The Arrangement
I own nothing except my oc.
Chapter 7
Normal POV
After thirty minutes at the gym, Randy was ready to snap; between Hunter's lewd comments, Kane's devious side glances and the accusatory daggers from Roman across the room, he had reached the edge of his patience. Excusing himself, he ran and hid in the locker room for a few brief moments trying to catch a respite.
The door opened and shut behind him.
"For the love of"- Randy muttered before turning around and coming face to face with Roman Reigns. "What"?
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't spear you through the wall", the Samoan growled at him.
"Seriously man, this is none of your business, so back off"! Randy ran his hands over his shaved head in frustration. "Nothing happened".
"Really, cause you and Hunter seemed to be having a really in-depth conversation about it. Not to mention, I heard she's got bruises. Stephanie said so, you absolute son of a bitch"! Roman shoved Randy and he grunted as he hit the wall.
"For fuck sake man, nothing happened! Yeah, OK, she's got a couple of love bites because we had to make it look real! She didn't want to go through with, and I couldn't, you happy"?! Randy growled shoving him back before pushing past and storming out. Roman collected himself and followed Randy back to the gym where he was beating the hell of a punching bag while Hunter spotted Kane at the bench a bit away.
Roman braced the punching bag and fixed Randy with a glare.
"What do you mean 'make it look real'"?
"If it didn't look like we had sex, there would be repercussions. You don't have to believe me, I don't care. But I am trying to protect her", Randy spat out as his right fist contacted with the bag. "My father raised me better than that".
"I'm sorry. I thought"-
"It doesn't matter", Randy replied. "At least she's got a friend. Just don't let them find out". He tilted his head in Hunter's direction.
"More than one by the sound of it", Roman commented.
"Hardly", Randy grunted as he adjusted his status. "I'm just holding up my part of the deal as best I can".
"Randy! Come on, we're meeting Steph for lunch", Hunter called.
Randy nodded at Roman and left.
Roman punched the bag in frustration.
Randy's POV
It was another three hours before I got back to the suite. Lunch was a nightmare. I could barely keep it all down. Stephanie wouldn't stop going on about how Melanie had had a wild night. I wanted to disappear. I was tired, I was sore. I just wanted to be alone. My phone beeped and I checked my messages.
Dusty text: How is my daughter?
I deleted it without replying. I couldn't risk it.
The room was quiet. I thought she had run off, until I saw dark hair outside on the balcony. I stopped at the bed and opened a black case. Where did this come from?
I stepped through the doors and stopped behind her. She hadn't noticed me, or she was ignoring me.
Normal POV
Melanie was crouched over a pad of paper with a piece of charcoal held gently in her right hand. She was busy working on a picture of a raven. She smiled slightly as the charcoal glided across the page. Whenever she felt scared, she always did pictures associated with Norse mythology. Her mother used to read to her, myths and legends were her favourites. Especially Norse myths, she loved the imagery as well. She had spent hours copying pictures from story books as soon as she was old enough to pick up crayons. This made her feel better.
"Where did you get this stuff"?
Her hand froze and her eyes slipped shut. She hadn't heard the door. Like the viper he was named after, he just snuck in. Her hands went limp as he took the book from her, staring her down.
"Well"?
She didn't know what to say. She might have been able to pass the case off as hand luggage along with the suitcase Stephanie had dropped off, but she couldn't pass off the supplies inside along with it. Stephanie and Hunter would never give her this stuff. She couldn't say her family either.
"Did your family send these? Was it your dad"?
Something inside snapped.
"My dad? My dad couldn't give two fucks about me and he certainly couldn't give two fucks about any of that", she exploded gesturing towards the open case. She stood with as much dignity as she could muster. "Now that is my personal property. I don't know who sent it, frankly I don't care. I've been stuck in this room all day and this is the first thing I've enjoyed since I got here. This is what I do to relax and keep myself busy. Now if you don't mind, give it back".
She took the book firmly and pulled it out of his hands. The shock registering on his face, she was angry. Melanie stalked by him and began sorting through the supplies closing up the case and sitting on the bed with the charcoal and book open at her last drawing. Randy followed her in and stood before her with hands on hips.
"If Stephanie and Hunter don't know about this, then you can't keep it".
Melanie glared up at him.
"Excuse me? You think I'm getting rid of this stuff, you are out of your insane little mind".
"Watch who you're talking to"!
"Oh, I'm so sorry my loving husband! Forgive me, I know I should sit around bored out of my skull while all of you run around with your little wrestling politics. Screw you"!
Randy clenched his fists in anger.
"Give me that stuff", he growled.
"No", she snapped back and firmly pressed the pad on her chest. Randy's left eyebrow twitched. She might have looked sweet, if it wasn't for the death glare in his exact direction.
"Fine", he muttered. "But if they catch you, don't say I didn't warn you".
"Oh don't worry, I'll be sure to say you knew nothing about it", she replied harshly. With that, she stormed out to the balcony. Randy flopped down on the bed and placed his head in his hands in despair.
Melanie POV
I was waiting all evening for repercussions. None came and I didn't know whether or not to worry. When I looked back into the room, Randy was lying on the bed watching TV. I observed him silently and then turned back to my drawings. Stephanie had sent around a couple of meals. Randy had eaten his pretty quickly. Mine was lying to one side, I had picked at it now and again but I wasn't hungry.
I stayed out here for a few hours. When I came back in, Randy had fallen asleep on top of the bed. The TV was switched off and the lights were dim. His chest was rising and falling softly, he looked peaceful. When he was sleeping he was not a major ass. How wonderful for me.
I changed quickly and slipped under the blanket next to him, careful to ensure we weren't touching. I switched the light off and settled down. It was after midnight, and I had a long day tomorrow. Still, how bad could it be?
At Raw, Melanie POV
Okay, it was bad. Since I had arrived I had been prodded and made up until I looked like a trashy hooker. Or as Stephanie had called it, a valet. The make-up artist had finished applying a fine layer to my face and curling my hair so it fell softly around my shoulders. Add a short black dress and a pair of heels and I was ready to go with Randy. I had never worn heels like this before and I was unsteady. I left the dressing room to go back to Randy's locker room and fell into a hard body.
"Melanie"? Strong arms gripped mine and I looked up at eyes like my own.
"Cody", I said softly. His arms wrapped around me and I breathed a little easier.
"Cody, you back her- Mellie"! I laughed softly as a blur of gold and black barraged into us. For a few seconds, I lost myself in the sweet reunion with my brothers. The anger melted away.
"Are you OK? Have they hurt you"? Dustin asked, as he gripped my face and looked me over.
"No, I'm alright", I replied.
"What's this"? Cody asked shifting my hair from my neck. The bruises, I had forgotten. "That son of a bitch".
"Cody, no. It's not what it looks like", I tried desperately to explain.
"What is it then"? Dustin asked.
"It was to fool Stephanie. He hasn't touched me otherwise I swear. I need to go. He's waiting for me". I pulled away from my brothers and brushed past them. I couldn't put them or myself at risk. Not here. I didn't know I already had.
Normal POV
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall".
Voices blared over the system, and Randy walked down to the ring, his hand tightly clasped around Melanie's smaller one. The roar of the crowd was deafening. Melanie kept her face stoic. She was doing this under protest, completely and totally.
"Being accompanied to the ring by Melanie Rhodes, he is the WWE Champion, Randy Orton"!
Michael Cole turned to JBL, "A little dissension in the family ranks among the Rhodes family then JBL"?
"Looks like Cole, looks like. Melanie is the only one with her head screwed on right now".
"What you mean abandoning her family"? King interjected.
"She obviously knows what's best for business. Channelling Stephanie McMahon here and standing with her man, following another great woman's example".
Melanie stood in the ring with Randy, watching him pose up on the ropes. She was briefly reminded of watching Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth with Cody when she was younger. But then, Miss Elizabeth was here willingly. Randy held the ropes open for her and she slunk out quickly once Dolph Ziggler reached the ring. He passed her down the title, and she winced at the extra weight of it. How did he carry this around all the time?
This wasn't the first time she was watching wrestling, but even Melanie was astounded by the sheer volume of violence Randy was exhibiting. She winced as his opponent was slammed and punted around the ring, only managing to get a few hits in. After a particularly brutal RKO and the three-count, Melanie let out a breath, wanting to get away from this place. She could feel thousands of eyes on her and this scene, could hear the commentators speculate about her presence here, and she wanted to vanish.
She was snapped back to reality after a resounding smack. A steel chair impacted with the back of the blonde and he collapsed back in the ring in extreme agony. Randy stood above him, with the chair held firmly in his grip before he tossed it to one side and exited the ring.
He came to stand before Melanie and took his title from her. He turned and led her back to the dressing room. She swallowed and followed him as the EMTs attended to Dolph. She heard the jeers and boos; for a while she was tempted to join them.