now,” Liam snapped back. “A reminder: use your brain in the future before you trust yourself with the likes of people like my brother.”
“I’m not leaving till I pay him back,” I replied. “I promised him something, and I intend to keep that promise.”
“Oh really? Well, what promise is that?” Liam asked, sounding snide. “Come on, hurry up. I’ve got this mess to clean up.”
“I will,” I said, grinding my teeth at his tone, but then remembered that it was not something I wanted to share with him. “It has to be done in private.”
His eyes widened. “Oh, I get it; one of those kinds of deals. Well, I’m sorry; it seems someone else has beaten you to it. It doesn’t seem like my brother will be in any kind of state to be performing.”
Performing?
Oh my God, he thinks I’m here to sleep with Xander.
“I’m not here to sleep him,” I gasped. “I just have to give him something, that’s it.”
“Then give it to him and leave.” Liam snapped impatiently. “I want this over with now; get to it before I call security.”
The sound of high heels stomping against the hardwood floors comes crashing out of the bedroom and into the living room. Irina busted through, red-faced and furious.
“I can’t believe this!’ Irina screeched. “Never in my life have I been treated like this!”
I tried to hold back a smile. Liam scowled at her. “Get out!”
“Don’t talk to me like that. I don’t know who you think you are, but nobody talks to me like that,” Irina screeched.
A knock on the door interrupted her power-speech.
“Thank God!” Liam said at the door, “Come in.”
The door opened, and two large men wearing dark blue security suits come in. “Mr. Barns, you called, sir?”
“Escort the blonde prostitute out, please.” Liam ordered in a surprisingly calm voice to his security guards.
Irina gasped in shock. “Fuck you! I’m not a hooker!”
Liam didn’t answer her, but jerked his chin towards her, ordering his men, “Now!”
The security men quickly brushed past me, heading towards a now-frantic looking Irina.
“What?” Irina muttered confusedly, then yelled at the security guards who circled her. “Don’t you dare touch me!” They grabbed each of her arms as she flailed her body hostilely. “Get your hands off of me!”
Then, all in a blink of an eye, her shoulders slumped down as if she’s about to fall into a deep sleep. “What’s goin’ on…inside me…you did something to meh,” Irina slurred. “I’m sleepy.”
And with that, her entire body fell into a slump over one of the security men’s shoulders. He picked her up.
My jaw dropped in shock as I faced Liam. “What did you do to her?”
Liam glowered at me, but then ignored me and turned to his security. “Take her to the other room; when she wakes up, take her down to a taxi.”
The security guards nodded and walked out with Irina, snoring loudly on one of their shoulders.
“What are you guys going to do to her?” I hissed in disbelief, but scared out of my mind.
Question: what the hell are they going to do to me?
Seeing the alarm in my eyes, Liam’s eyes softened. “Mind yourself and you shall not share a similar fate as the blonde escort.”
“I don’t think she was an escort. I think they were just having fun together, you know, mutually,” I hissed at him.
Xander walked out of the bedroom in a hotel robe. He surprisingly had a huge smile on his face. “Well, that was fun!”
Liam glowered at me, and then out of nowhere, he turned and punched Xander in the face… hard.
“It’s time for you to learn your lesson, little brother,” Liam stated, cracking his knuckles. “You’ve got to learn once and for all, and that time is right now.”
CHAPTER 20
*Demetria*
I’ll show them!
Show them who they decided to mess with.
Then I’ll get Xander, and this time I’m going to keep him forever. I needed to cool off before I did something… dangerous.
I pulled out my phone, calling Mother. “Where are you?” I snapped at the receiver as soon as Mother picked up. “Pick me up right now. Same place.”
I ended the call and walked back to the place they dropped me off. They’d better be there by the time I got back to the coffee shop.
Or else, there would be hell to pay.
CHAPTER 21
My legs were glued to the floor as Liam’s fist met Xander’s cheek. Xander yelped painfully in surprise as Liam’s knuckles swiped deep into his skin.
“It’s time for you to learn your lesson, little brother! Once and for all!” Liam growled at a bent-over Xander, who is busy cradling the side of his face, moaning from the pain of Liam’s hard hit.
“Oh my God!” I yelled at Liam, shocked. “You just hit him!”
Liam looked up from Xander and stared at me, his jaw clenched hard. “Stay out of it!”
Xander’s moans quickly turn into battle–talk, “Yeah, Marisa, you stay out of this. My big bro and I, we’ve got some business to work through.”
Xander lunged towards Liam, wrapping his arms around his waist, knocking him to the floor. Liam’s arms were quick to respond; he began pounding on Xander’s back as the two began this wrestling/boxing thing on the floor beside the couches. My eyes widened as I stared at the two brothers fighting violently. I didn’t know what to do; I’d never had to break up a fight before, let alone between two giant beasts of brothers.
“Stop it!” I marched in front of them wrestling on the ground; blood was spilling everywhere. “Stop it, you guys; there has to be a better way. You’re grown men for crying out loud!”
They didn’t stop. Xander punched Liam’s side; a painful moan escaped Liam’s mouth as he moved over to the side to escape Xander’s repeated hits.
Xander’s found his sweet spot. Liam’s side must have hit the ground hard when Xander first attacked him. The fighting didn’t stop.
I didn’t have this problem. I had a little brother and sister who loved each other. I’d never had to deal with sibling rivalry. Even being the fuck-up that I was, my siblings and I were cool.
How did these two get like this?
“Stop it!” I screamed at them. I went in circles trying to find something in the expensive hotel room to stop them with. I noticed the figurine that I had fought with Demetria over sitting in the spot I returned it to. I grabbed it, and threw it to the ground right beside their bodies. The porcelain statue broke into a hundred little pieces. The sound echoing throughout the room was enough to stall the fight for a moment.
“Stop fighting,” I demanded, pointing my index fingers at each of them as they struggled to catch their breaths. “Xander, get your hands off him. That goes for you too, Liam!”
Using their shock to my advantage, and the fact that they were no longer on top of each other throwing fists, I marched in between them. They couldn’t hit each other with me i
n between them.
I hoped not at least.
“Move,” I ordered them. “Now!”
“He started it,” Xander whined, pushing his body across the floor away from us. I stared at Liam’s face; his jawline was badly bruised and bleeding. He grabbed the side of his face and slowly got up, his eyes never leaving my stare. Standing up, his shirt was completely torn from the side, showcasing his six–pack. I briefly glance at the bruised skin before looking back up at him. As if he’d noticed me staring there, something in his eyes changed.
“Are you okay?” I whispered to him. His deep-blue eyes stared into mine for a few seconds before he turned to a moaning Xander on the ground.
“This was a warning; this shit better not happen again!” Liam yelled at Xander. He looked back at me briefly and marched out of the room.
Okay, what the hell just happened? Liam’s presence still lingered in the room even though he left.
“I’m the one who was attacked, and you ask him if he’s okay? What about me?” Xander moaned, still on his back on the floor. I gazed down at his bruised face as he leans his body upwards into a sitting position. Blood dripped out of his nose, sliding down to his lips.
“I guess I’m not the only one,” I murmured. Xander’s forehead creases as his eyes narrow at me in confusion.
“You’re the not only one what?” he hissed. “Don’t tell me you’re on his side. You don’t even know him!”
“I know what it’s like to want to hit you!” I snapped at him. “I’ve had to deal with you for over twenty-four hours now, and you’ve been nothing but a menace toward me. Laughing and giggling like you’re so smart!”
“After all I’ve done for you?” Xander belted back, trying to get up but struggling. The compassionate side of me wanted to help him, but the bitter side quickly kicked that notion away.
“Done for me?” I yelled back in disbelief. “I’ve been in constant pain since meeting you!”
He held the side of his head; Liam’s knuckle marks still visible. I hope that this makes Xander learn a valuable lesson: not everything in life was funny, especially his stupid tricks.
