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Chapter 10: If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another

CJ felt as though her blood ran cold with Karl in her office. She was sure her heart was pounding so damn loud in her ears that she thought everyone in the building could hear it too.

However, she came with backup and she was not going to let Karl put fear in her again.

Not if she had anything to say about it.

"If you even think about coming closer to me.." She pulled out a switchblade that she kept on her at all times. Growing up in the ghetto parts of her old neighborhood, she had to watch her back at all times of the junkies and crackheads and any other hood rats that tried to come for her.

Despite what Karl did to her way back then, and as much as he had this blackmail holding over her head, she was not going to play his game.

"Relax, Relax Claudia, no need to panic. I come in peace actually." He smirked, holding his hands up.

"Bullshit." She glared at him, the blade still in her hand, ready to use it, if need be. "Don't fuck with me right now Karl. Now's not the time nor place and don't think for a second that just because you work here and you have this secret hanging over my head does not mean I will make sure I'll give you a personal vasectomy."

"Actually, I only just wanted to make sure you don't say shit about what we had shared. It would probably kill AJ...well that is if he will ever believe you." He shrugged as he snickered a little.

"Are you sure you're AJ's best friend or his bitch?" She stood up from her desk as Karl narrowed his eyes at her.

"Bitch, don't try me or I'll-" Karl snarled at her, ready to punch her until she aimed that blade right at him. She wanted to just stab him in his fucking heart and let him bleed to death already. Of course, she only wanted to scare him right now and Karl was smart enough to not get too close to CJ.

"Or what Karl? You're gonna rape me again?" She hissed at him. "Because at least this time, I come prepared. I told you before I'm not going to say a word to AJ but you got me fucked up if you think I'm just going to let you bully me and do whatever the hell you want."

"Well, I also came to let you know that it's a good thing you are married now. Because thanks to me, AJ will never want anything to do with you." His smirk became wider. "Ever since that wedding night, that lovely woman came up to him and of course, decided to distract him for the evening and he didn't say no, I'm sure."

CJ felt like her whole world was slowly crashing. AJ forgot all about her and she knew she shouldn't care. She knew she had no right to be jealous since she was the one that abandoned him. But she was still hurt and she partially blamed herself for pushing him away like that.

"Well, good for him. You and him should throw a good party." she said, her tone oozing with sarcasm. "Are we done now or what?"

"Well, now we are." He chuckled. "Just remember what I said CJ; Don't fuck with me. I'll end you and everything you worked hard for. Stay away from AJ if you know what's good for you and I'll leave you alone."

"Go back to hell, Anderson." She gritted her teeth as she watched him leave, as she threw her high heel shoe at the door, wanting to just scream so damn loudly.

She looked to see a text message coming from Frankie on her phone.

"Are we still on for Pablo's Pizzaria?"

-Frankie

CJ smiled as she texted back yes, already hungry and saw it was almost time for her lunch break anyway. Some fresh air and a much needed distraction was all that she needed.

At the same time though, Karl was smiling as he was leaving CJ's office. He simply wanted to get his point across and he knew he would do whatever he had to do to keep her from fucking talking.

"Hey man, what's up?" AJ saw him as Karl smiled, both of them slapping fives.

"Nothing much, what do you mean?" He inquired.

"I mean, why were you coming from CJ's office all of a sudden? What's going on?" He repeated the question, a little more specific this time, crossing his arms.

"Nothing, man. Just taking care of some business and needed to ask for her input on some reports I had." He lied so easily.

"It's just a little weird since you and CJ are not exactly the best of friends and I gotta tell you, she didn't like you before and she doesn't like you know." He chuckled, ignoring the look of disdain on Karl's face.

"Yeah well her opinion doesn't matter to me on a personal level. It's all in business." He simply stated, and just wanting to change the subject before he kept prying for more information. "So, have you talked to Chloe yet?"

"No, she's been calling me but I haven't gotten around to it. She wants to hook up again and I told her I would think about it." He confessed, not really wanting to get into it but Karl just pressed on.

"You gotta hook up with her again, man. You know from what it sounds like, she's not the kind of person that doesn't take no for an answer. So why not?" He encouraged him as AJ rolled his eyes.

"Dude, just drop it alright?" He sighed. "I'll give her a call tonight and maybe even go on a date perhaps but I don't know yet."

"Hey, either way man. It's good to get back out there." He smiled, patting his back as CJ watched in the background at AJ smiling and laughing with the damn devil.

That man was still breathtaking but she knew they couldn't be together again.

As much as she loved Cesaro, she had to move on and so did he and she had to let him move on.

Even though it killed her inside.

...

The girls all gathered at Pablo's Pizzeria for a large pepperoni bacon and ham pizza with their salads and pineapple tea drinks, catching up a bit.

"So, I am really looking forward to tonight with John. I have already bought this sexy little lingerie from Hustler's." Frankie gushed as she thought about what anniversary present John would surprise her with or where he would take her. She showed her girls the picture as they both agreeded it was sexy, with red lace and black bows.

"John is going to eat you up for sure." CJ winked as Frankie smiled.

"Hopefully, he will. We have been distant as of lately with our schedules and the girls but my mom is going to watch them over the weekend, so that we can bring the romance back in our marriage." She said, biting into her salad.

"As long as we are still hitting up the club for my birthday on Saturday, I'm with it." CJ smiled proudly, sipping more of her lemonade.

"Ugh, I feel like we are getting older as time goes on." Nellie groaned as she finished up her salad. "Might as well whip out the hover rounds, the canes and the damn dentures."

"Damn bitch, we ain't that old yet. Shit, I'm forever 21." She flipped her hair back as Frankie groaned.

"Well, I know the gray hairs are gonna kick in for me soon." She frowned a bit as she grabbed another slice of pizza from the tray.

"Aww look here. Isn't this so adorable." They all turned to see it was Alexa Bliss, Carmella, and Natalya. As usual, snobby and bitchier than before. "It's the three little rugrats."

"Pathetic, might I add." Natalya added.

"Bitch, please don't let your midget leader get your ass kicked." Nellie almost stood up, ready to throw blows.

"You know what, they not even worth it, ladies." Frankie glared at them. "Don't you miserable ass broads have somewhere else to go to?"

"Like back to the Satan's galley? I heard they were missing their pets." CJ smirked as Alexa rolled her eyes.

"Oh CJ, you still haven't changed, whether it be your attitude or the fact that you get more bloated each time. I could have sworn you were 12 months pregnant or did you eat the babies?" Alexa cackled as her other two were laughing.

Before CJ could get to her, Nellie then threw her tea at Alexa's face as she shrieked, the remnants were dripping all over her face and messing up her hair and outfit.

"Oops..did I do that?" She stated mockingly as Frankie and CJ laughed.

"You bitch!" Alexa was coming for her but Carmella and Natalya held her back as they walked out, both parties exchanging glares.

"This is not over, you fucking cunt!" She screamed as all three of them left.

"Sucks I wasted my damn tea." Nellie rolled her eyes as she sat back down, pouting a bit. "But i was worth it.

"I'll order you another one. Because if you didn't do it, I was damn sure going to send her ass hom with a black eye." CJ said proudly, making a fist to prove her point.

"I'll be over at the sidelines, busting you two out of jail." Frankie bit into her pizza some more.

"Oh whatever, you know you love us." CJ giggled.

"Yes, y'all know I do." She smiled as the waiter came over, giving them more drinks as they all toasted to another day of handling drama for the moment.

Frankie was on her way from her church meeting and saw it was going on almost 6:30. She had her gym bag with her and she wanted to get a good 15 to 20 minute workout in, running the treadmill.

She made it over to CrossFit Planet as she signed in, went to her locker room and changed into a pair of black white stripe leggings and a red tank top tshirt as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She was grateful her parents had her girls for the weekend anyway, given that tomorrow night was her and John's anniversary.

As she went to hop on one of the treadmills, she saw no one other than Roman Reigns, who was bench pressing, lifting weights with sweat covering him as he pushed hard on the weights and she couldn't help but to look.

Ever since the last two weeks of being back in his office and how he practically mocked her marriage, she slapped the taste out of his mouth. He was unbothered though and maybe that was a good thing. She wasn't sure anymore but she knew she had to be professional.

She couldn't deny that he was indeed an attractive man but attraction was normal as long as she didn't act on it.

And that's what she planned on doing. She loved John Cena and that was simple.

During lunch earlier, she had asked Nellie and CJ on advice about her weird attraction to Roman and they both agreed that it was normal.

As she started to get on the treadmill, it seems that Roman noticed her and he decided to stroll right over to where she was.

"Awe damn it." She cursed herself. "Just be professional and curt. Don't get too heavy in the conversation. He's a criminal after all."

Roman had a tiny smirk, seeing that no matter how hard she tried to ignore him, he could also feel her watching him.

"Hello there, Mrs. Cena." He smirked, watching her ass bounce up and down as she was running on the treadmill.

"Hello, Mr. Reigns." She replied as she jogged on the treadmill. "How are you?"

"Fine. Of course, we seem to be running into each other a lot, don't you say?" He raised a brow, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a towel.

"Well, it's a small town." She stated. She looked up to see so many women had daggers at her.

"What's their problem? It's not like me and this man are even together. I'm a married woman!" She shook her head at the thought of them being so jealous.

"Indeed." He crossed his arms, watching her work out. "Well, I'm sure my presence won't be bothering you."

She got off the treadmill, wiping the sweat off her forehead as she looked up, his 6'3 frame over towering her 5'2 frame.

"Right." She nodded, not sure what to say and wanting to escape him. "I better get back to my workout so no distractions please."

"Just making small talk. Why are you so nervous?" He decided to toy with her, just watching her reactions.

"Give me a break." She scoffed as she started lifting the dumb bells. "I'm only just keeping away from someone who can be nothing but trouble."

"Now where's the fun in that?" He grinned at her like a devil about to make an offer she couldn't refuse.

"No fun in that." She set them down, facing him as she ignored the look in his gray eyes. "Listen, if you are asking for an apology for me slapping you the other day, then I apologize for that. But you were way out of line for speaking of my marriage about John when you know nothing about it."

"I'm not sorry for stating facts, sweet pea. But you'll see that soon. After all.." He bent down to whisper in her ear. "Sometimes, being bad can be a good thing."

Frankie ignored the chills that were down her spine as she backed away from him. "I am very happy, thank you very much."

"I'm sure you are." he said in a condescending manner. "But you have a good evening."

"I plan too. John is taking me out for our anniversary this weekend." She smiled, hoping that would shoot his confidence down as well as his cocky attitude.

"Well, I'm sure you won't be disappointed but I also should say that you shouldn't get your hopes up either." He shrugged, completely unbothered by her news. "I mean, where is he taking you; On a magical pony ride and rainbows?"

She could see Roman was mocking her as she rolled her eyes. "You are such an asshole."

Roman chuckled. "I've been called worse. But soon, I'm sure you'll be calling me plenty of names besides that."

Frankie was confused as he chuckled deeply as he walked away, gathering his gym bag.

She only shook her head as she went back to her workout, focusing harder and not the fact that his biceps looked beautiful or the fact the way his eyes were just piercing his gaze at her and her body.

"I need to just go home and ask God to get my head on right." She muttered as she did a few more pushups before she headed to the shower and going on home.

Frankie unlocked the door, hoping to be greeted by John and possibly with candles, rosepetals, or even just somewhere special.

Of course, as she turned on the lights, there was nothing there.

There were no candles, no rosepetals. Hell, there wasn't even a damn box of chocolates or a damn teddy bear.

She set her Hustler's bag down as she called out for John.

"Babe, are you home?" She called out as she walked into the kitchen. "Babe?"

She saw a note on the fridge as she read it.

"Dear Frankie.

There's been a change of plans, I'm going out of town for the weekend as

my brothers had tickets to the Superbowl

and the New England Patriots will be there.

We''ll schedule our anniversary for next year. I'll be back on Sunday night.

In the meantime, keep the house clean and tell the girls I love them.

Love,

John.

"Hold up, what?" Frankie twisted up her face in anger as she dug into her purse to pull out her cellphone, dialing up John's number. "I know he is not doing this right now. Are you kidding me?"

It rang a few times and then John picked up as Frankie could hear the noise going on in the background.

"Hey sweetheart, what's up?" he said in a casual manner.

"What's up? Are you that forgetful? It's suppose to be our anniversary weekend and you are in another town, going to a stupid football game?" She was agitated now, wanting to knock John upside his damn head.

"Frankie, we'll have other anniversaries. This is the superbowl I can't miss that." John tried to reason with her as if he was doing life surgery on a dying patient.

It was then she also heard a few females giggling in the background. "Come on John, we gotta hurry, your brothers are waiting."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Frankie was pissed and hurt, swallowing hard.

"Listen, can I call you right back Frankie? Kind of in the middle of something.."

"Yeah." She said rather calmly.

"Ok. Gotta go. I'll see you Sunday. Bye." He hung up as she ended the call.

Frankie then grabbed the note, tearing it up to pieces as she went to the fridge to pull out a bottle of wine as she sat on the counter, popping open the cork and drinking away.

"Some fucking anniversary this is.." She shook her head, drinking at the wine, not even sure what to do next, since once again John Cena fucked up big time.