by Mays, Nikki
"Doll, with the things that I've done and seen, I'm all darkness. Someone like me doesn't even come close to being good enough for someone like you. But I'm a selfish bastard who just can't let you go." He says with such conviction that it breaks my heart.
"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" His head whips up at my words. The hope shining in his eyes guts me. I knew that I was going to give him a chance but now I'm all in. Well...after a bit more suffering...fluffing stalker! "On a few conditions," I say and he's back to looking wary and dare I say it, a little scared? I’m calm on the outside. On the inside, I'm jumping around gleefully to see the apprehension in his eyes. He knows that he's going to pay and I'm loving every second of it.
"Okay, name your terms." He says sitting upstart and all business. That's not going to help you now baby. You've woken up my inner bitch and she's coming out to play for a bit.
"First, no more being a ridiculous stalker! I mean it, Damon, you can't just have "conversations" with any man who tries to talk to me." He purses his lips but wisely remains silent. "Second, you will stop with the self-depreciation. I don't like it. I know that you're a great guy. I'll wait for you to catch up to that line of thinking, as long as you don't say anything bad about yourself in the mean-time." He goes to speak but I shush him and keep on going. "And third, you are going to help with the fundraiser that Mel and I are having next weekend."
"What kind of fundraiser and what do I have to do?" He asks looking extremely leery. I would too if I was him.
"It's a fundraiser for a little girl named Amari. She's a seven-year-old little girl who comes into our shop with her parents all of the time. She has a condition called Ventricular Septal Defect, which according to her parents is common in children with Down Syndrome, and she needs to have open heart surgery. The fundraiser is really to help her parents Tracey and Jeff Gladestone. Tracey quite her job when Amari was born since she needs more care. With only one income, surgeries and everything else becomes expensive. So, Mellie and I figured that we would help out one of our favorite little girls." I tell him with a smile.
"That's a really great thing that you both are doing." He says and I just shrug.
"Everyone needs help sometimes. It wouldn't be right to be able to help in some way and do nothing." I say.
"Still, not too many people go out of their way to help someone else, especially if that person isn't family."
"Yeah, well, a lot of people suck. It's not difficult to think about someone other than yourself. People should really give it a try." I totally mean that too. How damn hard is it to help someone else out? Why do people always need to get something else in return? People are so frustrating.
"True. So, what do you need me to do?" He asks looking kind of excited. Oh if he only knew what was in store for him, he most definitely would not be looking so agreeable.
"I just need you and a few of the guys if you can get them to come, to just help out with customers and for added muscle. We contacted a few other businesses in the area and they are helping out as well. It's going to be like a mini fair since the parking lot takes up almost an entire block. There will be food, desserts, face painting for the kids, a few bounce houses, and DJ and different tents selling different wares. All vendors have agreed to give all the profits to the Gladestone family. Hopefully, we'll have a great turnout for them.
What I won't be telling him or the guys before they get there is that there is a theme. Princess and superheroes are what Amari chose, except with a twist. That sweet girl has decided that everyone has to be opposites because "girls can do everything a boy can do" and vice versa obviously. Mellie has decided to be Captain America. With my hair color, we thought Thor would be a good one for me. This poor fool really has no idea what awaits him. I know Mel has already been picking stuff up for Morris on the sly, guess I'll be doing the same for the rest of the guys. Wow, my day just got a million times better!
"That's all we have to do right, is just move some stuff around?" He asks with a suspicious look. Oops, probably should wait until he's gone to smile evilly.
"Of course," I say while giving him my best doe eyes. "Now if you will please leave me to ride out this swine flu in peace, I would greatly appreciate it." I grab a blanket and curl up under on the couch. I only plan to leave this spot for food and bathroom breaks. Other than that, this couch and I shall be one!
"Alright Doll, give me a call if you need anything. I will be around if you need me." He says as he bends down to kiss my head. Grr, sweet Damon is hard to stay mad at.
"Mmkay," I mumble to his retreating form as I snuggle in deeper. I blow out a breath of relief once I hear the door click. Then get agitated again when I hear him lock the door. How did that fluffing jackass get a key? Whatever, I have enough to obsess over for the day. I'm going to have to put that one on the back burner because of holy crap Batman! What in the hell was all of that?
Damon
I walk into work the next morning and search out my brother. I figure that he'll help me get back into Michelle's good graces. I don't think that I could've fucked that up any worse yesterday if I tried. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why I said all of that to her. My brain goes on hiatus anytime she's near me. But yesterday took the damn cake. It's unbelievable that I actually told her how bad I've been about stalking her. In all honesty, I'm lucky that she didn't try to stab me or call the police. I can imagine how well that would've gone over. I'd have been the damn laughing stock of the whole department. Some days I could really use a do-over.
I spot Declan and Rocco sitting in the room used for morning briefings. Luckily it's still pretty early, so I should have them cornered for a few minutes. I'm nothing, if not opportunistic. I nod my head at them as I sit directly behind them. No need to make other people aware of how much groveling that I'm going to have to do. Christ, I can't believe what one woman has done to my life. And the kicker is that she hasn't even agreed to really be a part of it. Some days I want to kick my own ass.
"I need your help," I say straight and to the point once there's a lull in their conversation. Both turn around and look at me. Rocco looks stunned, where Declan looks giddy. He knows damn well that there is only one gorgeous blonde reason why I would be asking him for help. I feel like I'm about to sell my soul, well if I believed that I was still in possession of one.
"What do you need?" Declan asks excitedly.
"I need you both to come and help out with a fundraiser that Michelle and Mel are throwing for a sick little girl," I say hoping that they'll just agree for a sick child.
"What's wrong with her?" Rocco asks.
"She had Down Syndrome and I guess it caused a heart defect. Michelle told me but I can't remember all of it. Basically, she needs heart surgery and the fundraiser is for her parents since only one of them is currently working." I tell them.
"I'm in," Rocco says without even thinking about it. He just earned himself a case of beer.
"Don't you even want to know what we would have to do?" Asks the brother that I might be denouncing soon.
"If it's for a kid? Nope. Doesn't matter what I have to do when it comes to a sick child. I can suck up whatever for a few hours." Rocco says with a shrug. Make that two cases of beer.
"How did you get involved in this? You don't exactly go out of your way to be near people. Let's face it. An angry honey badger is probably better suited to deal with the public than you are." Says the jackass that I, unfortunately, shared a womb with. I've always wanted to be an only child. I wonder if the dipshit realizes how close I am to making that dream a reality?
"Shell asked me," I grunt out.
"And you just agreed? Just like that?" He asks skeptically. I get it. I'm not exactly Mister Rodgers and shit. But I wish that he could keep his questions to his damn self.
"She may have told me more so than asked me," I say while looking anywhere but the face identical to mine.
"Since when do you anything that someone else tells you to? Especially a tin
y woman that you could bench press?" Declan asks looking like a dog with a bone. He's not giving this shit up without a fight. Unluckily for me, Rocco's sitting here looking mighty curious as well. When the fuck is other people going to start coming in for the morning meeting? Christ! I can't catch a break. When I want to be left alone, everyone and their mother approaches me. When I'm praying for someone to interrupt, this place turns into a damn ghost town.
"Since she looked pissed enough to stab me or have me arrested," I say while rubbing the back of my neck.
"Why would she have you arrested? Stab I could see with your stellar personality, but why arrest?" Rocco asks like an asshole. Taking off one case of beer. I hear a snort coming from my brother. When I look at him, he's wearing a shit-eating grin. Maybe I should just throw myself off a bridge.
"She found out about your extracurricular activities didn't she?" Declan asks while hitting the name on the head. "How did she find out? Did Mellie finally give it away?" I wish that was the case.
"No, I went stupid around her again."
"You outdid yourself?" Declan asks while chuckling like a little girl. Rocco is at least trying to pretend that he isn't laughing. Definitely going to figure out a way to make myself an only child.
"Honest to God, I'm not sure it even happened but it did. And she was less than thrilled. I could almost see steam coming out of her nose. I've never actually seen her pissed before and I don't really care to see it ever again. For someone so small, she can get a little scary looking. It probably didn't help that she looked hungover as hell." I tell them.
"Way to go Casanova. Should we expect to see a restraining order come through for you today?" Declan asks still chuckling like a little bitch, except now Roc has joined him. The shit that I put myself through for this woman.
"No dickhead. That's why I was volunteered to help out this weekend. So that the tiny blonde pinup will forgive me, while simultaneously agreeing to never let another man come near her again." I say with conviction. Rocco sputters a laugh.
"She really agreed to never let another man come near her?" Rocco asks incredulously.
"Not in so many words," I reply. "But it was implied with her still being mine thing."
"I'm going to have so much fun arresting you," Declan says gleefully.
"She wouldn't have me arrested. Okay, I'm almost positive that she wouldn't. Okay, fine it's a fifty-fifty shot." I begrudgingly say as the two hyenas start up again. I should probably call Mellie to convince Michelle that it would be a bad idea to have me arrested. Just in case. Better safe than sorry. She looked crazy pissed yesterday. Yeah, definitely need to make that call today.
"So why do we need to be dragged into helping? You’re the one who screwed up, not us." Declan says. So much for unconditional brotherly love. His ass better hopes that he never needs a kidney or something.
"Because they need more muscle and she asked me to get you guys to agree," I tell him petulantly.
"Why didn't she just ask us herself? She has to know that we wouldn't say no to her and Mel." Rocco asks. Hmmm, he has a point with that. None of the guys would ever say no to those two. Declan's now wearing a Cheshire grin.
"That woman of yours is spiteful, that's for damn sure. You shouldn’t make it a habit of pissing her off brother." Declan states.
"What do you mean?" I ask him. Because how is getting help for a fundraiser being spiteful? The moron snorts at my question.
"You are one of the grumpiest people walking the face of the earth. Add in the fact how much you hate dealing with other people. Then sprinkle in your aversion to asking for help and you have the incredibly spiteful trifecta. She's good, in an evil way." He says with a smug grin,
Son of a bitch! Declan's right! She just had me do pretty much everything that I despise. I can't believe that it didn't occur to me earlier. She is really trying to make me suffer as much as possible. Although, with how pissed she looked yesterday, I should've probably expected this. I need to make sure not to underestimate her again. She plays dirtier than I thought she would. I mean how the hell was I supposed to say no to helping a sick kid? Even I'm not that much of a bastard. She's really good, I'll give her that.
"By that dumb look on your face, I'm guessing that you see my point. If I was you, I would be really scared to ever piss her off again. I feel like she went easy on you this time. I don't think she will the next." Declan says.
"How is making me do things that I hate going easy on me?" I ask on a growl.
"Well think about it. She could have really done some mean ass shit to you. Let's face it. You're so damn obsessed with her that you're willing to do almost anything. A neat little tidbit that you stupidly informed her of. At this point, she knows that she can make you her bitch without you complaining too much." He holds up his hand as I go to complain. "I know what you're going to say and yes, you really are her bitch right now. In the future when you hopefully stop screwing it up, no, definitely not. But right now, yeah brother, you are. So really, with all the power that she has over you, she went extremely easy on your ass. It must be our incredible good looks that made her do it." I'm about to reply to him when everyone else starts walking in for the meeting. But I plan to explain to them that I am no one's bitch.
***************************************************************
I was obviously wrong at the beginning of this week. Evidently, I have become dolls bitch. I honestly don't know who I'm more pissed at, her for pulling this shit, or me for allowing her to put me in this position. I know damn well that she didn't "forget" to tell me about the costume portion of the day. My brother is right, her fine ass is nothing but spiteful.
I and the rest of the guys on the team are standing here looking at two tiny women in shock. Firstly, because they are dressed as Captain America and Thor. Second, because they have costumes that they expect us to wear. And finally, because their crazy asses picked out princess outfits for us. If I didn't know that Michelle was one hundred percent worth the entire world I would've walked right back out the door. Unfortunately, I'm stuck and she knows it. We all know that if I walk out that door, that she will never give me a chance. And that is just unacceptable. But after today, her ass is all mine for good! And I plan to spank that delectable bubble as soon as we're alone for this crap!
I understand what Morris and I are doing here. We are completely stuck and know that fighting it is pointless. Declan is here because I threatened him with mom. Specifically, that I would tell our mom that I'm worried that my dearest twin isn't finding any quality women and that maybe she should find someone for him. I'm pretty sure that he would dress like Princess Leia right now to make sure that mom doesn't get involved in his love life. Luckily, I'm a light sleeper but I know that he's going to find a way to get me back for this. But I'll deal with that when it comes. His anger is worth it, especially in light of our unfortunate costumes.
I'd bet my left nut that Mellie has somehow blackmailed Marc into coming today judging by how badly he is scowling at her. JJ is just an all-around great man. Plus, he's a father of a twelve-year-old little girl. My guess is that he didn't even hesitate when the girls asked him. Hell, they probably even told him about the costumes and knowing him, he didn't even blink. Rocco, well I'm not really sure. He's the most easy-going man I've ever met. He most likely doesn't care one way or another about the whole costume thing. Rocco's next sentence proves my theory.
"Okay, I'll take the yellow crown and tutu." He says it with a straight face. Not even a hint of a joke or embarrassment. Meanwhile, the rest of us turn and stare at him slack-jawed. Even the girls are looking at him incredulously. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"You want the yellow crown?" Marc mocks in a voice that's supposed to sound like a girly version of Rocco's. "That's seriously all you have to say about this damn travesty!"
"Aww, look at you using big words bubs," Mel says with a shit eating grin.
"Don't even start with me," Marc yells while pointing a fing
er at her. "I can't even believe that you threatened to tell dad about how that dent got on his car when we were teens. I swear after today, you're no longer my sister. As of right now, I'm an only child. A good sibling would never rat you out to the rents just to get you to do something." Christ. Someone's extra dramatic today.
"You mean how you blackmailed me into doing your laundry for a year because I snuck out one time?" Mel drawls. Marc just shuts his mouth and with a sniff turns away. I wonder if Declan and I look this ridiculous when we interact? I look over at Declan who's mouth obscenities at me. Yup, we most likely do. We all turn back to Rocco looking for his answer.
"I have hazel eyes. Yellow brings out some of the yellow in my eyes. It makes me look like a badass lion." He says with a shrug. I'd wonder if he was fucking serious but knowing him, he is completely serious. He thinks he looks like a damn lion.
"I'm not even touching that lion shit," Declan says shaking his head. "But it really won't bother you to dress up in a crown and a tutu?"
"Nah man. I have three sisters. One older and two younger. I'm used to princess' and barbies. All of my sisters are married with kids. I have five small nieces. Uncle Rocco would be a shitty uncle if he didn't have a princess tea party with them don’t you think?" Huh. I never would've guessed that. It kind of makes sense with his personality though.
"See, Rocco isn't embarrassed and neither should the rest of you!" Michelle says with her hands on her hips. Did I mention that it's not a usual Thor outfit that she's wearing? Nope, she found the damn sex kitten Thor outfit. I'm going to end up killing someone and having to blackmail my twin even more so that he helps me hide the body. "This whole day is for Amari. You guys can suck it up for a few hours." Doll says giving each of us a glare that's more cute than scary.
Speaking of the little girl, or should I say, little Batman, here she comes. Her style of Batman is the black mask with a pink crown on top. She's wearing batgirls outfit with a pink tutu and white gloves. She has so damn much going on but she looks fucking adorable. And judging by the smiles on everyone else's face, they all agree. I just scrub my hand down my scruffy cheek, reminding me that I need to shave. There is no way in hell that anyone could say no to whatever this little girl wants. I have a feeling that she is getting herself six huge ass princess'. Time to suit up I suppose. The girls owe us big time for this!