Title: The Road Less Traveled (39/?)
Author: Esquirella
Rating: R (for violence in some chapters.)
Disclaimer: I own the Rio character and have written other stories with her. I own all non WWE characters. But I do not own the wrestlers. (Unfortunately. They are so cute!)
Synopsis: Thanks for the review! In this chapter: Jeff finds out Rio/Tara's still alive. Jeff and Andrew are planning something dangerous and keeping it from everyone else.
Distribution: Just in case anyone's interested in it, please ask me first. More than likely, I will agree.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, I know nothing about the WWE superstars that appear in this story. The personalities used here are purely fiction and not meant in any way to represent the true natures of the individuals.
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Matt excused himself to go to the hotel bar with Rey and Adam, presumably to give Shannon some time alone with Tara. She watched him leave knowing Shannon was nowhere near through with her yet. He quietly simmered until the door closed behind his friend then turned to Tara triumphantly.
""Lone a' last," he said huskily pulling her to him and tangling one of his hands in her hair. "I don' kno' whether ta make love ta ya o' yell atcha first. Whattya think I should do?"
"Shannon . . .," she began.
"Shhhh!" he admonished her. "Tha' was a rhetorical question. Since I like ta end thin's on a nice note, we'll start wit' th' yellin'."
"But . . ."
"I said hush," he hissed bringing her face so close to his she could see the blood vessels in the whites of his eyes. She silently watched him, waiting for the tirade. But he only shook his head and sighed. She should have known yelling at her wasn't his style.
"I cain' believe ya tried ta make us all think ya were dead," he said looking deeply into her eyes. "Ya couldn' even trust us enough ta git in touch wit' any o' us."
"It wasn't a matter of trust!"
"I' was," he insisted. "I kno' i' was. Ya neva took off yo' mask o' glasses 'cause ya didn' trus' me an' Matt. An' ya neva called ta let us kno' ya were alive 'cause ya didn' trust us."
"No, that's wrong!" she protested. "I never removed my mask because it was the last barrier between you and the real me. And I knew if you believed I was alive you'd keep looking for me. And if Henry thought you knew where I was, he'd attack you. Do you think it was easy for me to keep away? I wanted to call you a thousand times a day. I thought Justin was going to lock me up for a while there."
"Tha's pretty funny," he smiled.
"What is?"
"He's th' one who called me ta tell me 'ow ta fin' ya."
"Justin?! Are you sure?"
"Positive. I kno' wha' th' other one sounds like an' wasn' 'im."
"I wonder what made him change his mind."
"Probally yo' new brotha," Shannon said massaging her scalp with one hand and pulling her body tightly against him with the other hand. "A thousand times a day, huh?"
She nodded mutely lowering her eyes to his lips.
"Why?"
She shrugged.
"C'mon, li'l girl," he coaxed her. "Say it. I wanna hear it again."
She raised an eyebrow coyly but remained silent.
He nibbled on her lower lip enticingly. "C'mon."
"I love you, Shannon," she sighed leaning further into him. He smiled and slipped his tongue into her mouth.
"Now I kno' ya do," he said. "I love you, too."
He pushed her back to the nearest bed and laid her back on it. While she watched he quickly divested each of them of their clothing and covered her with his body. He took his time making love to her, showing her just how much he missed her with each touch, each kiss, each caress. When he brought her to that little place in heaven he'd always taken her to in the past he looked directly into her eyes and watched her climax, following immediately behind her. He then rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms, spooning her with his body under the covers.
"I don' wanna hear anymo' 'boutchew bein' bad fo' me, baby," he said in her ear, gently kissing her neck. "Yo' mine. I cain' imagine livin' withoutcha an' I don' intend ta try it again."
"I love you so much, Shannon . . ."
"I kno', baby" he said. "I kno'."
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"She's a little hellcat," Adam smiled taking a swig of beer from his bottle. "You sure he can handle her?"
"'E's th' only one who can," Matt affirmed. "She won' leave 'im again."
"You sound pretty sure about that, man," Rey interjected. "The woman I was watching in the car tonight looked ready to bolt as soon as she gets the opportunity. And if she's as kick-ass as you say she is, he's going to lose her."
"Nope," Matt smirked. "She knows what'll 'appen if she does."
"What?" asked both Adam and Rey in the same instance, and smiled.
"'E'll go inta th' Series ta kill 'er ol' boss."
"What?!?!" they both asked again, this time not smiling.
Matt nodded swallowing some of his own beer. "'E'll do it, too," he said. "One o' 'er guardians tol' 'im ta come up with a good threat an' 'e figured th' only one tha' would maker stay was th' one she was tryin' hardest t' avoid. Smart little guy, huh?"
Adam suddenly broke into an Edge grin. "That WAS pretty smart. From what you've told us, I don't think there was any doubt as to what she'd do to avoid that."
"But if she's so bad in the ring, why didn't she take care of this slime ball herself?" Rey asked, still curious about the small woman. "I mean maybe it's because I've never seen her fight, but she didn't look too dangerous to me."
"Well I 'ave seen 'er fight on mo' than one 'ccasion," Matt replied. "Ya do NOT wanna see 'er comin' afta ya, tha's fo' sure. I think she didn' kill this guy 'cause she doesn' wanna cross tha' line. She was always careful ta make sure Shan didn' cross it eitha. Jeff o' Drew, eitha."
"Speaking of Jeff, does she know she's alive yet?"
"No' yet," Matt said. "We been tryin' ta call 'im but 'e rarely picks up th' phone."
"Let me call Jay and see if he knows where he is," Adam said pulling out his cell phone. "I know you've been worried about his antics lately."
"Mo' than usual," Matt nodded.
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Jeff hefted the weights one final time. He'd been working out like a demon since Rio left, trying to get himself ready to go after her attackers. He and Andrew made a pact with each other. One they hadn't discussed with anyone else. They were going to punish those Series freaks as soon as the opportunity arose and they didn't want anyone trying to talk them out of it. That was why he avoided Amy and Shane in the plotline meetings. That was why he kept his cell on voicemail. He felt guilty deserting Shannon right now but Matt had promised to watch out for him.
Jay walked up to him as he wiped off the weight bench and was about to go searching for Andrew. He wanted to dodge the other man but knew it would look too strange and Jay would probably mention it to Matt the next time he saw him.
"Hey, man," Jay said, holding up his own cell phone. "Adam needs to talk to you. He says it's real important."
"Matt okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine," the blonde wrestler answered. "He says it's about Rio."
Jeff's heart slammed into throat and he eagerly grabbed the phone. "Adam? Wha's this about Ri?"
"Jeff," Matt said into the phone. "Fancy meetin' you 'ere."
"Matt?" Jeff said infuriated. "What th' hell are ya doin' puttin' Adam upta tricks?"
"S'no trick," Matt answered matching Jeff's rage. "I been tryin' ta contact ya fo' days ta tell ya, butchew been avoidin' me. Shane and Ames, too. What're you upta?"
"Nothin!" the teal-haired Hardy shot back. "I been busy."
"Busy plottin'," Matt hissed. "No' even available t' talk ta."
"We're talkin' now!"
"Well, I wan'ed ta tell ya somethin' very urgent."
"Well, here I am."
"Smartass!" Matt chuckled. "What wouldja say if I tol' ya Tara's alive?"
Jeff's heart stopped beating altogether for a few seconds then slammed into high gear. "Matthew Moore Hardy, if yo' playin' me, imma kick yo' ass inta next week."
"No' lyin'," Matt returned. "You can ask Adam an' Rey, seein' as they hadda fill in fo' accomplices since you an' Drew were nowhere ta be found."
"Accomplices?"
"Tara's guardian called ta tell us where we'd be able to fin' 'er and' Rey an' Adam grabbed 'er befo' she could escape," he said, filling Jeff in on the week's events. "We were hopin' ta 'ave you two helpin' us, bu' . . ."
"Where is she?"
"Upstairs wit' Shan," Matt answered. "'E's anxious ta make sure she stays."
Jeff's recent rivalry with Shannon flared up again and he had to tamp it down, reminding himself that Tara loved his best friend. It was still difficult for him to accept, though. She was Jeff's friend first. She should have been Jeff's girlfriend shortly thereafter.
"'Ow does 'e plan on ensuring that?" Jeff asked dangerously close to losing his cool.
"'E threatened 'er wit' goin' inta th' Series afta her ol' boss," Matt answered proudly. "'E made 'er promise she wouldn' leave 'im again."
Oh the irony, thought Jeff darkly. Shannon secured Tara's presence with the very thing he and Andrew planned to accomplish.
"Jeff?" Matt asked uncertainly. "Ya there?"
"I need ta talk ta 'er," he replied.
"Call Shan," his brother said. "'E's been tryin' ta talk ta you fo'eva."
"Thanks."
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Tara was dozing off nestled warmly into Shannon when his cell phone went off, breaking the peace. She heard her boyfriend chuckle in her ear as he reached behind him for the offending device.
"Jeff?" he asked incredulously. "Tha' really you?"
He listened for a few seconds trying to interrupt Jeff to no avail. Finally he scowled and handed the phone to her. She took it warily, remembering a familiar scene from just after her first union with Shannon.
"Hello?" she said tentatively into the phone.
"Ri?" Jeff asked gently. "Tha' really you? Ya soun' so . . . northern."
Tara laughed, immediately at ease with him. She'd missed him a lot, too, during her absence. "It's me," she assured him. "Should I be talking like this so that you will know who I am?"
"No," he said emphatically. "I like it betta when yo' no' a fighta. No offense."
"So do Shannon and Matt," she said reverting back to her natural voice. "How are you? I've been worried."
"Ya lef' me an' YOU were worried?" he asked with a slight edge to his voice.
Tara was instantly chagrined. She knew he would feel very betrayed by what she felt she had to do. She didn't know how to begin apologizing either. Shannon held her while she spoke to Jeff. He was hugging her from behind and rubbing her tummy.
"Jeff, I'm so sorry I had to disappear like that but I really felt I had no choice."
"An' if Shanny gave ya a choice now, ya'd leave us again, wouldn' ya?"
"Henry's watching you all."
"Lettim."
"Jeff, you don't understand," she tried to reason with him. Shannon stopped rubbing. She could tell he was listening to her end of the conversation carefully, ready to intervene if he felt it necessary. She silently prayed that he wouldn't. The future of her relationship with Jeff hinged on this moment, Shannon's friendship with him as well.
"Help me un'erstand, baby," he said softly, almost dangerously. "Help me un'erstand why ya lef' me. I thought I was yo' best frien'."
"You ARE," she pleaded. "You're like a brother to me!" Shannon picked his head up off the pillow to look down at her questioningly. She shook her head indicating that she needed to handle this herself. He nodded slightly and returned to rubbing her stomach.
"Why'dja up an' leave me then?"
"I heard Henry and his goon talking," she said. "The fighter said he was watching all of you and that he knew he could help Henry get to me through you. He also said that he was going to take you out if Sasquatch failed to finish me in the ring that night. What choice did I have?"
Shannon emitted a soft gasp behind her, leading her to the conclusion that Matt hadn't shared the entire contents of their last conversation with his brother and friends.
"Me?" Jeff asked.
"You."
Silence ensued.
"Ya sacrificed ev'rythin' fo' my life?" Jeff queried finally.
"I couldn't let them hurt you," she whispered.
"I knew ya loved me," he said quietly.
"Huh?"
"Oh, I know yo' in love wit' Shanny, don' worry," he laughed. "Bu' I knew ya hadda have some feelin's fo' me."
"You're my first best friend, Jeff," she answered. "How could I not?"
"I hafta see ya."
"I know."
"Tell Shanny I'll be by sometime soon."
"Okay," she answered.
"One mo' thin'," he said. "I love ya, too."
He clicked off the phone before she could respond.
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Andrew regarded Jeff with a combination of shock and disbelief.
"You're SURE it was her?" he asked for the fifth time.
Jeff rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Positive."
"Well, well, well," he smiled. "I don't know whether to laugh or scream."
"Isn' tha' 'laugh o' cry'?"
"I never cry."
"Yeah, right," Jeff looked skeptical. "I saw th' tears when we thought she was dead."
"Speaking of which," Andrew said. "What about our plan? We don't need to go through with it anymore."
"Oh yes we do," Jeff said vehemently. "Tha' bastahd almost kep' 'er away fo' good, dead o' not. 'E needs ta go down fo' that. 'E needs ta pay fo' ev'rythin!"
Author: Esquirella
Rating: R (for violence in some chapters.)
Disclaimer: I own the Rio character and have written other stories with her. I own all non WWE characters. But I do not own the wrestlers. (Unfortunately. They are so cute!)
Synopsis: Thanks for the review! In this chapter: Jeff finds out Rio/Tara's still alive. Jeff and Andrew are planning something dangerous and keeping it from everyone else.
Distribution: Just in case anyone's interested in it, please ask me first. More than likely, I will agree.
--------------------------------------
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, I know nothing about the WWE superstars that appear in this story. The personalities used here are purely fiction and not meant in any way to represent the true natures of the individuals.
--------------------------------------
Matt excused himself to go to the hotel bar with Rey and Adam, presumably to give Shannon some time alone with Tara. She watched him leave knowing Shannon was nowhere near through with her yet. He quietly simmered until the door closed behind his friend then turned to Tara triumphantly.
""Lone a' last," he said huskily pulling her to him and tangling one of his hands in her hair. "I don' kno' whether ta make love ta ya o' yell atcha first. Whattya think I should do?"
"Shannon . . .," she began.
"Shhhh!" he admonished her. "Tha' was a rhetorical question. Since I like ta end thin's on a nice note, we'll start wit' th' yellin'."
"But . . ."
"I said hush," he hissed bringing her face so close to his she could see the blood vessels in the whites of his eyes. She silently watched him, waiting for the tirade. But he only shook his head and sighed. She should have known yelling at her wasn't his style.
"I cain' believe ya tried ta make us all think ya were dead," he said looking deeply into her eyes. "Ya couldn' even trust us enough ta git in touch wit' any o' us."
"It wasn't a matter of trust!"
"I' was," he insisted. "I kno' i' was. Ya neva took off yo' mask o' glasses 'cause ya didn' trus' me an' Matt. An' ya neva called ta let us kno' ya were alive 'cause ya didn' trust us."
"No, that's wrong!" she protested. "I never removed my mask because it was the last barrier between you and the real me. And I knew if you believed I was alive you'd keep looking for me. And if Henry thought you knew where I was, he'd attack you. Do you think it was easy for me to keep away? I wanted to call you a thousand times a day. I thought Justin was going to lock me up for a while there."
"Tha's pretty funny," he smiled.
"What is?"
"He's th' one who called me ta tell me 'ow ta fin' ya."
"Justin?! Are you sure?"
"Positive. I kno' wha' th' other one sounds like an' wasn' 'im."
"I wonder what made him change his mind."
"Probally yo' new brotha," Shannon said massaging her scalp with one hand and pulling her body tightly against him with the other hand. "A thousand times a day, huh?"
She nodded mutely lowering her eyes to his lips.
"Why?"
She shrugged.
"C'mon, li'l girl," he coaxed her. "Say it. I wanna hear it again."
She raised an eyebrow coyly but remained silent.
He nibbled on her lower lip enticingly. "C'mon."
"I love you, Shannon," she sighed leaning further into him. He smiled and slipped his tongue into her mouth.
"Now I kno' ya do," he said. "I love you, too."
He pushed her back to the nearest bed and laid her back on it. While she watched he quickly divested each of them of their clothing and covered her with his body. He took his time making love to her, showing her just how much he missed her with each touch, each kiss, each caress. When he brought her to that little place in heaven he'd always taken her to in the past he looked directly into her eyes and watched her climax, following immediately behind her. He then rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms, spooning her with his body under the covers.
"I don' wanna hear anymo' 'boutchew bein' bad fo' me, baby," he said in her ear, gently kissing her neck. "Yo' mine. I cain' imagine livin' withoutcha an' I don' intend ta try it again."
"I love you so much, Shannon . . ."
"I kno', baby" he said. "I kno'."
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"She's a little hellcat," Adam smiled taking a swig of beer from his bottle. "You sure he can handle her?"
"'E's th' only one who can," Matt affirmed. "She won' leave 'im again."
"You sound pretty sure about that, man," Rey interjected. "The woman I was watching in the car tonight looked ready to bolt as soon as she gets the opportunity. And if she's as kick-ass as you say she is, he's going to lose her."
"Nope," Matt smirked. "She knows what'll 'appen if she does."
"What?" asked both Adam and Rey in the same instance, and smiled.
"'E'll go inta th' Series ta kill 'er ol' boss."
"What?!?!" they both asked again, this time not smiling.
Matt nodded swallowing some of his own beer. "'E'll do it, too," he said. "One o' 'er guardians tol' 'im ta come up with a good threat an' 'e figured th' only one tha' would maker stay was th' one she was tryin' hardest t' avoid. Smart little guy, huh?"
Adam suddenly broke into an Edge grin. "That WAS pretty smart. From what you've told us, I don't think there was any doubt as to what she'd do to avoid that."
"But if she's so bad in the ring, why didn't she take care of this slime ball herself?" Rey asked, still curious about the small woman. "I mean maybe it's because I've never seen her fight, but she didn't look too dangerous to me."
"Well I 'ave seen 'er fight on mo' than one 'ccasion," Matt replied. "Ya do NOT wanna see 'er comin' afta ya, tha's fo' sure. I think she didn' kill this guy 'cause she doesn' wanna cross tha' line. She was always careful ta make sure Shan didn' cross it eitha. Jeff o' Drew, eitha."
"Speaking of Jeff, does she know she's alive yet?"
"No' yet," Matt said. "We been tryin' ta call 'im but 'e rarely picks up th' phone."
"Let me call Jay and see if he knows where he is," Adam said pulling out his cell phone. "I know you've been worried about his antics lately."
"Mo' than usual," Matt nodded.
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Jeff hefted the weights one final time. He'd been working out like a demon since Rio left, trying to get himself ready to go after her attackers. He and Andrew made a pact with each other. One they hadn't discussed with anyone else. They were going to punish those Series freaks as soon as the opportunity arose and they didn't want anyone trying to talk them out of it. That was why he avoided Amy and Shane in the plotline meetings. That was why he kept his cell on voicemail. He felt guilty deserting Shannon right now but Matt had promised to watch out for him.
Jay walked up to him as he wiped off the weight bench and was about to go searching for Andrew. He wanted to dodge the other man but knew it would look too strange and Jay would probably mention it to Matt the next time he saw him.
"Hey, man," Jay said, holding up his own cell phone. "Adam needs to talk to you. He says it's real important."
"Matt okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine," the blonde wrestler answered. "He says it's about Rio."
Jeff's heart slammed into throat and he eagerly grabbed the phone. "Adam? Wha's this about Ri?"
"Jeff," Matt said into the phone. "Fancy meetin' you 'ere."
"Matt?" Jeff said infuriated. "What th' hell are ya doin' puttin' Adam upta tricks?"
"S'no trick," Matt answered matching Jeff's rage. "I been tryin' ta contact ya fo' days ta tell ya, butchew been avoidin' me. Shane and Ames, too. What're you upta?"
"Nothin!" the teal-haired Hardy shot back. "I been busy."
"Busy plottin'," Matt hissed. "No' even available t' talk ta."
"We're talkin' now!"
"Well, I wan'ed ta tell ya somethin' very urgent."
"Well, here I am."
"Smartass!" Matt chuckled. "What wouldja say if I tol' ya Tara's alive?"
Jeff's heart stopped beating altogether for a few seconds then slammed into high gear. "Matthew Moore Hardy, if yo' playin' me, imma kick yo' ass inta next week."
"No' lyin'," Matt returned. "You can ask Adam an' Rey, seein' as they hadda fill in fo' accomplices since you an' Drew were nowhere ta be found."
"Accomplices?"
"Tara's guardian called ta tell us where we'd be able to fin' 'er and' Rey an' Adam grabbed 'er befo' she could escape," he said, filling Jeff in on the week's events. "We were hopin' ta 'ave you two helpin' us, bu' . . ."
"Where is she?"
"Upstairs wit' Shan," Matt answered. "'E's anxious ta make sure she stays."
Jeff's recent rivalry with Shannon flared up again and he had to tamp it down, reminding himself that Tara loved his best friend. It was still difficult for him to accept, though. She was Jeff's friend first. She should have been Jeff's girlfriend shortly thereafter.
"'Ow does 'e plan on ensuring that?" Jeff asked dangerously close to losing his cool.
"'E threatened 'er wit' goin' inta th' Series afta her ol' boss," Matt answered proudly. "'E made 'er promise she wouldn' leave 'im again."
Oh the irony, thought Jeff darkly. Shannon secured Tara's presence with the very thing he and Andrew planned to accomplish.
"Jeff?" Matt asked uncertainly. "Ya there?"
"I need ta talk ta 'er," he replied.
"Call Shan," his brother said. "'E's been tryin' ta talk ta you fo'eva."
"Thanks."
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Tara was dozing off nestled warmly into Shannon when his cell phone went off, breaking the peace. She heard her boyfriend chuckle in her ear as he reached behind him for the offending device.
"Jeff?" he asked incredulously. "Tha' really you?"
He listened for a few seconds trying to interrupt Jeff to no avail. Finally he scowled and handed the phone to her. She took it warily, remembering a familiar scene from just after her first union with Shannon.
"Hello?" she said tentatively into the phone.
"Ri?" Jeff asked gently. "Tha' really you? Ya soun' so . . . northern."
Tara laughed, immediately at ease with him. She'd missed him a lot, too, during her absence. "It's me," she assured him. "Should I be talking like this so that you will know who I am?"
"No," he said emphatically. "I like it betta when yo' no' a fighta. No offense."
"So do Shannon and Matt," she said reverting back to her natural voice. "How are you? I've been worried."
"Ya lef' me an' YOU were worried?" he asked with a slight edge to his voice.
Tara was instantly chagrined. She knew he would feel very betrayed by what she felt she had to do. She didn't know how to begin apologizing either. Shannon held her while she spoke to Jeff. He was hugging her from behind and rubbing her tummy.
"Jeff, I'm so sorry I had to disappear like that but I really felt I had no choice."
"An' if Shanny gave ya a choice now, ya'd leave us again, wouldn' ya?"
"Henry's watching you all."
"Lettim."
"Jeff, you don't understand," she tried to reason with him. Shannon stopped rubbing. She could tell he was listening to her end of the conversation carefully, ready to intervene if he felt it necessary. She silently prayed that he wouldn't. The future of her relationship with Jeff hinged on this moment, Shannon's friendship with him as well.
"Help me un'erstand, baby," he said softly, almost dangerously. "Help me un'erstand why ya lef' me. I thought I was yo' best frien'."
"You ARE," she pleaded. "You're like a brother to me!" Shannon picked his head up off the pillow to look down at her questioningly. She shook her head indicating that she needed to handle this herself. He nodded slightly and returned to rubbing her stomach.
"Why'dja up an' leave me then?"
"I heard Henry and his goon talking," she said. "The fighter said he was watching all of you and that he knew he could help Henry get to me through you. He also said that he was going to take you out if Sasquatch failed to finish me in the ring that night. What choice did I have?"
Shannon emitted a soft gasp behind her, leading her to the conclusion that Matt hadn't shared the entire contents of their last conversation with his brother and friends.
"Me?" Jeff asked.
"You."
Silence ensued.
"Ya sacrificed ev'rythin' fo' my life?" Jeff queried finally.
"I couldn't let them hurt you," she whispered.
"I knew ya loved me," he said quietly.
"Huh?"
"Oh, I know yo' in love wit' Shanny, don' worry," he laughed. "Bu' I knew ya hadda have some feelin's fo' me."
"You're my first best friend, Jeff," she answered. "How could I not?"
"I hafta see ya."
"I know."
"Tell Shanny I'll be by sometime soon."
"Okay," she answered.
"One mo' thin'," he said. "I love ya, too."
He clicked off the phone before she could respond.
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Andrew regarded Jeff with a combination of shock and disbelief.
"You're SURE it was her?" he asked for the fifth time.
Jeff rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Positive."
"Well, well, well," he smiled. "I don't know whether to laugh or scream."
"Isn' tha' 'laugh o' cry'?"
"I never cry."
"Yeah, right," Jeff looked skeptical. "I saw th' tears when we thought she was dead."
"Speaking of which," Andrew said. "What about our plan? We don't need to go through with it anymore."
"Oh yes we do," Jeff said vehemently. "Tha' bastahd almost kep' 'er away fo' good, dead o' not. 'E needs ta go down fo' that. 'E needs ta pay fo' ev'rythin!"