Chapter 235: Daytime TV
*She still infuriates me. It’s just… different. – Chance*
Karan looked at the clock and knew that it was nearly time for her favorite daytime show.
Chance vs Rye
If anyone was keeping score, Karan was sure that Rye was winning.
Grabbing the tablet, she changed the cameras to the employee backdoor and back hallway. Then she went back to her lunch and her latest homework. Right on time, the alarm chirped.
She turned to watch the little squares. Admittedly, she missed Werewolf and his commentary. Today she had Jax from Pop’s Place.
He might get a kick out of her favorite show too. Karan didn’t know him and therefore did not know if he would keep his mouth shut.
Reaching behind her, she closed her door to the reception area. Then she picked up her cell phone and acted like she was on a personal call. As Chance and Rye stood by the backdoor, Karan turned on the audio.
“-insist on us meeting here every day?” an exasperated Rye asked.
“Damn good question, sister.” Karan told the screen.
“I wanted to make sure that you got my card.” Chance said nervously.
“Huh?” Karan wondered as Rye pulled out what looked like a credit card.
“I got your card and accept your apology.” She held the card out to him. “But I’m not a charity case.”
“The hell is going on here?” Karan muttered.
On the screen, Chance held his hands up in surrender and shook his head. “I’m not taking that back. It was a gift.”
“In my experience, men *never* give a gift without expecting something in return.” Rye said coldly.
“Chance, be smart. Shut up and walk away.” Karan advised her friend. Of course, neither the man nor the image on the screen could hear her.
And neither heeded her advice.
“Then you’ve not met a real man.”
“Oh, God, that was horrible.” Karan shook her head.
“Let me guess, you’re a real man?” Rye taunted.
“Son of a bitch don’t answer that! It’s a trick question.” Karan hissed.
For a moment, Chance seemed to consider his answer for a moment and Karan hoped his brain cells activated.
“Yeah,” Chance grinned at the woman in front of him on the screen, “I am.”
Nope. Brain cells were not activated.
“Dumbass.” Karan laughed. “Go ahead girl, chew his ass.”
“You seriously believe that you’re a real man compared to the men that have been in my life?” Rye crossed her arms across her chest and Karan was certain that if she could see the other woman’s face, it would be somewhere between amused and pissed.
“Let him have it, sister.” Karan quietly cheered on the screen.
“What makes you different than the men who took what they wanted? And then just walked out. Never looked back to see the damage they did. Never cared who got hurt in their wake.” Rye demanded.
“Look, duchess-"
Karan groaned.
“My name is Rye. Just because you don’t know it, doesn’t give you the right to make one up for me.”
Karan laughed out loud at Rye. The anger on Chance’s face had her laughing more.
“Damn, sister.” Karan laughed as she grabbed her drink. Ugh, lemon water. She was already over this wedding.
“Fine. Rye.” Chance said, his words dripping with venom.
“And I know that you think your partners leave your bed satisfied.” Rye’s voice and body movements were full of attitude.
“They usually do.” Karan agreed.
“But what about afterwards?”
“They all know what they’re getting into. They get a good fuck. Something that you desperately need.”
“He’s not wrong.” Karan muttered.
*”That* is none of your concern.” Rye hissed and Karan guessed that she was blushing.
“Don’t worry, duchess, I would never fuck you.” Chance countered. “I’m surprised you thawed your coldness enough to get a kid.”
As soon as he said it, he regretted it, and Karan could see it on his face. Rye turned away from him and made her way down the hall. Chance shook his head and then followed her.
“Rye.”
“What?” she turned back to him halfway down the hall. “You have more insults? You know nothing about me or my son.”
Karan could hear the hurt in her voice. When she turned back around, Rye swiped at tears in her eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Chance muttered.
Karan shook her head as she turned the volume back off and returned the cameras to their usual rotation. She rolled her chair over and opened her office door, anticipating Chance and his daily rant. Putting the phone back on its stand, she glanced up and saw Chance walking through the common room.
Usually, after their daily sparring match, he stormed through the communal area. He would slam his door before coming into Karan’s office. He would tell her how much the black-haired woman infuriated him.
Today, he looked defeated. His shoulders were slumped, and his head hung down. Dark shoulder length hair was loose from his hands running through it.
Currently his hands were shoved into his jean’s pockets. His walk was slow, and he did not slam his door. Nor did he come over to tell Karan that the woman was infuriating. His door remained open. And even more telling, there was no music playing.
“What is going on here?” Karan muttered.
Jax waved at Karan as he left to go to his next location. She waved back and sent a message to Werewolf.
A few minutes later her desk phone rang.
“The Clubhouse Daycare, this is Karan.”
“Hey, did you watch the Chance Shit Show today?” Werewolf asked.
“I did.” She grinned.
“Shit, that boy is already whooped.” He laughed from his end of the line.
“Who gets to tell him?” she laughed.
“Nuh-uh. I’m just here for the entertainment. Anyway, Bear is going to be in charge while I’m gone.”
“When do you leave?”
“Wednesday. I have a few more days to watch the Chance Shit Show.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
“It’s what I’m calling it.”
“DCSS. I like it. Daily Chance Shit Show.”
“And they say there’s nothing on daytime TV.” He chuckled. “That idiot is staying out at my house while we’re gone. I’ve told him no orgies out there.”
Karan laughed. “That’s not his style.”
“More of yours?”
“Can I plead the fifth on that?” she laughed.
He laughed again. “Absolutely. Are you good with Jax taking the midshaft for a while?”
“I like Law better, but only because I know him.” She admitted. “What the hell is up with him?”
“Law?”
“Your brother.”
“Personally, I’m hoping he’s figuring that out. I got to go. Text if you need anything.”
