Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

Even though Xander was technically a man, Yvonne was pretty sure that if it had been Xander that night, he wouldn't have had the guts to do what was done to her.

Stella agreed immediately. “Exactly! The moment I heard him say that to Ronald, I just knew he'd never dare."

That was her gut reaction: Xander wouldn't have the nerve.

So why did he say what he said?noveldrama

Yvonne rolled her eyes. "He's just running his mouth again. Bet you anything it's all about that old grudge with the Schultz family."

Just hearing Xander admit it made Yvonne scoff.

As far as she was concerned, that jerk would do anything these days if it meant getting back at those people for his mom's sake.

But how did all this get twisted up with Dan taking the fall? Now she was starting to lose the plot.

“Alright, I gotta go. I'll fill you in on Susanna's mess when I get back tomorrow."

Stella pressed, "When exactly are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow, I think,” Yvonne replied after a moment's thought.

But Stella sounded skeptical. "Tomorrow? You really think you can get those things back from Skye by then?"

Everyone knew how tough Skye was. If something landed in her purse, you could pretty much forget ever seeing it again.

So Yvonne promising to be back the next day? Stella wasn't buying it. Not unless Skye suddenly decided she didn't want those things anymore.

Yvonne chuckled. “You underestimate your big sis. Tell Steve to wait for me at the airport tomorrow."

Stella fell silent.

If Yvonne was that confident, maybe Skye was really in for it this time.

Whenever her sister got that tone, it usually meant she'd already thought up a plan to deal with Skye.

Just as Yvonne was about to hang up, Stella called out, "Wait!"

"What now?"

"Dan... he might actually be the current head of Black Gate."

Yvonne nearly dropped her phone. "Wait, what?”

"Isn't he the mayor of Sands City?" she blurted.

Stella replied, “And he's also the head of Black Gate."

Hull had just said it was possible, Ronald said maybe, but Stella just laid it out plain and simple: he was.

Silence fell on the line.

Then Yvonne let out a sharp, cold

laugh.

, so he's been using meet

Great When I get back, I'm gonna

wring his neck."

She'd pretty much accepted being used a while ago, but this Black Gate thing... that was a step too far.

She hung up.

Stella pouted, replaying Yvonne's words in her mind.

She still didn't think it was Xander. If it had been, things never would've gone that far. So why did he say what he did?

She couldn't figure it out. The Xander situation was already messy, and now this thing with Dan was getting weird too.

She was about to put her phone down when Finley's name popped up. She answered, “Finley?"

“Star, you've gotta help me! Save me!” Finley wailed the second she picked up.

Stella winced. "Wait... are you crying?"

Yup. He was actually sobbing, full-on ugly crying.

How miserable did a guy have to be to forget about his dignity and just bawl like that?

"Ronald is a monster! He's trying to kill me!" Finley groaned.

Stella was stunned. "What?!"

"I haven't showered in ten days! I

only get one bottle of water a

Star, you have to do

Ronald's doing this on

purpose! He's torturing me!

5

The more he talked, the more worked up Finley got.

And honestly, ten days without a shower might not be a big deal for some people, but for Finley? That was torture.

"No shower for ten days? Dude, you must smell like a dumpster," Stella teased pinching her nose

dramatically, even though they were on the phone.

Finley caught her nasal tone. “I'm not even in the same room as you, why are you pinching your nose?”

"Because I swear I can smell you through the phone!"

Finley was mortified.

Psychological damage: maximum.

“Seriously, are you ever gonna be nice to me?" Finley whined, on the verge of a meltdown.