Chapter 11
"So...let me get this straight," John began slowly, aware of Rajani's presence though, for the moment, he ignored her. "Kane said he wanted to call off all this bullshit? What's the catch, Steph?"
Alex had been wondering that himself, though he wisely didn't voice it.
"There is no catch, John. I asked Glen and he simply said that after what happened at Tuesday's Smackdown! taping, it's in the best interest for the company to end the feud." Stephanie stated, though in the back of her mind she wondered if Kane truly meant what he said. "All we can do is take his word for it and see what happens. I hope he means it because we cannot have another disastrous night, not this close to WrestleMania."
Rajani couldn't stop herself from doubting everything Stephanie said about Kane. Wondering if this was just another mind game he was playing with everyone, though like Alex, Rajani didn't voice her opinion, keeping her mouth shut. John was pretty much thinking the same thing Rajani was, only he wasn't shy about saying it out loud.
"Kane's probably messing with your head, you know that right?" John snorted, shaking his own head, remembering the other night when Kane had appeared after he had been literally knocked down by Raja's palm to his nose.
"Cena, until he does something that contradicts what he said, I want you to leave him alone, unless it is directly related to the storyline. Do you understand me?" Stephanie demanded icily.
When John nodded stiffly, Rajani couldn't help feeling somewhat relieved because that meant he wouldn't end up going through another door or wall. Why she suddenly cared about his well being after calling her a prostitute was beyond her. Just because the man was a dickhead didn't mean her crush went away apparently. Rajani hated her feelings and wished she could just lock them up tight to where they could never escape. She didn't look at John the whole time they stood there, busy having her nose in the clipboard along with Alex. Both pretended to jot notes down when in actuality they were simply waiting for Stephanie to finish.
John finally turned his attention onto Rajani, who was looking at that clipboard like it was the most interesting thing she had ever seen. "Hello Raja." He said, watching her shoulders tense for the briefest of seconds. "Did you get all your laundry finished?"
Idly wondering if she was wearing those white panties tonight, John knew voicing that one aloud would get him another palm thrust to the face. He really wanted to do this in front of Stephanie and Alex. Rajani simply plastered on a smile before looking up at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course I did. Did you?" When Stephanie and Alex were looking back and forth between them, Rajani wanted to hit John in the nose again, pressing the clipboard against her chest. "Or were you simply looking for another...prostitute...to plow over and aggravate?" She couldn't help tossing that word in the mix, eyes darkening with anger.
"Only if she decides to come at me like a bitch in heat." John snorted, knowing that Alex and Stephanie were looking back and forth between him and Rajani.
"Alright, I'm so glad to see that you two have apparently reached a new level of-"
"What the fuck?"
"Yes, that. Cena, go see the writers for your script." Stephanie ordered, not entirely sure she wanted to know and just shot Rajani a questioning look.
John stared at her a second longer before snorting and walking away.
"Such class, Cena. Now I know why Stephanie took the title away from you, a champion has to have CLASS." Rajani smirked when John froze in his tracks before turning on her own heel, stalking away.
"What the fuck?" Alex couldn't help saying it again. "Did she just...?"
Stephanie's curiosity was burning as she pointed at John to go in the opposite direction while she followed her Rajani. Rajani was busy calling John every name in the book mentally, knowing her professionalism with the man had effectively been tossed out the window. Now if John wanted to show her some low class, he could have informed the wrong people of what had happened, just to see them try pulling some messed up scenario to get her to kiss them. But...John wouldn't, mainly because he knew this little love/hate/off the wall sexual chemistry thing they had going was just getting started. He came to a halt when he seen Kane leaning against the hallway wall. That was...not normal. Kane had his arms folded over his chest, wearing his mask as usual, watching Cena approach with a half-smirk.
When Stephanie finally cornered Rajani in the office, while Alex was out running errands that she normally did, she had no choice except to tell Stephanie what happened. The run-in with John, which followed her spotting Taker coming out of the building and distracting John. Of course...she didn't mention the kiss, nobody could ever find out about that happening and there had been no witnesses, to Rajani's knowledge. Rajani didn't know how to stop this chemistry from building between her and John, it was almost like a force that was too powerful to overcome.
"He had the nerve to call me a prostitute all because he thought I was throwing myself at him! Can you believe that?" Rajani was angry and currently unleashed it at her boss. "I wouldn't throw myself at that asshole if he was the last man on the planet, in the universe! I'm just glad my brother isn't on the road with us yet, Steph. He needs to leave me alone before things get really bad..."
Stephanie decided to not say anything, decided not to ask how Rajani had managed to distract John and decided that those two had serious issues. "You need a boyfriend." She said out of the blue, smiling sweetly when Rajani stopped pacing in order to stare at her with an open mouth. "Just listen...if you had a boyfriend, then John would know you're not...available." Or for hire, whatever. "And he would probably stop bothering you so much. So...who do you want? Alex? It could be Alex. I'm pretty sure he's metrosexual..."
"I am not getting a boyfriend just to make a guy leave me alone, Stephanie. If I get a boyfriend, it will be on my terms." Stephanie had gone off the deep-end officially if she thought for a second that would work. "If he doesn't leave me alone by the time my brother comes on the road, then I'll have him deal with Cena." She stated simply, hating to use her big brother for...protection, but Rajani would do it if it meant not crossing the line with John. That kiss would forever be etched in her memory and that was the only memory she would ever have with him. "Can we talk about something work-related now, please? And for the record, I don't think Alex would want to date me."
"Uh, what?" Alex asked, having obviously walked in at a very bad time, holding out a stack of papers. "Medical forms, everyone signed so..." He cleared his throat.
"Would you date Rajani?"
"Uh..." He looked at her, obviously not enjoying being put on the spot like that. "Sure, I guess...maybe...why?"
Stephanie then explained her theory to him, ignoring his suddenly shrewd look. Yes, sometimes, she did enjoy arranging matches. Matches referring to hookups. That quality she got straight from her mother.
"Everyone thinks I'm gay, I don't think that would work too well."
"Are you gay?"
Alex just shrugged. "I think Raja can handle Cena on her own without a...um, boyfriend."
"Thank you, Alex." Rajani smiled at him, knowing she really owed him for everything he had done for her. "Though that's not going to stop me from taking this man out for a drink at a later time. As JUST friends." She made that point crystal clear to Stephanie, eyes telling the woman this idea was officially null and void. "Now, back to business..."
Before Stephanie could press the issue further, Alex began passing out the forms he had just gathered. "Everything is filled out and signed, so they need to be processed." Annual physicals, the Superstars always loved the accompanying paperwork they and their private physicians had to fill out.
Stephanie decided to let it slide for now. "One more question..." As soon as she got this out of the way. "Metrosexual?"
Alex simply shrugged again.
The majority of the night, surprisingly, went without any problems and zero attacks. Rajani kept waiting for the storm to hit, but nothing happened and they were already halfway through the program. Rajani finished all tasks Stephanie gave her and they made small chatter regarding the upcoming shows, including meetings and whatnot. Her thoughts had drifted from John to the room of roses again, the smell still fresh in her memory, wondering who had sent them to her. Rajani couldn't tell anyone about that, especially Stephanie.
"Taker's been attacked Steph!"
Stephanie had actually managed to relax once it appeared that the show was going to go off without a hitch, that the night was going to go off without a problem. So much for that. "Taker has been attacked..." She repeated, wondering who the hell had been ballsy enough to do that. "Where's he now?"
"Right fuckin' here..." Taker growled, ignoring the official who dodged out of his way as he managed to make it into the office without dropping, a hand on his head.
"Sit down!" Larry ordered, following behind with a medical kit. He arched an eyebrow when Taker just sat on the floor, his long legs splayed out in front of him. "Okay then..."
Who would attack Taker of all people? "Stephanie, it wasn't...Kane, was it?" Rajani really hated asking that question in front of Taker, but given the current and recent events, he was the number one suspect. "I'm sorry, but after what happened to Beth and Phil..."
"No, it's fine." Stephanie held her hand up, knowing Rajani had valid points. "But I don't think Glen would do this to Mark." Her blue eyes focused back on the injured, looking at Larry worriedly. "What happened Mark? Do you remember anything?"
Rajani nearly jumped out of her skin when Kane's voice boomed throughout the small office, paling slightly. 'Oh shit.' She thought, hoping he didn't overhear her accusation.
"Sure, I remember walkin' and then hearing someone coming up behind me. Before I could turn…WHAT THE HELL, LARRY?"
Larry flinched at that. Taker had a high pain tolerance level, but getting a needle where he had just stuck it had to hurt, no matter if he was the Deadman. "Sorry, it's to numb your head before I fix this..."
"Who did it?" Kane demanded angrily.
"When I find out, you'll be the first to know." Taker growled, acid green meeting his best friend's eyes as Kane crouched down in front of him.
"I was wondering why you didn't make it..."
"Some-"
"Um...we found this, Mrs. Levesque..." Another official walked in, carrying a pipe with a smear of blood on it.
"I'm sorry..." Rajani whispered, lowering her eyes from everyone in the room. "I didn't mean..."
"Don't worry about it, Raja." Stephanie murmured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze. "Why don't you go get some fresh air? You look pale."
"Are you sure?"
Stephanie nodded, gesturing toward the door. "Take a break, you deserve it." She also wanted to speak with both gentlemen alone. "Go on, don't make me force you."
Nodding, Rajani took one last glance at Taker before exiting the room, hoping he was going to be alright and headed outside for some needed fresh air.
So much for a peaceful night.
"What the fuck was she apologizin' for?" Taker demanded the moment she left. "Unless she clobbered me from behind..."
"How amusing that would be though." Kane commented with a smirk.
"Shut it." Taker ordered, not amused.
John was sitting outside, sort of. He was perched on the overhang that jutted out from over the door, keeping an eye on who was coming in and who was going out. He had come out here after hearing Eve screaming something about Taker being attacked, not wanting to stick around for that one.
The door opened as Rajani stepped out, the cool night air instantly enveloping her. What the hell was going on? First Beth, then Phil and now Taker? Who was doing this and what was their motive? It all had to be linked somehow and the only person who had been attacking randomly lately was Kane. But why would Kane attack Taker and then come check on him? It didn't make any sense. Nothing did. Rajani didn't see she wasn't alone outside, her brain running wild with all the possibilities of who could've attacked Taker, looking up at the starry night sky.
John spotted her, but didn't say anything. Even though she had gone total bitch-mode on him earlier and he may have...gone a bit...prick on her; he wasn't in the mood to continue it. Actually, he was in the mood to go home and wait for someone else to get attacked at work. He would be gone when it occurred so then obviously...he wouldn't be guilty. Beth, Phil and now Taker...that kind of eliminated Kane since the two were practically brothers.
"Fuck..." John cursed, running a hand over his head.
Rajani jumped when she heard someone behind her and bit back a groan at the sight of John Cena, immediately turning back around. He looked...agitated and Rajani knew it was partially her fault, but didn't care. He had no right calling her a prostitute and a bitch in heat. Who the hell did he think he was? He had no appreciation, Rajani wished she'd never kissed him and let Taker beat the hell out of him. Maybe it would've knocked some sense into John's tiny egomaniac brain. Considering that she had seen him and not started screaming for help, John assumed that maybe he wasn't the prime suspect.
"They find out who clobbered Taker?" He asked gruffly from his perch, staring down at her.
Of course, odds were quite high that she wouldn't answer him, but...maybe she would. He'd rather know what he was walking back inside too eventually. Sooner than later because it was a bit nippy out here and he wasn't wearing a shirt. When she didn't even look his way again, John lowered himself over the ledge and dropped down, landing just behind her. His body heat radiated right against her bare back and Rajani couldn't help doing a full body shiver, wrapping her arms around herself. She'd heard his sneakers hit the pavement and knew he wouldn't leave her alone until she answered his question.