Rose

Being back home was weird.

The loft was exactly how we had left it.

The house was tidy, neat and pristine, just as I had left it however there were a few things the guys had left out of place. Cris's coat was sprawled across one of the chairs, Gage's guitar was not in its case, Jordan's 'secret' Victoria Secret magazines were on a messy pile on the sofa and Dax's broken bowl that Jordan had accidentally smashed was still on the ground after I had told them to clean it up countless of times.

After a long, odd flight that included petty arguments about unpopular opinions, food fights and pranks, we were finally back home.

Home.

I exhaled loudly as I placed my suitcase on the ground and studied the loft, rubbing my moist lips against each other softly.

Time in France was spectacular; I got to know my sister, my nieces, my nephew and my brother in law, I managed to make new friends and acquaintances, I got to spend time with my boyfriend and our friends, I managed to see the great monuments of Paris and I also got to have some rest and time to myself. I loved every second of France and I would love to go again.

But being back home felt like the dream was over. Reality was back and so was life. Things needed to be done. Dax has a business deal to close, Gage had an appointment with Genevieve, Cris was preparing for his match and Jordan, well, Jordan was still complaining about having no girlfriend. Poor guy. He even asked me out which did not please Cristiano.

What did I even have to do?

I liked to tell myself that I had nothing to do besides look up some jobs for myself however I knew deep down that I had a secret in me, literally, and it had to be revealed. Soon.

"I have horrible fucking jet leg," Gage complained with deeply as he sulked over to the couch, automatically thrown himself onto it, sprawling across it. He groaned, laying down, legs long legs apart as he covered his eyes, groaning loudly to himself.

"I don't understand! I'm handsome, quite funny, if you ask me, and polite and - oh! I just don't get it! Why don't I have a girl? This is so annoying! I'm sick of being single and you guys all have someone-"

"You can't keep a girl if your life depended on it, stupid ass," Dax bluntly responded, pushing past Jordan and throwing himself onto another couch, groaning too as his phone started ringing. He huffed, answering monotonously and stalking off into another room.

I chuckled softly at the guys, placing my bag down and smiling. "You guys need to shower then get ready. We have a match to see."

"How is it fucking possible that Cristiano is fighting tonight with no practice and jet lag?"

I shrugged, flicking my hair over my shoulder. "I don't know. I'm gonna go check on him then I'll come back and make some stir fry or something - I don't know what you guys wanna eat."

"Hell yeah!"

"Please make some stir fry!"

I chuckled once more, pulling a strand of my hair behind my ear. I sighed softly. "Okay, I'm coming back, hang in there." Then I turned and left the loft, swiftly jogging downstairs to see a familiar muscular back.

His strong punches echoed throughout the room and each punch followed with loud, determined grunts. My hand slipped off the railing of the stairs as I came to the bottom.

Walking over to the ring, a small smile formed onto my face. He could hear the sound of my footsteps and gradually stopped, turning and facing me. Was it weird that the sweat dripping down his bulky body looked attractive?

"Hey," he breathlessly greeted me, his hazel eyes scanning my body swiftly. I gave him a smile as I leaned against the ropes. "Hi. Are you okay? Are you sure you don't wanna reschedule the match?"

Cris shook his head, a smile growing on his handsome face. "That's for your concern but it's okay. I'll be fine." I gave him a weary look and he chuckled, "don't doubt me, Rose."

I sighed softly, our eyes locking and already, I found myself getting lost in them.

"I have some training to do with Jacob later on so I'll be okay. Then when I win the fight-"

"If you win the fight," I corrected, giving him a 'don't be prestige' look.

"If I mean, when I win the fight," he teased a grin on his attractive face. "Me and you are gonna have a cosy night together."

"I like the sound of that," I replied quieter than before with a beaming smile as he leaned in closer, planting a kiss on my lips gently.

"Full of fingering and sucking-"

"Oh, you dirty mother-"

"Cris!"

The front door slammed loudly as Dax practically ran down the stairs, quickly walking towards us. I pulled away from Cristiano as Dax went under the rope, going up to Cris.

"Dax?"

"Look, man, I'm really sorry, I had no idea this was gonna happen and-"

"Woah, slow down," Cris slowly said, though his voice seemed authoritative towards the nervous yet apologetic Dax. I glanced between the two of them as Cristiano continued, "What's going on? Don't sugar coat it."

Dax sighed softly, licking his lips before pulling out his phone and tapping a few times. He hesitated before clenching his jaw and giving him, turning his phone over to Cris and showing him something.

It must have been something awful since Cris's face suddenly changed from good to bad and he threw a punch at Dax, which he avoided, dodging and taking steps back as if he saw it coming.

"Cris! Don't!" I exclaimed, going under the ropes and onto the ring, standing between the guys before Cristiano could get any kids intimidatingly closer to Dax.

They looked intimidatingly dangerous, both faces filled with rage.

"You had one fucking job to do, Dax!"

"And I told you I'm sorry and I made a mistake-"

"Well, mistakes don't work how we do, so you know what? You're done. Don't even go near it."

"Cris," I softly gasped, my eyes widening as he turned to face me, his eyes filled with anger. "What are you doing? Did you just fire Dax?"

Then Dax scoffed at Cristiano. "I thought we were brothers."

"Yeah. So did I."

Dax kissed his teeth, storming off and leaving the house with a loud slam of the front door.

I looked over at Cristiano, expecting a response but nothing came from him. He sat on the ground and dialled a number before answering and ignoring my questioning look.

I rolled my eyes and left the the ring, going outside to see Dax sitting on the steps, his head in his hands. My face softened as I closed the front door, walking over and sitting beside him.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and he flinched, looking up only to see that it was me. His face softened and he sighed, looking out and away.

"What was the mistake?" I straight up asked him, quietly.

"I lost 20 million worth of drugs."

"Damn," I practically whispered, looking away and licking my lips. "That's one hell of a mistake."

"Yeah," he scoffed softly, shaking his head, almost to himself. "It is."

Then there was silence between us.

"Have you ever thought about having a life that doesn't involve drugs?"

"What's a life without drugs? I've been doing this shit since I was a kid."

"How's Tori?" I asked, changing the subject. He sighed, shrugging his shoulders loosely. "We argued. I think I knocked her up."

My eyes widened and I pushed him gently. "What the hell? You guys have already done it?"

"Wait, didn't you and Cris do it on the first day?"

I rolled my eyes. "True, true."

"Well, we have known each other for a whole childhood, Rose. In fact," he took out his phone, tapping for a couple of things before exhaling slowly. "She's not pregnant." He showed me the message of her sending him three negative pregnancy tests. I nodded and he put his phone away before taking out a cigarette.

I took it and threw it in the bush. "Tori's ex fucked her good. You need good lungs for good stamina to beat that."

He bursted out laughing, looking at me in utter disbelief. "The hell? How did you know that?" I shrugged, a playful look on my face.

The front door opened and Gage stepped out. He shut the door and slid his hands into his pockets before sitting beside me, a sigh leaving his mouth.

"I miss Paris."

Dax and I sighed in unison.

"Me too."

"Same."

"Look, just ignore Cris," I said to Dax, licking my lips and giving him a reassuring smile. "I'll talk to him."

"You don't have to-"

"You made a mistake," I kindly reminded him. "And you didn't mean to do it. He'll come around."

"Will he though?"

"Yeah. He will."

~~~

"I'm not hiring him back."

I sighed in frustration as I glared at him, beginning to get extremely annoyed. "Why, Cristiano? You guys are brothers! He made one mistake - have you never made a mistake?"

"20 million is no joke, Rose," he snapped, his hazel eyes coldly looking at me. "You wouldn't understand."

I rolled my eyes, unfolding my arms and sitting on the edge of the bed. "I do get how much 20 million is, Cris. But really? In fact, you're an underground boxer, you make enough there - why are you still looking for money with drugs? We have enough-"

"Stop. Just stop," Cris snapped, harshly, his eyes shooting daggers at me. My mouth automatically closed at the dangerously cold tone in his voice that sent a shiver down my spine. I had never felt so intimidatingly frightened by him.

"I don't want to hear that from you again-"

"And if I do?" I shot back, giving him a bitter, challengingly look. "What are you gonna do, huh?"

Our eyes locked and there was silence. He looked as though he was figuring out what to snap back.

"Fuck the shit out of you."

I swallowed roughly, trying my best to maintain a hard look.

"What? Forcefully?"

"No. What the fuck do you take me as?"

I clenched my jaw, keeping an angry look across my face. "You're being petty." I folded my arms and gave him a glare.

"It's nice being 'petty'."

I was about to shot something back until Gage walked in, monotonously saying, "Jacob's downstairs. Oh," he glanced between us, realising how tense the atmosphere was. "I interrupted something."

Then he turned and on his way out, he called, "by the way, the woman is always right, Cris."

________

Always. Period.

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