Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Kitchen Kids

With her heart torn between happiness and devastation, Kaya chose to review the menu for the day on her way to the kitchen. 

Of course, her concentration broke as soon as she walked through the swinging doors. 

"PDA isn't going to convince me you two love each other." 

Antagonistic Alicia just had to make the morning worse. 

"Apparently, nothing is going to convince you that we love each other." Kaya spun to give the sarcastic retort, something that only happened when she had been pushed beyond her boundaries too many times in one day. 

Alicia glared at Kaya. "You're right. Because no matter what he says, Ransom belongs to everyone, not just one person."

"What? You think he'd actually date someone like you?" Kaya folded her arms, a defense as strong as her sass. 

"You little..." Alicia launched herself toward Kaya, hands flying. 

Her nails never made contact with Kaya's skin.

Somehow, some way, Jacob managed to fling himself between the two women. Alicia hit him square in the chest, sent him off balance, and down they went. Alicia's head would have hit the tile floor if Jacob didn't fling out a hand to catch it. 

Kaya doubted anyone else saw it, but she did. A simple gesture of kindness on Jacob's part. Something Alicia didn't deserve. 

Alicia sprang back up, ready to fight again, but Kaya's attention had already been drawn elsewhere. 

Jacob pulled his hand into his chest and cradled it. A whine like a baby's leaped from his throat. 

Kaya knelt beside him. "Are you okay?" 

"Am I okay? No! I'm not okay! Her head is dang hard." Jacob turned his head to find Alicia, but the glare Kaya expected never came. "Are you hurt?"

Alicia blinked like she didn't know what to do with the question. 

"Let me see your hand." Kaya pried Jacob's injured hand away from his grip. "How bad is it? Do we need to take you to a hospital?" 

"I can still move- ow..." Jacob pouted at his hand. 

Though the fingers still moved, the back of his hand had turned red and begun to swell. It would definitely bruise, which would leave Jacob handicapped when it came to his work. 

"I'll go get ice." Kaya made a move to stand. 

Jacob grabbed her arm. "No, it's not your fault and I can still walk." He glanced to Alicia. "Or you can get the ice." 

"Why would I do that?" Alicia crossed her arms. 

Jacob held out his injured hand. "This is your fault. Take responsibility!" 

"Did I ask you to get in the middle of my fight?" 

"Hey, I saved your job and probably your life. Everyone knows you don't mess with the Big Boss's girlfriend. How dumb are you?" 

"Calling me dumb isn't going to make me do anything for you." 

"Take responsibility, I said! At least until I'm healed. Can't you do that much? Don't you feel sorry?" 

Kaya slowly backed away from the quickly-escalating argument. She didn't want to get caught between them again. That would be... unpleasant. So she left them to their lover's quarrel, with the hope that Jacob would win. He had a pretty solid chance.