Alfred peered into his rear-view mirror, taking in Bruce's miserable expression. The solemn multi-billionaire had been like this for weeks; and it was taking a toll on his overall demeanor. Bruce didn't even pretend to be drunk when he went to parties anymore. Scratch that – Bruce didn't attend any parties with any of his friends anymore. He only showed up to the mandatory charities and Wayne Balls. Even then, he moped. The press and paparazzi began printing articles about "The Depressed Billionaire" and "Money Doesn't Buy Happiness, Just Ask Bruce Wayne." It was bad.
As much as he loathed the garbage spat by the paparazzi, there was a tidbit of truth in it. Bruce Wayne was depressed, and Alfred had no idea how to help him.
Shayera dusted off the sarcophagus, thankful for the dust that hid the reason for her tears. He was cruel. Her ex was a cruel man. Nothing happened between her and Carter. Shayera had been serious when she said Carter was like a brother to her, but John hadn't believed her.
The fight that occurred had been the worst, but she fully expected to talk it out. She hadn't expected to find another woman in her bed. Because she "cheated" on him, he figured it was okay to cheat on her. By the way, Shayera hadn't cheatead. And why was he allowed to have a close female friend, but she not allowed to have a close male friend? He always shut her down whenever she brought her up. But he was the one worried about Shayera cheating? What a hypocrite! Gaslighting her; telling her she was being mean to his "friend he loved like a sister." Shayera even sort of grew to like Mar'i. But then she walked in on them. Thinking back, Shayera couldn't help but wonder if it hadn't happened before?
Shayera's phone rung. Pulling off one glove, Shayera pulled her phone out of her pocket. Through her blurry vision, she could clearly see the name. Muffling a sob, Shayera hit End and returned to work.
"Hey, Shayera, how's it going?" her friend and colleague, Diana, walked into the room.
"I'm almost done with the top," Shayera stood to her feet and gave her friend a weak smile. "We can start on the bottom in 30 minutes or so." Diana stared at her friend in pity.
"Shayera," Diana walked over to her friend. She stopped when she heard the wringing noise emanating from Shayera's pocket. "He's still calling you?" Diana asked with a raised brow. Shayera nodded tiredly and pathetically. "And Carter?"
"Carter moved back home," Shayera said.
"Coward," Diana sneered.
"No," Shayera said, "I told him to go. He was becoming a nuisance."
"Carter followed you around like a lost puppy," Diana said, and Shayera couldn't help but agree. "You need to change your number," Diana said as she put her fists on her waist, "and find someone new." Shayera's eyes widened. "Think about it," Diana approached Shayera, the mummy between them. "You can't move on because he calls you night and day. I mean, this happened a month ago. Right now, your eyes are blotchy and red."
"Really?" Shayera asked in shame and embarrassment. She thought she was hiding it so well.
"Yes," Diana answered with an air of finality. She opened her mouth to speak when Shayera's phone wrung again. Shayera took it out of her pocket, not bothering to remove her gloves this time. Diana snatched Shayera's phone from her and answered it. "STOP. CALLING. HER," Diana growled into the phone before ending the call. "There," Diana smiled satisfactorily.
"Diana," Shayera blinked, "that was my mother." Diana's cheeks blushed as her mouth formed an 'oh.' "Oops," Diana smiled bashfully, handing Shayera back her phone. Shayera took it back with a small smile. "Tonight," Diana stated factually. "You are going out tonight, and you are going to hook up with a stranger."
"Diana," Shayera said, "you know that's not my style."
"Yeah, I know," Diana rolled her eyes. "But it wouldn't hurt for you to switch it up. And Clark agrees with me." Shayera rolled her eyes as she continued her job. "Come on," Diana groaned. Shayera eyed her friend curiously. "Diana," Shayera said her friend's name warningly. "What's the real reason?"
"It's Bachelor's Night at this really exclusive night club. Like…rich bachelors." Shayera groaned. "Rich bachelors."
"And how many females will be in attendance?" Shayera asked with a raised brow.
"That's the great thing. It's so exclusive, it's invitation only."
"How many?"
"Invitations are bought online, first 600 females."
"Why did you buy a ticket? You have a boyfriend."
"I bought it a month ago just in case."
"Just in case…what?" Shayera asked. Diana shrugged. "Diana," Shayera groaned.
"You need this," Diana stressed. Shayera's phone wrang again. This time, it was him. "Fine," Shayera relented, "now leave me alone. I have to call my mother back."
"You signed me up for a what!" Bruce exclaimed as he rolled himself out from underneath one of his many automobiles.
"You heard me, Master Wayne," Alfred said nonchalantly. "It is high-time you reentered society."
"You signed me up for a what!" Bruce repeated as he stood to his feet, looking at his butler and friend desperately.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Master Wayne," Alfred brushed him off. Alfred then walked behind Bruce and began shoving the much taller, bigger, and stronger billionaire towards the exit of the garage.
"Alfred, I don't want-"
"Oh, hush. You are in desperate need of a shower."
"Half of those girls are escorts, and will you stop pushing me!"
"When has that ever stopped you?" Alfred said with a huff, fixing the billionaire with a glare.
"Fine," Bruce said, putting his fingers to his temples, "I will go to this thing, but only because I know you won't shut up about it until it comes around again."
"If you really insist on going, Master Wayne," Alfred replied cheekily, walking past a very annoyed Bruce, "I'd be happy to drive you there. I'll prepare your wardrobe." Bruce groaned as he followed the old man. Sometimes, he could just ring Alfred's neck.
Shayera pulled awkwardly at the hem of her black, mid-thigh dress, while taking in the pristine atmosphere. Judging from the number of times she herself had been asked 'how much she cost', Shayera was betting that most of the women in attendance were escorts in some way.
She wanted to go home – or back to Diana's apartment – but it had only been half an hour. She had promised Diana she would stay for at least an hour; and Shayera always kept her promises…unlike some people she knew. No, Shayera, she chastised herself mentally. She would not think of him.
Looking around, Shayera noticed the empty bar. Everyone else was either mingling or dancing and having a grand ol' time. No one was at the bar. Shayera walked confidently to the bar, thankful that she hadn't tripped in her four-inch heels. The bartender immediately approached her when she sat. "Sparkling water, please," Shayera spoke. She wasn't in the mood to…partake. The bartender acquiesced silently and returned within seconds.
"I'll have what she's having," a deep, husky voice said from right behind her. Not in the mood to socialize, Shayera turned to tell the guy off. Instead, Shayera found her voice stuck in her throat as she stared into a pair of the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. She couldn't help but stare rudely at him as her heart jumped in her throat. Who was this amazingly handsome stranger?
Bruce had pasted on his usual charming, fake smile. He sat in one of the VIPs sections – reserved for the top 1% of Gotham's rich bachelors – surrounded by girls cooing over him. He half-heartedly played the part of playboy; and the women were noticing. "What's wrong, handsome?" a brunette asked in a husky voice.
"I can make you feel better," a blonde one crooned. Both females were pretty, but he felt nothing. Maybe he was too brokenhearted. But then she walked in. Bright red hair, curled, falling a little past her breast. Long-sleeved, black, mini dress. Black high heels. High heels that did wonders for her legs. And, to complete the ensemble, a black clutch.
This captivating woman exuded no confidence at all. Bruce couldn't see her face from this distance, but her body language said it all. She was not comfortable in this environment; she didn't seem to want to be anywhere near here.
Bruce watched as one-by-one, men approached her. She turned each and every one of them away. This was a party for would-be gold-diggers, hoping to ensnare a rich man. Every girl here was here for that reason and that reason only. But this woman didn't seem interested in…life. Was she lost?
Standing from the red velvet couch, ignoring the 'boos' and 'whys', Bruce left the V.I.P. section. Sticking to the dark corners like a creeper, he watched the redhead do nothing but lean against a wall and turn at least 15 very rich men down. Eventually, the redhead sat down at the bar. More like, slumped at the bar. Bruce needed to know her. He needed to know why she was here, and why she looked as miserable as he felt.
Walking briskly to her, glaring down any would-be contenders, Bruce approached her from behind, getting a whiff of her perfume. She smelled delightful. "I'll have what she's having," Bruce stated confidently. The redhead whipped her head around, clearly not expecting anyone to bother her. Her lips parted, and he heard her breath catch in her throat as she openly gawked at him. Bruce couldn't judge her. He was doing the same. His breath caught in his throat as he stared into devastatingly gorgeous bright green eyes. "May I sit?"
This gorgeous stranger wanted to sit next to her? Shayera nodded mutely. The man smiled as he sat down. The bartender pushed the beverage in front of him. "It-it's not alcohol," Shayera explained. The man merely placed the glass against his lips and drank. "Um…" Shayera stuttered, momentarily forgetting how to speak. "What do I – who are you?"
The man stared at her hard in disbelief. "You don't recognize me?"
Shayera answered, "I am not from America."
"Ahh," the man said, "I thought I detected slight accent. Where are you from?"
"Thanagar."
"Small island. What brought you over?" the man asked, finishing his drink. Shayera's eyes watered. Her military man. She remembered the first time the soldier stepped foot onto Thanagar's shores. It was love at first sight, at least, to her it was.
Bruce immediately wished he could take back the question as he watched the beautiful woman's eyes tear up. Where did his flirting skills go? Were they gone? Did his ability to flirt leave with his ex? Was he broken? If so, how broken was he?
Shayera bit her lip. She couldn't do this. She quickly stood to her feet, startling…him. "I am sorry," Shayera apologized. "I am afraid I'm not good company tonight. I'm gonna-" The gorgeous man grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving. Shayera looked down at their conjoined hands, her heart racing. "Wait," he said to her, slowly standing to his feet. Even with her heels, this modelesque man still towered over her. "You know, I'm not really in the mood to party tonight. Maybe we go somewhere?"
Shayera hesitated. "I don't even know your name," she whispered.
"I don't know yours either," he whispered back, "will you tell me?"
"It's…" Shayera hesitated. This guy was a stranger. She was still considering whether she was going to go anywhere with this man. Sensing her uncertainty, he said, "How about this? You be Jane, and I'll be John."
"No!" she cried loudly getting the attention of the bartender and a few other bystanders. "I'm sorry," Shayera said, trying to pull away again.
"Thomas," the man quickly stated, holding her firmly, yet softly. "You can call me Thomas. Or Tom, if you like," the guy gave her a small smile.
What she was thinking about doing was stupid…massively stupid. Diana would applaud her for doing what she was about to do. This guy was a stranger, yet she was willing to do anything to get rid of the ache in her chest. "Shay," Shayera whispered. "You can call me 'Shay.'
"Shay," the stranger, 'Tom', said, "I'm Thomas. It's nice to meet you. Shall we?" Tom motioned to the exit with his head and held his arm out. After a moment, Shayera nodded and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. Diana would be so proud of her.
A black town car pulled up to the curb, and an older man stepped out. "Ah," he said, "I see you've found a-"
"This is my butler, Carl," Tom quickly cut the elderly gentleman off. 'Carl' merely raised a brow before asking, "The penthouse overlooking the city, sir?"
"Please," Tom nodded, opening the door for Shay. Shay scooted all the way over towards the door while the two gentlemen exchanged whispers. She sent a quick text to Diana who replied with multiple emojis, all eggplants.
Meanwhile…
"Carl?" Alfred whispered. "That was the best you could come up with? And who are you supposed to be?"
"Thomas," Bruce whispered back. Alfred rolled his eyes. "Hey," Bruce smirked, "this was your idea."
Alfred gave Bruce an exasperated look before saying aloud, "As you wish, Master Tom." Bruce smirked before sliding in next to 'Shay'. She appeared to be more relaxed. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but can I have the address to where we are going? I want to send it to my friend…just in case you turn out to be a serial killer." Bruce smiled. That was fair. He quickly rattled off the address. Seconds later, Shay placed her phone in her clutch. "There," she said, her green eyes flashed as Alfred began to drive. "I just want you to know," Shay said, "I don't do this. Hook-ups with strangers, going to strange men's house – that's not me."
Bruce nodded, listening. "May I ask, why did you come here tonight? I came because Carl forced me to." 'Carl' shot Bruce a glare through the rearview mirror. "And I'm one of the rich bachelors."
Shay blushed. "My friend gave me the invite," Shay answered. "I'm getting through a bad breakup…or trying to." Shay played with her hands as her face fell, her red hair covering shielding her from his gaze. Bruce gently placed hair behind her ear. "Me too," Bruce said. Wet, green eyes looked at him. "Perhaps…we can be miserable together?"
"What are you suggesting?" Shay asked.
"No hook-ups," Bruce couldn't believe the words that just left his mouth. And judging from his expression, neither could Alfred. "We'll just…talk."
"Okay," Shay answered after a moment.
She was insane. She was losing her mind. Her breakup with John had driven her to insanity. Going home with strange men was not in her repertoire. This was new territory for her. And she felt…nothing but sadness. She was barely worried about whether this guy was a serial killer. This 'Tom' seemed nice; she felt his kindness in her gut. Then again, John had also been nice.
The driver, 'Carl', pulled up to a condominium, a very nice one at that. "The back way, Carl," Tom said. Shayera momentarily panicked. She immediately calmed when she realized they were in a brightly lit underground parking garage. Carl didn't stop the car until he pulled up to an elevator. "Anything else, sir?" he asked, rather cheekily, in Shayera's opinion.
"That's all, 'Carl'," Tom replied with a smirk. Clearly 'Tom' had some sort of camaraderie with his butler, 'Carl'.
Five minutes later, Shayera stood in the most expensive, extravagant, beautiful place she'd ever seen. And the floor to ceiling windows – she was automatically drawn to them. They were so high up. She could see the lake, Gotham harbor, and other buildings miles away. The city lights gave Gotham this ethereal look. Life wasn't so bleak from up here. "The view is my favorite part," Tom said from behind her. Shayera looked at him from over her shoulder. "You wanna take your heels off? You can make yourself comfortable with me," Tom then paused, "I'll be right back." Tom left the room briefly, before returning with a steel box. Shayera panicked when out came a gun, but he didn't point it at her. He handed it to her, barrel pointing at him. He held out his other hand. "Bullets," he said.
Shayera took the gun and bullets from him. "How do you know I'm not a sadistic killer?" Shayera asked playfully.
"Gut feeling," Tom winked. Shayera smiled as she sat down on a velvety soft couch, the gun close by…just in case. "Would you like anything to eat or drink?" Tom asked looking down at her. "I have unopened bottles of sparkling water."
"That sounds fantastic," Shayera smiled. Tom smiled back for walking to his kitchen. Shayera quickly took the opportunity to load the gun before pulling off her heels…just in case.
Bruce laughed once again at another one of Shay's stories. She was…amazing, incredible. Though, every now and then she would get this sad, distant look in her eye. Her ex must have really done a number on her. "So," Shay began, "you, too, are getting over a breakup? You mentioned it earlier."
"Yeah," Bruce's smile slipped for only a split second. "Before I met her, I was probably the biggest playboy you'd ever meet. When I met her, I'd only had two serious relationships. She changed me," he said, looking into Shay's round, green eyes. "First, she made me chase her, and she did not make it easy," he smiled thinking back to the first time Selina rejected him. "But, eventually, once I proved I had really left my playboy ways behind, we became a couple." Shay smiled at him as she listened. "We were together for two years, but I spent one whole year chasing her. So technically 3 years." Bruce grew silent.
"What happened?" Shay asked.
"I proposed two months ago," Bruce answered solemnly. "She said 'no'." Shay didn't utter a word. She allowed him to continue speaking. "She felt like I was stifling her. She was a free spirit, and I was making her feel trapped. I actually begged her to stay," Bruce remembered the day Selina packed her bags and walked out of his life forever. "Maybe it's karma," he tried shrugging the hurt off, "I really was quite the playboy. Trust me," Bruce said, "if you knew who I really was…you'd understand." Shay only nodded. "Your turn," Bruce gave her a playful nudge.
"Oh, I don't know," Shay answered, "I may start crying halfway through."
"That's okay," Bruce answered, "I'm man enough to handle tears." Shay smiled at him. It was her turn.
"It was during US-Thanagarian talks," Shayera began. "We, my unit and I, stood on the shore, waiting for the Marines to dock."
"Unit?" Tom cocked his head, "you're a soldier?"
"Ex. And on Thanagar, everyone is required to do a stint in the military." Tom nodded for her to continue. "It was love at first sight," Shayera said, getting lost in the memory. "Our eyes met as soon as his boots hit the ground. And suddenly, he was all I could see." Shayera paused. "He was stationed in Thanagar for six months, and those six months were a whirlwind," Shayera thought about all the late nights, late mornings, tender touches. "We even continued our relationship when he returned to the States. We either spoke on the phone or video chatted every night. The time difference meant nothing to us, distance meant nothing.
"A year went by. My time in the military was up, and he had recently retired from the military, too. He asked me to come live with him. California. Then Michigan. Then California again.
"We eventually settled in Michigan. Three years into our relationship, things began to change. It started when a male acquaintance of mine, Carter, got in touch with me. We'd been best friends since childhood. It took a while for me to realize he was in love with me.
"My ex, though, must have sensed my friend's feelings for me at the time. He became very jealous. We fought about Carter all the time. At the same time, my ex had a female best friend. She was gorgeous, and she always had her eyes on him, even though Jo – he was my boyfriend. And when I say she was gorgeous, I mean gorgeous. She's actually a runway model."
"From where I'm sitting, you're gorgeous," Tom spoke honestly.
"Oh," Shayera sputtered, taken aback. "Thank you," she whispered shyly. Tom nodded once, and she continued. "Anyway, I asked him why he could have a female best friend, but I couldn't have a male friend. He accused Carter of being in love with me. He always, always claimed Carter was in love with me. I always refuted those claims. I would tell my ex, even if it were true, it wouldn't matter. Carter wasn't the one I wanted.
"One night, we had a huge fight. Him over Carter; me over his model friend. I stormed out of the house and went straight to Carter. I immediately told him the accusations my ex made. Imagine my surprise when Carter tried to kiss me," Shayera began to tear up. "I then realized, all this time, my ex had been right. And Carter basically confirmed it when he said he'd been trying to win me over since day one. I was enraged. All I saw was red. I stormed out of Carter's house and went back to my ex." Warm tears began rolling down Shayera's face. "I saw them in bed together – him and her." Tom handed her a tissue box. "He was so shocked when I entered our bedroom. He had not been expecting me.
"I ran out the house, went to a cheap motel and cried. My ex kept texting me and texting me, saying how sorry he was. How it didn't mean anything. He only cheated because he thought I was going to cheat on him. He loved me.
"By this time, I had told my friend who lives here, everything. She told me to break up with him. But I couldn't," Shayera said as more tears rolled down her face. She looked into Tom's understanding blue eyes and said, "We'd been living together for 3 years. Our relationship had become official 2 years prior to that. I couldn't just throw 5 years away. So, I went back to him," Shayera wiped her face with the sleeve of her dress. "He apologized about everything. He said Carter had come by and explained that nothing had happened. He begged for a second chance. I said 'yes.'
"A month later, I had decided to go to the gym. Half-way there, I realized I'd forgotten my member ID. I turned the car around. I walked into the house and heard sounds coming from the bedroom. I opened the door, and there he was on top of his female best friend. She actually yelped when she saw me," Shayera took a breath as she relived the moment. "I only stared. I felt numb. My heart felt like it had been literally torn in half. She began grabbing her clothes, but I told her to stay. I would be the one to go.
"I packed whatever I could fit into my gym bag. My ex begged for forgiveness as I silently packed, but I was done. I walked to a bus stop, but my friend bought me a plane ticket. And that's how I came to Gotham a month ago," Shayera tried to put on a brave smile. "I've been a mess ever since. He keeps calling and texting. He wants to know if I'm okay – if we can talk. I no longer pick up the phone. I actually blocked his number before I came out tonight. My friend said the only way I could move on is by getting him out of my system. The only way to get someone out of your system is to hook-up with someone else, she said. But here I am, sitting on a stranger's couch, crying my eyes out," Shayera began weeping into her hands. Not even two seconds later, she felt Tom's strong arms surround her, comforting her. "It's okay," Tom said in a soothing voice, "let it all out." And she did, Shayera wept into his shoulder. "I love him," she sobbed as she tightened her arms around this 'Tom' fellow. He began mumbling sweet nothings into her ear, stroking her hair as he did so.
The tears kept coming and coming. Shayera knew she should be embarrassed, sobbing on a stranger. But she no longer cared. Her heart was broken, and Tom smelled really good. She buried her face even deeper into his shoulder as she continued sobbing. For the first time in a month, she felt something other than numb.
Bruce looked down at the young woman who now had her head in his lap, fast asleep. He couldn't imagine…a five – year relationship? Bruce seriously wanted to hurt this guy. Say what you want about him, Bruce never cheated. He always made it clear to his one-night stands that they were only one-night stands.
He stroked Shay's hair. Someone had really done a number on her. Bruce's heart was broken, but her heart was shattered. She gave her all to her ex, and he threw it right back at her. Bruce could only shake his head in disbelief. Some men…
Looking at the clock, Bruce's eyes widened. Three in the morning? Had it already been five hours? He must have been enjoying himself more than usual. And as much as he loved Shay's head in his lap, he really needed to stretch his legs. Picking her up in his arms, he carried her to his bedroom. She could take the bed; he would take the couch.
Shayera woke up in a soft cloud of white cotton candy. Actually, it was more like bamboo sheets. White bamboo sheets. Sitting up, she stretched her arms, loosening whatever tightness was there. Looking around with her green eyes, she realized she was alone and still fully clothed. Judging from the neat, empty spot next to her; she had slept alone. And…there was a note on the pillow beside her.
Dear Shay,
Last night had to be one of, if not, the best night of my life. I wish I could have been there to see you wake. Unfortunately, I have early morning business to tend to. However, if you go to the kitchen, you'll find the keys to the condo. Take them. My condo is yours to use whenever you need a break.
Shayera gasped at the last line. His condo? She didn't even know the guy. Shayera continued reading.
Not to brag, but I have many, many condos all over the city. This one is yours. I really do hope our paths cross again. I wish to know the real you some day.
The bottom was signed, B.
Shayera read the note over and over again. The condo…the condo was hers? She quickly walked to the kitchen. Sure enough, inside an envelope, were keys. Her eyes widened. Before her brain could fully compute what was going on, her phone rang. Expecting it to be Diana, she inwardly died when she saw the caller ID. No, her hand balled into a fist. She hit End and left the condo with the keys in her hand. Upon entering the elevator, she began breaking her phone. She was finally ready to move on.
(3 months later)
Shayera and Diana stood, dressed in beautiful gowns, watching the crowd of the elite, rich, and funders take in their Egyptian display. "I can't believe we pulled this off," Diana said as the walked amongst the top 5%.
"And I can't thank you enough for getting me this job," Shayera said.
"Shayera, stop," Diana turned to her friend, "none of this would have happened without you. Also, these past 3 months…you've changed for the better. That Tom fellow really made an impression."
"He was…nice," Shayera smiled, thinking about Tom and his brilliant blue eyes.
"You're blushing," Diana squealed in delight.
"Shush," Shayera said as she looked away and hid her smile.
"Ah, Miss Prince and Miss Hol." Both women turned to see the director coming towards them. "If you would follow me, I'd like to introduce you to our biggest donor." The two girls followed the director. He led them to a man staring intently at a refurbished sarcophagus, his back facing them. "Ahem, Mr. Wayne," the director cleared his throat, "these are the two young ladies I've told you about." Mr. Wayne turned around, and her eyes widened as her jaw went slack. "Tom?" Shayera whispered. Mr. Wayne's blue eyes twinkled with mischief as his eyes unabashedly roamed her body from toe-to-head.
"This is Miss Diana Prince and Miss Shayera Hol," the director introduced. Mr. Wayne shook Diana's hand, but he brought Shayera's hand to his lips, never breaking eye contact with her. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Hol," Mr. Wayne's eyes flashed with humor, "but you can call me Bruce."