Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

"You need to go talk to Yvonne. Right now."

Shawn blinked, caught off-guard. "Wait, what?"

Xander's eyes narrowed, his tone making it clear there was no room for negotiation. "Tell her what happened this morning."

As if things weren't already a total mess. Now he had to go face that woman himself? Just thinking about it gave Shawn a headache.

He hesitated. "Uh..."noveldrama

What was he supposed to say? That the three of them had all dragged him away together?

"No way. Nope. I'm not doing it," Shawn blurted out, not even pausing to consider. Was he crazy? If he told Yvonne the truth, she'd kill him for sure.

Honestly, with the drama Yvonne had already made out of things today, even Xander wasn't eager to walk up to her and say, "Yeah, by the way, I'm the one who slept with you last night."

Shawn nearly whimpered, "Come on, man. Please. Give me a break."

He was just about ready to cry. "Why don't you go tell her yourself? I mean, you could probably handle her, right? You're the tough one."

The word "handle" made Shawn's face go pale. He remembered what happened to Dan when Yvonne got mad. Dan was built like a linebacker and still got flattened.

So if Xander went to see Yvonne now, everyone could guess how that'd end.

Xander snorted. "You think if I go, you'll be safe?"

"Just don't mention it was us who dragged you away, okay?" Shawn was really on the verge of tears.

Honestly, the only way out he could see was if Xander took responsibility and explained everything. Maybe then, just maybe, the rest of them would get out alive.

He shuddered, remembering the guys who'd been playing poker last night, who all got their butts kicked. The memory made him even more terrified.

He used to think Xander shouldn't say anything, but at this point, he was all for it. "Bro, just do it, please?"

Xander shook his head. "Not yet."

"What? Wait? Wait for what?"

Shawn thought they were running out of time - the longer they waited, the worse it would get.

Xander's gaze was cold and calculating. "Let's wait until she's finished settling the score with Aira first."

"Huh?"

Shawn scratched his head, confused. "Don't you think Aira is the most innocent one in all this?"

Dan was already the scapegoat here - all the blame, none of the benefit. Now Aira was about to get dragged in?

Xander just smirked, the corner of his mouth twisting with cold amusement. "Innocent? Please."

Anyone hanging around Dan wasn't innocent.

Yvonne might be a bit wild, but she was naive. She had no clue what people had been plotting behind her back.

So maybe it was for the best. Maybe it was good for Yvonne to get mad enough to put the fear of God into them. Maybe, for once, she'd stand up for herself - even if she didn't realize that's what she was doing.

Shawn was even more lost now. "Wait, you really don't think Aira's innocent?"

Aira was a woman, and there was no way she'd slept with Yvonne. Why should she get caught up in this mess?

But Xander just shot him a look like he was an idiot.

Shawn threw up his hands. Maybe it was best to just let Yvonne take it out on Dan and his crew first. Getting involved now would be a disaster.

When Yvonne found Aira, Aira had just gotten off the phone - she'd heard Dan had been beaten up so badly he was in the hospital.

She was furious. "What the hell happened? Why did she go after Dan?" Whatever the person on the other end said, it only made Aira angrier. "That bitch," she hissed. "I knew she wouldn't pin it on me. Ha. How many people were there last night?"

So, she hadn't been caught herself, but Dan had. And now she was mad that Yvonne was making moves on Dan, and that the people last night hadn't just taken Yvonne out for good.

Yvonne's anger, already at a boiling point, exploded when she heard Aira's words through the door.

So, it was all true. Her own sister could figure out exactly what had happened behind the scenes.

She'd been too nice lately. That's why everyone thought they could get away with this.

Not just one person a whole group of them.

Aira's voice turned icy on the phone. "What do you mean you couldn't find—" Yvonne kicked the half-shut door open with a bang, cutting Aira off mid-sentence. Aira, standing with her back to the door, dropped her phone in shock at the loud crash.

She spun around, furious. "What the hell? Ever heard of knocking—"

But the words died in her throat when she saw Yvonne.

A flicker of guilt flashed across Aira's face, and that was all it took for Yvonne to snap. Without a word, she strode over and slapped Aira, hard, across the face.

Aira reeled, stunned. "You-" Another slap, even harder.

Yvonne was beyond reason now, rage taking over. She grabbed Aira by the hair and landed a few more slaps, rapid-fire.

The sharp sound echoed through the room, over and over, until Aira's head was spinning and she couldn't even think straight.