Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Sphinx was eerily quiet as Atley navigated the less known route to Chaosia's home and Atley was almost ready to crack.
For the third time in two hours.
He growled as they stopped at a light, shifting his gaze to land on his dark tempered friend as he stared out the window, seemingly nonplussed by his earlier outburst. But Atley knew him too well to believe that he wasn't upset and licking his wounds. The tell-tale vein throbbing above his left eye was easy to miss but Atley had seen it too many times over the years when Sphinx was trying to reign in his wicked temper.
That, coupled with the occasional sound of his large knuckles cracking when he clenched and unclenched his fists would normally be enough for Atley to all but crow in victory for making him show some emotion . . . but today it had him just as on edge as the Sphinx.
He sighed, pulling away from the line as the light turned green, taking the turn towards the suburb their newest crew member resided in. He knew he'd been a little too vocal in reprimanding his friend but damn it he'd had enough. Besides, it wasn't like what he'd told the man was untrue. And if he didn't want to face the fact that maybe he was the reason the girl had all but withdrawn from the old school (save for Sway) since her injury than that was just tough luck.
He'd seen the way she'd been looking at him before the bar . . . and he saw how she'd acted when she came back for changing after Donnie patched her up.
She'd started to give him a wider berth and leaning more towards the younger lot.
He pulled into Chaosia's neighborhood, and watched Sphinx tense even more. He was on edge about being here but Atley wasn't going to deal with him like this until the girl returned to work.
He sighed, remembering exactly what had transpired between them to even make the man get in his corvette.
Sphinx followed him to the parking lot, stopping just in the doorway of the garage and looking at Atley expectantly. Atley growled, eye twitching as Sphinx shifted and nodded, his customary goodbye, before turning to go back to terrorizing the restores and haunting the office. Finally, Atley had enough. The snappy comments he'd grumbled earlier seemed like whispers of endearment compared to what was about to roll out of his mouth. He knew he was practically stomping on the man's toes but enough was enough.
"Well?"
Sphinx just stopped, looking at him with a brow quirked and an otherwise blank but sour face. That only served to piss Atley off even more. And he finally let loose.
"Damnation man. She fucking lived and she's fine. If you're so damned worried about her then go with me to drop this damned paperwork . . . If not then suck it up and quit damn glowering at everyone! We didn't make her stop talking to your emotional detached ass. You did."
And with that he'd turned on his heel and stomped to his car, revving the engine and tossing the box of papers into the passenger seat. He waited, trying to slow his breathing and rest his now aching leg from the stomping fit . . . honestly surprised when the passenger door opened and the towering boost pushed the box into the back seat. He watched as Sphinx did his seatbelt and situated himself for the drive, never looking at Atley as he did so. HE knew he was pissed. But he was here and going. That in itself had to mean something.
Right?
Whatever he was expecting when they pulled into Chaosia's driveway was not what they got.
He'd already gone round with Atley. Twice.
And he was at the point that he didn't think he could be surprised any more than he had been when his normally relaxed companion turned his infamous cold nature towards him.
He hadn't realized his bad mood had been so apparent . . . or that he had been aggravating Atley so badly.
He just knew that he was rethinking his take on not allowing Chaos to occupy any part in his life . . . though what part he would let her have he wasn't sure yet.
Honestly, he'd been so angry at himself for not being able to keep her from being hurt and not comforting her or being there or whatever it was bloody emotional idiots did for the women in their lives when something went awry that he hadn't really noticed his uncharacteristic actions.
Until Atley had practically bitten his head of that is, telling him to suck it up and go if he was so worried.
He sighed mentally.
He'd planned on at least asking Chaos if she was okay when she'd come back to work but every time he went to the garage she was nowhere to be seen.
So today when he'd come in to find not only Sway at her desk but Atley doing filing he'd let his paranoid and skeptical nature get the best of him.
He'd honestly thought that the girl had just up and left or quit and that was that. And the pile of work and the other two boosts frustrations hadn't been anything but fuel for the fire and is anger had gotten the best of him.
That and the fact that Sway had jumped off the phone as soon as she'd seen him . . .
So when Atley snapped and set him to rights (as right as he got anyway) he knew he had to do something.
He just didn't know what.
What worried him was how he had let her get under his skin and he hadn't even noticed it.
He'd been acting like a fretting ninny all week and was just now seeing that while he could be worried about the girl he shouldn't be as frantic as he'd been.
This didn't bode well for him.
Not at all.
He sighed aloud this time, watching her house come to view as they got closer.
And what was waiting there put a rock in his gut.
Kip, Tumbler and Mirror's cars were all parked there, with Chaosia's Cayenne sitting off to the side on the grass.
And from the looks of them, the cars had been there a while.
When they got out of the car, they could hear the screams and laughs coming from the back yard.
Sphinx looked down at Atley as he shrugged and lugged the huge box of paperwork with him towards the backyard.
As they stepped through the privacy fence, Sphinx looked up and forgot how to breathe. Chaos was standing there at the edge of the pool with Toby, dressed in a barely there white bikini with a huge koi fish down the left side. Her hair was down and curling wildly around her back, the bangs held back by big aviator sunglasses as she laughed and leaned on the almost wheezing hacker.
Freb and Tumbler were laughing in the pool as Kip shot out from under the water, sputtering and cursing with his arms fighting to catch purchase on his friends. Mirror was off to the side, nodding and adjusting his sunglasses.
"See that's what you get Raines. I told you she was the devil under that smile! And she definitely likes me better."
Kip made his way to the shallow end, spitting water as he glared at Mirror.
"Only because she confuses you for an imp, Smurf."
Mirror just shrugged, unfazed as he grinned.
"I'll be her imp any day, Gel Boy. Especially if it keeps me from looking like you."
Chaos laughed, not noticing their new guests as she tried to stop the macho shit.
"Oh please. Neither of you are my type so just drop it. I like grown men not little boys."
Tumbler laughed, slapping Kip on the back.
"Yeah dude. Like me, right Chaos?"
Sphinx felt his blood boil at the statement but he couldn't for the life of him figure out why it bothered him so badly.
What did it matter if she fancied Tumbler over the others?
He was still a far cry from the men Chaos claimed to prefer but if that was what she thought was a man . . . He watched as Chaos herself just rolled her eyes and went to the sofa area, returning with a coffee cup. She took a long sip and sighed before responding.
"Sorry Tumbles but even you aren't my cup of tea. I like 'em tall, dark and meaner than me. Besides, I could never date a man who spends more time on his hair than I do. Sorry."
They all laughed and even Atley chuckled, looking his way almost expectantly. The added voice brought Chaos's eyes to them and she smiled, and though it didn't quite reach her eyes, waving them over. Sphinx looked anywhere but at her.
He couldn't let his eyes wander over the tanned skin and abs and . . . . dear God was that another tattoo?
Was she trying to be the death of him?
"Hey guys. Bring me some work to do?"
Atley nodded, turning his eyes to the pool, some of the playfulness draining away.
Sphinx could tell he was pissed about being stuck in that office and then to find them here . . . They were in for it . . . eventually.
"Yeah. And Otto's summons for them. He wants all of you at the garage ASAP. You've got work to do so quit freeloading in Chaosia's pool."
They groaned but started to get out, each going to their respective towels to dry off. As they filed into the sunroom to change, Toby came over and hugged Chaos blushing. She shook her head and ruffled his hair before shooing him back off with the others. Sphinx watched the boy go and could hear his friends' laughter when he opened the door to Chaosia's house.
Since when were any of them on hugging terms?
And why did watching Chaos wrap her arms around him feel like a kick to the gut?
Her laughter brought his attention to her as she moved from the pool side shaking her head, sitting at the outdoor coffee table. She was chatting away with Atley as she extended her hand for the box to be put in front of her. She started going through the paperwork, reading as she listened to Atley's description of the day and why he was there.
She nodded, absently sorting the papers into the piles they needed to be in as she listened and commented.
"You're sweet to say something Atley, but Bob is just an idiot. I've dealt with it my way by making him bleed and that's enough for me. If he does anything else I'll deal with it. Fucked up back or not. Besides, Otto won't let him get out of hand and I can handle a little trash talk."
Sphinx came to sit beside Atley on the other couch and watched amazed as she worked through the box quickly, seeming unfazed by the amount. She had a knack for organizing and it apparently went beyond her research and her cleaning abilities. Categorizing information and paperwork types seemed to go hand-in-hand for her.
How had Otto survived this long without someone doing this?
By time the boys emerged to leave, she had four different colored piles of paperwork that she was sitting neatly in the box, keeping like with like.
Sphinx and Atley shared a look.
Had she seriously just done what it had taken him and Sway hours to even try to accomplish in minutes?
When Tumbler came over to tell her goodbye with Kip, she smiled at them.
"Bye guys try and behave. And do not plan another Smurf Bath in my absence without cleaning it up, 'kay?"
They nodded and agreed as Chaosia sighed dramatically, looking skyward before handing the now chuckling Kip the box. He carefully took it and shifted to where he was holding it with one arm as he bent down and hugged her shoulders.
"I'll try and keep them in line, Chaos. And I'll drop this on your desk when I get there and lock the door so no one can mess it up."
She nodded, doing some odd hand shake with Mirror when he walked up and nodding once to Freb. She waved at the still blushing Toby and shook her head when he turned even redder.
As they all started to disperse, Tumbler held back and waited until they were out of earshot. He looked down at her, smiling and held out his arms.
Sphinx watched in amazement as she stood, shaking her head, and gave him a full hug, wrapping her arms around the boys waist as the boy did the same to her. She looked up at him and laughed, not caring that they had an audience.
Tumbler grinned rakishly, his eyes shooting from Atley to Sphinx before asking, "So? I'll see you the Wednesday after the stitches are gone?"
She nodded, pulling away to lightly punch his shoulder.
"Yeah. And you should be ready to bleed Tumbles. Because I am not going to take it easy on you."
He nodded his eyes just a bit more serious as he nodded to the other two boosts and went to leave, calling back over his shoulder, "I don't expect anything less, Chaosia."
Sphinx eyed the boy as he left; suddenly feeling better that it was just him and Atley with her.
Chaosia, however, didn't seem to share the sentiment.
She shifted and moved in her seat, pulling herself away from them as she glanced at her now empty pool.
Well, if she bloody wanted them then she could have them.
Atley glanced at her just as Sphinx made the decision to stand and demand to leave. He wasn't going to stay where he wasn't wanted and it was clear by her refusal to even look at him that she'd changed whatever tune he'd thought she was playing. He knew she couldn't have wanted anything to do with him . . .
"So, now that the Wild Bunch is gone how's the shoulder?"
She looked at Atley, shocked for a second before smiling, relaxing and opening up a little. She glanced at him, shrugging.
"Not so bad anymore. Donnie really did a swell job patching it up."
Her eyes darted to the stoic boost beside him and Atley knew what he saw there. He'd seen it constantly when Memphis and Sway were younger and had just met. A deep interest that was assumed to be unrequited by the subject, for whatever reason. And here again, Atley was no fool. He could see what they couldn't. She thought he didn't want anything to do with her because of his ways and Sphinx . . . Sphinx looked torn between homicide (Tumbler's) and self-mutilation.
Actually, he'd never seen Sphinx try so hard not interact with someone.
Dear Lord. He needed to move this along, for everyone's sakes.
Besides, he had an unofficial bet with Raines and he never lost if he could help it.
He nodded to Chaos.
"So? You and Tumbler getting together on Wednesdays now?"
She nodded, keeping her eyes most trained on him, but he saw them shift back to Sphinx ever so often.
She was watching him.
And though he didn't look it, he was watching her.
Lord they were so damned alike but just different enough to be trouble.
In the beginning anyway.
"Yeah, we're going to start boxing. I'm going to teach him a few things about Muay Thai and maybe some kendo. The exercise will help my shoulder and it'll be fun. And it's the perfect excuse to bring a friend of mine from Seal Beach up and introduce to him."
Atley nodded, watching Sphinx relax almost undetectably at that tidbit. He chuckled.
"Oh? Going to play matchmaker?"
She shrugged, sipping her tea.
"Why not? They'd be cute and if it didn't work out they'd have a few good laughs to remember. Besides, Mia just loves boxers for some reason. I'm honestly beginning to think she has some kind of fetish. "
Atley's grin turned dark and he saw the opportunity to strike hard. It might cost him his head but he was going to force these two morons together by the end of the week if it killed him.
"And you don't? Pity. I thought you and Tumbler would be a good couple."
She sputtered, spewing tea as she looked at him like he was crazy and Sphinx turned to glare at him discretely. He didn't dare look because the side of his face felt like it was on fire. But he continued on, outwardly unfazed by either reaction.
"Why not? He's young and attractive and the two of you seem to have a good bit in common. You're young and attractive and single . . . unless you have somebody in Seal Beach we don't know about . . ."
She shook her head; sitting the cup down and pushing her sunglasses back up as they fell.
"No, Atley I'm single. Look. Quit beating around the bush and just get to the damned point. I hate subterfuge and hints. Just be up front about it and I'll answer the question."
He nodded, knowing that he was close. Sphinx was watching him openly now, glaring at him hard enough that he could feel the skin on his cheeks peeling away. All he could think at the moment was 'Please answer the way I want you to because I'm gonna die if you don't'.
"Are you interested in anyone or are you content to be on your own."
She shrugged, leaning back carefully. Atley watched her work through what to say and not to say. She was anything but stupid and she knew that to say too much could be detrimental to everyone's health. Lord if she only knew.
"I was interested in somebody but I doubt it would work out. They barely seem to notice me anyway . . . so I got over it. Why? Wanna ask me to go to prom?"
He chuckled, eying Sphinx as he sat up a little straighter.
The big lug seemed to be putting the pieces together.
Slowly.
"Maybe. I'll even get you a pretty corsage and everything."
She laughed, seeing the joke but paled as he nodded to Sphinx. Atley watched him jump as he addressed him, seemingly shocked at what he asked.
"So Sphinx, will you let me take your girlfriend to the prom? I mean, you're not going to and I can at least carry on titillating conversations."
Neither breathed as they watched Atley smirk.
He was right!
Sphinx's eyes were wide and he looked like he was about to die.
And Chaos . . . she just looked . . . she looked like he was dangling something wonderful but forbidden in front of her and she'd been craving it for years.
She knew she couldn't have it but damn it she wanted it.
He hoped that she got it as Sphinx opened his mouth to speak.
Sphinx was torn.
Atley had just rocked their collective world and was looking smug about it.
And Chaos was just looking at him with this heart-wrenching look . . . she was preparing for the worst and he could see her pulling back from the answer she was sure was coming.
He sighed.
If he was going to get kicked, he might as well see it coming. He knew that she'd say no and tell Atley to drop whatever his angle was, that she was interested in one of the others but he had to say something.
Besides, Atley Jackson was not getting the last laugh after the stunt he'd pulled earlier.
He shrugged, trying to recompose himself.
"Sorry, Atley. But I think she needs to sit out. At least until that shoulder heals. Then do whatever. She isn't my girlfriend."
He watched Atley's face sour before he smirked.
Good lord, what was the man planning now? Staying ahead of Atley was like trying to predict the exact location of a tornado touching down.
"Well then, I'll show myself to the wall for now. Chaos, another day?"
She nodded, still stunned obviously as he winked down at her.
Sphinx felt his already hot blood boil.
God, Atley was going to roast for this.
As Atley stood to leave, Chaos felt something in her snap. She was furious. Atley had apparently picked up on this-this chemistry that was between the two of them and was trying to play matchmaker . . . But Sphinx had all but thrown the fact that she was interested (or had been) back in both of their faces.
She turned, smiling at Atley sweetly. Two could play this game . . . and she was the fucking master.
She didn't like mind games.
But she could play them.
"Atley? I'm free tomorrow night if you want to get something to eat. Maybe a drink?"
Atley smirked, nodding.
"Sure sweetheart. Anything you want."
She laughed, reusing to look at Sphinx as he openly glared at Atley.
"Anywhere but the Anchor."
Atley laughed, winking at her.
"Sure thing, sweetheart. See you at eight?"
She nodded, her smile going form sweet to devilish. She would so make him pay for putting her in this position.
Both of them.
And with that, the infamous Atley Jackson left Chaos sitting there staring at anything but the Sphinx.
It was a few minutes later that he groaned, breaking Chaos out of her ignoring him.
"What?"
Sphinx knew he should've never gotten in the damned car with Atley. Something deep in his gut had warned him to stay away.
But he'd come anyway.
So now he'd landed himself in this mess and saw no way out of it.
He'd all but lied to Chaosia and Atley's faces in an attempt to save his own.
He just wasn't ready to admit that whatever he felt for the girl wasn't a passing fancy.
Especially to her.
He looked over at Chaosia. She was regarding him with this mixed look and he honestly couldn't tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
He could see the anger and something else warring behind her sea glass eyes . . .
She remembered herself enough to ask, "What?"
"I wonder if he remembers that he drove me here."
She smirked.
"Well, I can take you to your car if you want. I need to go see Sway anyway. Just let me change and we can go."
She stood, going toward the house with him following.
He waited in the kitchen for her to come back downstairs and when she did, he was hard pressed to keep his hands to himself.
God, did she have to dress like that?
She was wearing cropped jeans similar to the ones from the garage with a long sleeved black shirt that clung to her curves like a second skin. The sleeves came to her knuckles but still showed off the muscle in her arms while the deep V of the neckline showed off her chest and the simple cord necklace she was wearing.
She'd pulled her hair up and her sunglasses were perched in her hair, her white purse over her shoulder and keys in her hand.
As she came to stand in front of him, she looked up at him with the same mixed look from the patio.
She slowly stood on her tiptoes and looked at him in the eye, waving her hand in front of his face.
"Hello? Anyone in there?"
He snapped out of his daze, registering she was almost flush against him. She would fit perfect against him, her curves melding into the harder planes of his build.
She pulled back quickly before he could react.
She raised a brow at him but nodded, before easing back onto her flat feet and said, "Let's go."
He looked at her shocked and frozen as she blushed and turned to walk towards the door. She was almost by him when she stopped and glanced over her shoulder at him.
"I need to see Sway and maybe stop and see Atley, see where we're go-"
He looked at her intensely for a split second before spinning her to face him, crashing his lips against hers.
Tongues met and battled as he pulled her hard into his chest, sliding one hand up into her hair, pulling it free of the tie, and the other down to the small of her back. Before either knew what was going on, her was back against the countertop with one of his legs between hers, supporting her weight.
He lifted her easily with one hand, bringing her feet from their place on the ground to wrap around his waist. They stayed there even after he deposited her on her countertop.
His hands were everywhere, taking purchase when they could find it while his hips ground into hers with every bruising pass of his lips. Suddenly his mouth moved down Chaosia's chin to her neck, biting and sucking hard as he went, causing her to moan as she ran my fingers through his short hair, leaving it mussed in their wake. When they finally broke for air, Sphinx looked down at her dazed look and kissed swollen lips and remembered himself.
What in the hell had he just done?
He stepped back like he'd been burnt, dropping his hands and moving away from Chaos completely. She sat there, shock evident on her face for a few moments as he just looked at her. Suddenly, shock turned to anger and outrage then her face shut down completely. She slid off the counter and, grabbing her keys, went to walk by him. Sphinx was torn but didn't know what to do or say if anything.
He felt his gut clench at the sight of her obviously holding her temper in check but didn't she realize that this, whatever it was just wouldn't work?
She stopped at the doorway to the sunroom, looking back over her shoulder at him. "Are you coming?"
He sighed and went to follow, noticing her hands were clenched at her sides hard enough that the keys she was holding was cutting into her palms. Blood was dripping from her fist onto the tile floor. Sphinx, not thinking, reached out and caught her hand, pulling it up for him to see it.
"Jesus, girl. Relax or you'll go through to the bone."
She glared at him, eyes cold as she pulled her bleeding hand free.
"What does it matter to you? Just forget about it. Okay? As a matter of fact, forget about all of this. We'll just act like it never happened tomorrow but today I am not going to pretend that I'm not pissed. I should've known better than to even . . ."
She sighed, shoulders sagging and her chin dipped. In a small voice she almost begged him.
"Just drop it okay? I promise everything will go back to normal and I'll go back to leaving you alone. Just . . . don't act like you care. It obvious there's chemistry here but it's apparent that's all it is."
He looked at her, truly amazed.
How could someone so damned smart be so fucking daft? They'd almost . . . Hell he didn't know anything about her and he was about to . . . Oh bloody hell. Normally a casual dalliance wouldn't bother him but with her the thought of something limited just seemed wrong. And she had the damned nerve to call it just chemistry.
For one of the few times in his adult life, Sphinx opened his mouth and spoke without thinking about what he was going to say.
"Chemistry? Girl, if we didn't have to breathe then you'd be back down on that counter screaming my name . . . and we'd both enjoy every bit of it. That's more than chemistry."
She looked up at him, wide eyed and he had to stop himself from grabbing her again. The next thing Sphinx knew, there was a sharp pain and his world went dark for a few seconds. When he regained himself he realized that his jaw hurt so badly he was beginning to think it was broken and his lip was oozing blood. How the hell had that happened?
He looked down and saw Chaosia's clenched, reddening fist and stared in shock.
She'd bloody hit him.
Chaosia Ripley Guadimus was many things, not the least of which was loyal and extremely intelligent. She was also the possessor of a unique ability to shut off completely from a matter and look at it from a logical point of view. And most of the time, it served her well.
But today, in her kitchen, she was failing at removing herself from the situation.
Because every time she tried, she remembered the feel of his body and lips and his desire for her in vivid, excruciating detail. Like it was happening again and again and again. But she was trying because she did like Sphinx.
A lot.
So much that she could force herself to be okay with just being friends even after he'd shattered her world with that kiss.
So she had tried to be logical and give him the out that two people can be physically attracted to one another and not particularly care for the other.
Hell, she'd been there with her last boyfriend toward the end of their relationship.
He had the body of a Greek god and as long as his mouth wasn't moving he was okay to be around.
But his attitude had been wanting.
Desperately.
And while it pained her to be in the reverse side of things, she could pull through it.
And she would've made good on her promise to let it slip into the background and never say anything about it.
But then he opened his mouth and brought what little hope she had of him actually liking her as anything down around her.
As soon as the words registered with the look on his face . . . she snapped. Everything Paul and Sway had tried to tell her about being cool and distant vanished as her temper flared and wrath replaced her common sense.
She'd never been good at containing her temper when she was this mad.
Its why she would never fight when it was too personal.
The garage ordeal had served as a reminder of what her Uncle Top was always drilling into her skull: Anger and passion lead to mistakes.
And usually grand ones.
It was the look that had done her in though. He was looking at her with regret. Regret (she thought) that he had touched her and dirtied his hands.
That she had been the one he was so whatever to.
And before she knew what had happened, she'd swung as hard as she could, and connected square with his jaw. His head had snapped to the side so sharply that she knew she'd probably just dislocated his jaw but for the life of her she couldn't make herself feel anything but justified. She needed to step back and get her temper under control or this would end badly.
She had to get him out of here.
Now.
Sphinx looked at her, shocked as he held his darkening jaw and oozing lip.
She tried to squash down the swelling pride that she'd drawn blood but she couldn't. God, she needed to get him out of here before he opened his mouth again.
She turned, going to the sink and grabbing a towel from one of the drawers, wetting it in cool water and tossing it to him.
She grabbed another and wrapped it around her now pouring hand.
Why had she hit him with the damned hand with the keys?
He caught the towel, still watching her with this look of . . .
"What?"
He opened his mouth, grimacing before popping his jaw back in place and wiping he blood away with the towel.
"You bloody hit me."
She sighed, rolling her eyes and went to go back to the door. He moved to where he was in her path, causing her to look up at him. A nasty bruise was starting to blossom along his jawline and she felt the guilt and remorse building. Oh great. NOW she felt bad.
He leaned in close, to where their noses were almost touching. He repeated himself, still amazed.
"You hit me. Why? You're the one who said it was just chemistry."
She looked away, knowing her eyes were tearing and hating it. Of course she had to cry when she got mad.
"You were being an ass. I was just trying to . . . Look. I'm not your girlfriend. I'm going on a date with your best friend and-"
He cut her off, pulling her into him and lowering his mouth to hers.
Slowly and deliberately, he kissed her. As his hands slid down her body to their former positions, she could taste the blood from the busted lip she'd given him.
She pulled back, taking the towel and holding it to the still oozing split in the skin.
His eyes never left hers as she applied pressure to the wound.
Finally, she removed it and nodded, almost to herself at the now clean and unbleeding wound.
She looked up at him, peaking at his eyes through her lashes.
He was still staring down at her intensely.
She blushed and he leaned down kissing her softly, much softer than she ever thought a man his size and disposition would be capable of.
When they parted, he leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"It's not just chemistry for me, Love."
