“What in the hell is going on?”
Outside of the ring Alex Atlantis seemed to be purposely distracting the referee, but it was movement on the opposite side of the ring that caused Emma pause.
Jill’s eyes went wide as she stared at the screen. “What is Holt doing?”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t-” Her sentence ended with a gasp as Holt hopped onto the ring apron, and hit Bryan in the back of the head. Bryan turned to face him only Holt grabbed Bryan by the hair and jumped backward from the ring. His action pulled Bryan forward and his throat bounced off the top rope. He fell backward into the ring and grabbed his throat gasping for air.
Alex slid into the ring and after a well-placed knee to the shoul der Alex covered Bryan for the p in. Disbelief coursed through Emma as the bell rang and Alex claimed the win. “What?” She glanced from the screen to Jill and back. “What the hell? It wasn’t supposed to end like that. Bryan was supposed to get the win.”
“I know.” Jill agreed. “I do believe that I smell a rat.”
Emma did too and unfortunately for her his name was Holt Hendricks.
Within minutes Holt burst through the curtain with the championship belt in his hand. His gaze locked with hers and her heart sank with the look he gave her. From behind her Gene’s voice carried and she turned around to look at her boss. His attention was focused on Holt. “Get your stuff gathered up and head on back to the hotel. I’ll take care of the fall out.”
Emma placed a hand on Holt’s arm stopping his forward motion. “How could you?”
“Em.” There was pain and regret in his stare, but before he could say another word Gene was there.
“Go Holt. I’ll handle things here.”
Holt nodded and looked back to Emma. “We’ll talk later.”
She watched him rush off. Yes, they would talk and it just might be the last conversation they ever had.
Ten minutes later Emma stood in the locker room doorway and watched as an enraged Bryan methodically ripped the room apart. “They fucking screwed me.” He picked up a chair and threw it across the room. “Your boyfriend and that cocksucker France screwed me.”
“Bryan.” Emma stepped into the room.
“No.” He spun on her. “Don’t you dare stand there and defend him to me.”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I was going to do. I don’t know the circumstances that led to this situation, so I can’t defend him.”
He appeared for a moment to consider her words, then drew in a deep breath and dropped to the bench. “What were you going to say?”
Emma took as seat next to him. “You know how this business works and you know what kind of person Gene is capable of being. He’s finally gaining in the ratings against the competition and he’ll do whatever is necessary to keep us there, even if that comes at the cost of his employees. Think about it, Bry. Can you honestly sit there and say you weren’t expecting something to happen?”
Bryan hung his head and turned it to the side to look at her. “No. I wasn’t and you’re right. I should have been.” He let out a sigh. “When did you get so smart?”
She gave him a small smile. “I have a couple of brothers who have been great teachers.”
“Awe hell, Em.” He raked his hands through his hair. “This was my opportunity to get out from under Derek’s shadow and prove I’m a damn good wrestler too. Now it’s gone because Holt couldn’t take the idea of facing a real competitor.”
“You are a damn good wrestler, Bry. You were cheated and the fans will understand that fact.” She shook her head. “Holt’s never been afraid to face anyone, so I don’t know what made him do what he did, but I plan to get to the bottom of it.”
“It won’t do any good. The damage is already done.”
She crouched in front of him and placed her hand over his. “I don’t believe that and I know the
Outside of the ring Alex Atlantis seemed to be purposely distracting the referee, but it was movement on the opposite side of the ring that caused Emma pause.
Jill’s eyes went wide as she stared at the screen. “What is Holt doing?”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t-” Her sentence ended with a gasp as Holt hopped onto the ring apron, and hit Bryan in the back of the head. Bryan turned to face him only Holt grabbed Bryan by the hair and jumped backward from the ring. His action pulled Bryan forward and his throat bounced off the top rope. He fell backward into the ring and grabbed his throat gasping for air.
Alex slid into the ring and after a well-placed knee to the shoul der Alex covered Bryan for the p in. Disbelief coursed through Emma as the bell rang and Alex claimed the win. “What?” She glanced from the screen to Jill and back. “What the hell? It wasn’t supposed to end like that. Bryan was supposed to get the win.”
“I know.” Jill agreed. “I do believe that I smell a rat.”
Emma did too and unfortunately for her his name was Holt Hendricks.
Within minutes Holt burst through the curtain with the championship belt in his hand. His gaze locked with hers and her heart sank with the look he gave her. From behind her Gene’s voice carried and she turned around to look at her boss. His attention was focused on Holt. “Get your stuff gathered up and head on back to the hotel. I’ll take care of the fall out.”
Emma placed a hand on Holt’s arm stopping his forward motion. “How could you?”
“Em.” There was pain and regret in his stare, but before he could say another word Gene was there.
“Go Holt. I’ll handle things here.”
Holt nodded and looked back to Emma. “We’ll talk later.”
She watched him rush off. Yes, they would talk and it just might be the last conversation they ever had.
Ten minutes later Emma stood in the locker room doorway and watched as an enraged Bryan methodically ripped the room apart. “They fucking screwed me.” He picked up a chair and threw it across the room. “Your boyfriend and that cocksucker France screwed me.”
“Bryan.” Emma stepped into the room.
“No.” He spun on her. “Don’t you dare stand there and defend him to me.”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I was going to do. I don’t know the circumstances that led to this situation, so I can’t defend him.”
He appeared for a moment to consider her words, then drew in a deep breath and dropped to the bench. “What were you going to say?”
Emma took as seat next to him. “You know how this business works and you know what kind of person Gene is capable of being. He’s finally gaining in the ratings against the competition and he’ll do whatever is necessary to keep us there, even if that comes at the cost of his employees. Think about it, Bry. Can you honestly sit there and say you weren’t expecting something to happen?”
Bryan hung his head and turned it to the side to look at her. “No. I wasn’t and you’re right. I should have been.” He let out a sigh. “When did you get so smart?”
She gave him a small smile. “I have a couple of brothers who have been great teachers.”
“Awe hell, Em.” He raked his hands through his hair. “This was my opportunity to get out from under Derek’s shadow and prove I’m a damn good wrestler too. Now it’s gone because Holt couldn’t take the idea of facing a real competitor.”
“You are a damn good wrestler, Bry. You were cheated and the fans will understand that fact.” She shook her head. “Holt’s never been afraid to face anyone, so I don’t know what made him do what he did, but I plan to get to the bottom of it.”
“It won’t do any good. The damage is already done.”
She crouched in front of him and placed her hand over his. “I don’t believe that and I know the
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