Fight Men Not Love

Chapter Twenty

"Did Beckett speak to you about the upcoming event?" Camden inquired as we sat around the countertop, about to have breakfast.

Today, the house was full. Killian, who kept eyeing the newcomers, very suspiciously. Dante and Jackson, who were confused by the newcomers, but didn't say anything. Inez, who had taken a liking in Niyaaz and was feeding him grapes from her plate, until his mouth was puffy and full. Inez giggled and brought more grapes, eager to see where this would go. Niyaaz didn't mind one bit, except that he couldn't swallow the grapes without them being crushed.

The incident that happened 6 years ago, left him with complications. Not only does he have selective mutism, but he has a somewhat sensitive throat. He resorted to eating soft food that wouldn't hurt him or cause him to throw up.

Occasionally, he'd try other food, that Camden made sure to cut into smaller pieces, but it'd take longer for him to eat.

"Whoa, Inez, slow down," I said, noticing the discomfort in Niyaaz's face. He didn't want to disappoint the little girl, but at the same time he couldn't tell her to stop.

I handed him a bowl to spit out the grapes and he nodded, thanking me.

"What are you doing, dude?" Killian eyed Niyaaz, who froze, sadness flashing in his eyes for a split second. "You could have swallowed them and stop being gross," he said in disgust.

"Did you know that you stand a chance to get your balls kicked if you don't shut your mouth?" I glared at him, wanting to punch him. "One day, I'm going to punch your friend and I'll enjoy it," I turned to Dominic, who eyed Niyaaz. He had his head down, a small pout on his face.

"Let me know when that happens," Dante interjected. "I'll be hyping you up," Jackson chuckled under his breath, while Killian scolded at me.

"What the f**k is your problem?" He asked me.

"You are my f*****g problem, b***h," I fired back.

"Uh, my daughter is here. Mind your language, please," Dominic said softly, eyeing the two of us.

"If you had acted like a decent f*****g human being and asked why he did that, then maybe you wouldn't be such a pig," I said, too riled up to care about Inez.

"What did you call me?" He seethed.

"Just to let you know, if you decide to get physical, she's a woman and she can still beat your ass up," Jackson whispered to Killian, loud enough for everyone to hear. Dante snickered.

"I hope it happens. My camera is ready," Dante said.

Killian and I were glaring at each other. I was done letting him walk over me like that. After some time, he huffed out and looked away. I smirked. Coward.

"Well, that just happened," Camden murmured, eyeing Killian like he wanted to punch him in the face.

"Excuse my curiosity, and don't answer if you don't want to, but why did he spit the grapes?" Dante inquired, eyeing Niyaaz, who had busied himself; playing with Inez. She was sitting on the counter, like she usually does, facing Niyaaz. She was more or less all over him. Poking his face, his tattooed arms, pointing at a random tattoo. Niyaaz just looked at her, smiling fondly at the little girl.

He looked up at me briefly, shifting his eyes at Dante and I knew he wanted me to tell him.

"He has selective mutism and a little throat problem. He can't just eat anything, unless it's soft food or if it's processed," I explained to them.

"Selective mutism?" Jackson repeated.

"He can't speak," Camden said.

"Oh," was all Jackson said, a frown taking over his face. Sympathy. Niyaaz hated that.

"Well, I mean, he can. He just doesn't want to," I said, eyeing him. He narrowed his eyes at me, smiling knowingly. If he actually puts his mind to it, he can learn to speak again. He's said a couple of words before but it'd lead to a coughing fit. He stopped altogether. "Did you know that I heard you guys, last night?" I said, fighting back the urge to shudder. "Why'd you put him in the room opposite mine again? I don't remember sleeping," I turned to Dominic. Camden was laughing his ass off, not a care in the world that they literally had s*x all night and were loud as hell.

Why didn't you put headphones on if you didn't want to hear me say, daddy?" I gasped when Niyaaz signed for me across the table. Camden lost it.

"Niyaaz, you nincompoop," I scrunched my face at him and he silently chuckled, shrugging. "Now I know who's the freak in this relationship," I grumbled under my breath.

"You know sign language?" Dominic inquired next to me. I nodded.

"I took an online course after the incident. Now I wish I didn't," I glared at Niyaaz, who was smiling from ear to ear.

"Speaking of courses, when are you going to school?" Camden inquired.

"Who? Me?" I pointed at myself. "School is boring," I said nonchalantly.

"Really?"

"What? Why do I need to go to school? I mean, why go to school when you have a rich fiance," I said wiggling my brows at Dominic, who eyed me with furrowed brows, a smile dancing on his lips. "You know what I need? A bike," I piped up.

"No," Camden downright refused, whilst Niyaaz shook his head vigorously, eyeing Dominic. "That's never happening,"

"Don't be such a dad, Camden. It's just a bike," I pressed.

"You're not getting a bike, and that's it," Camden looked me in the eye to indicate he meant business. I smirked at him, before turning to Dominic.

"You're not going to get me a bike, fiance?" I asked him quietly, my voice seductive. Dominic blinked at me. "You heard what Karen said, right? That I can get whatever I wish for," I sugarcoated his mom's words.

"I'm pretty sure that's not what my mother said, Evelyn. And why do you insist on a bike? Why not a car, perhaps?" I rolled my eyes at that.

"Why not a bike? It's pretty cool. Badass, you know. Plus I want to do a little hit and run on Killian," Jackson and Dante burst out laughing, while I provoked Killian.

"f**k you," Killian snapped at me, standing up and walking right out.

"Right back at you, b***h," I giggled. Oh this is gold.

"Why do you do that?" Dominic sighed.

"He's had his fair share of name calling me. Don't you think I deserve a little game time as well?" I shrugged.

"It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to be the bad guy," he eyed me.

"Oh here's the thing about moral high ground. It's weak as f**k. If you can't handle the smoke, you shouldn't open your damn mouth. It's as simple as that. He thinks he's going to run his stank ass mouth and I'll do nothing and be the bigger person. No, I don't want to be the bigger person here. I want to be small as hell. I want to throw some hands and make his already miserable life, miserable, okay? He chose to mess with the wrong girl this time. We're meeting again in hell. I refuse to be the bigger person," I said.

"Man, I like her. This is gold," Dante said, wiping his eyes.

"Dante, you're not helping," Dominic frowned at Dante.

"Oh I wasn't trying to help," he fired back, smiling. I squealed, enjoying our little devil friendship.

"And I like you too," I raised my hand for a high five, which he eagerly met and we laughed.

"Oh boy," Jackson shook his head.

"What is this?" I heard Inez asked softly. I turned to see him, grabbing Niyaaz's chain around his neck. "Oh, are you hurt?" She asked sadly when she noticed the bandage peeking through the tank top he had on. Niyaaz nodded slowly at the little girl. "Oh boy, everyone seems to be hurt these days. First it was Lyn. Now you," Inez sighed like she was disappointed. Niyaaz looked up with a frown. He mouth, 'Lyn?'

"She means her," Dominic pointed at me.

"You have a ring?" Inez went on, examining the silver ring on the chain. "What for?" Niyaaz motioned to his ring finger. Inez was confused. "Why aren't you saying anything?" She asked sweetly, looking at him. Niyaaz only shrugged, smiling at her. "You can't speak?" Niyaaz shook his head, happy that she got it. "Then how do you speak with them?" She asked innocently, sounding sad. "And what if I want to speak with you, Niyaaz?"

"Aaw," Camden, Dante and I said simultaneously. Dominic looked like a proud dad. Niyaaz only smiled at her, already smothered by the little girl. He took out his phone and typed something.

"I'll type on the phone and it'll speak up. Like this," the phone dictated.

"Cool," Inez said, clapping her small hands. Niyaaz typed something on his phone before it spoke up.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Inez Suv-Sullnav- oh well, I can't say my surname," she said sadly, pouting. I bit back a giggle, not wanting to make her feel bad. "It's a big word," she said with a shrug.

"It's Sullivan, baby," Dominic told her, chuckling quietly. I hit his bicep, motioning for him not to laugh. "What? That was a little funny," he said quietly.

"If this is a ring, then...does that mean you are married?" Inez went on with her endless questions. Niyaaz nodded, smiling. He pointed at Camden. "His married to you?" She turned to Camden, who nodded. "Where's your ring?" She asked, flipping his hand. When she saw the chain, she took it out and found Camden's ring. "I thought that you put the rings here," she pouted, pointing at her fingers.

"We will, someday," Camden said, eyeing Niyaaz, who smiled at him.

"Why not now?" Inez pressed. She proceeded to take off Niyaaz's chain and struggled to unclip it for a minute or so before taking the ring. She then grab Niyaaz's hand and put the ring on in the pinkie. "Oh wait, it's too big here," she took it out and put it on the ring finger. "There. It fits. Now I've put it on for you,"

"You just got married to my husband," Camden gasped.

"What?"

"When you get married, you put on the ring in this fingers. You just did that to him, which means you are now married," Camden explained.

Inez giggled and looked at Niyaaz. "Hey daddy, I just got married. I think he's cute," all of us laughed at that. Niyaaz couldn't help scooping her off the counter and hug her, laughing quietly. Inez was giggling shyly, laying her head on Niyaaz's shoulder.

"What the hell?" Dominic grumbled under his breath, chuckling along.

●

"How are you today, Evelyn?" Dr Fidel asked me when I settled down on the familiar black couch.

"Same," I mumbled.

She went straight to asking her stupid questions and I tried to answer them, without getting riled up. It did me no good.

"Tell me, being in that club, facing all those men, did it change something in you? Do you feel any changes within you?" I looked up at the ceiling, having lied and thought about her question.

Did I change? Besides the fact that I feel weaker than I was before. All those years my father, Alexander, taught me to be a strong independent woman, I ended up groveling under the man's feet. I submitted to someone.

Avel and all those men that wronged me, I hated them with every fiber of my body. I wanted them to die a slow painful death. I wanted nothing to do with men.

"I hate men," I said with a finality.

"Okay and would you like to elaborate on that, please?" I sat up and looked her in the eyes.

"I mean that, my perspective on men have changed. They are nothing but monsters and manipulators and jerks, who don't give a f**k about anyone but themselves. I mean that, from whatever happens from here onwards is out of my control. Any man that wrongs me will pay one way or another. I'll enjoy torturing him and if it happens, I'll kill him,"

"You just admitted to committing murder," Dr Fidel blinked at me. I smirked, noting instant fear.

"What? Are you going to have me locked up?" I tilted my head to the side. "I haven't killed anyone," I smiled before adding, "yet,"

She cleared her throat, writing down. "What about the men in your life?" She asked me. "Do you hate them the same way?"

"Oh no, I know to make an exception, you know. If you cross me, I make you suffer, and if you don't, then you're safe. Simple as that," I said.

"And will that affect your love life?" I thought about it for a second, then shook my head.

"Not necessarily. As much as I'd like to deny it, but you can't exactly help falling in love. Who am I to fight it, when it happens with the right person?" I shrugged. "Can't say it'll be happening anytime soon though,"

Or that's what I think, at least.

●

UNEDITED