CHAPTER 13 – The real message

Mark was furious, by now everybody thought to be entitled to test his private life. Then he was dismissed hurriedly to leave place to another man. Well, it was normal if you chose to go out with a prostitute. The sense of unease he felt, though, was something deeper. He had the terrible suspicion that the bitch had hit the nail on the head. He needed answers about it, immediately. He marched toward the elevator, directed to the seventh floor. He would have talked to Fresia even if it meant throwing her out of bed. She already hated him, anyway… The thought disturbed him extremely and his mood got worse, if possible.

When the elevator opened at the seventh floor, Mark almost collided with Chris Irvine. What the hell was he doing at Fresia's floor? Did he touch her? If he had hurt her… While Mark was trying to control his rage, Chris smiled at him ironically:

"Hey Dead Man, are you lost? You know, your room is at tenth floor, close to mine"

"So YOU too shouldn't be here" Mark growled, towering over the blond man by at least 6 inch.

"In fact I'm going away. I only escorted a lady – he said accentuating the word – to her door. Try to pay her the respect she deserves"

"Otherwise?" said Mark, pretending he didn't care about her... "Will I face you?"

"Me and all the other men and women in WWF – Chris threatened him – Now if you'll excuse me, a redhead friend is waiting for me" he concluded with a smirk.

So Priscilla had to meet with him – thought Mark and couldn't help but smirk himself. That guy wasn't as detestable as he reckoned.

The elevator's door closed, taking Jericho away. Mark turned and walked to the room n. 741. He got the number from the receptionist, a young girl who was looking at him in adoration. At first she was uncertain, afraid to be fired; then she surrendered to his green eyes and gave him the information he wanted. Mark stopped in front of her door, trying to calm down a little. The last thing he wanted was to scare the Squirrel with his temper. He knocked vigorously, waiting impatiently for Fresia to open the door. He didn't want to be seen by anyone, gossip about him was already quite picturesque.

Fresia had already changed for the night. After a quick shower she wore a pink spaghetti-straps negligee, with a little bow in the middle of her breasts and now she laid down on the bed, with a book. She was trying to relax before going to sleep; loads of thoughts were crossing her mind and she didn't know how to interpret them. She took a mug of hot chamomile tea, starting to read the book, but she put it away almost immediately.

Wrong choice – she mused – Why I buy a romance, it's beyond me… Next time I'll choose a Stephen King novel, I swear.

She turned on the TV, keeping the volume low, because it was almost one in the morning. She jumped, when someone knocked. Maybe Chris was back? No, he was surely with some beautiful girl by now. Maybe one of her friends…. She needed their advices so much... She rushed to the door, opening it and found herself in front of a chest…. She went up and up with her eyes, until she reached the frowning face of Mark.

"Do you always open the door without asking first who it is? Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Fresia was speechless. Mark was there? Why? What did he want from her? And why was he looking at her in that way? She looked at herself and noticed with horror to have just a light and very short negligee on. She put a hand on her breasts which he was admiring from his height and tried to close the door in his face. What a shame, half naked in front of him. Now he really won't look at her anymore… Not that she minded, she had no intention of pursue him, never again. He didn't deserve it.

Mark saw the door closing and put a foot in the middle of the doorpost, fast as a panther. She staggered backwards.

"We need to talk Squirrel. Right now" he said calmly trying to reassure her.

She nodded her head inviting him in and went to put her co-ordinate pink robe on.

"I was drinking hot chamomile tea, do you want some?" she asked him trying to soothe her racing heart. But it wasn't easy with his immense masculine bulk close to her.

He seemed in a bad mood and she hoped that anger was not directed at her. She had never been afraid of him, but it was before, when she thought she could conquer his heart. Now he was a dark presence that could hurt her just with his words.

Mark realized that she was afraid. It was strange to see her like this, after having known the bold girl who followed him everywhere, regardless of his grunts and glances and he knew it was his fault. He sat in a chair, at the coffee table and said "Sure thank you, I'll drink with you willingly. "
All in all, he did not seem dangerous, decided Freesia, and served him a steaming cup. Then she took one for herself, poured the amber liquid and sat down in front of him, waiting.

"I have a problem, Squirrel and only you can help me to solve it" he started.

She didn't say anything, waiting for him to get to the point.

"But first I have to explain why I invited Priscilla to the party…."

"I already know why Mark, I told you twice: I got the message"

She sipped the chamomile hoping it would calm her, but it didn't work. She was more and more nervous, on the verge of a breakdown. As always when she was nervous, she couldn't keep quiet anymore, blurting out what was in her heart.

"You invited her to make me understand that I was hopeless… Because she is beautiful and I'm not… because you're ashamed to be seen with me" she said with unsteady voice.

That's it, she had said it. But she would not have cried, not anymore. She lifted her chin proudly, looking at him.

"Something else you want me to know?" she asked daringly.

Mark was petrified. Oh no, that wonderful girl really thought that he didn't want her just because of her look? How couldn't she perceive the effect she had on him? Then he remembered her lack of experience with men, probably she didn't know how to read sexual signals. He now understood the look in her eyes when he invited Priscilla out, instead of her; then again when they were dancing, earlier. The thought of him being ashamed of her must have hurt her badly. He jumped on his feet and was on Fresia in a step, snatching her from the chair and taking her in his arms, in an urgent embrace.

"Squirrel, you didn't understand anything. Have you any idea of how beautiful you were tonight? You looked like an angel" he said passionately, taking her by her shoulder to look in her eyes.

"I'm not ashamed of you, baby. I like when you trot around me and I can't stand to see you with other men… like that big-headed Irvine" he said with a grimace.

Fresia couldn't believe her ears, it was like a dream but the heavy warm body against hers and the big hands caressing her back and hair couldn't be an illusion. And the way he was looking at her…. Was he sincere? The doubt was all over her face and Mark was determined to dissolve it once and for all.

"If you don't believe me, then believe in my body, it doesn't lie. Do you think I could react in such way if I didn't like you?"

He took her hand, putting it on his raging erection, and kept it there with insistence. He moaned at the sensation while his desire grew bigger and bigger, against her hand. She gasped overwhelmed, and he took advantage and kissed her, tasting her sweet mouth and tongue. He guided her hand with his hand, to satisfy him while he devoured her fervently.

She kissed him back, a little frighten by that gigantic shape she felt through his trousers. God, but he was big! What would he have done now? Did he want to make love to her? But above all, would he have stopped if she had asked him?

She tried to remove the hand that Mark was moving on him to find pleasure. Mark let her go, frustrated. He wanted to slip between her legs and take her, his body screamed at the thought. But with her he couldn't behave like that. Damn!

"This is my problem, Squirrel. I don't want a woman that stops me, but that encourages me. You're not ready for this" he said annoyed, more with himself then her.

"I like skilled women, I don't train virgins. That's why I turned to Priscilla, not for what you thought. You got the wrong message, Squirrel".

Fresia was listening to him almost without breathing. He found her beautiful…. But she wasn't good enough all the same, because she wasn't sexually expert…. It was like coming out of a nightmare to enter another. Unfortunately it wasn't finished yet. A hot flash set her face on fire: how did he know that she was a virgin? She sure never told him, never and they had spent so little time together that he couldn't have understood it by himself.

"How do you know that I am… that I didn't… We never talked about it… Who told you?" She stammered, trying to put a complete phrase together.

Mark sighed, he knew he had to tell her the truth. He sat down again and waited for her to do the same.

"Do you remember your birthday party? – He asked. She nodded – At one point Stacy and Martin came to our table… Well, she called you girls The virgin corner, or something like that and told us she heard it directly from you" he concluded, looking her.

She was blushing madly , and not only for the shame. Anger was having the upper hand, increasing minute by minute. How dared that stupid blond to listen to private conversation, revealing them to the world? She was unscrupulous, that bitch! Surely by now all WWF knew the details of her (and her friends) private life.

"Oh no, the girls – she said loudly, but talking by herself – I have to warn them". She run to her purse, grabbed the cell and started to push buttons. Quick, she had to be quick… When she left the party the girls weren't there and their men were missing too. Surely they were together now.

"They're not in danger, I told Glen and Kevin that if they'll do something stupid then they have to respond to me – said Mark in a dominant way – As for Paul, he is too scared of Vince to try anything. He will keep away from Stephanie" he chuckled, remembering the frightful look on Paul's face.

She looked at him and her fury become unbearable. He stood there, sprawled on the chair, looking in complete control. She had seen him upset when she told him she thought he was ashamed of her. He evidently didn't think so and she had believed him immediately. For just a little moment the darkness thinned out and a ray of sunshine hit her… Then he casted the virginity up to her, he was disgruntled because he couldn't play with her… Oh, she wanted to kill him! She turned to look at him, fuming.

"What about you, Mr. Undertaker? Are you enjoying yourself? Did you like to make fun of me talking with your more than skilled redhead?"

She approached him and placed herself in front of him. Seeing that he was seated, she wanted to take advantage of her temporary highest position. She tightened her fists to not let them go in his face, the temptation was too strong.

"What's wrong with you? I didn't ask you to be my first and sure as hell I never asked you to marry me! Yes, I have a crush on you and wanted to know you better, but I've never thought of chaining you at me or force you in some suffocating relationship that neither of us would have tolerated. Dear Lord, haven't you understood anything of me?"

She felt insulted and started to walk back and forth, mad.

"I'm not waiting for marriage Mark, just someone who make me feel cared and who respected my choice without making fun of me"

"I'm not making fun of you…" Mark started, but she stopped him immediately.

"Oh no, only you don't care enough for me to understand my reasons and respected them. I wouldn't want someone like you Mark, never, finally I know. I don't like superficial men…. And I don't like cowards!"

"Hey, mind what you're saying little girl. You'd better take that temper of yours under control if you don't want troubles"

"And you'd better go away now, or I'll call security to throw you out" she was raising her voice, beside herself.

She rushed to open the door and turned toward him "Out of here, Calaway. I'm telling you once more what I told you this afternoon: I got the message. Now go away".

Mark had never seen Fresia like this, her eyes burning, her cheeks red from anger. He wanted to put her on his shoulder and take her to his ranch, spending the night to make her understand how much he cared. He wanted to rip that delightful pink negligee from her, taste every inch of her body with his mouth and tongue, to caress every curve. He wanted to hear her screaming his name…. He stood there admiring her, while she was shouting to go away. He didn't want to go, he wanted to stay. He wanted… her.

She approached him, menacing and he almost laughed. That little thing was threatening him? She put both hands on his back and pushed him, in an attempt to make him leave. Mark could not refrain from smiling, looking her tremendous strains to move him. She saw him smile and became even more furious, so she went to the phone and started to dial a number.

"Ok, Squirrel, I'm going. But this conversation is not over. I think I know now what was bothering me and we should talk about it seriously" he said looking relaxed. He went to the door with Fresia at his heels.

"Well, I'm finished instead – she shouted – and my name Is FRESIA".

She closed the door with a bang feeling much, much better. Then she took her cell and sent a message to Jessie, Stephanie and Nora:

LOOK OUT!

They know the secret of the Circle.

Don't let them use you.

Fre

Mark walked to the elevator in no hurry. As he proceeded along the hallway he noticed that most of the rooms had their doors half-closed. His co-workers, whose stayed in those rooms, were spying on him, trying to get what had happened out of the look on his face. They heard the heated voice of Fresia screaming at Mark to go away and wanted to witness the last episode of the WWF telenovela. Mark stopped and looked at the doors, one by one, intimidating. All the doors closed instantly and he started to walk again toward the elevator.

He went in the underground parking lot, hopped on his bike and left at high speed. While he was driving to reach his ranch, he thought back to what she had said and comprehended that she was right. Fresia didn't ask him anything, just to be her friend… An "affectionate friendship"… He smiled remembering her words. Maybe he acted truly like a coward, he was so worried to get stuck with a virgin that he didn't realized how much she was in her blood already.

He had hurt her for nothing, he had made her angry for nothing. Now it would not have been easy to win her trust back, but he wasn't the type to back off before a challenge. He would have chased her, hunted her and captured her, like a predator with his prey. She would have been his, he always got what he wanted.

At the ranch, Damon, his Rottweiler, trotted to him cheerfully.

"You know Damon, you would like Fresia very much, she adored animals" he said petting the dog. Damn, he was thinking at her constantly. That girl really had turned his life upside down.

"I'll take her here to know you" he declared to the dog and himself.

Then he went to bed. Tomorrow the hunting season opened.