Chapter 6

Holly

T he ‘Magical' evening has arrived and we are getting revenge. The first of the revenge plans we have in place. This magical evening at the museum is a fundraiser and with Noah, Benjamin and Slade along, we know they will put their hands in their pockets to give a nice fat check to the organizers.

I walk into the large function room, which has been transformed into a place of magic. There are witches, broomsticks, cauldrons, wands, pumpkins and every other item you can associate with magic and Halloween.

Slade takes my hand and tucks it over his arm, leading me in as his partner. Liv is with Benjamin and Suzie with Noah, and they are walking in behind us.

I look around and see some of the snobs that my parents have always tried to mingle with, acting as though they are better than anyone else. Well, I have no reason to keep quiet now that I have severed all connections with my parents and my sister. Bring it on, all of you. I wish you would.

Mrs. Kirkstalling notices me and walks over, giving Slade a long look. She starts at his feet and works her way to his face, which is like a block of granite. Boy, I wouldn't want him looking at me that way. She stumbles a step, seeing the look, but recovers well.

"Hello, Holly. How are you, dear?"

Now, I could go one of two ways. I could be polite, or I could play her at her own game.

"I'm perfectly well, and how are you, dear?"

I can see the confusion cross her face as I'm usually very cordial, give small smiles, act demure. This time I'm looking her right in the eye, throwing her own endearment back at her with as much chilliness as she gives herself.

"This is Slade, my partner, and my dearest friends behind me are Suzie and Liv, and their partners Noah and Benjamin."

Everyone gives the woman a stiff nod of greeting before their attention quickly wanders to more important things. Which doesn't go unnoticed by Mrs. Kirkstalling, who quickly takes umbrage at being given the cold shoulder.

"Your parents, sister and husband are here too."

We all can see the delight in the witch's comment, and it's Slade who quickly speaks. "You got great pleasure in saying that, didn't you? But know that Holly doesn't give a shit about the prick she divorced and she has a better life partner now than she ever had before. Oh, you can take that back to them, and be quick before you forget everything I just said. Bye now, you best run along and deliver the gossip."

Gasping, and with a blush rushing through her face, she nearly runs away, and I turn to look at Slade who has the best deadpan expression I've ever seen. Until you look into his eyes, that is, and his eyes are sparkling with mirth.

"Well done, Slade, that told the dragon," Benjamin chuckles.

Suzie giggles and pulls Noah forward, heading to where all the drinks are being served. We all follow behind, but I'm alert. No way am I going to get caught on the back foot. No sooner had that thought crossed my mind when we all turned on hearing a nasty voice speaking behind us.

"Well, if it isn't the sorry ass sister…"

"Oh, it's the monster-in-law," said syrupy sweet, but I hang onto Slade and the small squeeze he gives my hand tells me he's got me.

"So, you are the cheating asshole's mother. Bet you're proud of him. You know, not being able to keep his dick out of someone else's snatch. But, vile will find vile eventually," Benjamin snarls, and I've never heard him speak like that before and it surprises me, but I keep quiet.

"How dare you? I'll sue you."

Noah laughs, "Yeah, you'll sue for telling the truth and we have all the evidence, so you won't win, lady. But go for it, we love a fight and I'll hire the billboard on Main Street, that'll do the job."

I can't help the smile that forms because it feels great to have my friends by my side. But when Liv joins in the conversation I could kiss her, well I could, but then everyone would think I was batting for the other side now. Well, damn it, I'll do it, anyway.

"Monster-in-law here is, of course, the mother to Clyde, who is the cheater of the year, with none other than Holly's sister Car-Lot. They are all nasty individuals and need to learn manners and morals."

Monster-in-law is sputtering and I step forward, grab Liv by her cheeks and kiss her. Taking her and me by surprise, if I'm being honest. Noah chuckles, Benjamin and Slade outright laugh and the ex-monster-in-law storms away, stating how disgusting we all are.

We spend a lovely evening talking and laughing with people I've known for years, but have never had much to do with as, of course, I was pushed to the back so Car-Lot could take center stage.

Walking around it doesn't take long for Slade to get the attention of the ladies, but he fields them darn well and it's more than obvious he is used to the attention, and getting rid of it.

"Let's go grab a drink." Slade slips his arm around my waist and puts on a good show for the room. Noah and Benjamin are the same with Suzie and Liv. Once we have a glass of champagne, I look around and notice my sister glaring at me.

Leaning into Slade, I give him a coy look and from between my teeth I growl, "Eleven o'clock, she-devil sister on radar."

Slade kisses the top of my head and I feel his face turn a fraction to take in the enemy. Speaking into my hair, he speaks slowly and clearly. "Enemy in camp, heading our way. Two men and a woman with her."

Turning my back to them, I look up at Slade. "Mother, father, husband and sister." I raise an eyebrow and give a smirk.

Slade, however, takes me by surprise when he takes the glass out of my hand, places it and his own on a passing server's tray and takes my face in both his hands, then lowers his head and kisses me.

Now, I was not ready for that, but the feel of his warm lips caressing mine has my stomach jump, butterflies chase around my heart and my pulse beating overly fast.

Lifting his face from mine, Slade grins, seeing my fuzzy look, then chuckles as the evil quartet arrives. Slade pulls me closer, casting a disdainful gaze at the four of them, and raises an inquisitive eyebrow.

"What can we do for you?" Slade asks, and I stay leaning on his side, arms wrapped around his waist.

"Why are you here? You don't come to these things, and where did you get that dress?" Car-Lot screeches, causing some others to turn to see what is happening.

"None of your business. Holly goes where she wishes, and oh, they don't make them in your size!" Slade tilts his head as he answers Car-Lot and she squeals at Clyde to say something. Before Clyde can think of anything to say, Slade leans toward him and whispers to him.

"Whatever you say, I will take offense at, in front of all these witnesses, and will then demand that you make a public apology. So, you can walk away and ‘look' like a coward, or you can say something and I will ‘make' you a coward. Your choice, Clive."

"My name is Clyde!" is said between gritted teeth.

"Your name is childish? Whatever do you mean, Clive?" Slade asks in a tone just loud enough for it to be heard halfway around the room.

Now grinding his teeth with embarrassment, Clyde takes Car-Lot's arm and begins dragging her away. Car-Lot being as dense as always, then makes his retreat even more embarrassing by screeching her head off, asking why isn't he defending her? Why is he skulking away? Husbands should stand up for their wives!

Clyde turns to his wife, his face showing fury at her words. She flinches at the look and before Clyde can say or do anything, Noah steps forward and shouts, "Don't you dare strike that woman! What you do in your own home is up to her to live with, but you will not strike her in my presence."

Everyone in the room looks horrified and Clyde looks distraught that he is the center of attention. Even though he had no intention of striking his wife, the entire room now believes otherwise because of Noah pretending to jump to her defense.

Spluttering his innocence at everyone he can, he heads to the main doors of the function room. The crowd parts for him as though he were Moses, parting the Red Sea.

My eyes must be the size of saucers because, honest to goodness, I never expected this type of show to go down. I have to admit, though, that the reputation Noah just slaughtered is good payback after they tried to ruin mine by spreading gossip that I'd cheated, and that's how they eventually got together. Yeah, I heard the rumors, but this is excellent payback and I'm going to buy Noah a bottle of his favorite ‘Jack'.

The rest of the evening was pleasant and people that hadn't given me the time before suddenly wanted to be my friend. Well, sorry, but it doesn't work like that for me. I'm polite but refuse coffee mornings, which are gossip sessions when truthfully told. I want nothing to do with these people.

My parents stay out of our way. They are doing their best to look innocent of any misdeeds, whether they be verbal or physical. I have ‘no comment' if anyone broaches the subject and I remain close to Slade, who is an excellent partner this evening.

"I'm just going to the restroom. I won't be long."

"Okay, I'll watch to see if your hideous mother follows you because she's had one eye on you all evening. I'll intercept her if she does and she'll regret trying to do anything." Slade gives me an evil grin. One you'd see in a movie by the villain, and I can't help but giggle at his antics as I walk to the restroom.

Quickly freshening up, I step out and stop when I see a woman and two men standing, arguing. My curiosity, of course, gets the better of me and I stand listening. Now, if they wanted to keep this private they'd have gone outside or into an empty room. That's my excuse, anyway.

"You've been cheating with this dick behind my back for how long?" Tall, dark and scrumptious snarls.

"She's been seeing me eight months," Man number two responds, who I'm going to refer to as ‘Mr. Pants Down.'

"You take your stuff out of my apartment tonight, and get out of my life. I want nothing to do with you from this moment on. You're nothing but a piece of crap. Oh, Colin, you're fired too," Tall, dark and scrumptious snarls.

Now, he's one of us as far as I see it, so I saunter over to him, link my arm through his and when he looks down, shocked, I wink before turning to the two assholes in front of us.

"Oh dear, caught with your pants down, is it? Well, when you do things like this, it has consequences, and being thrown out of your home and job is the start. Now TDS, let's go have a talk while these two get her moved out of your apartment."

"What's TDS?" He asks, but I can see he has amusement in his eyes with my intervening with the bitch and Mr. Pants Down.

"Oh, Tall, Dark and Scrumptious. She's ‘The Bitch', and he is ‘Mr. Pants Down.' I state clearly so they and everyone else around us hear.

Throwing his head back and laughing at my comments, I take the opportunity and lead him away from them and over to my group of friends.

After introductions and getting an extra seat at our table, we welcome Sinclair Edwards to our group.

Slade, Noah and Benjamin shake hands and give him the lowdown on our working relationship and why we are even here at the ‘Magical' event. It's more than a little obvious that Sinclair likes what he's hearing.

"We have formed our own revenge group. We are called WAR, which stands for WoMen and Revenge Club. You see, the play on words, Women and Men, WoMen."

Sinclair laughs again. "Yeah, I see it, and it's pretty clever. So, what does this club do exactly?" That's when we all lean forward, lower our voices and fill him in on getting revenge and what we have done so far.

"We have a meeting on Wednesday evening if you want to come? But in the meantime, if you need us to clear out ‘The Bitch', just let us know and we'll be around your place and get rid of her pronto." Suzie says with a grin on her face.

"Who was the man?" Noah asks, "You seemed to know him."

"Oh, I know him. He's my right-hand man in my company, but he won't be for long. I need to find a company fast to change all passwords, reset the door security, etc. He'll be given notice in the morning." Sinclair is looking a little broken at that statement, as it's easy to see that his right-hand man was a friend as well as an employee.

"Mate, we'll do that for you and will have it done by nine o'clock in the morning. Best get rid of the dirt and move on. We've all been where you are, whether it be cheating partners or colleagues," Slade adds to the conversation.

"Okay, what company do you work for?" Sinclair asks.

For the next half an hour, Benjamin fills him in on who they are, which company they own, and what they can do to secure his office building.

"Come on, let's all get out of here and to Sinclair's office building. We have work to do. You three as well." Noah states, and we leave the event after Slade leaves a nice fat check for the organizers.