Текст книги "Phenomenal X"

Автор книги: Michelle A. Valentine

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

The announcer introduces Xavier’s opponent. “Making his way to the ring, from Miami, Florida, weighing two hundred and forty pounds, he is…Brian ‘Razor’ Rollins!”

Pandemonium erupts as Brian’s playful expression turns serious the moment he steps into the ring with Xavier and then holds the belt in the air. Both men stare each other down, making the crowd believe that they hate each other.

Bright lights flick back on overhead and a bell rings. Xavier and Brian circle each other, and I hold my breath. I don’t like the idea of the two of them hurting each other. I know it’s their job, but that doesn’t make it easy to watch.

Brian and Xavier step toward each other at the same time and lock up. It appears pretty evenly matched until Brian twists around and catches Xavier in a headlock.

Brian grabs his other wrist and grunts as he pulls his arm tighter around Xavier’s neck. Xavier’s arms flail about wildly for a second, but then he punches Brian in the ribs. Brian’s grasp loosens, and Xavier turns around in time to clothesline his opponent.

A collective, “Ohh,” echoes through the massive room as Brian falls down to the mat. Xavier doesn’t waste any time climbing to the top of the corner rope, standing tall as he towers over the ring. Camera flashes go crazy as Xavier stretches his arms out and sends his body flying toward Brian.

Brian kicks his leg in the air just as Xavier comes down on him, landing against the left side of Xavier’s jaw.

Xavier grunts and lands on the mat next to Brian. Both men remain motionless for a moment, and then Brian begins to crawl toward Xavier, ready to cover him for the pin.

Brian hooks his elbow around Xavier’s leg the referee falls down to the mat, and smacking it as he counts.

“One!” the crowd chants along with the referee.

“Two!”

The count is interrupted as Assassin flies through the crowd, hopping over the barricade and sliding into the ring. As soon as Rex is able to stand, he begins attacking Brian, ripping him off Xavier.

Liv gasps beside me and covers her mouth as the bell from the ring begins sounds, signaling the end of the match.

“What is it?” I question, thoroughly confused as to why she’s upset. “Isn’t everything choreographed?”

“This isn’t a part of the show. That asshole, Rex, has gone rogue.”

My eyes widen as I direct my attention back to the ring. The moment Xavier realizes what’s happening, he jumps to his feet.

Rex wastes no time sliding back out of the ring and walking backwards up the ramp while Xavier stares him down.

There’s a cocky smile on Rex’s face like he’s just rained on Xavier’s parade and enjoyed it immensely.

“Winner of this match due to disqualification, and still the heavy-weight champion…Brian ‘Razor’ Rollins!” the same announcer calls out.

“I don’t understand. What just happened?”

Liv frowns. “Xavier was supposed to win the belt from Brian tonight.”

I gasp as my eyes flick back up to the ring where Xavier is kneeling beside Brian talking to him along with a doctor.

“Can Assassin do that?”

Liv shrugs. “He just did. Now the shit is gonna hit the fan. That asshole had better not have hurt Brian. We need to get backstage so I can check on him when he goes back there.”

I follow Liv to the backstage area and instantly we’re surrounded by loud chatter as the other wrestlers are trying to figure out what in the hell just happened. Rex is nowhere to be seen, but his is the name on everyone’s lips.

What will all this mean for Xavier? I know how much he wanted to win that belt. I don’t know who Rex thinks he is, but he just started a war—and Xavier isn’t the type to back down.

18

Anna

I lean against the brick wall and chew on my thumbnail as I wait for Xavier to come out of the locker room. As yet, there’s no word on how Brian is doing or if any damage was done.

The door across from me opens, and Rex comes strolling out. His dark hair is slicked back, and the t-shirt he’s wearing appears three sizes too small as the fabric strains against his chest. A huge grin spreads across his face the moment he spots me.

I shake my head. This man is a disgusting human being. I don’t understand how someone can be so happy after hurting someone like that.

“Hi.”

There’s a slick tone in Rex’s voice that reminds me of a slithering snake. It’s enough to make my skin crawl.

Rex leans his shoulder against the wall so he faces my side. I fold my arms across my chest and turn my head the other way, doing my best to pretend he’s not there.

“I’ve seen you around today. You’re the new X girl, right?”

I flinch. I don’t like that he’s implying I’m just some passing fad for Xavier. “Leave me alone.”

Rex chuckles darkly. “I can see Deena was right about you.”

I whip my head in his direction and stare at him while wrinkling my nose. “She knows nothing about me.”

He shrugs. “Maybe so, but she does know X and his track record when it comes to women. She says you’re not seeing your relationship with him for what it really is.”

I roll my eyes. “She knows nothing about our relationship. What Xavier and I have is—”

“Special?” I don’t appreciate the smirk on his face. “Don’t you think he makes all his women feel that way?”

“He doesn’t have women,” I fire back. “There’s only me.”

He shakes his head and sighs. “When he breaks your heart, Princess, you can come to me.” He leans in, but I move further away to keep him from actually touching me. “I don’t mind X’s sloppy seconds. He’s got great taste in whores.”

Before I can stop myself, I smack Rex across the face with as much power as I can muster. “Screw you. Don’t ever call me that.”

He grins as he rubs his face, completely unfazed by my actions.

I turn on my heel and storm away from him, refusing to stand there and listen to any more of his ridiculous attempts to get under my skin. A few feet away, I spot Xavier coming down the hallway toward me.

I run to him and throw my arms around him, willing myself not to cry.

He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls back to gaze at my face. “Everything okay?”

I shake my head. “I just smacked Rex across the face for calling me one of your ‘whores.’”

Xavier’s eyes darken. “Where is he?”

I grip his arms, attempting to hold him in place. I shouldn’t have told him, and had it not been for him catching me while I was still heated over the situation, I probably would’ve opted to tell him later, when Rex wasn’t around.

“Let it go, Xavier. I handled it.”

He shakes his head. “The fucker has it coming.”

He steps back, peeling me off of him in the process, and heads in the direction I just came from. I trail behind him, but his legs are so damn long it takes me twice as many steps to keep up.

Rex is still leaning against the wall in the same spot he was in when I left him, only now he’s talking on his cell phone. Xavier doesn’t say a word as he charges Rex and grabs him by the shirt, pulling him away from the wall and then slamming him back, causing Rex to let out a grunt. Rex’s phone falls to the concrete floor and shatters next to his feet.

Rex laughs darkly. “Do it, knock yourself out of your title shot—for the second time tonight.”

“That’s not what this is about,” Xavier growls.

Rex’s eyes flick over to me and then back to Xavier. “Her? She’s what’s got you so riled? This isn’t like you, X. That pussy must be something else.”

My mouth drops open, and my heart pounds against my ribs. Rex has no clue what he’s asking for.

Xavier rolls his fingers tighter into Rex’s shirt as he draws his fist back. Rex’s eyes widen as the growl emanating from Xavier’s throat echoes down the hall. Before Xavier can deliver the blow, Freddy comes up behind him and hooks his arms under Xavier’s, halting him from swinging, and yanks back.

“Don’t do it, X. He’s not worth it, bro. Settle it in the ring,” Freddy says trying to calm Xavier down. “Pull your shit together. Think about your fucking job.”

Xavier’s chest moves rapidly as he sucks in air through flared nostrils, his murderous stare fixed on Rex.

Rex shoves himself off the wall and pulls at his shirt casually, adjusting it back into place. “Yes, X, we’ll settle this in the ring. I’ve already had a chat with the writers. They’re going to make it happen. Save all that rage to give the fans a good show, yeah?”

“I don’t give a fuck about the about the show,” Xavier growls while fighting against Freddy’s hold.

“Then do us all a favor and quit. You know I’m the rightful champ.”

“You’re fucking delusional,” Xavier retorts.

“You’re the one who can’t see the big picture around here, friend. Throwing everything you’ve worked for away on a piece of ass…that’s delusional.” Rex laughs as he turns and stalks down the hallway, not giving Xavier any chance to reply this time.

Xavier fights even harder against Freddy, attempting to go free so he can go after Rex, but Freddy doesn’t loosen his grip. “Chill the fuck out or I’m not letting go.”

I take in the nearly seven-foot man who, even with arms the size of most people’s thighs, is struggling to keep Xavier still. There’s no way I would’ve been able to break up a fight between those two. I’m glad he came along when he did.

Xavier closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “All right. I’m good.”

“You sure?”

Xavier holds his hands up in surrender. “Yes.”

Freddy slowly releases Xavier and then stands, blocking the hallway in the direction Rex retreated while Xavier readjusts his shirt.

Freddy points his gaze at me. “Get him out of here before he does something he will regret. This company isn’t big on second chances.”

I take Xavier’s hand, and his eyes soften a bit when he glances down at me.

“Let’s get out of here.”

As I pull him toward the exit, he doesn’t resist me like I expect. Outside, there is a driver standing by the open door of an awaiting car. Fans scream from the other side of the fence the moment they catch a glimpse of Xavier, and he waves without smiling before following behind me into the vehicle.

He’s quiet on the way back to the hotel. I keep glancing in his direction, but his face remains unreadable. I imagine he’s trying to decompress after all that, so I sit silently at his side and reach over and take his hand. I want him to know I’m here for him no matter what.

His blue eyes cut in my direction as he threads his fingers through mine.

I turn and stare out the window and replay the action of what just went down. Freddy’s words reverberate in my skull. I know Xavier was trying to defend me against Rex, but he has to stop trying to fight every guy who bothers me. It’s not worth putting his career in jeopardy.

Finally we make it to the hotel and Xavier wastes no time getting us up to our room. The bed is freshly made, erasing the crumpled of sheets we’d left after sleeping together last night.

I sit on the edge of the bed. “You’re going to have to stop doing that, you know.”

Xavier shoves his hair away from his face. “Doing what?”

“Defending me every time some jerk says something to me. Fighting them all isn’t worth putting your career on the line for.”

“Anna, when it comes to you, nothing else matters. No one will speak to you like that and get away with it. It’s not going to happen.”

I reach out and take his hand. “Don’t you see, that’s exactly what Rex wants. He wants you to lose your head. He’s threatened by you and would like nothing better than to see you destroy things yourself.”

I tug on his hand, and he resists for a moment before he finally sits down next to me. The mattress sinks under his weight.

“You’re right. That’s why he interfered tonight. In our pre-show meeting the writers informed us all that I would be winning the belt, and then I would have to give Rex a shot at winning it.”

I nod. Everything begins to make since. “He’d rather go up against Brian than you?”

“Yeah. Which is crazy because Brian is a strong motherfucker.”

I lay my other hand on top of his. “But he’s nowhere near as intimidating as you.”

His mouth pulls up into a cheeky grin. “You think I’m intimidating?”

I smile. “Have you seen you? You make grown men shake in their boots with one look.”

Xavier pushes a lock of hair back behind my ear. “That’s funny.”

I tilt my head. “Why?”

He stares into my eyes. “I don’t feel very threatening when a five-foot-five girl scares the shit out of me.”

“M—me? I scare you?” I stumble over my words while trying to figure that one out.

His finger traces my jaw and his lips follow along the same path with feathery kisses. “Mmhmm. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before.”

I close my eyes and lean my head back as he licks the sensitive skin below my ear. “And how do you feel about me?”

I know I shouldn’t press him, but I’m curious and want to hear him say he’s beginning to feel something just like I am. I want what’s growing inside my heart for him validated.

“You’re special to me, Anna, and I want to keep you forever,” he whispers.

Every muscle in my body trembles with need for him. Him admitting he feels something is a start. We’ve gone from him not wanting a real relationship, to wanting to make what’s happening between us last forever. Right now, that’s enough.

I stare into his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promises like that are what worry me.” He presses his lips to mine. “Someday you might. When you see what I’m capable of, you’ll leave, and never look back.”

I shake my head. “Nothing will change how I feel about you.”

He leans his forehead against mine. “Promise?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

He crushes his lips against mine and works his hand underneath my shirt. His eyes are hooded with desire and there’s no mistaking what’s on his mind.

“We have to use a rubber this time. We’ve been cutting it too close with me pulling out. That doesn’t always work.”

I sigh and twirl a lock of his hair around my finger. “True, but I read online there’s only a few days a month a woman can actually get pregnant, and that’s shortly after her period. I’m due for mine in a few days, so I think we’re safe.”

He kisses my neck. “I want you to know that I don’t bareback with other women.”

I tilt my head. “Bareback?”

“Fuck raw—sex without a condom,” he clarifies. “I’ve only ever done that with you. I wasn’t expecting that first time to happen, and once I was in the moment all I wanted was to feel you. I wanted you wrapped around me with nothing between us. I know it’s stupid, but coming on you was my way of marking you.”

“Mark me? That sounds all caveman-ish,” I tease.

He shrugs. “Call it what you want. I wanted to leave my fucking mark on that pussy of yours. It’s mine. I know it, and so do you.”

I laugh at his Neanderthal ways but don’t disagree with him. “I have to admit, I like knowing you’re the only man who’s ever done that to me.”

Xavier grazes his top teeth over his bottom lip in a slow, deliberately sexy manner. “How about you let me do it again, since we’re official.”

My heart does a double thump in my chest. “Official? Are you saying that I’m your girlfriend?”

“Yes. I don’t want anyone else. Only you.”

The biggest smile known to man spreads across my face, and I wrap my arms around his neck. “You don’t know what that means to me.”

He kisses me again. “Yes, I do, because it means the same thing to me. What’s happening between us—this shit is fucking permanent. You’re never getting rid of me now.”

“I’ll never want to.”

I giggle as he pulls me down on top of him, and I’m more than ready for our next round. I can’t get enough of this man.

Both of his hands settle on my hips as my entire body rests on top of him. Xavier’s playful smile disappears as things become very serious while his eyes search mine.

“You’re so fucking sexy, do you know that?” His tongue darts out and he licks my bottom lip, causing my toes to curl. “You’re my addiction.”

His words play through my mind, and I smile as he presses his lips to mine. I feel his fingers slide under my shirt, caressing my skin. My mouth drifts open as he unhooks my bra and then in one quick movement, he whips my shirt over my head, exposing my naked flesh.

He quickly sits up, leaving me straddling him, while he kisses and licks his way down to my taut nipples. Heat from his mouth on my skin causes a shiver of pleasure to pulsate down my spine.

He unbuttons my shorts and unzips them slowly. “I need you naked.”

I pop up on my knees, allowing him to help me remove the rest of my clothes. I then grabbed the hem of Xavier’s shirt and pulled it over his head. My eyes roam over his chiseled chest contoured to perfection. All the time he spends working on his body clearly shows.

As my eyes roam, the tip of his thick finger slides against my slick folds. “You’re so ready for me.”

Xavier kisses my lips as he flicks my clit. “You want me?”

I throw my head back and moan, focusing on how good his touch feels. “Xavier…”

“Tell me you want me, and I’ll give you what you need,” he whispers against my lips.

“Oh, God.” My eyes roll back as he increases the pressure. “I want you, Xavier. So much.”

“Good girl,” he encourages me as his finger moves faster and faster, bringing me to the edge.

My entire body shakes as I come hard against his hand. I grip his shoulders and dig my nails into his skin as I ride the wave of euphoria.

Every muscle in my body relaxes as I float down from the high, and he chuckles. “We’re just getting started, beautiful.”

He flips me onto my back before standing over me. Xavier unzips his pants before shoving them, along with his underwear, down his legs before kicking them the rest of the way off, like he can’t stand them between us anymore.

He leans over me and yanks my hips to the edge of the bed. Xavier spreads my thighs further apart as he pushes between them. He grabs the base of his shaft and rubs it against my most sensitive skin. A long moan escapes from my mouth. I’m so ready for him.

He growls as he slips the head of his cock inside me.

“Oh, God.” My pussy stretches around him, accepting all of him, as he plunges balls deep.

He closes his eyes. “So fucking amazing. I’ll never get enough of your pussy.”

Xavier grips my hips as he begins to pump into me with a steady rhythm. Sweat beads form all over his body as he drives into me desperate to find his release.

I can’t tear my eyes away from his face as he rocks into me again and again. A strand of his dark hair falls across his forehead as he glances down, watching his cock work in and out of me.

His eyes glaze over and I can tell he’s enjoying every minute of this just as much as I am.

“Fuck, Anna.” He bites his bottom lip as he closes his eyes. “Shit. It’s hard to hold back when I’m inside you. I need to stop.”

A familiar tingle starts to roll through me. I’m so close again. “Don’t stop.”

He bites his bottom lip as his entire body tenses. A string of curses pour from his mouth as he keeps pumping into me. He digs his fingers into me as he comes hard inside me.

The sight of him lost in his own pleasure pushes me over the edge right behind him and we get lost in ecstasy together.

19

Xavier

The show must go on, isn’t that how the old adage goes? It’s been two days since I’ve seen Rex, but that doesn’t mean jack. I’m still as heated as ever.

We caravanned with Brian and Liv down here to Orlando on Wednesday for Thursday’s live televised event, Thursday Tension. Anna and Liv seem to be hitting it off well, and I love watching her around Kami. It allows me to see her tenderness on full display.

I rub my face as thoughts of what having my own family with Anna might be like cross my mind. Shit. I have to stop thinking like this—I’m poison, and no kid deserves to have a father who will eventually taint them.

It runs in my blood to fuck up lives, which is what I’ll probably end up doing to Anna, but I’m too much of a selfish prick to walk away from her.

Anna sits on the bench across from me as I lift some free weights, gazing into my eyes. “You okay?”

“Fine. Just focusing on the match,” I bite out between rep counts, trying to shield her from what’s really on my mind. I don’t need her knowing that she’s got my head all twisted up with ideas of things I can never have.

Hell, before her, I never wanted a family, or a wife either.

I continue my reps when I notice Rex across the gym, staring at Anna intently. My first instinct is to run over there and poke his eyeballs out with my fingers so he can never look at her again, but I restrain myself, because Anna’s right. I have to learn to control my shit, or else Rex is going to get exactly what he wants—me out of the company.

Anna’s face twists as she glances down at her phone.

I don’t like seeing her sad. “What’s the frown for, beautiful?”

She shakes her head. “I checked my bank balance. It looks pretty scary.”

I pause for a brief second. I told Jimmy to wire some money to her account yesterday. It better be in there.

“What’s it say?”

“It says I have over thirty thousand dollars, that can’t be right. I’m going to have to call the bank.”

I set the dumbbells onto the rack. “That’s no mistake. I had the money wired to your account.”

Her shoulders drop and she frowns. “Xavier, I can’t accept that.”

I wipe my face with a towel. “Yes, you can.”

“Xavier…it doesn’t feel right to take money from you. Not now. Not after we…”

I set my eyes sternly on hers so she knows this isn’t up for discussion. “You’re mine. I take care of what’s mine. End of story.”

She opens her mouth in what I expect to be another protest, but when I raise my eyebrow she closes it and sighs. “There’s no fighting you on this, is there?”

“Nope,” I say, popping my lips on the “p” sound.

“Fine, but no more deposits. That’s enough money to last me a year.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “I’m not agreeing to that.”

Anna rolls her eyes, but I know I’ve won. She can’t fight me too hard when all I want to do is take care of her.

I turn around to stretch to get ready for my match, and I notice that fucker Rex is still staring at my girl. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to go without saying anything. It’s not like me to hold back, and it’s taking a lot of fucking willpower to do it right now.

The stage manager walks in and points at me. “X, you’re up.”

I nod. “Thanks.”

I grab a bottle of water off the rack, and I glance over at Rex. His eyes meet mine and the fucker has the nerve to smirk. He knows the minute I walk out of this room there won’t be anyone around to defend Anna.

I can’t leave her alone back here.

I grab her hand and pull her up. “Come on. You’re going with me.”

Her brow furrows. “Where?”

“To the ring,” I tell her. “I won’t be able to focus, because I’ll be too worried about what’s going on back here. I need you where I can see you. You can stand in my corner ringside during the match.”

I pull her with me down the hall toward the backstage curtain, not giving her a chance to argue.

“I can’t go out there like this,” she complains.

I glance down at the jean shorts and tank top that has my face plastered across it. Her brown hair falls over her shoulders in soft waves, and I find myself instantly confused as to why she thinks there’s anything wrong with her.

“Stop. You look fucking amazing,” I tell her honestly.

She bites her lip, and I groan. She has no clue how sexy she is when she does that. It makes me want to nip that pouty lip of hers. Little shit like that drives me fucking crazy.

My entrance music starts, and Anna tenses next to me.

I lean over and whisper in her ear, “Stick with me. You’re going to be fine.”

I kiss her cheek and then pull her through the black curtain with me.

Tonight’s sold-out crowd is insane. There are faces in every direction I turn. I love this. This is where I thrive. I feel the fucking love these people have for me, and it pumps me up to work hard to keep their approval. It’s a high that cannot be duplicated.

Smoke wafts around me and I pull Anna to the center. “Stay here so you’re clear of the pyro.”

She nods, and I kneel down in front of her as the fireworks explode around us and I leap to my feet and toss my arms out to my side, straining every muscle within me as I howl. The crowd joins in and while I wear my predatory face for the masses, inside, I’m smiling.

I grab Anna’s hand and pull her down to the ring. I’m going to catch hell from the company for this when the match is over, but it’ll be worth it to have her by my side.

“Making his way to the ring, from Detroit, Michigan, weighing two hundred and sixty-five pounds, he is…Phenomenal X!” the announcer says as we walk down the ramp to my already waiting opponent.

“Stay here.” I kiss Anna’s cheek and leave her in the corner, standing on the floor, before jumping up onto the ring and slipping through the ropes.

My opponent, Dexter, is young and hungry, but he’s no real match for me. He’s about three inches shorter than my six-foot-four stature and I’ve got at least thirty pounds on him. The writers instructed me to make this match seem like a challenge because they have big plans to move this young man up in the biz, and they need the crowd on his side.

I stare down the blond-haired man and turn my head from side to side. The crowd loves these intense showdowns, and it makes them cheer for me even harder. The sound of them chanting my name echoes around the arena and gets my adrenaline pumping.

We begin circling one another, and the kid impresses me by making the first move. We hook up with our arms in a test of strength. At first I allow him to push me a bit to sell it to the crowd, but then he gets cocky and tries to move me into an armbar.

Time to teach this motherfucker who’s boss in this ring. No one attempts to overpower me and get away with it. Company or not, I’m teaching this prick a quick lesson in pain.

I laugh and shove him back hard against the ropes. His eyes widen as I bring a big forearm across his chest and knock the wind out of him, only to pin him against the ropes and say just loud enough for him to hear, “Welcome to my house.”

I hit him one more time before he falls down with a hard thud. His chest rises and falls rapidly as he stares up at the lights burning down on us from overhead.

I reach down and grab a handful of his hair, forcing him to get up. “No time to rest, chump.”

When he stands, I kick him in the shin with my boot and then ram an elbow hard into his gut. He groans and grabs his midsection. The second he bends over, I seize my opportunity and hook an arm around his leg and hoist him up on my shoulders.

The crowd gets to their feet as I fall backwards, slamming Dexter’s back against the mat so hard the entire ring shakes. A collective sound of the crowd empathizing with his pain fills the arena and I know this match is about to end. The kid can’t take much more.

I roll over and pin his shoulders without any resistance and the referee falls to the ground and begins to count.

“One…two…three.”

The place erupts, and I’m unsure how it doesn’t physically blow the roof off the place with the energy radiating off the crowd. I raise my arms in victory as my music plays.

“Winner of this contest is…Phenomenal X!” the announcer calls out, and I smirk at the crowd as if it were even a contest at all.

I strut over to the corner and before I climb up the turnbuckles for my trademark moves after winning a battle, I reach through the ropes. I want to share this moment with her.

Anna stares at my hand with wide green eyes. “Come celebrate with me.”

She takes my hand, and I sit on the rope, widening it for her to get inside as the crowd begins to catcall. My woman is damn fine, and I’m ready for the world to know she’s mine.

Anna sets foot inside the ring with me, and I pull her into my arms, and kiss her square on the mouth for the world to see before I climb the ropes and howl again, suddenly thankful for this amazing life I’ve been given.

The crowd continues to go crazy as they celebrate with me.

After I finish my portion of the show, I help Anna back out of the ring, and we walk hand in hand up the ramp to get backstage.

The moment we pass through the curtain, I pull her into my arms, and she giggles. “That was amazing, Xavier. What a rush!”

I kiss her lips. “I loved having you out there with me.”

“Good,” a cold voice says, interrupting our intimate moment. “From now on she’s a part of the show.”

My gaze jerks over to my boss, who is standing there openly watching us, wearing his silver suit that matches his hair and name with a scowl on his face. I raise my eyebrows and instantly know I’m in deep shit. Mr. Silverman never speaks to the staff unless he’s promoting or firing one of us.

“Come again, sir?” I ask.

He shoves his hand into his jacket pocket. “You took your lady friend out to the ring, inadvertently making her a part of the show. Her contract is being written up as we speak. We can’t run the risk of having you take her out there again without one. I don’t like lawsuits, Mr. Cold.”

I hadn’t thought about that, but I like the idea of her being in my corner every time. “Will she need to sign today?”

“Take her to legal and then hit the showers. I want this taken care of before you leave tonight.”

“Yes, sir,” I reply as he turns to walk away.

Mr. Silverman pauses mid-stride and pivots on his heel. “One more thing. When the writers tell you to do something, you do it. I’m very disappointed that you didn’t give the fans a longer match.”

Fuck.

“It won’t happen again, sir.”

He nods. “See that it doesn’t. I want you following the script to a ‘T’, if you expect to keep your job here.”

“I will. You can count on that.”

That answer seems to appease him, because he smiles before he leaves us. Mr. Silverman never smiles, so it takes me back a bit. That man is always so fucking serious.

I squeeze Anna in my arms. “This is great news. Now you can be in my corner every match and get paid for it.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Really? That’s a dream job.”

I sigh. “It is, until they want you to do something physical. That’s where I’m going to draw the line, beautiful. I won’t have you getting hurt on my watch. If they ask you to do that, I want you to quit.”

She nods. “Okay, but I’ll still be able to come with you backstage, right?”

“Of course, but you won’t be able to go ringside any longer.”

“Seems fair.”