TWENTY-SIX: F'n Royalty [FLASHBACK]

For the last few weeks, Charity McLeod had finally started feeling a little like her old self again. She'd been struggling for the last three months since their daughter was born to get used to her new role as a stay-at-home wife and mother. She adored her baby girl and loved being Bruce's wife – she'd suffered pretty badly with postpartum depression for the first two months, not really understanding what it was until she'd talked to Bruce's cousin Maureen about it. The woman had become almost a sort of surrogate mother, helping the couple where she could. Really, the only complaint she had was that Bruce was working a lot, pulling double shifts between the studio during the day and the bar at night. Most nights, he was lucky if he got four to five hours of sleep, if that. She knew she needed to talk to him about it but at first it had been easier to just let it slide. He was making money and she hated to criticize when she wasn't working at all.

Tonight, Hell's Kitchen Studios was having a wrap party for one of their films. As a producer, Bruce was expected to be there and she knew he would be surrounded by beautiful women – that was the part of his new job that she hated the most. She knew he'd never cheat on her, but porn stars weren't exactly the most trustworthy coworkers. She was supposed to be there with him but when their babysitter had cancelled last minute with an unexpected case of the flu, she'd had no choice but to let him go alone. She hadn't expected to find her older brother on her doorstep an hour after her husband had left – she'd thought it was Bruce coming back for something he'd forgotten. Hunter had come to town in order to meet his niece for the first time. Charity had been excited to see him and when he'd asked about his brother-in-law, she filled him in on where he was and what he was doing. When Hunter found out that Charity had planned on going to the party, but couldn't, he'd offered to do his sister a favor and watch the baby. The young mother had eagerly agreed and went to work getting ready.

It was a little after ten when Charity showed up at the Sky Room in a sapphire blue strapless dress, black stiletto heels, and her wavy blonde hair sweeping her shoulders. Around her neck, she wore the Celtic cross that Bruce had put around her neck on their wedding night. He'd worn it for so long that the edges were worn smooth, the metal scratched and scuffed but she never took it off. Fiddling with the charm, she walked up to the bouncer and was told the place was closed for a private party, surprised to find her name was still on the guest list when she gave it. She was let in and directed where to go.

She took an elevator up to the floor where the party was being held, immediately struck by how gorgeous everyone seemed to be. She felt a twinge of jealousy that Bruce had likely seen most of them naked. Putting that out of her mind, she began walking around, looking for her husband.

She heard his laugh before she saw him, that full-bellied guffaw that meant he was either having the time of his life, or was halfway towards being completely blitzed. At a party like this, it was probably both. The crowd parted and she spotted him at a table near the dance floor. There were empty shot glasses on the table and a woman on either side of him, both seeming to be hanging on his every word. She had no idea who the brunette was but she looked old enough to be Bruce's mother. The other one was none other than Shirlea, the bitch who kept turning up like a bad penny. Eyes narrowed, she watched as the blonde bimbo clutched Bruce's arm, leaning into him so that her barely covered cleavage was pressing into his shoulder and just the sight of it made Charity's blood boil.

She knew full well that if she stormed over there in a jealous rage, she was going to make herself look like a crazy wife. Looking around, she spotted the bar and went over to it. She needed to handle the situation calmly, especially if she wanted Bruce to feel comfortable enough to bring her around in the future. Swallowing that hot anger, she ordered herself a vodka with pineapple juice and grenadine. When it arrived, she forced herself to take a small sip, steeling herself. The last thing she wanted to do was give that bitch the satisfaction of making a scene. With her now half-full drink in hand, she made her way over to Bruce and the two other women.

Leaning in from behind, she whispered into his ear, "hi, baby."

The Scot's eyes went wide as he felt a smile grow across his lips. He felt the warm press of her lips to his cheek on the heels of that soft whisper and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He felt a shiver down his spine, not wholly surprised at the reaction. It had been months since they'd really been intimate, what with the long hours he was working and the toll pregnancy and birth had taken on her body.

Charity could smell the mingling perfume from the two other women and it made her stomach churn. Nuzzling her nose against Bruce's neck, she replaced the noxious fumes with the clean smell of leather and soap from his skin. "Sorry I just showed up," she whispered the words, feeling like she needed to explain dropping in like this, as if she thought he was going to accuse her of trying to catch him in the act.

"Cherry-love," he tilted his head back, looking up at her and she could tell that he was on the happy side of blitzed, "pleased as punch yeh made it. How..." rather than delve into the logistics, he seemed to remember himself and he turned slightly. "Marissa," he looked at the brunette, "this' me wife, Charity. Cherry... this is Marissa Mercedes... she's been in more movies than anyone in the business. She's fuckin' royalty, pun intended." He chuckled at his own joke, getting an amused giggle from the other woman and a roll of the eyes from Shirlea.

Without hesitation, Charity moved to the side of the table and extended her hand to Marissa. "It's nice to meet you." It took almost every bit of self control not to glare at Shirlea. Instead, that smile stayed on her face.

Gracefully, the older woman slipped to her feet and offered the chair to Charity. "Likewise," she murmured, shaking the younger woman's hand. "I should go mingle like a good girl. It's expected." She leaned in closer to Charity, "keep an eye on that one," she looked over her shoulder to where Shirlea was chatting up Bruce, trying to keep him engaged and distracted. "He's a good man, honey. Too nice for his own good, if you ask me." Before Charity could question that, she moved away, twiddling her fingers in a wave to the whole table.

"...do you think they will?" Shirlea's voice was loud enough to carry over the rest of the party noise as she leaned in closer to Bruce who shook his head.

He watched Charity take the seat that had just been vacated, reaching out to take her hand rather than answer the shrill blonde.

Smiling warmly at her husband, she leaned against him. Bringing his hand up, she kissed the knuckles. "Hunter is in town and he offered to stay with the baby. He said we have a night out." Her smile had changed to a smirk as she gave Bruce a long kiss. When she pulled back, she glanced at the blonde bimbo. "Oh, it's you. Hi." Her attention went back to Bruce as she took a sip of her drink.

Shirlea's expression soured as she stared at Charity. "Having trouble losing that baby weight, huh? That's rough," her tone was acidic as she reached for her drink. "I mean, you look nice enough. Obviously, you put in a little effort-"

"Stop it," Bruce snapped, waiting until Charity put down her drink before moving to his feet. He held out his hand to his wife, looking in the direction of the couples packing the small dance floor as the music shifted to a slower tempo. "C'mon, love. It's been a while since we cut a rug."

She was hesitant at first, feeling that territorial urge to scratch the blonde's eyes out. Slipping her hand into his, she let her focus be pulled back to him as he led her out onto the dance floor. She put her arms around his neck and sighed. "Why is she here?"

"That one-shot deal made too much money," he kept his voice low so the conversation remained between them. "She's-"

"Oh God... she's the star now, isn't she?" Charity hated the way she sounded to her own ears and she tried to hide it with a laugh, shaking her head. "So, you've been working with her?" As casual as she tried to sound, he knew her too well. Shirlea wanted Bruce; there was no secret there. She'd been chasing him the entire time Charity had been in the picture and she hated the jealousy she felt. The other woman was beautiful. What'd she'd said to Charity had been true, at least in her eyes – the baby weight had been a struggle to get off. In this room full of beautiful people, she felt like a pig stuffed into a blanket that barely fit. Now she felt self-conscious about the dress she'd chosen. "Probably see her a lot, don't you?"

"More than I'd like." He chuckled bitterly. "Much more. So far had to edit all the shyte she stars in. Had tae redo the sound, too. There's a girl been overdubbing her because she can't act tae save her life. About as talented as a bag o' wet hair, tha' one is." He sighed, looking back towards the table where Shirlea sat glaring daggers at the couple. He met her gaze for a brief moment, shaking his head almost imperceptibly.

Charity felt her irritation at the situation grow, unable to keep quiet any longer. "I really don't like this."

"I know, Babylove."

"That's why you didn't tell me she was still there," it sounded like an accusation even though her voice came out calm. "Jesus, Bruce. It was bad enough when she was at the bar, hanging out 24/7. At least she had clothes on there." Her tone had started to shift, "I really don't like her."

"I know," Bruce pulled her in closer, still swaying to the music even though he couldn't even tell what song they were dancing to with all the overlapping noise around them. If he hadn't been halfway towards full-on shitfaced, he would never have said the next words. Unfortunately, whiskey was the worst sort of truth serum where he was concerned. He chuckled, shaking his head at his own words even as they left his lips, "lesson learned, though. Never stick yer dick in crazy. Always comes back tae bite yer arse in the worst way."

She froze as those words sank in. Had he just said what she thought she'd heard? Looking stricken when her eyes met his, she pulled back slightly. "You... slept with her?" Lifting her hand to her mouth, her eyes grew wider when he said nothing. The look on his face said more that words ever could. "God, I feel sick." She looked around until she saw a set of doors leading to a balcony, taking another step back from him, "I need to get some air."

It took everything in her not to run screaming through the crowd, shoving people out of her way. She was seeing the night of Bruce's birthday in her mind, the way the other woman had been comfortably sitting in Bruce's lap as though she belonged there – suddenly it all made sense. She'd always assumed because of how Bruce felt about Shirlea, that he never would have touched her. The cold air outside was like a slap in the face but she didn't stop until she was standing in front of the glass railing, looking down over Times Square.

"Didn't think yeh wanted a list of every last conquest." Bruce's tone oozed sarcasm as he made his way towards her. The party hadn't really spilled out this way, despite the view – they were actually alone. Nobody seemed to have noticed what was happening but he felt the tension crackling in the air.

"Right, because that's what I said, isn't it?" She didn't bother to turn around, arms wrapped around herself. "I don't care who you slept with, Bruce. As long as it wasn't her."

He chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. When she simply glared back at him, he raked a hand through his hair and looked away, sighing. "What do yeh want me tae say, hmm?" He shrugged out of the leather jacket he had on, draping it over her shoulders before dipping his hand into the inside pocket to pull out his pack of cigarettes.

"You should have told me. That night... when..." her voice came out small and she was so stiff even as she felt the warmth of his body heat radiating from the lining of that jacket. "We broke up because of her."

"Almost," he corrected her, "it lasted all of five minutes." When he realized it wasn't quite clear what he was talking about, he clarified, "the sex. Was just a fiver... quickie. We were both drunk... didn't even take any clothes off. It never meant a damned thing. Was a whole year before we met – wasn't serious, like. At all. Just the one time, I swear."

Clearly once was enough when the stupid slut won't take a hint. 

"I don't like this." The words just came tumbling out and she almost wanted to blame that single drink she'd had and how it had gone right to her head. She knew it wasn't that. It was all her insecurities from the past few months boiling over. She hated to think that he was putting in all those extra hours because of some feelings he still held for that blonde, but now she wasn't so sure.

He stepped away from her, leaning against the solid pillar rather than the railing. He'd never really been overly fond of heights. Lighting a cigarette, he took a long drag, exhaling slowly as he stalled. He could feel the cold leaching through the stiff fabric of the dark green dress shirt he had on and he resisted the urge to shiver. "Don't have a choice." He muttered the words despite the fact that he wanted to yell at her. "She's their star, love. Am just a cog in the machine – no real say in the matter. I tole them she's toxic. None of the other girls-" 

"You slept with her," Charity turned her head to look at him, tears shining in her eyes but to her credit, she refused to blink and let them fall. "I just can't even wrap my head around that."

"Makes two of us." He sighed, shaking his head. "This... it's a good gig, Cherry. Pays more than the bar. Gives us insurance. Like it or lump it – 'tis what 'tis."

"I know that." Her hands were holding onto the rail, her back to him. "It's your job and I'm not gonna bitch or nag you about it." She shrugged, "doesn't stop me from hating that you guys'll be at more stuff like this together. I know there's not anything I can do about." Finally, she turned to face him. "I'm not mad at you. I don't know what I am, but upset with you isn't it."

"Jealous?" He snickered, shaking his head. "Come now. It's not as though she meant a damned thing." He moved back towards her, feeling the cold air doing wonders to clear his head. "Look at all of them in there... all those pretty, plastic people. Yeh think any of them are good for nothin' outside a quick wank fantasy? Nae, love." He put his arms around her from behind. "It's all just a blur... fuckin' perfect an' it makes me feel dirty. All of it."

"We'll get you clean." It sounded silly when she said it but she felt his arms tighten. She leaned back into him, holding his arms in place. Even though it was freezing out, she felt warm, especially now that he was holding her. Closing her eyes, she turned in his embrace and pressed her head against his chest. "Just..." she rested her hand against his cheek, tilting her head back to look at him. "Don't let her hang all over you, okay?"

"Aye." He agreed without any thought, knowing it was going to be hard to pull that off. He didn't want to engage her, didn't want to run the risk of pissing her off. For the sake of his wife's sanity, though? He'd make any promise he needed to. "I'll manage."

"Okay," she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight.

Humming, Bruce started to sway, resting his cheek against her hair. "Glad yeh made it after all."

"I am too." She lost herself in the rhythm, in the sound she could hear that she knew was the tune to some song she'd heard a thousand times over whose name eluded her. She loved it when he sang to her, when he lost himself in a melody like this.  "Mmm... Hunter said if we felt like getting a room, he'd be fine watching the baby overnight."

One brow rose as he considered it, "oh? Did he now?" He stared out over the view, feeling the warmth coming from the way she was clinging to him far more than the liquor in his guts. The longer they stayed here, the more likely it was going to be that they'd have to avoid some ugly scene with Shirlea. "An' is that something the lovely Miss Cherry McLeod would like? A fancy hotel room with a big ol' bed?"

"Yeah, I think I would. You could get me really drunk and take advantage of me." She grinned at him, feeling herself loosen up. "If we really wanted to be adventurous, we could find a secret spot here and have some fun."

"Pretty sure that's what everyone else'll be doin' tonight." He glanced over his shoulder at the door and the party beyond. "Quite the bawdy crowd, after all." Winking, he lifted his hand to the back of her head and kissed her hard enough to leave her breathless. "Yeh feel like a little PDA in there first... make the little bint jealous right back?" The thought of playing around, of showing the rest of these perfect people that he was just as desirable was quite appealing.

Her cheeks had gone red as she had to place her hands on his arms to keep herself steady. "Let's go in there and you can ravage me." She was starting to feel playful as her lips met his again, the kiss drawn out and ending with a gentle bite to his bottom lip. "Lead the way."

"Too bad we're not at the studio," he smirked, "could make a hell of a movie."

Charity turned to face him, a smirk that matched his on her face as she thought about the night he'd staged that photo-shoot and what they'd done afterwards. "What if I said there's no time like the present?"

"I'd say," he leaned in closer, his lips beside her ear, "nobody's there right now. We'd have it all tae ourselves." He gave her earlobe a playful nip, "gads, yeh look fuckin' marvie... wanna strip this little thing off in the worst possible way. Yeh wanna play hooky an' get a little nookie, love?"  

His Scottish brogue was such a turn on, thicker when he was drinking, even worse when he was aroused. She could tell just how sincere those words were and her cheeks were still red as she met his gaze. "Yeah?" She watched his grin widen, nodding. "Let's do it." 

Siding an arm through his, Charity let him lead her through the guests and the fact that he didn't even bother to explain the departure or say goodbye spoke volumes. She caught sight of Shirlea's scowl and it made her want to laugh. Her husband's hands were all over her on the elevator ride down to the ground floor and the way he looked at her made her stop worrying about the blonde porn star. She'd obviously won and she knew it was petty but Charity felt victorious, catching sight of their reflection in the mirror as the elevator doors opened. Bruce's arms were wrapped around her, that hungry look in his eyes that she remembered all too well from the night she'd gotten pregnant. Feeling like the winner was petty, yes, but at that moment she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was making her husband feel like the most important man in the world. He'd earned it, after all.