Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

"Yvonne, that damn woman. Didn't she always act like she had a good head on her shoulders? And yet she actually went for a guy like Xander?"

The more Dan thought about it, the more pissed off he got.

Xander, hearing Dan practically seething through the phone, let out a soft chuckle. "Well, she's my wife now. We share a bed. I'd say that's perfectly legal, wouldn't you?"

"So it really was you last night?”

Dan's teeth were grinding so hard you could almost hear it through the line; his breathing was ragged.

Xander replied calmly, "Yeah, it was me. So what?"

"Xander!"

Dan's furious shout nearly shattered the speaker.

Xander's voice was even, almost cold. "Last night, she was with me. Not you."

Each word was delivered like a punch to the gut. Dan's rage nearly made him pass out.

"Goddammit, so you hooked up with Yvonne and then left me to take the blame for the mess? Xander, you bastard! You're not even a real man. Just you wait-I swear, I'll make you wish you were dead!"noveldrama

Dan had never been this angry in his life. If Xander was anywhere near him right now, he'd probably try to tear his head off.

Xander just laughed. "If you're wondering whether I'm a real man, Yvonne can definitely vouch for that."

Dan was speechless. For a few seconds, the only thing on the line was the sound of Dan's labored breathing.

Suddenly, frantic voices echoed from Dan's end. "Sir? Please, you can't get this worked up. You need to calm down!"

"Get out of my way!" Dan bellowed, voice cracking.

Then someone else shouted, "Doctor! Doctor, hurry! He's passed out again!"

Xander hung up, a satisfied smirk on his lips. Under his breath, he muttered, "Best if he never wakes up again."

In Xander's eyes, Dan should've died years ago. That way, at least he'd have stayed pure in Yvonne's memories.

But now? What good was he, alive and just making everyone miserable?

PaddleLux International Hotel.

When Xander arrived, he dialed Yvonne's number. It barely rang once before she hung up.

He called again, but this time her phone was switched off.

"What the hell is she playing at?" he muttered, slamming his car door as he got

out.

Just then, Shawn's call came through. "Bro, you're not gonna rat out the rest of us, right?"

He'd heard that the three other guys who'd been playing poker with Dan still hadn't woken up.

Xander snorted. "Real impressive."

"Yeah, yeah, none of us are impressive-only you are. You're the real man here..."

With so many guys getting beaten to a pulp, Xander was the only one who dared show up in front of Yvonne

and admit what happened. That took guts.

"So, have you seen Yvonne yet?" Shawn asked.

"Nope."

"Well, when you do, cover for us, alright?"

Shawn sounded so desperate, you'd think he was hiding from the Grim Reaper.

Xander just hung up on him,

disgusted. After all the crazy stuff

they'd survived together back Middle East, Shawn still had no

backbone whatsoever.

the

He was just stepping into the hotel lobby when Dan called again.

"Xander, you're not even human!"

"Excuse me, and who are you supposed to be?" Xander shot back, voice laced with sarcasm.

Before Dan could answer, Xander continued, "Any normal person wouldn't have faked their own death."

"Dan, some things don't just go away with time. What's done is done. That pill— Professor Hector gave it to you, didn't he?"

Silence.

Xander pressed on, voice cold and

Yvon "You really didn't know

you

almost lost her mind after died'? You honestly didn't?"

Everyone in Ferrowland knew Princess Yvonne had nearly gone off the deep end

when Dan was 'gone'. There was no way Dan didn't know.