Chapter 9
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"What?"
Arianne asked. "What do you mean he got hurt?"
Ted was helping her load her luggage on her car, and he told her that Randy got hurt during the main event because, apparently, Kennedy dropped him on his head off a back suplex.
"Didn't you see it?" Ted asked, as he closed the compartment.
"No…I…I left before the main event." She said. "Is he okay?"
"Well…he was pretty mad backstage." Ted said, "They've checked him out though, he'll be fine. But I'm sure he's still sore. He was really grumpy on the way back here."
"I bet he was." She said, looking rather concerned. "Well…thanks for your help. I'll see you next week, I guess."
"Yeah." He said, "I gotta go, get packing. Take care."
She got in the car after Ted had left, but she couldn't even put the key in the ignition. Her flight was in five hours and she really needed to be going, but she just couldn't make herself leave. She wanted to see Randy and see how he was doing.
Finally she tossed the key back to her purse and went out of the car. Most of the others have already left to maximize their time off, so there's only a few of them left at the hotel.
She figured maybe this was her chance to talk to him about what really is going on too. She thought it would be good to talk to him alone.
For one it could save her from the embarrassment of him brushing her off again. And also, because she thinks he was putting on an act when someone else is around.
Then again, maybe that's what's real and their supposed friendship is the act. That's what she needed to make clear of above all.
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"What now?"Randy snapped when he opened the door.
If looks could kill, Cody would've dropped dead on the floor right then and there, as soon as Randy looked at him.
"Sorry." Cody said, "Didn't mean to disturb you."
"Well, it's too late for that now, isn't it?" He said.
"I already apologized." Cody said. "I just want to talk to you about something."
"This better be important." Randy said.
"Well, it depends."
"On what?" He asked.
"On how important Arianne is to you." Cody said.
Randy just suddenly felt more annoyed than he already was.
It's not the fact that Cody came to him to talk about Arianne. It's the fact that Cody thought he should. It's the fact that everybody seemed to think they had the right to meddle in his and Arianne's business that was more annoying to him.
He figured if no one had decided to meddle with their business, that he and Arianne would've still been close friends. He wouldn't have felt obliged to push her away, and feel guilty every time he does it.
When he didn't speak, Cody thought he was just going to listen so he said what he came there to tell him.
"I heard you and John Cena talking about her last week." He said. "I heard you told him that you're just playing with Arianne."
He paused to see Randy's reaction. But he was deadpan, so he continued.
"Randy, I heard everything…and I told Ari about it. I told her because she's my friend, and I care about her."
He felt about ready to explode then but he controlled himself. Does Cody really think he's the only one who cares about Arianne? He cares about her more than anyone could ever know. Why do they think he chose to sacrifice whatever it was he was feeling just to keep her away from everything that could possibly go wrong?
"She didn't believe me though. She has too much trust in you. She doesn't think you're capable of it, after all this time." Cody said. "It's none of my business, but I think you should just tell her the truth. That you've been playing with her all this time. I mean, I respect you and all but what you're doing is wrong man. You're hurting her."
That's when he heard enough.
"You know what, Cody?" He snapped, "You're right! It is…none…of your business."
Cody was about to say something when someone beat him to the punch.
"Is it none of my business too?" Arianne asked. Her voice cracking but with conviction.
"Arianne!" Randy and Cody said at the same time.
They didn't sense her presence until she spoke because they were both intent on their own conversation.
She was looking at Randy with her piercing eyes filled with disappointment and despair, and a hint of contempt. And it rendered him frozen for a moment.
He didn't know how to react and what to do. All he knows is there's a stabbing pain in his chest as she looked at him like that.
"Ari, what are you doing here?" Cody asked.
"I came to talk to him." Arianne said, with her voice getting steadier each second. "You can leave now, Cody."
She didn't take her eyes off of Randy, and he couldn't really hold her gaze out of guilt, or perhaps, shame.
"But Ari…"
"Cody, please…" She looked at Cody, "Just leave."
Cody decided to leave as per her request. He figured the two needed to talk too. He was going to wait for the elevator but it's still a long way from that floor so he took the stairs.
Arianne and Randy didn't say a word to each other all the while. Arianne just stood there looking at him outside his door, and he just stood there with his eyes down.
"Aren't you gonna say something?" Arianne asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Randy lifted his eyes and looked at her for a moment. "I'm so…"
He was going to say he was sorry, but didn't get to finish it because she slapped him across the face already.
"You're sorry?" She said, her hands clenched tightly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain from the impact of her slap.
"You're gonna say you're sorry?" Her lips were trembling, as is her whole body. Her eyes were starting to moisten, "Well, I don't forgive you." She felt like her strength is going to drain away right then if she didn't leave. "I hate you."
She turned to leave, but Randy grabbed her arm and turned her back around. "Let me explain!"
"No!" She said.
She was going to scream it but her voice just came out just a little louder than a whisper. She tried to get away from him, but he's already got his arms around her waist trying to stop her from leaving.
"Let me go."
"Arianne, just let me explain!" He said, half dragging her into his room, lest somebody pass by and see them.
She was fighting him off so hard it took a lot of effort for him to get her inside the room, but he did it. And as soon as he did, he stood between her and the door so she couldn't pass.
He shoved her a little to give them space and to stop her from swiping at him. She stopped, but that's when she started to cry.
"Ari, please…" He said softly. "Just hear me out for a minute."
He locked the door behind him and approached her, not sure of his steps all of a sudden. Seeing her break down like that, he felt like breaking down too. He tried to hold her but she shoved him away.
"What for?" She asked. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. "So you could lie to me some more? So you could play your stupid little game on me again?"
"I'm not playing any games!" Randy said.
He tried to come near her again but she pushed him, harder this time.
"What do you mean you're not playing any games?" She said, "You just admitted it to John and to Cody!" She felt her knees get weak suddenly that she had to hold on to the table beside her. "Why would you do that? Why? Why did you do that to me?"
Randy saw that and he tried to help her, but she just pushed him away again.
"You don't understand. I only did it to protect you." He said.
"Protect me? How is that protecting me?" She asked.
Her strength returning as it was fueled by her anger.
"Oh, God…why am I such an idiot?" She cried, "Did you get some kind of sick pleasure when you were playing with me?"
"Will you just shut up and let me talk?" He said, grabbing her by her shoulders. "Just listen to what I have to say!"
She suddenly slapped him again, for the second time. He was stunned for a couple of seconds from the impact, and she took that chance to get past him towards the door.
But this time, it made him a bit angry. He came after her and pushed the door down so she won't be able to open it.
"Let go!" She said, "Randy, let go!"
"No!" He said, "Not until you listen to what I have to say!"
She didn't say anything, but she didn't stop struggling to pull the door open. But he was strong and the door won't even budge no matter how hard she tried.
"Did you even really care about me?" She asked, sobbing.
"You know I do." He said. "I only told John what Cody heard me say so he'd stop bothering me about you…about us."
"Just stop lying to me…" She said, angrily pushing him away again. That took him a couple of steps back. "Just stop breaking my heart…just stop! I knew all about the games you were playing…! I opened myself up to you and let you in to my life…and you just played with me…!"
She put her hands over her face. "God…why did I even think you'd treat me differently? I'm so stupid to believe you…I never should've trusted you!" She went for the door knob again.
He was getting a really angry then because she wouldn't listen to him.
"Well, nobody told you to do all that!" Randy told her, before she could unlatch the door.
She turned around and looked at him, her eyes ablaze with anger.
"No. Nobody told me to do it!" She yelled, crying. "But, I did anyway because, guess what? Take a hint, stupid! I love you, you idiot!"
She covered her mouth with her hand, realizing what she just said. She didn't expect what she said to come out of her mouth, because even though she knew what she felt—feels, for him, she never really thought of telling him, especially since he is married. It was on pure impulse.
"What did you say?" He asked, wide eyed
Randy just couldn't believe what he heard or that she felt that way about him. He felt a sudden rush of warmth come over him that he couldn't really describe.
Suddenly, he felt like all the feelings he's been keeping inside burst out of him when she said those three little words
"I-I have to go." She said, nervously.
She turned towards the door, and almost got it opened but he forcibly turned her around and kissed her, pinning her to the door.
She tried to struggle away from him, but he's too strong and he held her arms tightly. When he felt her resistance go down, when she stopped pushing against him, and started responding to his kiss, he let lose a bit.
"W-wait…" She said, pushing at him a bit, with her hands on his chest. "We can't…we shouldn't do this."
He looked into her eyes and he understands what she's saying, but he couldn't control what he's feeling anymore. It's just like when he first kissed her, except now he knows it wasn't the alcohol.
It was her that was intoxicating. He feels like his heart was going to pop out of his chest if he doesn't do what it was screaming for him to do.
"No…" His eyes felt warm, as if he's going to start tearing up. "We shouldn't." He said.
But he kissed her again anyway, with his eyes closed. And she kissed him back. He put his hands through her hair behind her ears.
She took her hands off his chest and placed them on his shoulders. But she pulled away again when she felt his tongue brush against her lips and her knees were getting weak.
"S-stop…This is… this is wrong." She said, between his kisses, trying not to be overwhelmed but quickly losing.
"I know…" He said, breathing in her mouth.
He kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her, taking her weight on to him. It's like every time he kisses her it gets more passionate and its breaking her walls down.
She struggled to hold on to the last string of sensibility she has. Her mind was telling her no, but everything else was saying yes, liking—wanting what she was feeling.
She steered her face away. "We're going to burn in hell for this." She told him in hope that maybe he'd have more sense than she does right at that moment.
But instead of stopping, he moved towards her neck, trailing kisses up her jaw to her ear.
"I don't care…" He whispered. He turned her face towards him and made her look into his eyes. "…as long as you're with me, I don't care."
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And that was when she let go of everything—all her doubts, all her worry, all her inhibitions, all her restraints, and accepted what her heart has been screaming for.
This time, it was her who kissed him first. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him as her tears continue to flow, letting her whole self fall into his arms.
By pure instinct, or maybe its desire, he scooped her off the floor and carried her towards the bed. He was waiting for her to protest but she didn't. She didn't even let go of him.
He sat her gently down on the bed, leaning over her, and with his hands now free, he began to explore her body.
She shuddered when his hand touched her breast and it made him stop. He looked at her and saw a little hesitation come over her eyes.
He wasn't going to force her into something she doesn't want to do, but before he could ask her, she kissed him again and pulled him closer, letting him climb onto the bed on his knees, as she got out from under him and kneeled as well.
That made him more daring. He pulled and slipped his hand under the front of her shirt, finding the lacy texture of her bra and her soft, silky smooth skin of her bosom beneath it.
She let go of him then and allowed him to take her shirt and bra off, and after wards his own shirt, flinging all of them away somewhere.
He started again with planting hot passionate kisses on her neck, moving slowly, inch by inch, towards the two soft mounds on her chest, taking them into his mouth one at a time, swirling his tongue around the small hard crown on top of it.
She ran her hands on bristle like hair and his hard, taut torso, digging at the flesh of his back, while making soft gasps and moans that made him wilder.
He searched for the latch at the back of her skirt, unhooked and unzipped it. He laid her down on the bed and looked at her wholeness. There was nothing else on his mind at that moment but his desire for her. Slowly and sensually, he pulled her skirt, hose and everything off.
Everything felt like a hundred times over as her primal senses became more sensitive. Suddenly the bed felt a whole lot softer. The touch of his warm hands sent shivers through her whole body, but at the same time made her feel like she was on fire.
She closed her eyes in surrender, letting the instincts of any daughter of Eve to take over and seize the fulfillment of her primeval desires.
And at that moment, there was nothing she desires than the man lying beside her. Nothing she wants than to be conquered by him. Nothing she needs than to feel him inside her.
"Take me…" She whispered in his ear, breathlessly, between kisses as she wrapped a leg around his hip. "Take me now, Randy…please."
That was all he was really waiting for, though he's been ready for a while. But he knew if he didn't hold himself back that there was going to be no stopping him.
So when she said those words to him, it was like she shattered the shackles that were restraining him. He got on top of her, brusquely parting her legs so he could position himself between them.
But then he felt something that made him stop halfway. He saw tears seeping out from the corner of her eyes. She was biting her lower lip, trying to keep herself from crying out.
"Arianne…" He said. "God, are you…?"
She opened her eyes and looked at him, and she understood what he was asking her. She nodded, timidly, in confirmation.
"Am I hurting you?" He asked, concerned, though he looked like he was in pain—probably in as much as she is. "Tell me to stop…I'll try to." He wiped her tears away gently.
"Shhh…" She touched his face, with trembling hands. "I don't want you to stop." She said.
"A-are you sure?"
She smiled and nodded. "I'm sure."
And so he carried on…
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A couple of hours later…
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"You did it after all." Joseph said, snickering evilly at her. "Very good, Arianne…very, very good."
They were in the middle of the hotel's corridor, outside her room. He was sitting on his chair and she was standing about two feet away from him.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She said. "I didn't do this for you! I love him!"
"Love?" He sneered. "You're not capable of that! You left me, remember, your own brother?"
"You deserved that and you know it!"
"Yes…perhaps I do." He said, "But you…you deserve much, much worse."
"What are you going to do?"She asked nervously.
"Oh, nothing really…" Joseph said. "I'm just wondering what your precious Randy would do if he finds out everything…if he finds out the truth."
"You're not going to do any such thing!" She said angrily. "You're not going to come anywhere near him! Do you understand me?"
She was going to go at him and hit him, but she couldn't move. It was like her feet were stuck right where she was standing. She couldn't even move her arms either. It's like something was binding her, holding her down.
On the other hand Joseph was pulling farther and farther from her, laughing his head off maniacally.
"My poor, poor little Arianne…" He said, "This is what happens when you're not being an obedient little girl to your brother!"
"You're not my brother!" She yelled, crying in frustration and fright. "You stay away from him! Do you hear me? Stay away from him!"
…and that's when she woke up…
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She woke up with a jolt, but it wasn't enough to wake up Randy who was sleeping beside her, with an arm and leg draped on top of her chest and thighs.
She looked at him, in the dimness of the room. It was just a dream after all—a nightmare, she told herself. But she couldn't relax still.
She could feel him breathing slowly, consistently and softly in her ear. He looked so peaceful, she thought. Not a trace of that ferocity and intensity he always shows in the ring.
She pulled her arm out from under his slowly, cautiously, and touched his face gently—tracing every line, every curve, and every bend on it.
She couldn't help but tear up. What if her dream, her nightmare comes true? What if Joseph finds a way to get to Randy and tell him everything?
She doesn't want to lose him. She can't bear losing someone who means a lot to her anymore, especially when that someone owns her whole heart.
She kissed him at the tip of his nose softly, and looked at him again. Then slowly she slipped out from under his arm and leg, carefully, so as not to wake him up. It's like he's making himself heavier, so she struggled for a bit but she did it.
She sat at the foot of the bed for a while, with her elbows on her knees, staring into nothing, thinking about her dream. He felt the blanket slipping off of him, stirring him awake.
Suddenly a subtle smile lined the corner of Randy's lips and got bigger as he opened his eyes slowly when he saw her. She had the blanket wrapped around her, but not completely.
"Hey…" He said, sleepily.
He slinks over to her slowly, slipping his hand under the sheet through the opening behind her, and around her waist. He trailed kisses from her nape down her spine before he sat beside her.
That's when he saw the trace of tears on her cheeks glimmer as it reflected the moon's light even after she had wiped them off.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" He asked, worried, tipping her face towards him. "Does it…still hurt?"
She laughed a little at the worried look in his eyes. "No…" She touched his face for a moment, and then she turned towards him and put her arms around him and embraced him. "These are tears of joy." She whispered, "I love you."
He kissed her forehead and held her in his arms for a while. He felt good having her there, in his arms, holding him back. She feels so smooth and soft against his body. In her arms, he feels like everything was good, bright and colorful. He felt happy.
"I'm happy too." He said.
She caught site of the clock on the wall and remembered her flight. "I think I should go now." She sighed, "My flight's in less than two hours."
"Nah…" He grunted.
He lay back on the bed without letting her go, putting her on top of him since he didn't let go of his hold around her waist.
"I think you should just stay." He told her.
"Oh, yeah?" She said giggling.
"Yeah." He said, "You're never gonna make it there in time. Just take a later flight."
"Hmm…I guess you're right." She said, "What do we do in the meantime?"
"I've got a few ideas…" He said, as he went for a kiss.
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A/N: Thanks all for reading. :) I hope you liked this chapter. Hope you hear from you all about what you think.