I damn near knew we were going to win when Ember’s name was called next; she had almost beaten Stash’s time today. I did not hear the next name called. But when he came out of the line, I was immediately on guard. Ben Summers walked toward my group, staring directly at me. He was one of my haters. I had done a piece on him that had gotten him thrown out of the big leagues. He was a baseball player – at least, formerly – that I had exposed to doing steroids. Repeatedly.
He most definitely had a grudge against me when he walked past me, slamming his shoulder against my body. Grunting, I fell hard on my ass, barely moving my hand before he stepped on it. I rolled, maneuvering out his way before he decided to accidently hit me again. I jumped to my feet, rubbed my ass, and moved closer to Stash and Ember. We had not exactly become friends, but they did not hate me like Ben did. They had also saved my ass once this week.
“Friend of yours?” Ember asked quietly.
“Something like that,” I muttered, pulling grass off my shorts.
Stash grinned. “You make friends easily, don’t you?”
I shrugged, flicking another piece of grass. “Territory of the job.”
Ember cocked her head. “Why do you do it if everyone hates you?”
“People deserve to know the truth. If their hero is a drug user,” I jerked my head Ben’s way, “then they should know, and pick a new hero.”
Stash chuckled, shaking his head. “A truth seeker.”
“Any reporter, who’s worth their grain in salt, is a truth seeker. That’s where the good stories lead you, since the best stories come from the biggest lies,” I explained, listening for the next name. I really did have a lot of haters out there. Ben was not the worst.
The next two were competitors with a purple and red shirt.
I rolled my shoulders. Only two more to go. Maybe it would not be that bad.
Then I groaned, hearing the next name. “Shit.”
“What? Who is she?” Ember asked, her eyes roaming the mass.
I mumbled, “Chrissy Tumas is a very nasty woman.” I had once done a story on her and her wealth, but unknown to me; I had also been fucking her current boyfriend. I had met him on her estate, and I thought he was working there. I had gone on a few dates with the man, and then slept with him during our three-week long ‘relationship’. “You know how I said I hate fighting?”
Stash and Ember nodded.
“Well, I have gotten into one fight before.” I cleared my throat and nodded toward the woman headed our way, already staring daggers at me. “It was with her.”
“Really,” Stash drawled, scanning her person. “She’s a lot bigger than you. Why did you get into a fight with the heiress?” Ah. He knew who she was.
“I know she’s big. She kicked my ass.” I sighed. “We fought because she caught me in bed with her boyfriend.” I held up my hands when they both looked at me in shock. “Erase whatever is going through your mind right now. The guy was a liar. I also thought he was my boyfriend.”
I sighed and stepped forward, and stopped being a pussy. Whatever she did to me was not their fight. Not that I was going to get into a fight. But this was mine to deal with.
“Hello, slut,” Chrissy snapped. “Screw any other taken men lately?”
No. Just a man that liked to hurt people for a living. “Hello, Chrissy. I wish I could say it’s lovely to see you again, but it’s not.” I grinned, feeling evil. “How’s your boyfriend? Wait. I’m sorry. You married him, didn’t you?” Vaguely, I heard Mrs. Donovan speaking again, but I could not hear what she said over Chrissy’s hissing. “Does he still do that thing,” I crooked my finger back and forth, “with his tongue?” She was such a bitch. In our past, she had broken my arm when she had stormed into that room, not even waiting to talk it through and figure out what the hell was going on.
I could hear Stash and Ember snorting and chuckling behind me.
Chrissy’s cheeks turned bright red. “You fucking bitch!” She threw a punch.
I ducked. The shot going over my head, I pivoted away, grinning at her, not able to stop the words. “Oh, wait. That’s right. You wouldn’t know because he mentioned he hated doing it to his girlfriend before me. She didn’t shower regularly.” He had once told me this. I tapped my nose, and then pointed at her. “You.”
She growled, and charged.
I could not move fast enough.
We went down in a tangle of punching fists and hair yanking.
I saw flashes erupting, and knew my parents were going to give me hell for this, but I hated this woman. While she screamed in my face, trying to slap me, I pushed on the ground, rolling, and slamming her down onto her back.
“You broke my fucking arm, bitch,” I hissed, slamming my fist against her face, making sure I did it just like Daniil had to my assailant. Eye for an eye. I felt her nose snap under my knuckles, and it was extraordinary and oddly satisfying. She and I were now even.
An arm was suddenly around my waist, lifting me up into the air and away from the now screaming Chrissy. As I hung against whoever held me off the ground, my back against their chest, I learned she knew some very imaginative curses for a spoiled heiress.
Stash was picking Chrissy up, and she lunged at me again, even with blood running down her face, but Stash yanked the bitch back. She pointed, bellowing, “Fuck you, slut. I’ll break your arm like I did last time.” She kept struggling and shouting obscenities.
Security was storming up behind them.
I stilled completely, making sure I did not look like I was going to fight anymore. I did not want to be taken away. She could not press charges since there were so many witnesses to her attacking first. It had probably just looked like I was defending myself. She, on the other hand…I grinned, brushing my hair back from my face as I dangled in the air. I could actually press charges if I wanted to.
I would not do that though. I had gotten my eye for an eye.
Mrs. Donovan and the Mayor reached us before the security did, and Mrs. Donovan rushed to me, stating, “I’m so sorry, Ms. Forter. We’ll have her removed immediately.”
I bit my cheek so I did not smirk. “Thank you. And you can calm down. I won’t put my viewpoint in an article. Your charity won’t be hurt from my writing.”
I saw relief flash over her beautiful features before she nodded and snapped her fingers at the security officers, herding them to the bleeding, belligerent Chrissy, who Stash was still dealing with.