"Thank you so much for dinner, Isabela! Oh, and dessert! It was delicious!" Merrill chirped appreciatively from the backseat of the '66 Shelby. Isabela looked in the rearview mirror to see her friend bouncing in her adorably animated fashion. This, as usual, elicited genuine smiles from everyone in the vehicle.
"Think nothing of it, Kitten. I might as well feed you before I drag you off dancing." She replied nonchalantly. The elfish little thing didn't realize she was coming along tonight so that they could find out if she was gay or not. Not that Isabela wouldn't have taken her out anyway. She was quickly becoming the older woman's best friend, beside Varric of course. Unlike her only other female friend, Ashley (who merely talked to her when she needed something), Merrill probably texted her between every class. Isabela never felt alone, that was for sure. Another perk of dating Hawke, I suppose.
"So where are we going?" She asked sweetly as they rounded another turn.
Cassandra placed a hand on her girlfriend's thigh, staring at her with those piercing blue eyes. "I was kind of curious, myself, babe."
She had asked Isabela that question nearly a dozen times over the course of the day. It was only through the use of British comedy, a never-ending bucket of popcorn, and some very distracting make-out sessions that her host was able to keep it a secret for so long. "We're headed to the Blooming Rose." She answered calmly.
There was a momentary pause from the larger woman. "Wait... The lesbian bar?" Hawke's eyes widened and her body tensed. You're taking the three of us to a club full of college age lesbians? Lord help me, it's going to be a long night!
"Now, now. Let's think of it as a… women's only dance establishment." Isabela offered somewhat sarcastically, focusing on the road ahead.
"There are only women there? Like all the time?" Her roommate asked inquisitively. It was difficult to tell in her reflection if Merrill was opposed to the idea. The leading lady decided to find out the easy way.
"Does that bother you, Kitten?" The driver considered asking Hawke the same question, but could already tell that she was less than pleased.
The young woman's face turned a whole new shade of pink. "Oh, no... But Aveline might have agreed to come if she knew she wouldn't have to dance in front of men. Maybe she'd be less nervous, at least." Does she know how to dance? I never thought to ask! Though, if she didn't, I could teach her. That would be fun!
Isabela was about to give an opposing argument, but Cassandra did it for her. "I doubt that." She grumbled as she leaned back in her seat, her hands tucked nervously in her lap. Ave left me high and dry this time. I would have got a kick out of poking fun at her all night. Now I'm gonna be the laughing stock of a building full of lesbians. You owe me big, Officer Vallen, and I won't soon forget it.
The eldest cleared her throat, glancing at their mutual friend in the mirror. "Man Hands would have said no anyway. The woman resents me to my very core."
"She's just so stubborn! I asked her to join us and she got all grumpy and complained about having nothing to wear, things to do, and something about 'much needed rest'. And when I told her we could wear matching outfits, she didn't seem interested..." Poor Kitten looked like she was about ready to cry, looking at her pale hands as they rested on her knees. "I thought it would be lovely."
Hawke turned to comfort the girl while Isabela navigated through downtown. "Don't worry, Daisy. You'll get through to Ave eventually. She can hate Isabela and I until kingdom come, but she can't stay mad at you. Flash her a smile and she'll crumble at your feet, I promise." It was hard to argue with her logic. It was obvious, even to the notoriously loveless pirate, that the redhead was head over heels for their little friend from Southern Wales. That couldn't possibly work. The woman-shaped battering ram could never give Kitten all the romance and cuddles she deserves. I mean, look at her! And if they tried even a fraction of the things Hawke and I do, there would be serious injuries. Shit, how neither of us is injured is near miraculous, and we're actually in the same weight class!
"Why can't we all just get along? Like sisters! We could braid each others' hair, bake cookies, and stay up all night watching movies. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Isabela felt bad for giggling, but the mental picture she gave was utterly ridiculous.
"Merrill, sometimes you're so sweet I could eat you for dessert." Her girlfriend's lip curled menacingly as they turned into a parking lot. Apparently, she didn't find that too amusing. At least, not until they figured out the girl's sexual preference. "And look, here we are!" Isabela parked and hopped out of her concubine as quickly as she could. The rugby player, ever chivalrous, took time to politely help her roommate out of the Shelby's backseat.
Then there was the customary female post-drive readjustment of clothing and hair. Isabela wore her favorite club dress; a simple black V-neck, 'as easy to slip into as out of and surprisingly stain-resistant'. Hawke wore comfortable jeans, a t-shirt with the crest of Hyrule on the chest, and her new suit jacket. Merrill wore dark green skinny jeans, a light green tank top, brown flats, and her usual yellow-green scarf.
Cassandra was acting as their personal bodyguard for the night and gave the two women a quick safety brief while they touched up their make-up in the side mirror of the Shelby. She never wore 'that crap', considering it 'an excessive luxury', and instead stood behind them and removed imaginary lint from her clothes. "Remember, if anyone asks, you're both with me. Don't leave with anyone. And if we get separated, call me. In case of emergency, we meet back at the car. If I don't hear or see either of you by midnight, I'm calling the cops. And Aveline." She pointed menacingly toward her comrades, causing Isabela to roll her eyes and Merrill to gasp.
"I didn't realize dancing could be so dangerous!" The comment caused the Pirate Queen to bust into a fit of giggles and she patted her little friend on the shoulder.
"Don't worry Kitten. The most we can expect is a few handsy patrons and the occasional barroom brawl. But we have a secret weapon." She remarked as she tucked the cosmetics back into her purse.
Daisy practically jumped as her companion reached into her bag. "You're armed?!"
Isabela looked confusedly at her friends as they stood stock-still and genuinely frightened. "What? I meant Hawke. But…well…" She glanced inside her purse at a large knife big enough to be called a dagger in most circles. She chose not to mention it, or the similar one she had hidden on her person, and instead extended a hand to her girlfriend. "Shall we?" She tilted her head toward a set of burgundy double doors where other young females were trickling in. Cassandra offered both women an elbow in substitution.
"Ladies." She flashed a cocky grin as the two smaller women latched onto her. They crossed the parking lot and walked confidently through the doors. Hawke's first impression was that the place was a lot bigger than it appeared from the outside. Immediately within was a coat-check and ID area with an Aveline-sized bouncer in charge. But there were also some mysterious doors on either side of the foyer. Once the group proved that they were indeed adults and Merrill and Hawke received black X marks on their hands (ensuring that the bartender didn't serve them alcohol), they crossed into the main room. There was a large, well-stocked bar off to the right and a small collection of wooden tables near the front. There were strobe lights, a large disco ball hanging from the ceiling, a fog machine (which was off for now), and an assortment of colored lights illuminating a huge open dance floor. Despite the darkened state of the building, Merrill noticed something peculiar.
"Isabela? Why are there so many doors? And where do those stairs go?" The Pirate Queen pulled them off to sit at an unoccupied table. There were a few to choose from, since it was barely 8:30pm and the night crowd was just now arriving. The tanned seductress waited for her friends' full attention before gifting them with a little knowledge.
"You see, this building is really old. Victorian, I believe. And prior to the First World War, it was a popular brothel. So most of those rooms used to be bedrooms. Then it was a speakeasy, so they distilled and trafficked illegal spirits here. Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. On this floor they're mostly used for storage or conference rooms. But upstairs…" She indicated the landing above the staircase and both women looked over. A blonde woman was operating as DJ against the railing, but there were still three unexplained doors behind her with a bouncer posted outside each. "Door one, leather, latex, and the whole bondage package. A little too hardcore, even for me. Door two, your run-of-the-mill strippers. Door three… Actually, I have no idea what's in there. Must have lost my invite. But everyone I've seen leaving has a smile on their face." She grinned at the thought.
The winger cleared her throat loudly, clapping her hands over Merrill's now bright red ears. "We're not here for any 'premium services', are we?"
Her shocked and nervous expression made Isabela chuckle heartily. "No, sweet thing. We're only here to dance, I swear." That seemed to calm her companion somewhat and Cassandra released her roommate's head. "Now, come on! Let me introduce you to the proprietors." She stood from the table, leading both women to the bar. The stools were still relatively empty and a single white-haired woman acting as bartender. Her hazy blue eyes widened when she recognized Isabela and she quickly set down the glass she was drying.
"Does my aging mind deceive me, or has Ms. Rivaini truly decided to grace us with her presence again?" The woman looked almost angrily at their companion and tucked stray hairs behind her ears. Hawke and Merrill stood idly by, glancing curiously back and forth at each other.
"Oh, shut it hag. You missed me." She stuck her tongue out teasingly and the bartender chuckled, exposing more obvious wrinkles. Their host gestured between them and the white-haired woman. "Kitten, Hawke, this is Madam Lusine, the owner. In case you haven't noticed, old bat, these sexy beasts are with me."
The younger women waved nervously at her and she caught a glance of their hands. "You know I'm not supposed to serve underage." Are we really going to play this game tonight? Isabela gave her a serious look and Lusine groaned. She reached under the counter, looked suspiciously around the room, and waited for Isabela to instruct the roommates to place their hands on the bar. They blinked confusedly as she wiped a rag drenched in some mystery liquid over the back of their hands, immediately removing the black Xs. "Don't make me regret this." The bartender glared at her favorite customer, tucking the rag back in its place.
The classy lady gave her an arrogant smirk. "We are the very souls of moderation!" Merrill giggled somewhat and her girlfriend rolled her eyes. "Time to make nice with the DJ." She winked at Lusine as she led her comrades through the slowly growing crowd and up the stairs. They neared the turntable where a blonde dressed in neon colors was operating a laptop. Her clothes were covered in small droplets of bright rainbow-colored paint and she had large black headphones around her pale neck. She stopped bouncing as she saw Isabela approach.
"Look what the cat dragged in!" She said sarcastically. The younger women laughed amongst themselves at their friend's apparent popularity. "And she's got a posse? That's new." Isabela scoffed loudly at her improper response.
"Nice to see you, too, Elegant." They exchanged kisses on the hand, eliciting some giggles and stray looks. "Now, what's a girl got to do to get a proper introduction?"
The DJ set her headphones down on the table and stepped toward Cassandra and Daisy. "First, the name is Elegant. Lady Elegant, thanks to my recent marriage. Second, don't believe a word this troublemaker told you about me." The women politely presented themselves and waited patiently while the old acquaintances gossiped (something about potions and French people). Finally, the blonde gave Isabela a look that meant pure business. "Am I right to assume you're here for the Bad Girl Special?"
The roommates stared on awkwardly at the two women as Isabela replied. "Wait 'til 9. Then I'll be ready." There was another round of cheek and hand kissing before the group returned to their table. The dance floor wasn't exactly party central, so there was no point joining yet.
"What in the world is a 'Bad Girl Special'?" Hawke asked seriously with Merrill blinking curiously next to her. Their host merely chuckled and patted their heads.
"You won't be bound, gagged, or wake up in a church with a contusion on your forehead, I swear." The younger women were understandably skeptical, but the Pirate Queen chose to distract them instead of discuss it further. "Drinks! We need drinks." She quickly retreated to the bar and after a short chat with Lusine, returned with a bottle of port, two glasses, and a fruity cocktail. Without hesitation, the smallest woman reached for the odd drink out. Hawke would later remark that she doubted Merrill knew what she was slurping at through that colored straw, though no one would ever be sure.
Isabela uncorked the bottle and began to pour a glass, but her girlfriend moved the second out of the way before it could be similarly filled. "I'm DD, babe."
That gained Hawke a wicked grin as her host sipping at her drink. "I had no idea you drove stick."
Merrill glanced curiously between the couple as they shared licentious stares. "You're not the only one who's full of surprises." Oh? Cassandra started giggling when Isabela licked her lips and decided to elaborate. "Seriously though, it's a skill I picked in FFA. Most farm and construction equipment has a manual transmission system. I even took first in the county for compact tractor driving, beating Aveline's record by .5 seconds." The eldest nearly choked on her port at her girlfriend's prideful smile. Once she gulped down the drink, she broke into a roll of hearty laughter, encouraging snickers from Daisy.
"Oh God, that's priceless!" She took a few more sips between giggles before giving up entirely. "Let's get you to the dance floor before you embarrass yourself further." Isabela rounded the table quickly, grabbing Hawke's hand firmly. "You coming, Kitten?" She looked down at their friend as she continued to suck down her drink.
"What do you call this drink? I bet it has a funny name…" Merrill paused to drink some more. "Whatever it is, I'd like to finish it first. Maybe get another… Then I'll come find you, I promise." Daisy smiled against her straw as her new friend kissed her cheek.
"Oh, if someone named Serendipity asks you to accompany them behind closed doors, don't. Trust me, you're not interested." The regular customer advised her as she left. The rugby player mouthed 'help me' as her girlfriend dragged her away by the elbow, but Merrill only waved sweetly in response. This is going to be so exciting!
Cassandra glanced at her watch as they parted the crowd. 8:45. That means I have 15 minutes to duck out of here before whatever a 'Bad Girl Special' is happens to me. I don't believe for a second that I'll come out of that with my pride intact. But, as they found themselves surrounded by frolicking females, an even more pressing matter required her attention. She leaned into Isabela's ear so that she could be understood over the music. "Um, 'Bela? I don't know how to dance."
Her girlfriend wrenched her head back, her amber eyes full of shock. "You're kidding?" Hawke shook her head, panning the room nervously. Wow. Plus 10 to geek. The older woman listened carefully to the music, noting the relatively slow baseline of Sexy Ladies thumping throughout the room. She smiled confidently, taking her girlfriend's hands. "Don't worry about a thing, sweetness. Just follow my lead." With a wink and a smile, she placed Hawke's hands on her waist and turned around, pressing her back against her partner.
Oh… that could work. Isabela began to circle and roll her hips, dancing slowly and methodically. Once the rugby player felt confident enough to cautiously move with her, they rocked leisurely together. A few women started to envelop them, but neither seemed to notice. Hawke was too focused on the way her girlfriend was grinding against her, and Isabela had her eyes closed, taking in the sexual atmosphere of her favorite nightclub. It was only when the music paused that they noticed they were adrift in a sea of females.
"Ladies! May I have your attention please?" The entire building looked up at Lady Elegant as she talked through the speaker system. "For the next hour, we'll be dimming the lights, cranking the bass, bouncing the bouncers, and drinking for free! That's right everybody, Isabela is in the house!" The whole room cheered loudly as a large spotlight illuminated the couple, scaring the winger half to death. "Remember to drop your inhibitions at the door, because we're gonna show her a damn good time, the way only bad girls can!" Cassandra wrapped her companion tight in her arms when the lights shut off entirely. Oh shit! After a few tense seconds, another set of spotlights shined on the landing, where a row of dancers (dressed only in paint, each representing a color of the rainbow) waved cheekily toward the crowd below. Then the bass dropped hard, rattling the building, and everyone began to dance again.
A remix of Take it Off thumped the floors and Elegant started to throw glitter into the crowd. Hawke laughed hard at the insanity, watching as layers of clothing flew aimlessly through the air. She sure knows how to throw a party! Isabela bounced, hooted, and hollered, allowing the beat to carry her away. Practically naked women swarmed the couple as they danced with a new level of exuberance. The older woman turned and wrapped a hand around the back of her girlfriend's neck. She maintained eye contact as she continued to rub sexily against her protector. The mix of wine on her tongue, strong hands on her hips, and pheromones in the air had her far above aroused. The heat from their entwined bodies threatened to set them both aflame, but neither was willing to stop.
There were a whole collection of tangled bodies crushing them by this point, but Cassandra didn't care. She had always heard about the similarities between dancing and sex. Now she understood the comparison. The way they moved wasn't anything she had read about in a book, seen on Youtube, or practiced at home in front of a mirror. They turned and swayed the way only lovers could, making sweet musical love on the dance floor. When a stray hand tried to sneak up Isabela's waist, Hawke swatted it away, dipping her head to possessively capture her girlfriend's lips. They continued to rock and kiss sloppily for a few songs, until the rugby player felt something remarkably… hard against her thigh. She ripped her mouth away, her pupils dilated to the size of coins.
"Isabela… what the fuck is that?" She tried to whisper, but ended up halfway shouting to be heard over the raucous crowd. The older woman just patted her companion's cheek playfully.
"Don't have a stroke. It's only a knife." She smirked superciliously, continuing her earlier movements.
Pirate Queen, indeed. Cassandra chuckled at the idea of her girlfriend 'packing'. "And here I thought you were just happy to see me," she teased.
"Oh trust me, sweetness, that is very much the case." Isabela pressed herself closer to her lover, speaking seductively into her ear. "Or would you prefer a demonstration?" She slid her unarmed thigh between Hawke's, eliciting a low groan.
"Here?" The taller woman muttered behind clenched teeth, her knees feeling ever weaker.
Right on the dance floor? The exotic beauty took a second to consider the idea. "I'm not quite that depraved at the moment. We can go to the stock room, if you'd like." Hawke simply nodded and Isabela wasted no time evacuating them from the crowd. Hand-in-hand, they marched past the tables, but the larger woman brought them to a screeching halt before they could sneak into a door labeled 'Authorized Personnel Only'.
"Hey, wait… Have you seen Merrill?" She asked hesitantly.
"Come to think of it, no." They turned around to scan the room for their friend, but finding a short Daisy in a field of Roses was easier planned than executed. "Maybe Lusine knows where she is." Their original mission aborted, they retreated to the bar, which was crowded by broads of all ages, sizes, colors, and states of inebriation.
The old bartender pushed two brunettes apart by the shoulders to make contact with the couple. "There you are, Isabela! Do you have any idea how many-"
The pirate cut her off with a wave of the hand. "I'll clear my debts later. Right now I want to know if you've seen my little friend from earlier."
"That what I was trying to tell you! Merrill's on her third Long Island." Madam Lusine informed her frustratingly, still barking orders to a pair of young assistants who were rushing to serve the impatient gaggle of customers.
"You gave my Kitten three of those on top of the fuzzy navel I got her? She's not even an avid drinker! And she's far too small to handle all of that!" Isabela yelled at the proprietor.
The woman scoffed back at her. "She asked for them specifically! And you're the one who forced me to serve her." She remarked with an angry point of the finger.
Cassandra was getting annoyed at the exchange. "This is stupid. Where is she?" The bartender gestured toward the bottom of the staircase and the couple quickly walked over. What the rugby player found made her brain misfire. "Wow… I didn't think she could dance so…" There was Merrill, sandwiched between two blondes, face flushed, arms in the air, and hips circling to the music.
"Provocatively?" Isabela finished her sentence before pulling the cell phone out of her bra to snap a picture. Kitten… who knew? She showed the screen to Hawke, who immediately covered her mouth and turned her blue eyes back to her roommate.
"Fuck me! You see that blonde she's with?" The Pirate Queen squinted in the dim lighting, but cursed when she noticed a familiar face wrapped around her friend's front.
"Dammit. Peggy." Someone needs to put a bell on that bitch. She hissed.
The winger's gaze found her girlfriend's target, then reverted back to the woman she had initially recognized, who was halfway sexing her friend from behind. "I meant the tall one, Jess. She's on my rugby team… Who's Peggy?"
Isabela groaned disgustedly. "Think Fenris, but female." Cassandra immediately tensed and her mind raced.
"Shit, shit, shit! What do we do?" She asked as she scratched at her scalp. If they weren't both so exasperated, the fact that her hair rained glitter would have made for a good joke. But there was a crisis that needed averting.
"You need to call Aveline." Isabela ordered as she adjusted her dress and reached for her shoes, preparing herself for the battle ahead.
Hawke immediately dug her phone out of her back pocket, pushing 4 to get the redhead on speed dial. "What about you?" She asked her companion as the call began to go through.
The Pirate Queen relinquished her 6-inch heels to her girlfriend and cracked her knuckles. "I'm going to rescue our Kitten from the whore tree."
Isabela's POV
I cursed internally at how swiftly and easily my evening, which I had designed perfectly, was crashing down around me. When I made Madam Lusine serve Merrill, I had no idea she would actually take advantage! And worse, bump into… her. Bad enough Peggy had introduced me to her two year old daughters as her 'special friend' not long ago, completely against my will, but she just kept popping up to rub my face in it. And that Jess woman Hawke mentioned, well, she just looked like a skank. Long limbs, small boobs, way too much makeup, and trashy clothes. Of all the people, in all the bars, Kitten had to find the two women neither of us wanted to see tonight.
I abandoned Cassandra as she phoned Man Hands, immediately marching to split up the trio and retrieve my friend. Easier said than done. Women kept flocking to me, thanking me immensely for the free drinks, offering to 'repay me', and begging me to dance. I loved the attention, don't get me wrong, and I'd usually take at least one up on her offer, but I had a catastrophe to prevent. Eventually I snaked my way through the crowd and tapped Merrill on the shoulder.
"Oh, Isabela! Dance with me!" She squealed excitedly when she saw me. Her utterance of my name caused Peggy, who was pressed far too close to my Kitten's front, to eye me angrily.
"Freckles." I addressed her coldly and all three women stopped in their tracks. The short dirty-blonde adjusted her New York Jets t-shirt, trying to push her fake tits out threateningly.
"You know I hate it when you call me that," she warned. I, of course, laughed it off. It was a solid nickname. She really was covered head to toe in freckles, mostly because she spent half of her time on her back in a tanning bed (and the other half just on her back). She hadn't changed much over the last six months; even her silly bob haircut had withstood the test of time, along with her deep blue eyes. I hadn't noticed them much before, but I found myself comparing every set of eyes to Hawke's, and they always seemed to fall short.
My little friend seemed highly amused at the moniker. "But it's cute! You're so… freckly!" She began to giggle drunkenly and even Jess chuckled into her fist.
"Gotta admit, Pegs, it's kind of fitting." The taller blonde argued, causing her friend to glare back at her.
I was quickly getting sick of the pair's presence and reached for Kitten's elbow. "Come on, sweetness. Hawke's waiting for us by the bar." I said as casually as I could, trying not to spook her or cause a fight.
"But I've already been drinking!" She whined and slumped her shoulders. "I tried this thing called a Long Island Iced Tea. Did you know there's no tea in it? Not even a little! It was gross. Then Jess taught me how to drink it properly, so it wasn't so bad." She chirped happily, hugging her new acquaintance's side.
I paused for a second, blinking confusedly. "What do you mean 'drink it properly'?" I immediately glanced at the women's pupils, checking for signs of drugs. If they slipped her something, I'll-
"With my nose plugged. Duhhh." Merrill informed her with a roll of the eyes. You'd think someone called the Pirate Queen would know how to drink!
I slapped my hand over my face, groaning audibly. "Kitten… just…" I pinched the bridge of my nose, thinking of a way to regain her attention, which was currently on Hawke's nemesis. Then it hit me. "Aveline is on the way." I lied, placing a hand on her arm.
She sprung from the blonde's side. "REALLY? Why didn't you say so! I suppose you did, just now… I'm going to go find Hawke! This is so EXCITING!" She screamed as she started running barefoot and at full speed toward the front of the nightclub, knocking into everything in her path. I waited for her to be out of my line of sight before addressing the two troublemakers.
"Never go near Merrill again. If you do, you're as good as dead. Understood?" I gestured seriously between the pair, allowing some time for them to receive the full effect of a Rivaini Death-stare. I had only known Kitten for a week, but I was already beginning to think of myself as her older sister, and much like Hawke, her protector. Isabela, Protector of the Innocent… Eh, not so much.
"She's an adult, 'Bela. She can do whatever she wants." Peggy spat back, crossing her arms under her breasts.
Jess quickly followed suit. "Yeah, you can't boss any of us around," she sneered at me.
"Let me rephrase." I cleared my throat. "Do what you want. But get close to my friend again and you'll find yourself on the wrong side of an angry winger, a pissed off pirate, and an absolutely fuming red-head. I was never one for strategy, but three on two does seem out of favor for you." I noted arrogantly. They both looked as if they were going to say something, but then averted their gaze to a figure approaching from behind me. I turned to find Cassandra, walking with her hands tucked nervously into the front of her jeans and my heels hooked into her back pockets. She paid no attention to the blondes, instead standing at my side to update me on Merrill's status.
"Your Kitten asked me to tell you goodnight. Ave's loading her up into a patrol car right now. She's gonna tuck Daisy in at the dorm. Hopefully she can sleep it off. So…" She draped an arm around my waist, leaning down to whisper into my ear. "That means I'm yours for the night."
I grinned at the last comment, though my previous escapade didn't seem to approve. "Who's this?" She asked in an insulting tone, looking my lover up and down.
The rugby player didn't even blink. She pressed a kiss to my temple, turning somewhat to offer the woman a handshake. "Cassandra Hawke. You must be Peggy." The last thing I wanted is those two touching, even a little bit. I grabbed Hawke's wrist none-too-gently, spinning her about and wrapping that arm around my waist along with her other one. She was surprised at first, but played along anyway, hugging me tight and chuckling against the top of my head.
"She's my girlfriend." I informed them callously, though I could tell that Jess already knew. My winger took a step back and presented me her hand, gesturing toward the front entrance. "Now, if you don't mi-" Obviously Peggy did mind, as she tried to reach for my elbow, missing it by a fraction of an inch.
"So you don't have commitment issues all the time, just with me?" She sassed me obnoxiously.
Hawke and I aren't even close to the same thing. I felt my muscles tighten and my voice dipped a few octaves. "Don't go there." I growled. I don't have to explain myself to you.
Of course, the bitch didn't listen. "Why the hell not? I think I deserve to know. Don't you, Jess?" She asked without even looking at her taller friend. But Hawke's teammate was smarter than she appeared and put her hands up in surrender.
"This… isn't my problem." She said as she retreated a pace or two.
"It's not anyone's problem." I reminded them, then focused back on the true target of my frustration. "We had a one-night stand. You are the one who tried to make it more." I pointed at her accusingly. "Did you really think that your twins needed to know about me? Honestly?" I spat crossly.
Cassandra extended her right arm between us, shooting Peggy a commanding glare. "You, don't answer that." And low and behold, she followed the order. But my girlfriend wasn't finished and gave me the same look, her eyes almost icy. "Shelly. Your place. Sex. Now." She demanded. I didn't move for a moment, considering my options. Kick the shit out of some low-class whores and start a brawl, or keep Hawke up for hours until we both fall into a sex-induced coma…?
"The two of you should thank your Maker for my love of orgasms." I informed both women sarcastically, allowing my companion to lead me from the conflict. Neither was stupid enough to follow us as we continued through the nightclub. I made a quick stop at the bar to clear my overinflated tab. An hour of free drinks for two hundred people isn't cheap, but totally worth the tiny dent in my platinum card. Meanwhile Hawke retrieved my purse from coat check.
We exited the Blooming Rose in silence, walking slowly toward my car. Finally, Cassandra asked, "Do you always have to get the last word in?"
I chuckled at her teasing glances and squeezed her hand firmly. "Word, hit, kick, shot. Whatever puts me on top."
"But we're done with trouble for the week, right?" She lightly nudged me with her elbow, her countenance half serious. I, of course, took that as an opening and pushed her playfully so that she bumped into the hood of my car.
"I don't know…" I teased her, stroking my chin thoughtfully. "I am a rather bad girl; always getting into all sorts of mischief." I pursed my lips and raised an eyebrow, smirking confidently as she cleared her throat.
Hawke adjusted her coat and dug my keys out of her pocket. "That was a rhetorical question, Ms. Rivaini." She said with a grin, quickly standing and making her way to the driver's side of the '66 Shelby.
"I know, but wasn't my response just perfect! It's almost like I planned it or something." I laughed as I climbed into the car. "I hope you weren't kidding about the sex though, because that is sooo happening."
Author's Note:
1. I can't dance to save my life, so this was actually kind of hard to write. That's why it took me so long to post. But I got to make fun of my ex, so there's that. And before anyone bites my ear off, I understand that the Bad Girl Special at the Blooming Rose involves a sermon. But since the business is also not a brothel in this story, it's not much of a stretch. Why not just go to a regular nightclub where Merrill can see both genders? Because Hawke doesn't like icky men trying to touch her with their gangly bits. Simple as that.
2. You don't have to like my Hawke. She's mine. But her possessive 'douche-like' tendencies will fade with time. She didn't threaten anyone this chapter, did she? Exactly.
3. Last, but not least; I appreciate reviews, but I suggest that you read the entire story (as much as has been posted) before passing judgment and posting your two cents. Things change. I often do revisions, additions and/or subtractions. As I've said before, if you find any obvious grammatical or syntax errors, please notify me via PM. Microsoft Office is not perfect, and although it catches some mistakes, it creates nearly as many.
Up next: Aveline to the rescue! Dun-duh-nun-nun!