a/n: it's been a long time since i've updated this, but i finally found my footing for this chapter; hopefully it's worth the wait.
~*~part four~*~
"What the fuck is this?!" Randy roared as he watched from backstage while Cameron went after AJ to keep her from pinning Nikki.
"I believe," The Viper instantly recognized the smug tone; Rollins. "Our friend Hunter would call it Plan B."
Whirling around, Randy fought against every instinct screaming at him to punch Rollins in the face. His eyes narrowed into slits, face contorting into a scowl, "Plan B?"
"Nikki can't be our only foot hold in the Diva's Division." Seth's tone implied that this fact was obvious, only stoking Randy's ire. "Cameron came to me with an offer that was too enticing to refuse, and I accepted. Stephanie just signed off on our arrangement before the show started. She," He puffed out his chest. "Agreed with me that The Authority couldn't afford to just rely on Nikki, that having another Diva on our side would be what's best for business."
Randy could feel his blood boiling, the anger seething inside his veins, his neck pulsing violently. His fists clenched, tightly, fingers digging into his palms and a low growl escapes his gritted teeth. Taking a step toward Seth, their faces were merely inches apart. Instead of backing away, Rollins only stepped forward; their noses now touching as well as their shoulders and chests.
"Don't do anything you'll regret," Low and menacing from the younger man just before, "Randall," Escaped his full lips before they curled into that damned infuriating punchable as hell smirk.
"Do either of you want to explain what's going on here?" Stephanie's always superior tone broke through, as the clacking of her heels came to a stop.
"Boys..." Hunter's gravel tone came next as he clamped a large hand on each of their shoulders, squeezing tightly.
"Disagreements happen all the time." Randy shrugged Hunter's hand away, but was still glaring daggers at Rollins whose smugness had yet to fade. His dark blue were as fierce as ever. As if he was about to fall to his knees, slam his fists to the ground and deliver his famous RKO.
"A disagreement is all this better be." Stephanie snapped. "We need you two on the same page. Do you understand me?" Her ice blue eyes were sharp enough to cut glass, and both men knew better than to question WWE's Queen.
"Clear as crystal, Steph." Randy bit out through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw before he turned away and stalked back to his private locker room.
"Go." Stephanie ordered, sharing a look with her husband. "Do whatever it takes to calm him down. The last thing anyone like Cena – Mr. Hustle, Loyalty and Respect," She spat bitterly. "Needs to see is dissension in our ranks."
With just a nod of agreement, Hunter strutted down the hallway to Randy's locker room. He, too, knew cracks within The Authority couldn't be afforded. That if there was just a hint of dissension, it would be like blood in the water; the sharks would start circling, and these inmates could not run the asylum.
They needed to be policed, they needed rules, to be put in their place.
And he and his wife were the people to do that. And to help him and his wife keep order within the WWE, their soldiers needed to stay loyal.
Turning to Seth, Stephanie fixed him with her harshest glare. "Don't think you're not going to get the same speech from me that Randy is getting from Hunter right now. You've done nothing in this business; do you hear me? Nothing. Until you've successfully cashed in your Money In The Bank contract," She grabbed the gold briefcase from his hand. "For the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, you've done nothing."
"Stephanie..."
"Don't ruin your golden opportunity, Seth. It would be a shame to see you waste your considerable talents in TNA against Lashley and a washed up Jeff Hardy."
After dealing the severe blow to the younger man's ego, Stephanie slammed the briefcase onto the floor. Then she turned on her heel and sashayed down the hallway, sleek ponytail swaying in her wake.
"Ooooh..." Roughness and mocking was in Seth's ear. "Somebody's been a bad boy. Is Mommy going to put you over her knee and spank you?"
Seth breathed through his nose, struggling to fight the urge to strangle Ambrose.
"Or maybe Daddy's gonna break out the belt?"
"You think you're funny, don't you, Ambrose?"
"Yeah," Dean's smile was wide as he snapped his gum. "I do."
Before either man could step into the other's personal space, arms were suddenly looped around Seth's neck. The smell of mandarin and caramel mixed with the salty note of sweat invaded his nose, and he couldn't stop from breathing in the heady scent.
"How'd I do out there tonight, boo?" Was cooed into his ear, flirty and and breathy, as he registered the weight of soft but firm breasts against his back.
"Interesting..." Ambrose's tone was wry, just like the quirk of his lips as he took in the sight of the blonde Diva draping herself over the other man. "Boo." Was spat back, tauntingly as the shaggy-haired Superstar turned on his heel, giving a mock a salute before disappearing.
"That - What you just did," Seth pried Cameron's arms from around his neck while pushing her away. "Isn't helping." He pushed his fingers through his hair, his tone incredulous, "Boo?!"
"Get over yourself." Cameron huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "We both know you weren't going to step to Ambrose. At least," Her tone grew bored as she picked at non-existent dirt underneath her perfectly manicured fingernails, sighing. "Not without your boys J&J around."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know exactly what it means. Look, Rollins if this arrangement, partnership whatever this is, is gonna work, you can't be treatin' me like a second class citizen. You feel me?"
Seth's deep brown eyes narrowed as he bit the inside of his cheek, studying the blonde in front of him. Her own ocher eyes were narrowed, and her full glossy lips pursed while one of her attractively curvy hips was cocked to the side. Her stance showed she wasn't going to back down. Not that he necessarily expected her to... Though, honestly he didn't know what to expect from her, so maybe he did expect her to shrink back after being reprimanded by him. Or that she would simply roll her eyes and give a "boy, bye" in exasperation before going back to the Diva's locker room.
Instead, she hadn't budged; still staring him head on with her uniquely colored eyes, not batting an eyelash.
He was impressed, to say the least. But he'd never say so out loud.
She was right about him not being able to treat her like a second class citizen. If they were going to get what they wanted, it was crucial for them to be on the same page. And that had to start now.
"You're right." He agreed, stroking his beard, thoughtfully. "If this partnership is going to work out for either of us, we have to be equals in this."
A slow blooming smile across full glossy lips was his reward. It was bright; reaching all the way to her unique shade of eyes, and something inside of him tightened. It was strange; having any reaction to her smile at all. He pushed the feeling down; ignoring the tightening and the flip he felt of his stomach.
"Glad you're seeing things my way..." There's suddenly a tug to his cheek and then another coo of – husky and flirty – in his ear, "Boo."
Swaying hips and a tight round bouncing ass are caught in the periphery of his vision and then there's a resounding slap to one of his cheeks, making him jump.
Whirling around, he sees Cameron look over her shoulder and give him a cheeky wink to go with a princess wave, and he sighs while shaking his head. A smile crosses his lips as he chuckles lowly in his throat. His eyes never leave her lithe frame until the last golden strand of her hair disappears around the corner.
She was going to be trouble, for sure.
The only question was would she be worth the trouble in the end?