One Bride for Five Brothers

“There you are, man. We thought you were fuckin’ dead in a ditch or something. Why the fuck do you have to disappear like that? We looked all over the mansion for you—well, at least they did.” He nodded to the other guys. ”Well anyway, good to know that you’re alive and all that.”

“What are you doing here, Mickey?” Arsen’s jaw was clenched and Rory could make out that he was not happy to see this Mickey person.

“What do you mean? I am here to rescue you. I am the fucking knight in white shining horse or whatever.” The man broke into a huge laugh, pleased with himself for some reason.

“But… Where’s Don? I asked him to come, not you,” Arsen replied sternly.

“Aren’t you the most ungrateful?” he replied with a shocked look on his face. I agree with you there, Rory thought. “I worried about you so much, man. I couldn’t sleep all night. “

“Are you sure it was because of worrying for me or maybe it had something to do with the ton of coke you snort every night?” Arsen chuckled.

“Why you gotta be nasty like that, man? Why the fuck?” Mickey glared at Arsen. Rory could feel the heat between the two men rising, and the look Arsen gave Mickey made her feel as if he was going to punch him any second now.

“Shut up, Mickey. Bobby, where is Don?” Arsen asked.

“Hey!” Mickey shouted. “I am talking to you. Show some respect, asshole.” Arsen looked at him calmly but underneath he seemed anything but.

“Mickey. This is not about you. So shut. The hell. Up!” Arsen wagged his finger at Mickey.

“See this fucking guy? That’s why I can’t work with him anymore.” Mickey turned to the other guys and complained. He seemed like someone who always wanted to be the center of attention, even in a serious situation like this.

“Then don’t? I’d like to see you find someone else who will put up with your bullshit,” Arsen snorted sarcastically.

“Oh yeah! I will. Don’t you worry about that. I am the soul of this band and there is no Insurrection without Mickey Nicks.” He looked at Lizzy for an approval of his statement, but she was too intimidated by this confrontation to say anything. For Rory, however, this was thoroughly entertaining.

“Say Mickey, how is the weather up there in delusion land?” Arsen said with a huge grin on his face. It even made Rory snort and Mickey noticed.

“That

’s it. I am taking you down.” Mickey took off his sunglasses and rushed toward Arsen. Rory could tell that the tension between these men wasn’t just born right at that moment. It had simmered for far too long, waiting to boil over. The other two guys rushed to hold back Mickey. Arsen was already on his feet, ready to launch a punch.

Rory imagined how badly his ankle must be hurting right in that moment as he got up, but he didn’t show any sign of it on his face. Like a wounded tiger, he stood there, ready to take on the fight. You gotta admire a man for that.

“Fellas! What is going on here? I can’t be away for one second without y’all getting into some trouble?” A short, fat, balding man with an air of authority entered the room.

Arsen was fuming inside. He was a second away from knocking out Mickey, and deep inside he felt that it was high time he did so.

He was sick of Mickey’s extravagant ways. He was sick of dealing with an unprofessional hack. Whatever happened to the guy who lived and breathed music?

Don’s presence calmed him down. At least now he knew that everything would be taken care of, and soon he would be back to his regular life. The life that I’m trying to run away from?

The accident last night had shaken him. He didn’t remember when he had passed out, but he had nightmares all night long. Every little sound in that old house woke him up from his slumber. It didn’t help that the girl who lived in the house came down to keep watch on him at least three times last night. Who does she think I am? A thief?

The girl’s smug attitude and her self-righteous way annoyed him. Her glances made him feel as if she were constantly judging him. Even right now she is sitting there self-satisfied, perhaps laughing inside at how dumb these rockstars look.

Shame that someone with such a pretty face has such a shitty attitude, he thought.

The moment she walked in this morning, he had realized that she was even prettier than she appeared in the dark of the night. He loved her shiny, long, auburn hair and the fact that she wasn’t skinny beyond belief. Real women were curvy, he always believed, and back home in LA, they rarely were.

The other girl had been terribly sweet to him, but she was too chirpy, too bubbly, and way too completely in awe of the fact that he was a celebrity. Arsen knew tons of girls like that. Nonetheless, he was thankful to her for all that she had done for him.

The other one, Rory, is so damn serious. But haven’t I had enough of party girls already? he pondered. He was intrigued if there was more to her than met the eye. Why is she living all by herself in this enormous house? What is behind that hidden glimpse of melancholy in her eyes? Behind that overbearing tone of worry in her voice?

“Hey kid, are you all right? What’s going on here?” Don came and sat right next to him on the couch and asked in his usual tone of fatherly concern. Arsen paused to reflect on his thoughts before he spoke.

“Just a little accident.” Arsen paused as he heard a scoffing sound from Rory’s direction. What’s her deal? he wondered. Sarcastic beyond belief and constantly mocking. “I crashed the Ferrari into the back wall out there and damaged my ankle a little.” Another scoffing sound from Rory.

Arsen looked up and stared at her. She stared back, something she’d been doing all along, as if they were in a staring match. “Perhaps Rory here can do a better job of explaining the events than me.” He smirked back at her.