Chapter 21
"I can't believe the Authority won. I was so sure Cena would pull it off. Silly me for hoping." Nyla muttered, shaking her head and downed another shot of Tequila. Vodka martinis weren't strong enough after the catastrophe that happened tonight.
Macaria was muddled, taking her own shot and set the glass down, ordering refills for them from the bartender. "I thought you were part of the Authority though?" Dean had told her so and warned her to stay away from this woman.
"That's what everyone thinks. What they don't realize is it's against my will." Nyla admitted, keeping her voice low to where only Macaria heard her and felt her eyes widen. "Oh shit! I shouldn't be talking about this…"
"Hey," Macaria placed a hand on Nyla's shoulder with a soft smile. "I won't tell anyone anything you tell me, not even Ambrose. What you say will stay between us. You have my word on that." She didn't work for the company, so a lot of the people within WWE saw her as an outsider and stayed away from her.
That was true. "I don't know you though. I shouldn't spill my guts to a stranger, Caria." The nickname seemed to roll off her tongue easily enough. "I don't have any friends in the company because I don't know who I can trust and who I can't."
The Authority had purposely isolated this woman. She had no friends, no confidants, nobody to talk to or vent her frustrations out with. Whatever they had over her head scared her and Macaria hadn't missed the fear in Nyla's eyes at her confession. What did she mean it was against her will? How could she be with the Authority against her will? Did they have some kind of blackmail on Nyla the way she had on Aya?
"Look, I may be a stranger, but keeping shit bottled up like you are isn't healthy." This was déjà vu for her since those were the exact words she had said to Dean, which caused their fight. "It's up to you though, I won't push or prod in your personal life."
For some odd reason, Nyla felt she could trust Macaria and had no idea why. Maybe it was her desperation to have one friend she could rely on and trust. Nobody in the company was trustworthy because of the Authority and the situation she was currently in. Taking another shot, Nyla shut her eyes and hoped she didn't regret this, sucking in a shaky breath.
"Okay, I'll tell you. But if you tell ANYONE, I will make you regret it."
Macaria smiled at the threat, taking her own shot. "I'm all ears, girl. Lay it on me."
Nyla's heartbreaking story tore at her heartstrings as Macaria listened intently, not saying a word and kept encouraging her with hand motions to continue. The woman had a hard time getting through everything, including admitting who her daughter's father was. THAT was shocking. What was even more shocking was the fact Nyla was in her 30's and didn't look a day over 20. The woman was a knockout, beautiful and smart – hell, she could be a WWE Diva! Dark brown tresses and amber eyes that really popped with the liner she wore…why hadn't the company offered her the chance to be with the other Divas? Macaria had noticed quite a bit, keeping her eyes and ears open, but nose to the ground because of her outsider status.
"Come with me."
They'd only had a couple shots with some beer chasers, both only slightly buzzed. This conversation wasn't meant to be around people as Macaria took Nyla's hand and pulled her out of the bar, after paying the tab. Drinking and driving wasn't a smart thing to do, but luckily, the hotel was only down the street. They would talk on the drive there and then once in one of their rooms, Macaria had questions that needed to be answered.
"So let me get this straight," Macaria broke the silence between them on her way back to the hotel, stopping at a red light. "You're only with Seth Rollins because you're being ordered to fuck him by your bosses?" What kind of sick company had Aya signed up with?
"Pretty much, yeah." That felt really good to get off her chest, to tell SOMEONE about what was going on. "Vince doesn't know anything Stephanie and Hunter are doing. He's on an extended vacation right now…"
"But he was back a couple weeks ago to throw the gauntlet down to the Authority." Macaria pointed out, feeling confused all over again and pressed on the gas when the light turned green. "So is he back now?"
If only, Nyla thought wistfully and shook her head. "No. I wish he was because Stephanie and Hunter wouldn't be pulling the type of shit they are now." She was sure of that. "It's really not Hunter so much as Stephanie that's forcing me to do this. Hunter does whatever his wife wants; she owns him and carries his balls in her purse."
Macaria had no idea why, but she started laughing. "His balls in her purse, eh? Damn, that poor bastard probably feels castrated on a daily basis then." They laughed together, high-fiving. "She sounds like a really big bitch."
"That's an understatement," Nyla muttered, sliding fingers through her hair and hoped there was more alcohol at the hotel waiting. "I still can't believe that big 500-pound bastard betrayed John Cena tonight. Fuck. They were so close to getting rid of the Authority too…"
"Wait, you didn't write that match out?"
"No. It was all unscripted and nobody knew what was going to happen. The Authority wanted it that way." Nyla confessed, scrubbing a hand down her face and stared out the window deep in thought. "Park in the back, we can take the back entrance just in case we run into any of those goons from the Authority." Seth Rollins, to be more specific.
"Do they do that a lot? Shit being unscripted?" Why wasn't Macaria surprised at the woman's nod? That did not bode well for this feud going forward between Dean and Bray Wyatt. "So tonight's ending to Dean's match…"
"Unscripted."
"Christ," Macaria mumbled, pulling into a parking spot and cut the ignition, trying to push her worries of Dean in the back of her mind. "Come on, we'll up to my room and talk some more. I got Tequila and beer up there waiting."
The girls stepped out of the car and headed inside the hotel, taking the stairs. "By the way, I'm not the drinking and driving type, but I honestly felt I could make the trip safely." Macaria informed her new friend, not wanting Nyla thinking she did it a lot.
"No judgment here." Nyla had more important things to worry about and focus on, following Macaria to her room.
It was no surprise to find Seth and Aya together, again, since Aya's room was only a few doors down from hers again. "You wanna do something about that?" The two were so engrossed in each other, they didn't even notice the two women watching them.
"Ugh, no thanks. Just open the door and give me a beer." Nyla grunted, rolling her eyes at the journalist moaning Seth's name as it echoed down to them. "They really should have a little more respect and suffocate each other behind closed doors, though."
"Believe me, I've tried warning Aya on several occasions, but she won't listen. If she gets fired, it'll be her fault." Macaria shrugged, pushing open the door and allowed Nyla to walk in first before entering afterward, kicking it shut. "Now you said beer, right?"
"Y-Yeah…" Nyla was redder than a cherry and had her eyes GLUED to the floor, a hand over her eyes.
On the bed was a naked Dean Ambrose, who had covered himself up and he was also flushed and red, electric blues wide.
"DEAN?! What the HELL are you doing here?!" Macaria shouted, more surprised than anything and stepped in front of Nyla, her jaw dropped at the sight. Had she known Dean would pull a stunt like this, Macaria would've gone to Nyla's room instead.
"I-I uh, I just…" Dean was so flustered, he couldn't form a sentence and tore a hand through his unruly dry curls, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Waiting for you…"
"Yeah, I can fucking see that clear as day!" Macaria turned to look down at a mortified Nyla and couldn't help laughing. They were outed by Dean's moronic actions, so now Nyla had something on her, in case their friendship went up in smoke. "Nyla, let's go to your room. I'll bring the beer and shit with me. Can you give us a minute and go into the bathroom?"
"S-Sure…" Nyla flew into the bathroom and shut the door, trying to get her cheeks to stop burning. She had seen more of Dean Ambrose than she EVER wanted to. Though it was interesting to discover Macaria and Dean were together, or so she assumed.
Macaria turned her attention back to Dean and folded her arms in front of her chest tightly, brow raised. "You asked me if I was getting my own room tonight. I told you yes, so what? You decided it would be a good idea to come to my room to surprise me with your nakedness?"
"Didn't expect you to bring someone back with you," Dean grumbled, embarrassed beyond belief and slid out of the bed to slide back into his jeans. "Especially with that Authority bitch in there. What the fuck are you thinking, Macaria?" He wasn't happy to see Nyla with Macaria and pulled out a piece of gum to pop it in his mouth.
"Let's get something straight, Ambrose, you don't tell me who I can and can't hang out with. You can advise me to stay away from people, but that doesn't mean I'll listen. And Nyla ISN'T one of them, contrary to what you believe. She's actually a really cool woman and needs a friend since she doesn't have any in this company." Macaria snapped, planting her hands on her hips and stepped back when he took one forward, holding her hands up. "I brought her back here to get the full story on what the hell the Authority is doing to her. She needs help and she's been crying out for it for months, but nobody has noticed. It took a stranger, me, someone who doesn't work for this company, an outsider, to notice something wasn't right with her."
Dean frowned, not sure how to feel about that and could tell Macaria meant every word that came out of her mouth. "I need to talk to you too. Don't I matter anymore? I came here to apologize to you. I'm not…good with this kinda thing, Macaria." He admitted, chewing his gum harder and ached for a cigarette. Quitting really sucked; addiction sucked even more. "I don't like this…I don't like you being friends with someone from the Authority…"
"Even though she's being forced into it?" Macaria regretted those words as soon as they came out of her mouth and saw Dean's demeanor instantly changed. "Forget I said that."
"No, how about we talk more about what you just said?" Dean stepped up to her, ignoring her raised hands and grabbed her wrists, pulling her against him to stare down into her deep jade orbs. "What are you talking about? What do you mean she's being forced?"
"I promised I wouldn't say anything…fuck." Nyla would never trust her again. "I can't…"
"Yes, you can."
"No, I can't."
"Maca, tell me what the fuck is going on." It was an order, his voice gritty and rough as his hands slid from her wrists up her arms to grip her upper arms.
Shaking her head defiantly, Macaria broke away from him and needed to put space between them, her entire body lighting on fire just by his touch. "Look, I don't know the full story. I was going to get it before you showed up here in all your naked glory. Just…let me talk to her and get the full story and then I'll decide if I should tell you. But Dean, what you THINK you know about Nyla is completely false and not at all true. You need to keep that in mind when dealing with her from now on."
Dean really hated being left in the dark and once again invaded her personal space, pushing her against the wall. "Fine, I will. But Maca, you need to be careful. You understand me? Don't wear your fucking heart on your sleeve and believe people's sob stories." He rested his forehead against hers, rolling it a few times and didn't want to pull away from her. "And we're not done – you and I. Far from it, babe."
"I'm still pissed at you." Macaria wished some kind of malice entered her tone, but those words came out softly. "You had no right accusing me of what you did."
"I know…" Dean could admit when he was wrong and slid a finger down her cheek to her jaw, heaving a sigh. "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it…" What was this woman doing to him? She was driving him to his knees!
"But you still believe I only fucked you for my job, right? You hesitated when I asked you that the last time we spoke on the phone. And I can see the uncertainty in your eyes now. You don't trust me, Dean." Macaria had to make this hard for him, had to find the resolve to push him away and escape the entrapment against the wall. "I can't fuck someone who doesn't trust me. Because I trust you completely."
He could feel his temper rising again, not wanting to admit she was right in her assumptions. "You shouldn't. I'm not a…good person, Macaria. I never have been." The pain swelled in Dean's eyes all over again at those harsh words about himself.
Macaria could feel her resolving weakening against him, her heart breaking. "Dean…you're wrong. You ARE a good person. I can see it and feel it, just like the people that come see you, meet you, do." Reaching up, she stroked his face with the back of her hand and brushed some hair away from his forehead. "You let your mouth run away with you sometimes, but you're only human and we all say shit we don't mean when we're pissed off. I just wish…you trusted me. I have never given you any reason not to." Nyla was waiting for her and Macaria couldn't keep her waiting any longer. "I have to go finish my talk with Nyla and find out what's going on with her."
"I'm not leaving." Dean was steadfast in making things right with her, no matter what he had to do. "I'll be here when you get back." Then, he took a risk and cupped the back of her neck to bring her mouth against his, passionately kissing her.
Shivering, Macaria slid her hands up his bare chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, the kiss deepening. "I don't know how long I'll be…" She mumbled against his lips, breaking the kiss to receive some much-needed oxygen.
"Take your time. I'll wait for you." Dean assured her, kissing her again and this time pulled back. "I'm gonna make this right, Maca."
She sincerely hoped he did because, until she knew without a shadow of a doubt he trusted her, Macaria would not have sex with him again.
A few minutes later, she left with Nyla to head to her friend's room, leaving Dean behind to wait for her to return.
