Mateo felt the true horror of the situation finally dawn on him as he watched Apple and Cassian sink in the pool. Any involvement between the bears and the wolves was always dangerous. But a Bratva cub pushing an Italian pup into the pool, and worst, that Italian pup pulling him in with her. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say a war could start.

So of course, his first order of business was to get the squealing bambinas and hard headed Moscows out of the pool terrace. It wasn't easy business. The bears hated him because he wasn't one of them, and the she-wolves hated him because his family had betrayed them. But he was used to cleaning up Cassian's messes, especially when it came to her, he was his right hand man after all, and so was his family to the Butlers.

And soon enough, he had herded the throng out. Just in time to see what had once been an intense confrontation between a fiery brunette and an arrogant Russian turned into a petty cat fight. They were throwing pool noodles, splashing water, and hurling profanities like two toddlers in a kiddy pool. Mateo couldn't even begin to fathom how two usually composed people, albeit wild and mischievous, could become so immature when it came to each other. And after ten minutes too long of this nonsense, he had finally had enough.

"Thats fucking it you two," he howled like a prepschool teacher. But they didn't stop, too absorbed in their wet swearing match to care about the world around them.

Mateo snorted and turned for a hose plugged into the wall, twisted the tap, and whirled his stream at the two. That got them to shut up. And they both finally turned to him, mouths hung and arms bent above the water like they weren't already soaked to the chin. Their anger now fully redirected at him. Not that he gave a shit. He needed some booze after all this bull shit.

"Your both not leaving this fucking terrace until you sort your shit out," he grumbled, turning away from them, and without even bothering to turn off the hose, slamming the terrace door behind him. 

A small clack reverberated into the silence of the night.

Apple and Butler turned to each other in mortifying realization, before scrabbling out of the water and running for the door. It was too late. The bastard had locked them out. 

And suddenly, it crossed Apple to check the time. But as robust as her blackberry was, it wasn't made for a midnight dip.

"Whats the time," she snapped at Butler. She hadn't meant to sound so desperate, but surprisingly, the dark man obliged. Turning up his big arm to check his Rolex.

"Half past one."

FUCK.

Apple's parents were going to kill her. Not only was she out way past curfew, but she was soaking wet and alone with a bear. And the cherry on top, the worst of the bears, the family of the Pakhan, the Butlers.

"This is all your fucking fault you know," she suddenly burst out, taking out her panic on Butler. Although in truth, she really did believe it was this asshole's fault.

Butler just scoffed, "My fault? Your the one who pulled me into the pool!"

"Because you pushed me!"

"Because you brought up that fucking barn rave up!" 

Butler roared into the darkness. There was barely any light now left in the terrace. Most of it having come from the party down stairs which had ended hours ago. How had the time gone so quickly? Now all that was left was the moon, and the pool lights, which illuminated Butler into some menacing shadow looming over her.

All of Apple's panic quickly crumpled into fear. Fear of the impending danger right before her. Apple may sometimes forget what this man once was in her life, but Appalla would never forget.

What she said next was barely a whisper, 

"it was only because you told him about--" she couldn't even bring herself to say it. 

Her tongue choked just at the thought. Suddenly, she was very grateful for the darkness. She didn't want this dick to see her looking so weak. She could feel the fear creeping over to completely overwhelm her anger.

"Your an idiot," Butler muttered.

Never. Fucking. Mind.

"And your an asshole," she barked back.

"Bitch" he growled.

"Man-whore!"

"Slut!"

"Psycho!"

Apple groaned and stormed off to the other side of the pool. 

"What are you doing?" Butler called, following after her. He wasn't done with her, but she was definitely done with him.

"Trying to fucking get us out of here," Apple snapped.

"And how do you plan to do that Einstein?"

Apple looked back at him and rolled her eyes, "by trying to find something to break the lock. And btw, I get higher grades then you, dumb ass."

"Yeah? Bet all the geezers are reallyyy satisfied with your efforts," he made gurgling sounds.

Apple threw her middle finger back at him and began rummaging through a self serve bar.

Butler just leaned against the high table and watched. 

"You gonna make a cocktail to get us out doll?" he drawled, chuckling at his own joke like the egotist he was.

Apple ignored him. The night was growing colder, and being soaking wet didn't exactly help. Another reason she needed to get the fuck out of here. She had had enough of his husky adams apple and arrogant comments for one night.

However, a rustle of fabric stopped her dead in her search. She shot her eyes up from the cabinets to find the asshole taking his shirt off!

"What the fuck are you doing?" she almost screamed at him, launching up from a crouch.

He snorted, "Relax Mary. I'm not interested, just don't wanna wake up with a 38 degree fever."

"Put your damn shirt back on," 

she seethed, turning away from him and crossing her arms, she hadn't turned nearly fast enough though. Since the last time she had seen him shirtless, the asshole had clearly worked out. She had felt it earlier when she had pressed her tits up against him, but seeing it, he was breath taking. He definitely didn't look like a teenage boy.

"What the fuck makes you think I'll listen to you? And besides, if you weren't a retard, you'd take your clothes off too, before you start sniveling all over your escape plan."

Apple laughed, "And make it look like I made my bed with the bears? Like hell!"

Butler's chuckle was dark, "wow Mary, already thinking of me in bed? Well, I might consider if you get on your knees and beg me."

Butler only sounded like he was half joking. Apple was such a mixer of shock and rage at even the suggestion that she would want to sleep him that she spun back in a dramatic fashion, and practically yelled,

"Fuck you asshole. I would rather sleep with all the eighty year olds in London then even fucking touch you!"

His arrogant smirk soured on his pretty face. The shadow between his brows darkening.

"And I wouldn't let you suck my cock even if your shitty father paid me." 

And with that lovely statement, Butler took his shirt and stormed off to search some cartons at the other end of the terrace. 

As for Apple, she just stood there, dumb struck. A little flutter had come to her stomach. She had just hurt Cassian Butler's pride. For the first time in the six years she had known him. And the crazy part, she didn't even understand why. Why would he give a shit if she didn't want to fuck him? Actually, how could he even expect her to want to fuck him? He had done things to her most people wouldn't even wish on their worst enemy. Was his ego really just that fucking high?

She didn't get much of a chance, however, to think on it more. Soon, both of their eyes were drawn to the rip of light through the terrace. Coming from the terrace door. And in the halo of the glow. A dark, tatted, and very angry figure stood. One that froze Butler to his bones.