Language/Violence Disclaimer: There is violence here. There is also some heavy language here. If this bothers you I suggest you don't read this.
Love/Sex Disclaimer: There is same sex relationship here between two consenting adult women. If this offends you or if you are under age please don't read this.
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Part 3
Her hand hurt. Her hand really hurt and when she brought it up to her face she could see the black and blue skin that was once the palm of her hand. Alexia hadn't even felt any pain when she had caught Casey's fist, but now she felt it and it didn't feel good.
Casey was a very strong woman and when she usually punched someone they would be hurt badly. Alexia was surprised with herself when she caught the woman's swinging fist. It looked like all those years of working out obsessively had actually done her some good.
Now however, Alexia's hand really hurt. She wasn't entirely positive that all the bones in her hand were in the correct working order. Tentatively she tried to flex her hand and was able to open and close it completely, even if the pain was almost unbearable.
Alexia decided her hand was just badly bruised. She would wrap it up and it would be like it had never happened. The idea of showing any type of weakness in front of Casey bothered her, but if Casey didn't see the wrap the woman would surely see the huge bruise that covered Alexia's entire palm. If Alexia was truly lucky maybe she had done more damage to Casey's fist then Casey had done to her hand.
In the kitchen Angel was up cooking something for breakfast. She usually didn't enjoy cooking all that much, but she had to do something she could control. Angel wasn't that bad of a cook and her meals usually turned out to be rather delicious. Plus, she would usually cook breakfast for Lexi when she stayed the night. It was part of their regular morning ritual and Angel could see no reason as to why she should deviate from the ritual.
When Casey walked into the kitchen she saw a short blonde woman standing over the stove. She immediately assumed this woman to be none other than Angel Collins. Casey didn't really want to disturb the blond, but she was hungry and thought she might need some ice to put on her fist. Who knew punching Alexia's hand would be very much like punching a brick wall?
Casey cleared her throat loudly so as to warn the cooking woman of her presence. Angel turned around and looked at the dark haired woman curiously. She had not expected one of Tony's lackeys to look quite like that. Most of Tony's staff were huge ugly men, who annoyed Angel with their stupidity to no end.
"You must be Casey." Angel turned back around to the stove. "Alexia is still upstairs sleeping. She should be down soon."
"Do you mind if I get some ice out of the freezer?" Casey asked looking everywhere but at the blonde.
Angel turned away from the stove again to face the woman. "What on earth do you need ice for?"
"She needs it for her fist." Alexia walked into the kitchen and stood beside Casey. "She threw a punch at me the other night."
Angel quickly noticed Alexia's wrapped hand and immediately went over to her friend completely ignoring the other woman.
"Why didn't you show me this last night?" The green-eyed woman asked accusingly. "You didn't break your hand again did you?" She grabbed Alexia's hand and examined it carefully making sure not to hurt the dark woman any further.
"Go on and get your ice Casey." Alexia nodded her head at the refrigerator. "She'll be busy for awhile."
Casey nodded her head and went to get her ice. She was somewhat satisfied Alexia had been hurt. For a moment there, she thought Alexia hadn't felt a thing when she punched her and her ego was in danger of being damaged from thinking she wasn't as strong as she perceived herself to be.
When Casey looked back at the pair standing near the kitchen entrance she found angry green eyes pointed directly at her. "Why the hell did you punch her?" Angel asked angrily momentarily forgetting Lexi's hand.
"I... uh...I"
"You may not look like one of Tony's but you sure do sound like one of them." Angel ran her hand through her short blonde hair and turned back to Lexi. "Why did she punch you?"
Lexi smiled over at Casey and barely held back a laugh at seeing the woman's totally flustered look. "I was being my normal charming self." She answered Angel not taking her eyes away from Casey's.
"Your normal charming self huh?" Angel smirked. "That means you deserved it." She turned and looked back to the woman standing with a pack of ice in the middle of her kitchen. "So, how's your fist?"
Casey wasn't sure if she had even woken up yet. It was like she was being thrown in the middle of some deranged alternate universe, because this was not the Angel she heard of and the grinning dark woman standing next to her wasn't the Alexia she had met the other day.
"Can she not speak?" Casey heard Angel ask Alexia after she had failed to give her any type of response.
"She can talk Angel. I just don't think she was ready to meet you yet." Alexia looked down into Angel's green eyes and winked.
Angel placed her hands on her hips, a gesture that reminded Alexia very much of her late grandmother who would always take the same stance when about to give a lecture.
"And what do you mean by that?" The blonde enunciated very carefully.
Alexia smiled innocently at her friend. "Nothing."
"Nothing huh?"
The dark woman raised her hand in surrender. "Absolutely nothing."
Angel took her friends injured hand and looked down at it for a moment. "How's your hand feeling?"
Alexia looked at her friend curiously but answered the question anyway. "It feels better then it did earlier."
"It's not too terribly painful is it?" The blonde caressed her friend's hand gently.
"Umm... no?" As soon as those words left Alexia's mouth she regretted it because the hand that was so gently caressing hers squeezed tightly. An instant jolt of pain shot up her arm.
"Humph...means nothing my ass." Angel mumbled then returned to her stove.
Casey couldn't help but laugh. She was able to hold it in right up until she saw the look on Alexia's face after Angel has squeezed her hand. The look of pain was almost comical. Casey was positive that if anyone else had done that to the dark woman they would be on the floor yelling for their momma to come and save them.
"And what the hell do you think you're laughing at?" Alexia asked with her teeth clenched still waiting for the pain to subside.
Casey's blue eye's opened wildly and an audible gulp filled the room. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders at the same time unable to voice any type of response.
"Stop playing with the woman Lexi." Angel said from the stove. "Set the table because breakfast is almost ready." Lexi looked menacingly at Casey but did as Angel bid of her. "And Casey put that bag of ice on your fist or throw it out. You're dripping water all over my kitchen floor."
The dark haired woman immediately put the bag of ice on her fist and went over to the table and took a seat opting to remain silent until Angel said it would be OK to start talking again.
A few minutes later the table was set and breakfast had been laid out. Angel had made a simple meal of eggs, bacon and French bread. Casey noticed the each of her two companions already had a set job to fulfill during the preparation and sat back and watched. If she had any doubt that these two women were together before she certainly didn't have any doubts now.
Once everything was all set the three began to eat. The morning meal continued on in silence. When everyone was done Angel sat back in her chair and looked directly at her close friend and raised her left eyebrow.
Alexia leaned forward in her seat and rested both her arms on the table. She took a quick glance over at Casey then looked to Angel and began speaking. "Casey's real name is Victoria Garza. You shouldn't call her that in public though."
Angel closed her eyes for a moment and took a very long very deep breath. "Last I heard she died." She turned her emerald green eyes over to Casey. "Why is it people don't just stay dead anymore?"
Casey turned to look at Alexia trying to see if she should respond or not. Alexia's mahogany eyes just stared back at her. "Sometimes being dead allows you to accomplish things you never could when you're alive."
"Tell me what I want with a dead woman Lexi?" Angel asked still looking directly into Casey's sapphire eyes.
"You don't want to have anything to do with her now." Alexia ran her uninjured right hand through her loose braids. "Just know who she is."
"I have a meeting with Tony I must prepare for." Angel stood from her chair. "You can clean up." She said flippantly as she walked out of the kitchen.
"She seems angry." Casey said concerned. "Maybe you should go after her."
Alexia leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. A few of her long braids fell around her face and distorted Casey's view of the woman's face.
"Never mind if she is angry. I'm the one that must deal with her." Alexia turned to face Casey. Only the woman's dark brown eyes could be seen shining through her loose braids. "You're going with us to meet Tony. He deserves an explanation for your disappearance. After we're through there you're going to do a little job for me." Alexia stood from her chair. "Go get ready. I'll clean up everything here."
Casey stood from her seat and left the kitchen. She had noticed that as soon as Angel had left the room, the Alexia she had met the previous day had returned. No longer stood the woman who was playfully bantering with a friend, but in her place stood the woman who reminded Casey so much of herself.
The restaurant was busy. The business lunch crowd had just arrived for their reprieve from the offices and buildings that held them captive for eight hours of their day. Angel walked into the Italian restaurant and was immediately lead to the back where a private dining area was set up for the special guests.
Alexia and Casey just followed her into the back room not once being addressed by the hostess. Neither of them minded though, because anonymity was always a good thing. The less people who could readily identify them the better.
Alexia was wearing her standard black leathers with her black leather boots. She wore her long leather trench coat and dark sunglasses that concealed the color of her eyes. Angel had told her she looked like a comic book evil conspirator. Alexia only smiled at the comment.
Casey wore an Armani paint suit, also black. She also sported a long black trench coat that wasn't leather but a common one that any business professional would wear during the winter months. Actually, Casey looked very much like one of the other patrons of the restaurant.
Tony was waiting along with his sister Kelly in the private dining area. He had two men with him who wore expensive business suites. There muscles protruded slightly from confines of their jackets and Angel couldn't help but think this was the regular GI JOE she was used to seeing Tony with. Not the dark haired woman who was following behind her.
"Angel I'm very glad to see you." Tony Colleti stood from his chair to great his business associate. "I was so very disappointed yesterday when Ms. Harrison told me you wouldn't be attending."
Angel looked curiously over toward Alexia who had taken place at the table next to Kelly. "Ms. Harrison?"
Alexia shrugged her shoulders. "He called me a bitch." She said in way of answer.
The blonde smiled at her friend then turned her attention back to the man in front of her. "Well Tony, I'm here now so if we can just hurry up and get this over with."
Angel took at seat at the table just now noticing there were only four chairs and the table and Alexia had taken Tony's. Tony however didn't say a word about it and instead had one of his muscle men bring him another chair.
Once everyone was situated Tony began to start the "business" meeting. "Angel, I'm just going to cut to the point and make this end as quickly as possible." Tony reached down and took a sip of his water. "Our family's doing business together hasn't been that profitable for me lately. The businesses I got paying me for protection haven't been paying all that much anymore. They insist on thinking that you going legal in some way protect them from me. Where would they get that thought Angel?"
"I'm not protecting any of those people Tony. I don't have time to mess with them now. Whatever reason you're not getting paid doesn't have anything to do with me." Angel responded not taking her eyes from her water glass.
"So you wouldn't mind if I taught those small business owners a little bit of a lesson?" Tony asked eyeing Angel carefully.
"Do whatever the hell you want with them." Angel's green eyes turned to Tony. "Is that the only reason you wanted me to meet with you?"
"Of course not, but before I get into that I must ask what Casey is doing with you. Has she been working for you this entire time?" Tony asked not able to conceal all of his anger at the thought.
Before Angel could answer Alexia sat forward in her seat and lowered her sunglasses to where she was staring Tony in the eye. "Casey now is working for me. She's too good to be working for a man such as yourself." The dark woman sat back in her chair and took off the glasses fully. "That is all you need to know."
"Listen we may have a deal Ms. Harrison." Tony said angrily. "But you are not my superior."
Alexia let out a deep laugh from deep within her throat. "I don't want you to die Tony."
Tony looked around the room. The comfort he had felt earlier with having his two best bodyguards with him suddenly vanished. He felt outnumbered and wasn't sure quite why.
"We have a deal Alexia. You can't go back on it." He said desperately.
Angel rolled her eyes. "What deal it this?" She asked annoyed.
"You mean you don't know?" The now perspiring man asked.
"If I knew would I have asked?"
"She's paying me to hand the business over to Kelly and to give you the eastside of the Henderson commercial area."
Angel was surprised but did good not to show it. "The entire eastside?" She looked directly at Alexia whose demeanor hadn't changed. "That would be very generous of you Tony."
"Just go through with the deal Tony." Alexia told the man. "You life isn't in danger here."
Tony repositioned himself in his chair. He looked about the room again and decided it was way too small. He looked towards his sister who had remained silent thus far in the meeting. She had the oddest smirk on her face and Tony didn't like that face one bit.
"The eastside is yours Angel. I've already made all the arrangements. Kelly is going to take care of the problem we're having with protection fees and I hope never to see any of you ever again." Tony said speedily not taking a pause even to breath. He got up from his seat and hurriedly walked towards the nearest exit. One of his bodyguards followed him while the other stayed with Tony's sister.
"Remember he's to live." Alexia called out to the man who followed Tony. The man gave a brief nod and followed Tony outside. "Kelly I'll meet with you later."
The woman nodded her head and stood from the table. She walked out of the room and bodyguard number two followed her.
The only ones now left in the room was a very angry Angel, Alexia, and Casey who had taken a place against the wall. She watched the two women at the table carefully not sure if she should even remain in the room.
"Do you want to tell me what the hell that was all about and as soon as you're finished with that maybe you could fill me in as to why THE HELL YOU DECIDED TO USE ME TO DO YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS!!!" The room vibrated with the power of Angel's voice.
Alexia however was not fazed by Angel's raised voice. She just sat across from her friend calmly. "If you're going to yell I'm going to leave."
Angel rubbed her forehead and bit down on her tongue hard from responding. She wasn't too sure she wanted to let come out of her mouth was on the tip of her tongue. It wouldn't do her any good to anger Alexia, who like most other times, was the only one in the room who knew what exactly was going on.
After a few moments Angel had calmed herself down. At least she had calmed herself down enough to where she wouldn't explode and tell Alexia off. "Please tell me what the hell just happened here. Angel enunciated her words carefully not wanting to let anything come out that really shouldn't.
"If you don't want the eastside I'll be sure to take care of it for you." Alexia said calmly.
Angel let out a strangled laugh. "That's not an answer Alexia. That's not a fucking answer."
"I wanted the eastside and there was no other way to get it." The dark woman explained. "I will gladly pay any price you ask of me."
"You'll get the eastside when I get the full story. I mean Jesus Alexia your fucking last name isn't even Harrison." Angel immediately shot back.
Alexia exhaled heavily. She put her sunglasses back on. "You know you won't get that."
"Then take the damn eastside of Henderson. Do whatever the hell you want with it." Angel stood up and turned to walk out of the private dining area. "You know you'd get it anyway."
Alexia watched her fist on the table. "Damn!" She stood up and looked over to where Casey was still standing silently. She walked over to the woman and pulled out an envelope from her coat and handed it over. "Do you know who Michael Lopez is?" Casey nodded her head. "Take this to him and tell him he better not waste any time." Alexia then turned and ran out of the room hoping to catch up with Angel.
Casey looked at the plain white envelope and resisted the urge to open it. She had no idea who Michael Lopez was, but didn't think telling Alexia she didn't know the man would be a very positive experience. Finding people in the big city of Henderson wasn't an easy thing to do, but Casey had a few connections that could hopefully tell her where to find one Mr. Michael Lopez. She looked at the envelope one more time then placed it in her coat finally exited the private dining area.
Angel hadn't gotten that far from the restaurant when Alexia found her. She was leaning back against the side of some coffeehouse next to the restaurant with tears falling steadily down her face. Alexia walked right up to her and took inside the coffee shop and took them both to a table in the far back. She got them each a cup of coffee and drank from her cup silently.
Angel took the coffee Alexia had given her and took a few sips. She looked at Alexia and watched the dark woman carefully. Then her hand, without full consent from her brain, took the coffee cup and threw the contents directly in Alexia's face.
The leather-clad woman jumped up from her seat angrily and grabbed her face. The coffee that was thrown on her was steaming hot. She hurried over to the service counter and grabbed some napkins to wipe away the stinging liquid.
Angel came up from behind her and took the napkin from her. She finished drying off Alexia's face then lead her back to the table they had taken earlier. Alexia looked into her friend's eyes. "I know I deserved that but couldn't you have at least waited a few moments for the coffee to cool before you threw it on my face?"
"It wouldn't have been as satisfying if I had waited." Angel answered flatly.
"I should have told you I was using your business to complete a deal with Tony." Alexia confessed.
"You shouldn't have used my business in the first place."
Alexia looked down at the tabletop finding suddenly finding something very interesting in the woodwork. "I don't use my own business to make deals Angel, but I shouldn't have used yours."
"That's a really sorry apology for what you got me involved in." Angel snapped back. "You know everyone will think I have something to do with Tony's disappearance."
"No they won't. Tony never wanted the family business anyway. Him giving it to his sister has been expected for a long time. She's better at running it anyway." The dark woman explained still staring down at the tabletop.
"I thought you put a hit on him."
"I never said I did. I just told you he'd be gone and he will be gone."
"Kelly ask you to do this?"
"I wouldn't do all that just for her."
"Am I involved in anymore of what you conjured up?"
"No."
"Then give me half of the eastside."
"Done."
"Then you're forgiven but I maintain the right to remain angry about this for a few days to come."
Alexia lifted her head and looked at her friend. "I wouldn't expect anything else."
Angel stood up and looked down at her friend. "I love you Lexi, but god help me if you have gotten me into any type of trouble I'll make sure you do pay for it. I've just been working too hard for you to screw everything up." She didn't wait for Alexia to respond before she walked out. Angel had other business to attend to and right now she needed her space from Alexia.
Alexia finished her coffee then left the cafe. She was sure to give Angel plenty of time to get away so they wouldn't accidentally run into each other. Angel was angry with her and Alexia couldn't think of one good reason as to why her best friend shouldn't have been the least bit angry.
Before, Alexia had never interfered with Angel's business. It was a silent promise she had made to her friend years ago. If Angel ever asked for her help she would. If Angel needed some physical support, Alexia would give it, but she never ever interfered in the running of the Collins family business. No matter what the world though, Alexia had absolutely no power in the Collins family.
This time was different though, at least that's what Alexia kept telling herself. She had a goal and that goal had to be accomplished. It's amazing how one person could have so much tunnel vision for one goal. No outside forces mattered and no person could get in the way.
Alexia shook her head to wipe away the unwelcome thoughts. She walked over to her car intent on gong to see Kelly who needed to know the rules to the game.
Casey hung up her cell phone a looked around. After making a few phone calls she had finally found out who this Michael guy was and was very disappointed when she found out he lived all the way down town in a crummy little neighborhood. It was far from walking distance and at this particular moment she didn't have any mode of transportation. She had gotten a ride from Alexia to the restaurant.
The tall dark haired woman spotted Alexia exiting a coffeehouse and hurriedly went up to here. Alexia saw her and scowled. "What the fucks are you still doing here?" She asked harshly.
"I can't deliver anything without a way of getting there." Casey answered just as harshly.
Alexia smiled. "That does make sense doesn't it?" She got into her car and started the engine. "Aren't you going to get in?" She asked when Casey made no move to follow her.
Casey nodded her head and quickly got into the vehicle. Alexia stepped on the gas and pulled hurriedly pulled out of her parking space almost hitting another car in the process. The dark haired woman reached over and immediately put on her seatbelt gladder than she had ever been before that the things had been invented.
"Do you have a car of your own?" Alexia asked not taking her eyes from the road.
"I'm sure you know the answer to that. You seem to know everything else about me."
"Don't get smart with me I'm not in the mood." Alexia snapped. "But it's good to see you got your guts back." The dark woman smiled widely and laughed her passenger's face.
"Tell me, how bad does your hand hurt?" Casey raised her brow in question.
Alexia laughed. It wasn't a faint chuckle but an actual full-fledged laugh. "This morning I thought my hand might have been broken, but it's doing better now. Thanks for asking."
"You're a paradox and you might be even a little insane too." Casey said seriously.
"Does that scare you?" Alexia's voice was normally deep but when she asked this question it seemed to lower a few more octaves that sent a chill down Casey's spine.
"Should it?" The dark haired woman couldn't help but lower her voice in response.
"When you look at me Victoria Garza, what do you see?"
"Me." Casey whispered honestly.
"Does that scare you?" Alexia asked again.
"Should it?"
Alexia turned to look at Casey briefly then turned back to pay attention to the road. "When I look at me, I see something I'm so scared of I can never look it in the eye." The dark woman stopped at a light and turned to look directly into Casey's eyes. "If everything you see in me you also see in yourself, I'd be running for my life scared shitless."
"What is it Angel sees in you then?"
"Why is it you always bring up Angel when we speak of me? We are two separate people you know." Alexias turned back to face the road and began driving once again towards somewhere.
"Maybe if I understand what she sees when she looks at you, I'll be able to understand you better." Casey answered honestly.
"Do you still want to see the Santiago Cartel vanquished by your own hand?"
"More then anything." Casey said with as much conviction as possible.
"Then you are blind and you will not understand a thing. You certainly won't be able to understand Angel."
"And you do?"
"Did I ever say I did?" Casey shrugged her shoulders in response. "I told you last night that I am not the one to take the rage from you. Look somewhere else to do that."
"Did I ever say I wanted to get rid of the rage?" The dark haired woman asked slowly.
"When Angel looks at me she sees only me. Not the leather. Not the muscle. Not the evil looking eyes. She sees me as I was and as I am now." Alexia's voice caught in her throat. "That lets her understand me. So, as long as you're looking at me and seeing yourself, you won't understand a damn thing, least of all yourself."
Casey shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "You are very lucky to have her."
"I don't have her Garza. I never did and I never will."
"You mean you two aren't..."
"Lovers?" Alexia interrupted. "We were at one point. Haven't been in a while though and won't ever be again."
"Why is that?" Casey asked curiously.
"Lord knows why I'm telling you all this, but if you must know, we're aren't together anymore because we've grown up and have grown apart. She'll always be a part of me and I guess I'll always be a part of her, but I'm Alexia the unknown factor and she's Angel Collins a great businesswoman and a fantastic author."
"At least you have a friend like her and she has a friend like you." Casey wasn't sure where her optimism was coming from. She wasn't usually the type of person that cared about relationships or reasons people were together or not together. She usually didn't care why a person acted like they acted. She usually didn't think about other people's life unless in some way theirs affected hers.
"What makes you think I'm such a great friend?"
"What makes you think you aren't?"
"Only the Fates know why you were thrown into my life and I yours." Alexia groaned out. "In case you were wondering I'm taking you home. I'm assuming your Porsche is there."
"So why is it you insist on asking me questions you already know the answers to?" Casey asked bringing them back to the beginning of their conversation.
"It gives you a false sense of control. And I peg you as the type of person that needs a certain amount of control in your life." Alexia answered turning down the street of where Casey lived.
"My life's already spiraled out of control and maybe you're not the one to give it back to me." The blue-eyed woman said reverently.
"You're finally learning." Alexia said simply. She drove up to Casey's house and waited for her passenger to get out, and then she drove off without even a word of goodbye.