Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

Penthouse Suite 808, The Night Owl

Yvonne was still fast asleep in the bedroom, completely oblivious to the chaos brewing outside.

Out in the living room, Ashley and Lott stared at each other, pale as ghosts. Shawn Schultz stood nearby, eyes wide, barely breathing as the three of them looked helplessly at Xander.

The silence was deafening.

Shawn was the first to snap out of it, sucking in a sharp breath. "Wait, are you telling me you really got drugged last night? And then..."

He trailed off, unable to wrap his head around it.

People had tried to mess with Xander countless times over the years, but no one ever succeeded. How could this have happened now?

Ashley and Lott exchanged worried glances. "Why didn't we get drugged?" Ashley finally blurted.

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Maybe because nobody wanted you two?"

Ashley and Lott: "Excuse me?!"

Was that supposed to be reassuring? Did they look that bad? Or were they just that unremarkable?

Shawn glanced nervously at the closed bedroom door. They were all gathered in the luxury suite's living area, tiptoeing around the elephant in the room. The moment they remembered who was sleeping inside, a cold shiver ran through the group.

Shawn grimaced, rubbing his forehead. "So... you really slept with Yvonne the Witch last night?"

They were doomed. Absolutely doomed.

Things had already been a mess lately, thanks to Stella. Now Xander had gone and actually slept with Yvonne herself. Was she going to tear him to pieces when she woke up?

Xander sat on the couch, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. His expression was dark and dangerous, radiating an "I'll kill someone" vibe. He glared at Ashley and Lott. "Who brought me back to the room last night?"

Ashley gulped. "Bonnag was with us."

Lott nodded furiously. "Yeah, we were all hammered. There was no way we could drive. Ashley and I just crashed next door."

They hadn't gone home either. Only Bonnag had left, while Ashley and Lott had stayed in the suite.

The room fell silent again.

Shawn glanced at Xander and sighed. Lott looked like he'd seen a ghost.noveldrama

"When we brought you in, the room was empty-I swear! There was no one here," Lott insisted, practically ready to swear on a Bible.

Seriously? The two of them had just

gotten

now

eir marriage certificate, and If Yvonne woke up, she

wasn't just going to come after Xander-none of them were safe.

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, there was definitely no one in the room when we dropped you off."

One person might have missed something, but three of them? No way.

They'd all known what kind of "marriage" Xander and Yvonne had. He'd made it clear before a single

drink was poured last night. If they'd

seen Yvonne in the room, no way would they have just left Xander there.

Lott whistled nervously. "Honestly, man, you might want to run while you still can."

Ashley: "..."

Shawn: "..."

They both stared at Lott, jaws slack.

Run away from your own wife after sleeping with her? How did that make any sense?

Xander shot Lott a frosty glare.

Lott shrank under the look. "I mean, if you really think she won't come after you

with a pair of scissors, maybe you don't need to run."

Shawn and Ashley exchanged another look, then turned back to Xander.

Shawn's voice was flat. "Honestly, I think Lott's got a point."

Yvonne had been out for Xander's blood ever since that fiasco three years ago. Sure, they were technically married now, but everyone knew what that really meant. And things between Yvonne

Vel

and Dan hadn't exactly been cleared up either.

So now, after all this, Xander had slept with her. When Yvonne woke up, she'd

probably chase him down with a butcher knife.

Xander's face turned an ugly shade of green.

Just then, a noise came from the bedroom-a soft, pained gasp.

Shawn winced and shot Xander a questioning look: You didn't even try to be gentle last night?

Poor Yvonne. If she wasn't pissed before, she'd definitely want to kill him now.

...

In the Bedroom.

Yvonne woke up with a groan, every bone in her body aching like she'd been run over by a truck.

Was this what a hangover felt like?