Wrestling Desire 2 (A Contemporary Romance) Read Free Page A

He’s a great wrestler and it’s time for him to step out of my shadow and become his own man.”
    “Okay, but what about me? Who’s going to be here to protect me when things get out of hand back stage and I accidentally get swept into the mix?”
    His smile widened, but it still didn’t reach his eyes.  Then he lifted his hand to her face and with his thumb wiped the dampness from her cheek.  “Oh bug.  You have someone else to protect you now.  You don’t need me anymore either.”
    At the sound of her nickname her heart broke.  “Don’t say that.  You’re my big brother. My protector.  I’ll al ways need you.”
    “No you don’t.  You have Holt now.”
    “But that doesn’t mean I don’t still need you.”
    “That may be, but it doesn’t change the fact that Holt is more than capable of protecting you if anything gets out of hand.  I may not like him or what he stands for, but I know he loves you very much and I trust him to keep you safe.”
    “But?”
    He shook his head. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Emma.  I’ve made my decision.  My contract is up in a few months and I’m not going to renew.”
    Emma let out a sigh and sat back on her heels.  “I can’t do anything to change your mind?”
    Derek shook his head. “I’m sorry bug.  You should be happy though.”
    “Why?”
    “Without me around all the fighting with your pretty boy will finally stop.”
    * * *
    Over the next few weeks Emma struggled to adjust to Derek’s absence and the knowledge that he wouldn’t be coming back.  She and Bryan kept up their traditional breakfast and lunches, but there conversations were forced as they struggled to connect.  She loved Bryan, but being the middle child he’d faced his own struggles with finding his position in life.  Most of the time, the position ended up opposite of Emma’s, pitting them as adversaries instead of allies.  The only subject where they’d consistently been on the same side was Derek and with him gone there seemed to be nothing but biology keeping them linked.
    While she struggled with Derek’s absence, it seemed that her big brother’s predictions were coming true when it came to Bryan.  With Derek now out of the picture he’d begun to bloom as a wrestling star, so much so that he’d aligned himself into a match for the number one contender position for Holt’s title.
    Now Emma’s heart was in her throat as she stood in front of the monitor watching the match that held the potential to pit yet another of her brother’s against her boyfriend. Worse yet, for reason’s she didn’t understand Holt had taken up a position at the commentator desk while Bryan and his competition Alex Atlantis battled in the ring a few feet away. 
    From what she understood from the earlier meeting, Bryan would win the match, setting himself up for a title shot against Holt at ‘Winter Heat’.   She wasn’t looking forward to yet another family showdown, but of course getting to the end of the match was the current goal.  While Bryan was scheduled to win it didn’t mean he and Alex wouldn’t rip each other apart in the process. 
    “Breathe, Emma,” her assistant Jill said as she handed her a cup of water.
    Emma took a deep breath and accepted the drink.  “Sorry.”
    Jill laughed.  “No problem.  I just didn’t want you passing out on me.”
    Emma raked a hand through her hair.  “Even knowing the outcome doesn’t make watching this match any easier.”
    “Understandable considering how much you have invested.”
    Now it was Emma’s turn to laugh.  “No kidding.  With the way they’re going at each other, Bryan will be a bloody exhausted mess when this is over.  Then I’ll have to worry about him fighting Holt in a few weeks.”
    “I’m just glad it’s not me stuck in the middle of them two.”
    Emma started to respond to Jill’s statement when movement from outside the ring had her blinking at the screen in disbelief.