The next day. All of the Justice stable had a photoshoot and an update for their entrance video. Gage made his way down to Isis's hotel room early that morning. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He looked relaxed for the first time in a while. He knocked on the hotel room door with a whistle and a smile as he ran his fingers through his long hair. Pushing a long lock from his face he started humming to himself. Something about that day felt good and he was actually feeling more himself.

Isis rubbed her sleepy eyes dragging her body from the bed. “Ugg! This better be important! If you're waking me up at six in the morning, it better be freakin’ good.” She slung open the door only wearing a t-shirt and panties. “Gez. Just great” She said softly under her breath. “Can I help you?”

Gage looked her over. “Nice shirt, sexy legs.” He chuckled at his own playful banter.

She looked down, realizing she had slept in an old Gage logo t-shirt. Isis had worn it plenty of times and never thought about who the shirt was for when she put it on. Cyrus and brought her lots of IWX shirts for her collection. She quickly covered herself crossing her arms over her chest.

“Don’t flatter yourself. Cyrus used to bring me IWX shirts. I have pretty much everyone in the company since Cyrus started. Last night it was a Tyson brother's old shirt. So don’t feel like you’re special.”

“Gross. Those losers? They are a couple of traders. Them and their whole crew. I can’t stand the Arch Rivals.”

She rolled her eyes. “Neither can Cyrus. But, I like them. I met them once at an autograph signing. Preston Tyson is a nice guy. Come on in. Is there something I can do for you? It’s early.”

Her morning voice cracked as she rubbed her tired eyes. She knew full well she bought the twelve-inch Gage t-shirt on her own. It had a shotgun with a ruler on the barrel. His tag line insinuated he was very endowed and made her have some pretty steamy thoughts in the past.

Gage walked past and sat on the bed leaning on the headboard crossing his legs and arms. “Well, it looks good on you. I can picture you wearing that shirt in my bed. The twelve-inch Gage isn’t just a tagline, queeny.”

She rolled her eyes and grumbled something under her breath.

Gage leaned over and picked up a pair of panties from the side of the bed she had laid out for the day. Holding them up spinning them around his finger.

“Yummy! A red lace thong. I like that. Maybe you should model these for me with my shirt there?”

She rushed over trying to take them out of his hand and he pulled them out of her reach. He chuckled and made a playful face teasing her. She struggled to grab them from his grip leaning over his lap and Gage grabbed her around the waist playfully holding her back. She shoved him away and almost fell off the bed. He pulled her to him to catch her fall.

“Whoa there. Now, this is not being nice and submissive, is it? Calm down, Ice Queen. It’s ok. I’m just joking around. Don’t be so uptight.” He let her take them from his hand.

Isis stood up next to the bed and looked down at the fabric in her hand. She turned around seemingly upset.

“May I ask you to please not to call me that. It really hurts my feelings.”

“What? Ice Queen?”

“Yes. Cyrus is the only one that has ever been allowed to call me that.” She said shyly.

“Why? Tell me?” Gage relaxed and calmed his voice seeing she was hurt by the comment and sat up straight.

“It bothers me just as much as being called a whore. My ex-boyfriend used to call me that. He heard Cyrus say it one day. He turned it around as a way to upset me. He said my heart was cold as ice. Cyrus always called me that because I liked The Chronicles of Narnia. He called me the Ice Queen because I read it so many times. Isis...Ice..get it. So when Cyrus does it I don’t mind. Everyone else…It’s just mean. So please don’t call me that.” She turned to him looking him in the eye hoping he understood.

Gage got up from the bed seeing it really did hurt her feelings. He realized at that moment he did a lot to hurt her. Walking over he grabbed her gently by the waist. “I’m sorry Isis. I didn’t know. I won’t call you that again,” he sighed. “I’m sorry about calling you a whore too. I know you’re not. I heard about some of the guys at the show hitting on you last few weeks. You never take them up on it. I know you don’t mess around. I...I’m sorry.”

She looked up in his eyes hoping he meant it. ”And, that night? The strip club? Are you sorry for that too?” She looked down fidgeting with her fingers as she did when she was upset. “You really humiliated me. Do you know that? No one has ever treated me that way. I was scared.”

“Oh, sweetie. Yes, I’m sorry for that too. Really, I am. It’s not an excuse, but I drank too much that night. I’ve been a jerk and I realize that. I actually came here to mess with you some and joke around with you. Not to be mean. Now I think I see I’m really hurting your feelings. Listen, I stopped by to take you shopping. Let you get all fixed up for the photoshoot. Not to hurt your feelings.” He was being sincere. “Truce?”

She pulled away from his grip on her waist. “So my outfits really are not good enough for you? Typical. More control, I guess.”

“Well, actually...I like your outfits. Even that first ultra-sexy one. You’re really fashion-forward. Not afraid to take a risk. I like that. I figure we could get to know each other better today. I just wanted to do something nice but if you’re not into it…” He started to walk out.

“Umm... wait... alright. I don’t want you buying stuff for me though.” She said quietly. “Can you promise me something? Just for today,” she asked.

“I guess. What?” Gage stopped and turned to her.

“Don’t be mean to me. I’m sick of crying all the time. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll be a more passive person if that’s what will make you stop being mean to me. This argumentative girl isn’t really me. You are just hateful and it hurts,” she begged.

“Alright. No attitude though. You have to allow me to be in charge today. I don’t like people trying to control me or my surroundings.” Gage looked at her intently. She agreed. “Good, now go get showered. We can have lunch and shop. I want to make it special. I’m sick of all the bickering too, so today let's just try to have a nice time together.”

***

In the limo…..

“Where are your lapdogs?” She smirked.

“Oh, she smiles and jokes. You should do that more often,” he chuckled. “It’s just me and you. We need to talk privately and I don’t want Nick hitting on you all day. Makes me sick the way he throws himself at you.”

“Jealous? He’s just being a typical guy. He’s nice to me. I did make him remove my pics from his phone though. That’s creepy. I signed a magazine for him to get him to remove them.” She shrugged blowing it off like the photos were no big deal.

“Jealous? No, I can have any woman I want, sweetheart. You can either want a man or a boy? Nick is a boy.” Gage pulled his arm over the back of the seat playing with her hair. A shiver covered her and for once she didn’t pull away.

“I don’t doubt you can have any woman. Sort of arrogant though to mention it. But... oh... nevermind.” Isis pulled her long hair out of his reach.

Gage leaned in. “No, let’s talk. You can speak freely. Tell me exactly what you think of me.”

“Really? Not sure if you would like it.” Isis was afraid her mouth may get her in trouble again.

“Yes.” He thought he may regret this.

She took a breath. ”Well, ok. Here it is. You’re an arrogant jerk. I think you're a womanizing asshole who has no respect for women. That’s the reason you’re mean to me. I think you are a little jealous when Nick or other guys on the roster flirt with me. I see you looking at me like I’m a piece of meat. That’s why when you see them do it, you get an attitude and take it out on me. Like I’m a whore just asking for it. I think you have no respect for me. Deep down you really do think I’m a whore. I guess because of the way I dress on stage. But, what you don’t know is, I’m really modest other than the sexy outfits when I perform. It makes me feel pretty and reminds me of when I used to dance in competitions. I felt special on stage then. Like what I did matters in some way. Since I have been at IWX, I feel like it’s been the biggest mistake of my life and it’s all your fault.” She huffed and crossed her arms.

“Ok, well... your right. All of it. But, what you’re wrong about is, I do respect women. I love women. And, I don’t think you’re a whore. I never have. I regret saying it and wanted to take it back the second it came out of my mouth.” Gage rubbed her arm trying to console her. He reached down to the intercom to summon the driver. “Can you drive around a while. I’ll let you know when we are ready.”

“Yes, Mr. Stone”

“Oh really? So strip clubs and women hanging all over you all the time, that’s your idea of respect? Calling me a whore, the first five minutes we met was respect? Saying I need a dick in my mouth to shut me up? Insisting I submit to your every word. That's respect?” She grew angrier by the second.

“You know, smart girl, you think you know me but you have no idea. Let’s just calm this down. I didn’t bring you out to fight. I asked what you thought and we’re done with that. Now let’s get you ready for tonight and stop this before we both regret our words.” Gage instructed the driver to head to the fancy LA boutique. “I’m paying today. So don’t argue with me about it.”

***

At the boutique, Gage was messing with her playfully. Something about taunting her gave him joy. Seeing her get all fired up was funny yo watch. She was so small and her temper was shorter than she was.

“This ok, Your Highness? I’ve tried on almost everything here. I’m really tired of changing clothes, Gage.” She started to get irritated with his demanding demeanor over the past three hours.

“No. That’s not the one. Try that black dress in the window.” He sat drinking a glass of wine. He was having fun annoying her. But overall, they had been having a nice day together. “You need to look better than every woman in this video. You’re our queen. I want you to look like a million dollars.”

Under her breath,” Ugg. You’re an annoying dick.”

“What was that? He said smugly. Knowing what she said.

“NOTHING! Geez...fine. Black one.” She mumbled something under her breath.

She tried on three more dresses before Gage decided he was done torturing her. “The red one. That’s the one. It looked expensive and shows your dancer's body.”

“What! You mean the one that comes to my knees. The body forming one that’s like silk or something? That’s the first one I tried on! Good grief!” She turned around pouting. “Ok. The red one.” Isis just rolled her eyes. “I’m hungry and I need food. So whatever. I’ll wear a freaking sack if it gets me out of here any sooner.”

Gage just laughed to himself. The poor girl was getting hangry. Gage asked the lady in the store for two other dresses and went to pay for it. He handed them to Isis and she jerked them out of his hands. He just smiled. For some reason annoying her made him smile and even turned him on just a little. To him, the day had been pretty productive so far. Hopefully, the photoshoot and video would go just as well.