|Randy|

I scrolled through my social media since that was where the feuds were at these days. If I were to be honest, I wasn’t a fan of the whole thing because it felt like you couldn’t fully switch off when you were home.
You had to continue the game even when you were meant to be home.

And that also meant you had to be more vigilant because social media being big in our world meant even more people wanted a snap of you if they knew you. Whether they were actually fans or not, which is why I could never argue with Lyla when she raised that point about not wanting to be in public.

I saw the door to the gentleman’s club open and spotted Lyla and frowned as I was expecting her to be out after another hour maybe. She was struggling with her bag as I hopped out of my car and made my way towards her.

"What.. What are you doing here?" She breath, clearly having not expected me once she noticed someone was approaching her.

"I swung by the diner to let Lacey know I'd pick you up." She had been very happy with me being the supportive boyfriend even when I despised the job. I tried not to be on her case about it too much but from the moment I looked into her eyes I knew she had no place doing what she did.

"It wasn't necessary" She shook her head as she fixed her coat, still having not bothered to greet me properly or even look at me.

I chuckled knowing the last time I was in town we hadn’t exactly had the best time together but we had left things on a good note. I assumed she would have put up a bigger fight once she realized I had bought her car back but thankfully she accepted the gift.  

"Seriously? No kiss baby?" She glanced away and I sighed knowing she didn’t want me at the club anymore, "Come on, I'll whip you up a late dinner and before you argue, I asked Lacey to swing by and take your little boy to breakfast on me."

"I just want to go home. I was planning on taking a walk anyway and..."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Kitty!" I heard a voice causing both of us to glance back. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded while what seemed to be one of the other dancers stared at her concerned.

"I mean the way..." The woman went on but she was quickly cut off which led me to believe something had happened.

"Lina, I'm fine please..." She groaned and stared at her which led to them sharing a look and the dancer looking at me before nodding.

"Uhm okay" She mumbled before heading back inside.

"Why wouldn't you be fine?" I questioned after Lyla as she finally walked towards my car but she slammed the door shut on me.

"Did he make you go up on that stage again?" I asked as I got into the car and tried not to let my confusion turn into anger because she refused to tell me anything when I knew she was clearly affected by something and it wasn’t my presence.

"No." She mumbled, leaning against the window while I pulled away from the club.

"So I guess I'm finally going to head to your house while your mom's there?" I glanced at her because it was clear she wasn’t in the mood to be with me and I didn’t know what to do or say when she seemed upset.

"No, no I can't go home" I felt her hand on my thigh and her eyes on me while I focused on the road.

"So you're fine with staying at mine?"

"Take me to the diner." She sighed and sat back, detaching her hand from me and folding her arms.

I rolled my eyes but drove to my house because I wasn’t going to just drop her off when she was clearly upset.

"Randy." I heard her groan as she realized that we definitely weren’t at the diner.

"Lyla, I came to surprise you and you're being a bitch. So stay in the car and sulk, I'll be in the house." I got out and slammed the door which was probably the best thing to do on my part before I said more.

I left the front door open and waited, knowing I had snapped but I had been excited to surprise her and all she could do was give me the silent treatment. 

I moved to the kitchen and soon saw her in the doorway in the corner of my eye. "I get it, you hate surprises but besides that something.."

My eyes focused on her and while I hadn't seen it in the darkness, and due to her hair before, I saw it now.

"What the hell happened to your face?" I snapped, dropping the bowl onto the counter and moving towards her.

"I got hurt." Was all she could say as I looked at the bruise on the right side of her face.

"I know but..."

"Randy. You don't have to worry about it" She pushed my hand away and I bit my tongue as my jaw clenched not wanting to snap when she was standing, hurt, in front of me and I had no reason why.

"Really cause the last time I checked you were my girlfriend"

"Yes, and you are my boyfriend. Not my dad."

"Fuck it Lyla, look at me." I groaned, and she did, closing her eyes as I traced over the slowly forming purple mark before I grabbed a cloth and tossed some ice in it.

"That's why you went with me, so I couldn't go in there and kill whoever did this to my fucking girlfriend." I handed it to her and she put it to her cheek.

"It’s not your place to do anything, it’s part of my job." She stated as she distanced herself from me when the only person that shouldn’t have been near me right now was that piece of shit.

"Part of your... I didn't cause the bruises on your wrist, did I?" I shook my head and saw the look in her eyes that confirmed it. I remember the guilt I felt seeing it because I knew I would never intentionally hurt her but I had gripped her plenty of times and perhaps abit too tightly.

"I should go"

"No!"

"Randy, I don't feel like this up and down with you right now." She shook her head and ran her fingers through her locks so it could stop falling in her face the way I loved.

"I'm here for you."

"I'm sorry but I didn't ask you to come and surprise me tonight. You're pissed, I get it but I don’t want to fucking argue with you yet again because of my job that you met me at!" She placed the cloth filled with ice in the sink before looking at me.

"You're upset cause I wanted you to quit a job you're getting hurt at?"

"Are you ready to quit your job then?"

"Don't joke with me." I suppressed a smirk because she stood hurt and vulnerable in front of me yet was still my feisty kitty.

"I don't want to fight with you. If you can't look at me without screaming at me then just call me a car so I can go to the diner."

I breath in deeply and sighed because I knew if I snapped back she would do the same and we wouldn’t be getting anywhere. I mentally reminded myself to subtly thank Nikki for her never-ending advice on how to handle what could be called a short temper. "How many times has this happened? Do you cover it up so I don't see? If they knew you were my girlfriend they'd know they couldn't touch you."

"I'm not your girlfriend if you want to rule my life now, Randy."

Really?

"So you fuck random guys?" I spat out because the more I tried to calm down, the more she kept diverting my questions and attacking me.

"Randy please..."

"The phone is in the lounge. Call a fucking car. You're mad at me for caring. Now Fuck off!" She jumped and immediately left the kitchen while I continued preparing dinner.

※※※

I walked into my room to change before I ate but froze as I saw movement in the corner of my eye before realizing it was Lyla that had walked out of my bathroom.

She wore one of my shirts and her hair was tied up and I was happy to see her because I had ofcourse regretted snapping at her. However, when I had checked the house downstairs she seemed to have left so I figured it would be best for both of us to speak tomorrow. 

"I thought you left baby"

"I can't face Luca like this, tomorrow I'll get Lace to put on some make-up and..." 

I kissed her which silenced her before I wrapped my arms around her which was what I wanted to do first thing I saw her but things had pretty much gone downhill. “I’m sorry for snapping at you”

She smiled slightly, “Its okay. I didn’t help the situation much so I came up here to give you time to cool off and myself. I just..it happened and then I saw you I was surprised which I guess was your intention.”

I stared into her brown eyes that were now staring innocently into mine and I understood what she was trying to say. I would have to wait for the explanation if that was what she wanted, I was used to getting my way with things but I also didn’t want to push her and risk her really leaving this time.

“Dinner’s ready” 

“Are you sure we are ready for that step?” I frowned and she continued speaking as I allowed her to walk ahead of me, “ I haven’t tasted your cooking yet so I feel like you should make sure I am hopelessly in love with you before poisoning me”

“Wow I thought it was love at first sight” I mused.

“Maybe lust for you”

I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her from behind as soon as we reached the bottom of the staircase and placed a kiss into her neck. “Guess we’ll never know”