Chapter 79_ Threesome

"I'm not out of line here; I’m stating facts! Maranello. After all, your reputation precedes you. Kane Maranello, the notorious playboy. Are you back to holding your title and frolicking around? Aren't I enough for you?!” Arya said, and Kane’s eyes burned with rage, a rage Arya had never seen before. He clenched his fists, turned around, and walked out of the room, slamming the door.

Arya fell to her knees, as if someone had suddenly cut all the strings keeping her up, and tears started pouring out. She replayed the fight in her head, and in a second, she regretted everything she had said to Kane. ‘What have I done? I didn't even listen to him,’ Arya mused, taking her phone from her handbag and calling the only number she could think of.

“Hello,” Chloe's voice came through the phone.

"Hey, Chloe," Arya murmured.

“What happened, sweetie? You sound terrible,” Chloe asked.

"I had a huge fight with Kane. He stormed out, and I didn't know what to do. Are you free?” Arya said, and Chloe nodded her head, even though she knew Arya couldn't see her.

“Yes, I’m always free for you. I'm at the bar, sipping alone. Get a cab and come meet me right away,” Chloe said, and Arya shook her head.

"I don't know, Chloe."

“Trust me, sweetie. A bleeding heart hurts a lot less when you wake up with a splitting headache,” Chloe said, and Arya nodded.

"I’ll be there in ten minutes," she said as she ended the call and arranged to take a cab to the bar.

======

At the bar, Arya and Chloe were already a couple of drinks in as Arya recounted the whole story of her fight with Kane. “Can you believe it? It turned out he was hanging out with that spineless bitch.”

Chloe fiddled with the little paper umbrella in her drink as she said, “I don't know, sweetie. I mean, I totally understand your reaction, but something doesn't add up here.”

"What are you talking about?” Arya asked with a frown.

Chloe shrugged, "It's my journalist flair. Why would Kane agree to come with you at the same time and even stay in the same hotel with you all the way here? Just to cheat on you? Don't you think you're reacting this way because of his reputation as a playboy? And this isn't something he would do; Kane is straightforward. If he was bored, he would have told you.”

Arya was silent for a moment before she said, “Shit, you are right. Why should he do something like that? I messed up big time, Chloe.”

Chloe waved her off. "It's just a fight. I'm sure everything will be alright.”

“I hope you are right. I don't know what's going on with me lately. Work is really stressing me out. Usually, I don't lose control like that,” Arya said with a sigh.

"You should give yourself a break, you know? I get that work is important, but you are not made of steel, Arya,” Chloe said, and Arya took her phone from her handbag and looked at the screen, but there was no call from Kane.

“Let me try to fix this," she said and dialed Kane’s number but was met with an automatic reply: ‘The caller you’re trying to reach is not available at the moment. Please try later.’ “His phone is off,” Arya said as she dropped her phone on the table and looked at Chloe.

"You should think about this tomorrow morning. Take the night for yourself, relax, let things settle,” Chloe advised, and Arya shook her head.

"You're awfully positive about this," she said, and Chloe smiled.

“First, I don't think there’s anything serious to worry about, and second, negativity has never done anyone any good,” Chloe replied, and Arya nodded.

"You know what? You are right. Let’s stop the whining and have a good time,” Arya said, and Chloe bumped her fists.

"That's what I was talking about."

“Then get your yummy ass to the bar and order tequila,” Arya urged, and Chloe bowed slightly with a small laugh.

"Yes, mistress." Chloe stood up, walked to the bar, wagging playfully, and came back carrying a tray with eight shots of tequila.

“Eight?” Arya said with widened eyes.

"Hey! Don't judge me. I asked for two, but my yummy ass got us two extra shots each on the house,” Chloe answered, making Arya giggle as she drank two shots and took a look at Chloe's ass.

“No one can deny it's an eight-shot ass, darling,” Arya said with a wink, and Chloe laughed.

“You are my best friend in the whole wide world, Arya. I love you,” Chloe said, and Arya smiled warmly at her words.

“I love you too, partner in crime. I don't know what I would do without you,” Arya said, and Chloe curled her lips mischievously.

"I bet you would still be with Shawn," Chloe said, and Arya glared at her, making Chloe laugh.

“Hey, it's not my fault. It was college, and he seemed like a sweet guy,” Arya said, and Chloe nodded.

"Sure, so sweet. Can you please remind me of his exact words?" Chloe said with a roll of her eyes.

"Why don't we try a threesome with Willy?" Arya replied, trying not to remember what had ended her relationship with Shawn, her boyfriend in college. He had been so weird that he wanted to have a threesome with her, and...

“Exactly. And that's not even the worst part. Seriously, who names a dog Willy?” Chloe said, and she and Arya laughed until they were in tears.

“Okay, one shot left to go,” Chloe said, and Arya shook her head.

“Oh no, Chloe. I pass.”

“What? Come on, they're on the house; we can't be rude,” Chloe replied.

“I promise you, if I have one more sip of tequila, someone will have to scrub me off the floor. I can already feel the morning headache sharpening its knives,” Arya said, and Chloe agreed with her.

“Alright, I’ll take one for the team,” Chloe said, as she drank both shots and called a cab for Arya, while Arya mused silently, ‘I was missing the wild nights out with Chloe. Thank God she's in Italy at the moment with me.’