The Arrangement
I own nothing!
Chapter 3
I sometimes wonder if Dad knew what he signed me up for; really knew. At times over the coming months I found myself thinking that he couldn't possibly. Then I came crashing back down to reality. Of course he knew. How could he not?
Melanie POV
The hotel was exceptionally opulent. It was almost grotesque in places. I walked in next to Roman who was carrying my bag, my father on the other side of me. My brothers were skulking along behind me. Who was I kidding, this wasn't a hotel. It was a gilded cage.
Sing little bird, sing.
When we reached the lobby, I was separated from my brothers and escorted to the bridal suite. I could feel the nausea rising again. Mentally, I made myself aware of trash cans and plant pots. I wasn't sure if I could handle this. The last two days were finally catching up with me. This brought everything to light; this was real. I hadn't even gone through the wedding yet and already I was exhausted.
Roman left me at the entrance to the room. He squeezed my shoulder once and then left for the elevator. A security guard was posted at the door. He gave me a small smile and gestured.
"Go on in, Miss Runnels".
You mean I don't have to be dragged into the room kicking and screaming? Oh thank you so much.
Part of me just wanted a long hot bath and a deep sleep. Maybe if I prayed hard enough, I would wake up back in New York and Declan would be bounding into my room like a hyperactive puppy to wake me up so we can get to our favourite café for choc chip pancakes and freshly ground coffee before class.
Or maybe I would walk into the suite and my night would get so infinitely more worse. I cannot stress enough how much I hate this woman, this she-devil. She intimidated me when I was a child and she did so now. I hate to admit that, I really do. But I felt like that scared teenager again when I first met her. The little girl who had whimpered, because her mother had just died and then this harridan had a screaming match with her father – who, by the way, just stood there and took it. Then she arranged an attack on him as an old man. I may have hated my father, but to be fair to my family, I hate this bitch so much more.
"Melanie"!
Don't let the smile fool you. Look closely, the fangs are dripping with honey to hide the very real danger here.
Stephanie hugged me as if we were old college buddies. I just stood there stoic, my face undefined. There was a very nicely wrought candlestick on a table in the corner. I wondered how nice it would look bashing Stephanie's head in.
"How lovely it is to see you again. Look how you've grown. I remembered an awkward teenager with skinned knees". Ah yes, there was that patronising tone.
Well, I remembered a blood sucking bitch, and I am glad to see I was right. I forced my lips into a smile.
"Well Stephanie, I wish I could say the same".
Immediately the smile dropped from her face.
"That is Ms McMahon to you. OK, we'll do it this way then. Suit yourself, if you don't want me to treat you like an equal I won't. Sit". She pointed over to a small sofa in the corner of the room.
A McMahon treating a Runnels like an equal. Yeah, right. Brushing past her I sat down and she sat opposite me on a chair. I didn't break my stare, I dared not to. No weaknesses, I could agree with my dad on this one thing.
"I assume your father showed you the contract", she stated rather than asked.
"He did not", I stated back. She handed me a stack of papers and I immediately tossed them aside.
"Long and short, I go through with this, my brothers have their jobs back and you leave my family alone"? I wasn't in the mood for a lengthy conversation. Stephanie leaned back in her chair and regarded me as though I was a pair of shoes she was considering buying.
"Yes, although there are particulars. I will leave this with you. I'm sure you'll want to study it. Basically, after the wedding you are completely the property of the authority. You will travel and live with your husband. This marriage will be binding in every sense, legally and physically. When he is not present, you will only socialise with people we have chosen. We also expect you to present yourself like a member of the authority at all times, so no more paintbrushes in your hair, no more splotches on your skin, and we will find you some suitable attire. You will dress and behave in a manner consistent with our wishes".
The smile on her face widened considerably and I felt my chest tighten with fear.
"You will accompany your husband at work, and in private. You are forbidden from any contact with your own family and they are banned from any with you. Any breach of this will result immediately in their dismissal and subsequent blacklisting from this industry. Believe me when I say, I have a very long reach. They will never work in wrestling again".
I actually couldn't move. Dad signed this? Never mind feeling nauseous. I ran to the bathroom and threw up my dinner. I could feel Stephanie behind me smiling that sick, demented grin.
I spit in the toilet and wiped my mouth with a tissue.
"You're insane", I hissed.
She just shrugged. "It's what is best for business".
I turned to face her, rage seething from me.
"How? How is that what's best"?
"Ask your father", she said innocently. "This was his idea after all".
My blood ran cold. "No, this was your idea".
"He's the one who begged for his son's jobs back. He just made us an offer. He gets the wrestling legacy he always wanted, and his little girl will be the glorious key that holds everything together".
With that, she turned on her heel and left the room. I heard the door click shut and I pulled my knees up against me and tried to stop shaking. How could dad do this? He wouldn't, would he?
I thought arranged marriages were bad. I thought things couldn't get any worse. That was before I found out I wasn't just being forced into the mother of all unholy alliances. I was a hostage.
If you think I'm overreacting or delusional, answer me this, where is the key card for the room and why are the doors and windows all locked? I tried them before resigning myself to the inevitable. I was trapped here. I slumped onto the four poster bed and leaned against one of the posts. I should have ran away when I had the chance. I went along with this for my brothers, and now I had lost myself. No friends, no family, just an unknown husband and self-righteous bitch who held the keys to my chains. I made a decision at that moment. I had no father, not anymore. He was supposed to protect me, and I had never felt more alone than I did at that moment.
I wanted to be held and told things were going to be alright. I wanted my mother more than anything.
Roman's POV
The amber liquid sloshed around in the bottom of the glass. I stared it down and tossed it back. Signalled to the bartender for another, and repeat. I felt like the biggest asshole in the world. I should have gone upstairs to see Shea and the guys, but I knew at that moment, I needed something before I had to walk back into that madness. Sheamus wasn't part of it, he wasn't happy about it, and he certainly wasn't shy letting me know that. I don't know what was worse, his hostility or Melanie's resentment about the whole thing. Maybe I was just being selfish. I signalled the bartender and ordered a double. When did this fucked scenario become my life? I stared mournfully into my glass. I just wanted to wrestle. Why was it so complicated?
Oh look, a further complication. I stared at the guy beside me. He nodded to the glass and I noticed he had one of his own.
"You too huh"?
"Yup". I gulped it down and turned to face him. "Well, what can I do for you"?
"I need your help".
"It's dangerous to ask me that", I replied.
"I know, but I think it would be worse if I didn't".
Normal POV
Melanie woke up the next morning. She felt terrible and sore. She had fallen asleep on top of the covers still dressed and shoes still on. A small breakfast tray and a pot of coffee was on the table. She sat up and then saw it. The dress was hung up on the wardrobe with its garments and veil. The shoes were placed to the side neatly. She swallowed and headed to the bathroom. Splashing some cold water on her face, she looked up at the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot. She walked numbly through to the other room and sat at the table. She poured a cup of coffee and nibbled on a slice of toast. It tasted bland. The door creaked open, and a young woman with red hair poked her head through, she carried two bags and shot Melanie a small smile.
"Hi, I'm here to do your hair and make-up".
Cody's POV
The wedding was small, it had only been set up for fifty people at most. I stood by Dustin as we waited anxiously. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that most of the guests were wrestlers from the locker room. Among them, the Shield, the Usos, Punk, a few of the divas, Bryan and Cena as well. Ziggler and Ryder were standing over at the bar talking quietly. Kane and Hunter were over by the makeshift altar fussing over a tablet.
What better way for Hunter and Stephanie to show off their power than bringing everyone together to see the humiliation of one of the biggest wrestling families in the industry. We hadn't seen our dad yet. Dustin yanked at his collar.
"This is crazy", he whispered. "We should take Melanie and just leave".
So why weren't we?
Melanie POV
The girl had long since left and I was standing looking at myself in the mirror. The dress fell to the floor and the small diamante tiara held my hair up off my neck. We decided to forgo the veil. My nails had been shaped and manicured, my make-up was perfect.
I hated it, this was the worst day of my life. This was a complete farce.
The door opened and I caught his reflection in the mirror. I turned around and stared at him with hate in my eyes.
"What do you want"?
"I still have to give you away", my dad stared at me. He swallowed and smiled. "You look beautiful".
"You're not giving me away dad. You already did that when you signed this", I threw the contract at his feet. "Just leave me alone".
"Baby girl, if not me at least one of your brothers". He reached out pleading.
I just shook my head.
"No, I don't have a family anymore. I can't believe you signed that. Why? Do you hate me that much? Well don't worry dad, you don't need to deal with me anymore right"? My voice choked and I felt tears pricking at my eyes.
"Mellie, it's not like that", dad reached out to grab my arm. I pulled it away from him.
"No, I don't want to hear any more of your lies. I just want you to go".
I turned away from him and he left. I grabbed a tissue and began blotting at my eyes. Thank god the mascara was waterproof. I was terrible with this stuff. I heard a shuffle at the door and I turned around. Roman stood in the doorway with a small bouquet of lilies in his hands.
"I'm sorry, I- I was told to- oh fuck it come here". With a few steps he hugged me gently avoiding creases in the dress. I struggled to get my breathing back under control. After a few minutes I pulled back and looked up at him.
"How do I look"?
"You look beautiful. Make up is fine. I hate to ask but are you ready"?
"Is no acceptable"?
"Always", Roman smiled and handed me the flowers. "Come on, let's get this over with".
"Roman", I paused. This could be a huge mistake, but I didn't have anyone else. "Can you walk me down the aisle"?
"Of course".
Normal POV
The guests had been seated and the priest was at the front of the room. A few flower arrangements and some other decorations were dotted around the room. Stephanie and Hunter sat at the head of the group, across from Dusty and the boys. From his view, Dolph frowned and leaned over to Punk.
"Why is Dusty here? Shouldn't he be with his daughter"?
"Who knows"? Punk whispered back. The whole situation made fuck all sense. Most of them didn't even know Dusty had a daughter, or that she was engaged to one of their own.
The music started and the group stood. At the front the groom and best man finally made an appearance. Dean Ambrose fixed his tie distractedly as his companion shuffled uneasily before settling and turning to look down the aisle.
Melanie entered with Roman at her side. He led her steadily and gripped her shaking hand. Melanie kept her eyes straight ahead. She didn't want to look at her family and she damn sure did not want to look at any member of the authority. Some of the divas smiled at her and some of the wrestlers nodded. Any smiles never reached anyone's eyes though. Melanie knew she would cry if she looked around, so she kept her gaze on the altar at the end. Roman provided her with a steady presence. She wanted to turn and run. But she wouldn't, she was a Rhodes, whether she wanted to be or not. As she neared the altar she noticed a few of the men leering at her. She tried her hardest not to flinch.
Tightening her jaw, she looked up at the face of the man she was marrying. Oh no, anything but this. She knew the man, not personally but she knew him. Cody talked about him often enough. He was a partner, once a friend, a mentor, and he was the reason both her brothers were out of work. He was ruthless, vicious and cold. He glanced down at her briefly before turning to the priest. Melanie stood at his side visibly trembling now. Roman squeezed her hand one last time and placed a chaste kiss to her temple.
"It's ok Melanie, I promise".
How could it possibly be ok? She was marrying the viper. She was going to be bound to Randy Orton.
Thanks for reading, stay tuned for part 4 in which Melanie and Randy tie the knot, the Authority makes its presence known and the wedding night approaches. Till next time, remember, reviews make me happy *does happy dance*.