Chapter 3
Jalyse gasped when she heard the knock on the door and immediately wiped her tears away, slipping into a pair of pajama pants with a tank top, and wondered who it was. She cleared her throat, blinking a little, and walked over to the door as she opened it. The tank top and pants were black, her favorite color, and sighed when she seen who it was. "Can I help you?" She asked tiredly, keeping her head lowered, leaning against the wall.
"Journey says its time fer dinner. She asked me to come get you and the ki-John." Mark cleared his throat, staring down at her. While he himself could be a hard man to read sometimes, he could read other people fairly well. "What's wrong, darlin'?" He asked in a soft, non-pressing tone of voice. "Homesick?"
"No you jackass, I'm tired." She shot back at him, not appreciating him prying into her business, and sighed when the bathroom door opened. "Tell my evil twin I'm not hungry, but John will be down shortly. I'm going to bed. I'm tired and I have jetlag." She then walked away from the door past John and over to the bed, laying down on it, and tried to calm down her aching, pain racked body.
Mark shook his head and grunted, "Women." He then returned to fill Journey in.
John stepped out into the bedroom, staring at Jalyse, concern on his face. "What's wrong, baby?" He asked and winced when sounds of screaming reached them.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO, MARK? YOU ALWAYS SCARE OFF MY FRIENDS, NOW YOU'RE SCARING AWAY MY COUSIN!" Journey shrieked, throwing a plate at him.
"She said she was jetlagged, I didn't do a damn thing to her!" Mark shouted back, his voice even, but quite audible. He growled when the plate smashed against his arm, breaking into a million pieces as it shattered to the floor. "I'll be in the damn garage!"
Journey screamed at him again, tossing another plate in pure anger as she screamed, "YOU FUCKING DO THAT THEN! GODDAMN COWARD!"
It took every bit of self restraint to NOT hit her and keep on walking as Mark slammed the door behind him. Mark chose not to fight with Journey, especially over something like this when he hadn't done anything and definitely not with company in the house. He sighed, leaning against the table, wondering where the sweet woman he had met was. Journey had completely done a one eighty turn on him after she moved in, changing things in his house that he didn't particularly like. Whenever he'd say something to that extent, he got something either thrown at him or heard her shrieking voice in his ear.
After she heard the screaming and fighting stop, Jalyse looked up at her boyfriend and replied, "I'm fine, John." She sighed heavily when she heard her cousin throwing things and sat up on the bed. She walked out, not waiting for John, and watched out for pieces of broken glass from the plates as she shook her head. "Journey, you really need to learn how to control that temper, chica. Mark didn't do anything to me. I'm just really tired and jetlagged." She'd heard every word of the conversation and winced when she stepped on a piece of glass, bending down to start picking them up.
Journey kneeled down to help, looking angry. "I'm sick of him, Jalyse you don't even know. Every time I have someone out here, they leave early because he fucking freaks them out! I just don't want him doing that to you." She caught the look on Jalyse's face and sighed. "Don't ask me why I stay with him because it's complicated."
"I'm not saying a word. That's your business, but I'm telling you right now, he's not scaring me off. I just have really bad jetlag." She was partially telling her evil twin the truth, leaving out the part where John had hurt her while they were having sex again, and sighed heavily. "Trust me, I know what its like to not want to be with someone, but you feel you're obligated. Am I right?" She asked, having had that exact same feeling with John lately.
"Yeah, kinda sorta." Journey stood up, carrying glass shards over to the trash and dropping them inside, washing her hands off in the sink. "But there's two more reasons. One, the sex is MINDBLOWING." She shot Jalyse a wicked smirk. "And look at this place, I live like a damned queen. Minus the maids of course, but still, even if it is the country."
"So you're basically with him for his body and his riches." Jalyse stated, sighing when Journey nodded in response back at her, and raked a hand through her hair. "Well, you do what you want. It ain't my business. I'm here to relax for three months before having to go back to Hell on earth known as school." She grunted as she threw away some of the glass shards, feeling sick to her stomach at what her cousin had revealed, but pushed it aside. Their relationship wasn't her concern and if Mark was stupid enough to stay with Journey, then he deserved what he got.
John came walking out, dressed in a pair of baggy shorts and a beater, a chain draped around his neck and his favorite sneakers on his feet. He seen glass on what had been dinner and sighed. "I'm guessing the nearest pizzeria is in Houston?" He asked, knowing there was nothing for at least an hour away from this house.
"Yeah." Journey nodded, sighing, and glanced back at the table. "Want to go to the city for dinner and maybe take in a movie or something, demon girl?" She asked, suddenly looking hopeful.
"Nope, I told you, I have jetlag. Why don't you and John go?" She suggested with a smile, looking back at her boyfriend, who looked skeptical, and sighed dramatically as she threw her hands up in the air. "I trust you both with my life and this will give my evil twin the chance to give my boyfriend the patented 'talk'." She giggled when Journey smirked knowingly and knew it was going to happen. "I'm not going so if you two want to go, be my guest. I'm going to find something around here and hit the hay."
Journey and John were out of the house less than ten minutes later.
Mark finally cooled down enough and walked back into the house. Planning on seeing if Journey had calmed down and was ready to talk like an adult with no screaming and no fucking violence. He halted when he seen Jalise in the kitchen. Peering in the fridge and cleared his throat, getting her attention. Jalyse jumped when she heard a cleared throat behind her and hit her head on the top of the fridge, causing her to growl out, and slammed it shut.
She whipped around, stopping when she seen Mark. "Journey isn't here." She informed him gruffly, rubbing the back of her head, and crossed her free arm over her chest.
Mark winced when she hit her head, getting into the cupboard over the stove, and tossed her a bottle of Tylenol. "Sorry bout that." He apologized and raised an eyebrow when he learned Journey wasn't there. "Where'd she go?"
"Her and John went out for pizza and a movie, I think." She caught the bottle of Tylenol while answering him, already popping two, and put it back in the cupboard where he originally gotten them from, sighing heavily. "I have jetlag and the last thing I want to do is hear both of their mouths." She truly meant it. She loved Journey dearly, but after what she said about Mark earlier, she felt sick to her stomach. As for John, Jalyse was still in pain after the brutal encounter they had earlier on in the bathroom as she limped over to the fridge again. "So, it looks like we have to fend for ourselves tonight unless you want to go meet them at the pizzeria?"
Mark arched an eyebrow, looking almost disgusted. "No thanks. I think I'll just make a sandwich or somethin'." He shook his head, brushing past her to peer into the fridge. "You hungry? There's enough fer two, darlin'."
"Do you call all women that?" She questioned curiously, walking over to peer over the fridge door, seeing he was dragging something out of it, and stepped back. He was a huge man, she had to admit, and if he was pissed off, he could probably break her in half. That didn't bother her though as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and asked, "What is that?"
"Darlin'? No…actually I don't." He flashed a half grin at her, setting out a huge sub. "What's it look like…darlin'?" He arched an eyebrow, amusement clearly shining in his eyes. "There's enough for the both of us…I think."
"First of all, you can stop with this 'darlin'' crap because I'm not impressed. Secondly, I think it looks like spaghetti on bread, but how long has the shit been sitting in there?" She asked, looking sick as she stared at it, and blinked when she thought she saw mold, but realized it was just a meatball.
Mark shrugged, casually reaching for a large knife, hovering over the sub before slicing himself off a nice, healthy chunk. "Been in there for a day now." He replied, setting his sandwich on a plate. "And don't flatter yerself, Jalyse, I'm not out to impress you." He said honestly, giving her a once over before walking out of the kitchen.
"Jagoff." She muttered under her breath, staring down at the sub, and shook her head before walking back over to the fridge. She winced when a pain shot through her abdomen, causing her to lean against the counter, and breathed through it. John had done a number on her this time and she was starting to wonder how much longer she could take these rough sexual encounters before he completely broke her in half. 'I need to talk to him about this.' She thought, knowing she'd have to get up the courage first, and decided she didn't need anything to eat, opting for a glass of water.
Mark sat on the couch, his untouched food before him on the coffee table. There was a wide screen television in front of him, but he didn't turn it on. Instead, he was lost in thought about Journey…and Jalyse. He finally focused on Jalyse. She had a definite attitude and he wondered why. Whatever had crawled up her ass and died needed to be fumigated and quick.
After downing three glasses of water, Jalyse finally felt the exhaustion overtake her body and walked down the hallway toward her room. She looked around, seeing the architectural structure on the walls and smiled a little. The guy definitely had taste, but of course, she would never admit that to him. Finally arriving in her room, Jalyse walked over and laid down on the bed. Her eyes closed and fell asleep before her head even hit the pillow. Mark was the last thing on her mind before sleep finally overtook her body as she mumbled under her breath, "Jagoff…"
Mark frowned, shaking himself out of his thoughts roughly an hour later, looking surprised. He hadn't even realized the time, he was that preoccupied. He stood up, preparing to toss his food, but heard a whimper coming from Jalyse's bedroom. He hesitated before walking down the hallway, pushing open the door. He seen Jalyse, curled up on the bed, sound asleep and crying, an occasional painful moan escaping her lips.
He grimaced, wondering what the Hell he should do. Leave her and walk away or wake her up? He was deciding on the walking away when she gasped, sounding like she was being physically hurt and didn't even think about it. He just walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, placing a strong, but gentle hand on her shoulder. "C'mon darlin', wake up, nothin', but night terrors…" He whispered soothingly, shaking her.
John was relentless, refusing to let up even the tiniest bit, and it was starting to split her in half. Her tears seemed to be unbothered by him as he plowed harder inside of her, causing her to cry out in pain, and finally couldn't take it anymore. "Stop it, John!!" She cried out in her sleep, breathing raggedly, the tears pouring like two rapid streams down her cheeks, and finally popped her eyes open when she felt him explode inside of her in the dream. Jalyse bolted upright, clocking Mark right in the head, and groaned as she immediately fell back on the bed, holding her forehead tightly. What the fuck had she hit?! It felt like a damned brick wall, but in the pit of her stomach, she had a sinking feeling it was a certain nosey wrestler.
Mark groaned, feeling his head before blinking, clearing the cobwebs from his brain. "Thanks." He muttered. "Remind me to just leave ya too the…whatever the Hell yer dreamin' bout…next time." He said, staring down at her, his green eyes unreadable though he HAD caught what she cried out.
"Yeah, you should do that and mind your own fucking business." She spat back at him, groaning painfully, and shook her head, trying to stop the throbbing headache from forming even though it was inevitable. "Do you ALWAYS do this to your guests, Mark?" She grunted out, wincing when her head started pounding in her ears. "Goddamn, you have a hard fuckin' head. That's not surprising though."
Mark didn't take offense. Actually, he was curious about this bitch, and he meant that in a good way. She obviously didn't take shit from no one and he respected that. "Generally, I don't have guests." He replied honestly. "I heard ya cryin' out in the livin' room, Christ woman, can't a man be concerned?" He shook his head, standing up.
"No, especially when it's a stranger. I was having a bad dream. So what? I have them all the time. It's nothing new. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pop two MORE Tylenol because of your hard fuckin' head." She stated heatedly, slipping from the bed, and groaned when she stumbled out, her head spinning from the collision. Christ, her brain felt like it was scrambled.
"You always have bad dreams bout yer boyfriend, huh?" Mark folded his arms across his chest, arching an eyebrow and catching her when she almost fell. "Just lay yer stubborn ass down and I'll get ya some damned Tylenol."
"Get off of me!" She ordered, shoving him away from her, and stumbled further into the kitchen as she collided with the counter. "It's none of your damned business what I dream about." She snapped, not believing the audacity of this man, and managed to get the Tylenol out as she groaned more. "God, remind me to lock my fucking door from now on."
Mark shook his head, quickly making his way to the gym. He sighed, rolling under the ropes of the ring and started tossing himself off of them, making sure to put down weight on his right leg, testing his knee. That's what he had been given leave for. He had to have surgery to repair his torn knee and now out of the 'rest and let the knee heal after' stage. Now onto rebuilding the strength in his knee. He groaned, trying not to stalk back into the house and ring that woman's neck. She was already driving him up a damn wall.
