Alessandra
Perspiration drips down my back and it’s hard for me to catch my breath. Mattheo has been with me all evening, and this makes me nervous. I excuse myself to go to the powder room so that I can take a breather from him.
When I feel like this, it’s usually because something bad is about to happen. I see that my hair is starting to come loose from the French twist that I so carefully pinned up this afternoon. I decide to just unfurl it and let my hair hang loose.
James loves my hair, but Mattheo is always asking me to pin it up as it gets in his way when he’s kissing me. I miss James.
The powder room is getting crowded with society women. Their fragrances fill the air with a sweet floral smell. I put on some lipstick. I feel much better now. My hunch that something bad is going to happen is just my nerves playing games with me.
As I walk out of the powder room, I see James. The shock of seeing him takes over. I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s here. This is the biggest society event of the season, of course he would be here. My heart stops when he looks at me.
His eyes burn a hole in my soul. He is seething with anger. Yet, somehow I manage to get rid of my nerves and fall into a still calmness.
“What are you doing here with Mattheo?” he demands.
James stands in my space. I stay cool and aloof.
“It’s been days and you haven’t called me. What’s going on Alexa?”
“I don’t have to report to you.”
This is the moment that I have to walk away because my calmness is turning into anger. What is it about this man that makes my emotions stir to the point that I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster?
As I start to walk away, James captures my hand. He pushes me against the wall and starts to kiss me passionately. Our tongues begin to battle each other. My pulse is now over the top. I want this man more than anything.
I’m losing my mind. There is not a rational thought in my being. This is the moment that I want to show James how much I want him, but just as I’m about to make my move, James flies away from me. I open my eyes and Mattheo is standing directly in front of me looking incredibly angry.
My heart stops beating for a moment. I grow hot with shame in response to the way Mattheo is looking at me. James shouts at Mattheo.
“What the hell?.”
Mattheo turns away from me and kicks James in the stomach. I can’t believe my eyes. I hear James gasp. The wind has been knocked out of him. Mattheo is pleased with himself. However, James is going to change that. He recovers from the kick and lunges at Mattheo.
James punches Mattheo in the stomach, and he goes straight down. James starts to kick him, but Mattheo blocks the kicks and like a ninja, jumps back up to a standing position. He throws a punch, and his fist connects with James’ right jaw.
The punch is so powerful, it knocks James into the wall. He doesn’t know what’s hit him. He’s dazed and confused. Mattheo takes this moment to grab James and punch him several times in the stomach. James uses his feet to push Mattheo off of him.
I can smell blood in the air. James is bleeding from the nose and the mouth. My stomach turns when I see the blood. This is disgusting. I’ve never seen fight action like this except in the movies.
The society women are out of the bathroom. They stop in their tracks and watch the action as Mattheo, and James continue to fight. I can tell these women are getting aroused from watching two strong stallions fighting each other, and I’m disgusted even further.
If there’s one thing I know- it’s that I’ve got to stop this. The head of the museum, a friend of mine, has come to see what’s going on. Following him are some security guards.
I’m seething with anger because Mattheo and James are making me look bad. I’ve worked so hard for my classy reputation and now they’re ruining it with their street level brawling.
This has to end. I go into the powder room and look for something that can hold water. I see the many vases that are holding flowers. Without a second thought, I pick up one of the big vases and dump the flowers on the floor. There’s no time to be neat.
I fill the vase with water and rush out of the powder room. At this time, James has Mattheo in a headlock. The security guards are trying to pull them apart. More people have gathered to watch.
This is it for me. I get close enough to douse both of them. I dump the water on both of their heads and James lets go. Mattheo is choking from the water and gasping for air. The security guards quickly grab them.
“Wait!” I shout.
Everyone stops to listen to me. I put on a stern face.
“Wilbur,” I say to the museum director.
“These men belong to me. Let me tend to this.”