CHAPTER 7
Ridgeline stood in front of her mirror, admiring her reflection. Tonight was the New Year's Bash, and she looked absolutely fabulous in black jean shorts, combat boots, and cropped tank top. She had curled her hair, so it lay in feather light locks framing her face in front and ending at her belt line in the back. Being from Alaska, cold had never bothered her, and she loved these shorts. IF she did get cold, it would be worth it.
Chuck won't know what hit him! Ridgeline thought wickedly. As soon as the thought entered her mind, a knock sounded at her door. She grinned and blushed, wondering what his reaction would be.
"Took you long en…" Ridgeline's voice trailed off when she opened the door and saw not Chuck at her door, but Galveston
"Going to stay in, huh?" He sneered.
"Things changed." Ridgeline raised an eyebrow at him.
"Things changed," Galveston mocked. "You're coming to that Bash with me, right now." He grabbed her wrist, and began dragging her down the hall.
"Hey!" Ridgeline shouted in protest. He acted like he didn't hear her. "Galveston, let go!"
"Oh, no, were mine from the beginning. You and Chuck are over. The sooner you accept that the better."
"LET ME GO!" Ridgeline shouted again, beginning to feel anxious. Where was everyone?! She struggled against Galveston with all her might. Her wrist really began to hurt.
"Gal," Ridgeline fought the panic building in her chest. She tried to think logically. Her eyes scanned the passing walls for anything she might use. Nothing! She saw something then, a way out. In a burst of speed, she ran around Galveston and with her free hand, grabbed the vertical rail running from floor to ceiling on the next corner. With all her might, with her wrist screaming in protest, she hurled Galveston around the corner, slamming him nose first into the gritty iron wall. She heard the nose crack, and Galveston screamed.
"Ridgeline?" She heard a voice edged in concern call from further back down the hallway. Chuck! His bootfalls grew faster and louder as they carried him down the hall towards her.
"Don't touch me again! EVER!" Ridgeline shouted at Galveston, who righted himself from the fall.
"I'll touch you any time I want!" He shouted back, lunging for her. She easily dodged the slow lunge, and shoved him back into a wide pipe, knocking the air from his lungs.
"Ridgeline what's…" Chuck had appeared around the corner. He took the scene in, Ridgeline's wide eye'd gaze, her bruised wrist, Galveston's still-gushing nose, the bent pipe... A look came over his face as he put two and two together. Ridgeline had never seen him look so angry.
"You filthy bogan swine!" He growled. One handed, Chuck picked Galveston up and threw him against the same pipe. It broke and steam poured out, burning Galveston's face. Chuck followed that with a hard blow to his stomach. Galveston tried to block, but he was too dazed. Chuck pulled the boy into the middle of the hallway. By that time, several people had heard the noise and come to investigate. More and more showed up by the second.
Chuck rammed into Galveston's stomach, shoving him into the far opposite wall and firing three hard, left-handed blows in rapid succession to Galveston's kidney, Galveston screamed in agony. He slumped to his knees. He tried righting himself again, only to be knocked down by one hard downward blow to the cheek. Ridgeline heard the cheekbone crack. Chuck finished him off by slamming the boy's face into his up-coming knee.
Ridgeline cringed at the strangled cry that bubbled from Galveston's bloody face, then he slumped to the floor, cradling his face and crying like a child.
"Touch her again 'n' I'll kill you" Chuck seethed, loosening up his shoulders and wiping Galveston's blood from his knuckles
What Ridgeline could make out of his gurgling speech was something along the lines of, 'Fuck off'.
Chuck bristled again, but Ridgeline placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. "Chuck, he's already down. He can't do anything else. Leave him there."
He stepped back from Galveston, glaring at the younger boy, then his gaze turned to Ridgeline. "Are you right? Did he hurt you
"My wrist aches, but I'm fine otherwise." She replied, a little dazed. With almost a feeling of awe, she looked at Chuck with new light. For once, rumors were one hundred percent true. Chuck's temper really was a nasty one, and he really was the best fighter on the 'dome. One more thing was for sure. He was absolutely lethal.
"I'll kill him! If he ever tries anything like that again, I swear," He began visibly shaking with rage.
"I think you've almost done that, Chuck. He's not getting up for a good while. And," Ridgeline noticed the people, now formed a circle around the three of them. "everyone is staring."
"So? Come on, we have a party to get to." He looked around the circle, daring anyone to stop them. He took her good hand and moved through the crowd, which parted on it's own. Once they were clear, Chuck laughed to himself.
"Boy, am I going to hear about that one latuh."
"Yeah you will. You almost killed him."
"It was necessary." Chuck growled.
"I don't think your dad will see it that way." Ridgeline glanced at him, amused. "Galveston is an active Pilot. Riptyde Ash will be out of commission until he's well enough to Jockey again."
"Sucks for Riptyde Ash, don't it?" Chuck said. "Just be glad I didn't kill him. He's lucky I held back what little I did." He looked down at her briefly
"That was holding back?!" Ridgeline gasped.
"Yep."
"Jesus H. Christ." Ridgeline breathed. /
Are you sure you're right?" Chuck stopped them in front of an iron door and knocked three times. He mumbled almost to himself, "I wonder if he's down at the party yet..."
"Yeah, I'm fine aside from this ache in my wrist."
The door cranked and then opened, Raleigh Becket stood in the doorway. "Chuck? What's going on?"
They went inside and Ridgeline told the story of the hallway incident.
"Good," Raleigh commented, once she'd finished. "the little shit needed a can opened on him
"Raleigh do you have anything for her wrist?" Chuck asked. "I know you sprained yours a few months back."
"Yeah, here." Raleigh tossed a black brace at Ridgeline. It had three Velcro adjustable straps and a thumb hole. Ridgeline fit it to her wrist, wincing briefly, then relaxing in relief as the wrist was stabilized. "It fits nicely."
Ridgeline noted that Raleigh was not dressed for the party. "Aren't you going upstairs soon?"
"No, I'm not going." Raleigh sat down across from them on his arm chair.
"Vex will be disappointed
"I doubt it."
He noted Ridgeline's expression of confusion and explained, "She's been avoiding me all week."
Ridgeline nodded her head in an 'Ahh' gesture.
"Raleigh, you have to talk to her." Chuck hinted.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" He exclaimed, standing rapidly. "I wouldn't know what to say!"
"Mate," Chuck began. "she heard your entire conversation with Dad about her."
"Shit." Raleigh's hand went to his forehead. "So that's why."
"Just talk to her, Raleigh. Tell her how you're feeling." Ridgeline prodded.
"I don't know how I feel!" Raleigh yelled, beginning to pace.
"Don't yell at my girl, Raleigh." Chuck snapped.
"I wasn't ye– gah, whatever." Raleigh exclaimed, then mumbled under his breath. "Tempermental Australian jock."
"Then tell her how you're feeling!" Ridgeline yelled back, not hearing the jock comment. "She is my sister, and I don't appreciate what you're doing to her! Either you want her for your co-pilot or you don't!"
"It's not that simple." Raleigh's voice went back to normal. "I feel guiltier than I've ever felt about Mako, that was my fault, by the way, and then I have people telling me left and right that Vexine is the right choice for my new co-pilot when Mako is still alive and could recover! What would I say to her if she knew I was replacing her already?" He sat down again with his head in his hands.
"Raleigh," Chuck began. "She would understand that the fight must go on. Mako will never be the pilot she used to be. Those burns are too extensive. And if I remember correctly, yours almost killed you and they were only on your arm and shoulder."
"Yes, I know." He said shortly, the picture of cynicism.
"Then be realistic! Mako will not recover for at the very least, a year. You are one of the top pilots in the world. Do you really think they'll let you sit idle waiting for your co-pilot to heal, if she heals? No! Think logically, Raleigh. Get Vexine to be your Co-Pilot. Next to Ridgeline, there's no one bettuh, and you can't have her." He glanced at Ridgeline.
"Trust me, Chuck. I don't think anyone will try anything on her now, especially since your secret is out." Raleigh punched Chuck lightly on the bicep.
"You should have been theh, mate. It was a right good brawl!" Chuck grinned. Ridgeline sighed in humorous exasperation. The man really was incorrigible! "Get ready for the party, Raleigh. We'll see you there."
Chuck and Ridgeline left Raleigh's room, and walked toward the main elevator. Once inside, they settled for the long ride to the top of the dome, where the party was being held.
"Thank you." Ridgeline spoke quietly. "For, back there."
"Sure, Cupcake." Chuck looked at her softly.
"Come over here," She motioned for him, and he walked the few steps to stand very close to her. She could feel his body heat radiating around her. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, and Ridgeline could smell his cologne. It made Ridgeline's head spin. He leaned the rest of the way and kissed her. It was slow, at first, but soon Ridgeline felt a raging heat inside her that she desperately needed Chuck to quench. He felt it too.
"We can't go to that party." Ridgeline gasped.
"No." Chuck stopped the elevator abruptly. "Follow me." They rounded corner after corner, until coming to a stop at Stinger West's Conn-Pod door.
"The Conn-Pod?" Ridgeline questioned.
"Sure, why not? This will be our Jaeger once we get everything straightened, why not make it unofficially ours in the mean time?" He winked at her, pulled the Conn-Pod door open, and locked it shut once they were both inside.
Goodness, it even smelled new in here! Ridgeline thought, amazed. She'd never been inside a brand new Jaeger before. The pilot arms had never been used, and the control panel stood, proudly redesigned from previous marks, in the middle. There were so many things Ridgeline saw and wanted to touch.
Plenty of time for that later, Ridgeline thought. Right now, focus on the exquisite man in front of you.
No words were spoken after that. The cold air in the Conn-Pod combined with the nerves of being alone with Chuck had made Ridgeline begin to shiver. Chuck's hand supported Ridgeline's neck while kissing her, knowing how she sometimes gets headaches from cranking her neck back. The kiss grows increasingly feverish until both are clawing at each other's clothes.
Ridgeline loses her tank top, her leather pants and then he lifts her and her legs wrap around his hips. Ridgeline gasped at the strange sensation. After a few moments, she could have died right then and been the happiest girl alive.
"You right?" Chuck asks, voice ragged.
Ridgeline nods against his shoulder. "Yes." She raises her head and kisses him once more.
The sensation soon becomes too much for them both, and Chuck followed Ridgeline over the edge. His vision blurred and the blackness threatened to overtake him. His legs threaten to buckle and he shuffled backward until he could lean against the wall of the Conn-Pod. Ridgeline's legs were still around him. Neither of them spoke. The only sound in the Conn-Pod was their breathing. Ridgeline was still quivering. After a long moment of silence, Ridgeline was the first to speak.
"That was insane."
Chuck grinned provocatively.
"So you liked it then?"
"Uh, yeah, you could say that." Ridgeline said wryly.
He chuckled.
"Do we still have time to get to that party?" Ridgeline asked, lifting her head from his shoulder.
"It's barely nine o' clock. That party will be goin' long into the early mornin' hours."
"Let's go then." Ridgeline said, untangling her legs.
"Ah!" She cried out as her legs buckled beneath her.
"Easy, Cupcake." Chuck steadied her with a hand and winked at her. "You sure you can walk?"
"You're unbelievable." Ridgeline mumbled, glancing at him in good-natured humor. She tossed him his jacket with more force than necessary.
"Hey, I just want to make sure I did my job right."
"You don't have to worry about that." Ridgeline winced as she began walking around gathering her clothes.
"Ridgeline," She stopped and looked at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She continued getting dressed.
"Don't lie to me."
"I-" Ridgeline protested, but then she stopped. "I'm worried that this changes things for us."
"Of course it does." Chuck folded his arms over his bare chest.
"No, I mean in a bad way."
"How?" That sounded more like a statement than a question.
"You could decide you don't want me anymore, now that we've…" She couldn't even finish that sentence. She knew already that if he walked now, she would never recover. She turned her back to him, eyes beginning to sting.
"Jesus," Chuck moved to her and put his arms around her. Ridgeline's ear was level with his heart and she drew comfort from it's steady beating. "I used to be that kind of guy, but with you it's different. I want to be what you need."
"It's me who should be worthy of you, Chuck. I'm just a recent graduate from Alaska. Everyone knows who you are."
"Don't say that again. You are no ordinary girl, Ridgeline. Nothing is going to change, especially now that I've had a taste of what I've been craving since you got heeyuh, and it only left me wanting more."
"Me, too." Ridgeline murmured, rising to her toes for a kiss and he did so with such passion, it left her feeling giddy light-headed.
"Now, here's your top. We have a party to get to." Chuck said, grinning at her wickedly.
