Chapter 71:
Dwayne sat at Haley's kitchen table with his arms folded over his broad chest and a thoughtful frown marring his handsome features. Randy had just divulged the truth about why Dave Batista had seemingly cheated on Haley and Dwayne was torn whether or not to be impressed by the sheer lengths Randy would go to be with Haley or furious that as a direct result of his allegiance with Eve, Haley was hurting worse than she ever had been.
Randy shifted uncomfortably in his chair, knowing there a good chance this whole thing would blow to smithereens this instant, but something in gut made him trust the half Samoan. Dwayne was behind him in regards to whom he thought Haley should be with and he had told Randy to come up with a plan to make Haley his, well, this was it.
"You know," Dwayne began, unfolding his arms and reaching for his now cooled mug of coffee. "When I told you to come up with a plan to make Haley yours, this wasn't exactly what I expected. I mean it's downright unethical."
"I did it for Haley, even though this also benefited Eve as well." Randy fidgeted, it was not often that the stone-faced superstar looked rattled, but he had taken a risk here. "Haley belongs with me, you know it, as well as I do. What I did just pushed Dave Batista out of her life, permanently."
"And as a direct result of your actions, Haley is devastated." Dwayne pointed out.
"I'll make her better, you know I will." Randy shook his head. "I hate that I had to hurt her initially, but it's for the best. Haley belongs with me, and given enough time, she'll realize that herself and this whole mess will be forgotten. She'll be happy again."
"And if Hunter learns the truth?" Dwayne played on the doubt niggling in the back of Randy's mind. "If this comes out into the open Randy, you'll lose everything, even your friendship with her."
"There's no way Hunter can learn I was involved. The only one really setup to take the fall for this is Eve." Randy shrugged noncommittally. "Which doesn't bother me since I have no love for her anyway. The only setback is that it will make Dave look good again."
"Well, you seem to have thought this through." Dwayne admitted. "Just get her through this, Orton. I can't stand her being upset."
"I will, I promise." Randy said confidently. "She loves me too and with enough time, she'll realize that and then she'll be happy again. Meanwhile, I'm going to be there for her every step of the way until she comes around."
"I hope you're right, Kid, I really do." Dwayne said. "Because if she doesn't get better, well, I don't know what's going to happen."
"You're on my side, I thought." Randy frowned at him.
"I am." Dwayne nodded. "But I'm on Haley's side too and what hurts her, hurts me in a way. Let's just hope you can fix this and Hunter doesn't find a way to screw you over. He's not called the Cerebral Assassin for no reason. You and I both know that. He also has enough of a mean streak in him to be relentless when he really wants something."
"I'm older now." Randy said. "There's no way the Game can outsmart me this time."
~Legacy~
"You can see why I'm worried then?" Hunter shot an inquiring look across the table at his lunch partner. "Haley's hurt right now and she's lashing out at me as a means of release, which normally I'd allow, but there's something going on, something really fishy."
"Certainly sounds like a huge mess." His companion agreed. "I still don't understand what you want me to do about it? I'm willing to help, I'm just not sure what you want from me."
"Haley's not going to trust me right now. She will again in time, but until then, she's alone with her pain. I don't trust Orton as far as I can throw him, and neither do you." Hunter sat back and drummed his fingers lightly on the white tablecloth.
He had made the decision five minutes after leaving Haley's townhouse. While Haley didn't want to deal with him or Dave at the moment, there was no way he was leaving her alone. No matter how much he appeared to have changed, there was still something rotten that lingered deep inside the Legend Killer, and knowing that, Hunter didn't trust him one bit. So he'd keep someone on the inside, someone he could trust to keep an eye on Haley since he couldn't do it himself.
So he'd made a phone call, and requested for an emergency lunch meeting at a local bistro not ten minutes from Haley's townhouse.
"Orton's a scumbag." His partner agreed. "He can fool the rest of us, but I don't forget what he did to me and what he's capable of."
"Then you can see why the last thing I want to do is leave him alone with Haley when she's like this. Her heart's broken so she's vulnerable. He can twist things to his liking and honestly, I wouldn't put it past him." Hunter shook his head. "She's mad at me, which means I can't be with her, plus I still have to go to work at SmackDown. I need someone who can be there more frequently than I can, plus I know you love her too."
"Of course I do." His companion said firmly. "And the last thing I want for her is to be mind-fucked by Randy Orton."
"She belongs with Dave." Hunter grunted. "But that's not feasible until I get some concrete proof that Dave was setup. And while Dave and I are working on that, I need you to be with Haley. I'd do it myself, but until she realizes I'm not choosing Dave over her, she won't listen to me. Plus, you can be there when I cannot considering you're on the injured list yourself. Can I trust you to protect her?"
"Damn right, you can. I won't let Orton poison her mind, you can bet on that. I'll kick his ass frontways, sideways and backwards if he tries." The response was vehement.
"Good. I know we've had our differences in the past, but I respect you at least and our battles have been over titles, not mind games." Hunter nodded in satisfaction. "Therefore, I know I can trust with something important like this."
"Absolutely. And you can know I'm not just doing this because you asked, but for Haley as well. I'll keep an eye on her." The other man promised.
"Good." Hunter signaled the waiter for the check. "Oh, and John, thank you."
John Cena grinned deep enough so that his dimples flashed. "No problem, H, I never quit when I'm onto something, and you can be damn sure I'm not going to start now."
"Keep me posted on, Haley, will you? I'm going to have a hard time staying away." Hunter admitted.
"Will do." John saluted him.
~Legacy~
Ken Kennedy had booked his flight to Boston in a day's time. He was worried. Haley hadn't been answering her cell phone and while enough gossip had gotten through the grapevine to assure him that Randy Orton and Candice Michelle were at least with her so she wasn't alone. He wanted to see for himself that she was somewhat okay.
Oh, how at that moment he wished he were still on RAW. He'd make Dave's death look like a painful accident. How stupid could the Animal be? Sure, Eve was attractive, she was a Diva for crying out loud, weren't they all? But, he had one of the best ones as his girlfriend and he had royally messed it up, and for what; a roll in the hay with a manipulative bitch? Kennedy did not understand Batista's thought process, at all.
"Baby?" Ken entered his kitchen to find his girlfriend going over some paperwork for the art gallery she managed.
Mallory Pryce looked up and gave Ken a warm smile. "When's your flight?".
"Tomorrow at two. I've got a return flight two days later, so I won't be gone too long, unless Haley's really messed up. Do you think you could drop me off at the airport?" He asked her.
"Sure." Mallory nodded. "You'll give her my best won't you?"
Ken smiled, kissing the top of Mallory's head. "That's why I love you, Mal, you care about people, even those you don't even know."
"She's your friend, Ken, and she puts up with you when I'm not around to do so." She joked. "That means either something's wrong with her, or she takes pity on you. Either way, I'm glad to know you have at least one friend."
"Hey! Woman, that's uncalled for." Ken chuckled. "Haley adores me really and you love me."
"A cross both of us must bear." Mallory teased lightly.
"You two would get on great. When she's feeling up to it, I'll introduce you." He promised, moving to the refrigerator to locate a drink.
"I'd like that a lot." Mallory agreed. "But let's get her up to it first. I have a feeling she's going to need all her friends right now, which includes you of course."
"Why do you think I'm going to Boston?" Ken grinned, settling on a glass of orange juice. "Besides, I'm one of the few who can really make her laugh."
"That's because you're so funny looking." Mallory said with a smirk.
"What? No, I'm handsome, and don't you forget it!" Ken exclaimed.
A/N: So I threw in a little Kennedy at the end for a little humor because everything is so depressing lol. Haley's fighting with Hunter, who's enlisting John Cena to watch out for her…what? Lol Cena? Really?
And Dwayne, for shame! You should have smacked Randy upside the head and told Haley the truth! What's wrong with you? Huh…guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
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