Lizzie sucked in her breath while Elena started to undo the series of eyelets that ran down the back of the gown.
“You’ve gotten so fit from working out with Paul. Maybe I should join you sometime.” Elena ran her hand over the line of Lizzie’s now tight left bicep. “Impressive. You’re almost ripped enough to go up to Raleigh with Dinera and kick Odessa’s ass all by yourself.”
Lizzie flexed her arm to play it up. “I’m a Bryson, so shooting is in my genes.” She had to laugh. “You should have seen the look on Daddy’s face when Penny Banner suggested he train me to wrestle. I thought he was going to drop a dumbbell on his own foot.”
“Would have served him right.”
Going to the gym with her daddy had been so intimidating until she met Johnny Weaver’s beautiful wife. Penny was one of the best lady wrestlers in the business and a total blond bombshell of a woman. Seeing how good she looked pushed Lizzie to work out harder and eased her fear of getting big and bulky from weight training.
“I’m going to get you some blue drawers to wear under that dress,” Elena said when Lizzie stepped out of the mound of lace to stand completely naked in front of the mirror.
“You’ll need them before I will.” Lizzie tugged at the drawstring on the front of Elena’s dress. “Wanna take a bubble bath with me?”
“And interrupt your important spellwork? You little strumpet.”
Chapter 38
"I swear you remind me more of Paul Bryson every time I see you work.”
“Thank you.” What else was Billy supposed to say to a supposed compliment from the head honcho himself?
“If I didn’t know better, I would think you were his son,” Mr. George said after putting a bunch of the young guys through the ringer with a grueling amateur workout. “I heard he had a boy with a rat he was messing with on the road. Valentine said the kid looks just like Paul. Wonder if he’ll be a worker?”
“Nope, Paul Junior is already planning on being a doctor.”
“Then you outta talk to him about doing the father-son gimmick. With Bryson’s rub, Crockett could make some big money pushing you in the Carolinas.”
Billy didn’t see that happening anytime soon since his ‘Daddy’ had made it clear he would never be welcome back in Charlotte.
“I’m going to have Heenan put you over tonight. You’ll be up right after intermission. I think it’s time we started giving you a push.”
“Thank you, sir.” That time Billy meant it.
“You’ve earned your spot. Take your time getting William to the building tonight. I like to make sure he’s taken care of when he comes in to do a shot for me.”
“Will do,” Billy said, heading on towards the back to change for the drive out from the St. Paul auditorium to the airport.
Vlad came over while Billy was zipping up his pants. “I thought I’d better warn you. Amy’s out back asking for you and she looks really rough.”
It had been about a month since Billy had seen her. She had stopped making her weekend hours at the club, so he assumed she must have been doing good with her new job and staying with her in-laws out in the suburbs.
One look at her and he knew that wasn’t the case. She look like hell, as skinny as a rail and when she pulled a strand of stringy hair out of her face, he saw the deep purple circles under her eyes and the trail of bruises down the length of her arm.
“Billy, can you please take me over to Kat’s?” She asked with a raspy voice.
“I’ve got to pick up William Fletcher at the airport.” He kept on walking, trying not to have to meet her sad lost eyes.
“Please, you’ve got to help me.” She stepped in front of him, blocking the door of his car. “I have to go work tonight. I don’t even have a dollar to my name and I’ve not eaten in two days.”
As bad as she looked, he didn’t see how anyone was going to pay her for a dance but he didn’t want her hanging around the matches.“All right, go on and get in.”
He could run her by Kat’s and then get on to the airport.
What he hadn’t counted on was them getting caught up in rush hour traffic. They sat in silence for a good twenty minutes, close enough to see Jenny’s apartment building from the side of the highway. He considered pulling over to try to make things right with her until he realized there was no way of fixing something that was wrong from the get go.
Just last night she had dumped him cold after catching him out back with another girl. He couldn’t say he blamed her. With his track record all he deserved was the likes of Amy. All the women in the whole couldn’t ever make him forget about Lizzie and what they could never have.
It was a quarter to six by the time they made it to the airport exit. There was no chance of getting all the way downtown to Kat’s back in time to meet William before his flight was supposed to get in. Billy thought about giving her some cash to take a cab, but she looked so damn lost and frail clutching a paper bag in her lap like it was all she had left in the whole world.
Billy hadn’t even had time to look for a parking place when he got a shot of those long legs peeking out from under the slit of a black shirt. His eyes went up that perfect body, taking in the brilliant sheen of her red hair. Odessa - William had Odessa with him. He stood at her side looking every bit the world champion in his tailored suit. His eyes fixed on his Rolex like he was already pissed off at Billy for being late.
“Go on and get in the backseat and please keep quiet,” Billy said, before getting out of the car.
Thankfully, Amy did as he asked without putting up any fuss. William got into the car with nothing more than a terse hello. Odessa gave Billy a grin that went straight to his dick and when she slid into the backseat, her skirt slit so high he got what had to be an intentional flash of black lace panties. Billy had to adjust his pants before he could slam down the trunk and get back in the car.
Back in the car, Billy tried as hard as he could to keep his eyes on the road and his mind off Odessa. From the way William was acting, he obviously knew what had happened between them. Maybe bringing her along was his way of getting back at Billy. Some kind of sick torture to show him what he wouldn’t be getting as long as William was around.
They were barely back on the highway when William said, “Please take Odessa to the hotel. She won’t be attending the show.”
“It’s blasphemous for you to work on the most sacred day of the year,” she shrilled from the backseat.
“I’m already going to hell for adultery, so what’s one more sin to add to the list?”
“Leave her,” Odessa snarled.
“Your wish isn’t always my command, Princess.” William attempted to dismiss her by pulling a newspaper from his briefcase.
“I want to go to the matches.”
“You’re going to the hotel.” William stated in a tone that didn’t sound open for argument. “Dinera knows the Georges. I refuse to flaunt you in front of them.”
“I didn’t come here to sit alone in a hotel room.”
“Perhaps I should have Billy take you back to the airport.” William turned to face her with an angry glare. “You knew the deal before we got here. First I go work and then we shall play.”
“What’s the big deal about Halloween anyway?” Amy spoke for the first time.
“Samhain. Obviously we interrupted your trick or treating plans." Odessa turned to Amy. "What are you supposed to be? A ghoul or a strung out junkie?”
Billy froze at the touch of Odessa’s hand on his shoulder.
“Really, Billy, you could do so much better than this.”
William rolled up the newspaper like he wanted to smack her with it. “Watch your mouth, Odessa.”
“I’d like my mouth on Billy’s enormous penis.”
“If that’s what you want, then so be it.” William went back to his newspaper like Odessa's nervy comment hadn’t fazed him. “Go be with him tonight. I could use the rest.”
“Wait just a cotton picking minute.” Billy had about enough of t
heir bickering. “I don’t know what kind of problem y’all are having, but don’t go dragging me into it.”
“Please forgive Odessa’s impertinence. I should not have allowed her to accompany me on this trip.”
“I do apologize.” Odessa said without a trace of sincerity.
All Billy knew was he was beyond relieved to pull up to the entrance of the Saint Paul Hotel. Before he could get out to open the door for Odessa, a bellman beat him to it. She took the man’s hand and went on into the hotel without waiting for William.
“How about I get you and your lady friend a room for the night as my way of thanking you for putting up with us?”
“That would be lovely,” Amy said before Billy could respond.
“If you’ll excuse me for just a moment.” Ever the gentleman, William led Amy into the hotel.
Before Billy could figure out how to approach William about what had happened with Odessa, he returned to hand over a shiny golden key. “You’re in room 1605.”
“Thanks.” He took the key, not knowing what else to do. “William, I need to tell you something.”
“Regarding Odessa and what happened when you got back from Japan?”
“Yes… I… I shouldn’t have done what I did.”
“It’s all water under the bridge.” William blew it all off as if the week Billy had spent with his woman meant nothing at all. “I want to take you and Vladimir to dinner tonight. I have some business to discuss with the two of you.”
That hotel was right around the corner from the auditorium, so in no time they were pulling up to the building. Right after Billy closed the truck, William surprised him by roughly grabbing his arm.
“Just so we’re clear on this,” William said with an icy stare. “You even think about touching Odessa again and I’ll make you regret you were ever born.”
Billy nodded in silent agreement. “If I’d have been thinking right that night, it never would have happened.”
“It was a moment of weakness that won’t ever happen again.” He slapped Billy’s back in a gesture of friendship. “I’m all too aware of Dess’s considerable charms and I can only imagine how grief stricken you must have been over losing Lizzie.”
Chapter 39
“Go ahead and order anything you want. It’s my treat,” William said with an easygoing smile.
“That sure is nice of you, Mr. Fletcher.”
Vlad had to be the only person in The Lobby who looked more out of place than Billy. The place was so ritzy that they should have refused him and Vlad service for not being properly dressed. The only thing was, no one seemed to ever deny William anything he ever wanted. The snooty little hostess had led them to a prime table without batting an eyelash over their lack of coat and tie.
By the time their steaks arrived, Billy had stopped worrying about Odessa making an appearance and William had gone back to being the man he had admired for about as long as he could remember.
“The reason I asked you to join me is that after the first of the year I’m going to be taking over the book back home in New Orleans.”
“You dropping the strap?” Vlad asked.
“Keep it on the down low.” William nodded. “I’m putting over Paul in Charlotte on Thanksgiving night.”
With the mention of that name, Billy’s mood started to sour but he tried not to let it show. “That outta be quite a house.”
William agreed, “Crockett’s milking the whole ‘Paul’s going to retire if he doesn’t beat me’ storyline for all it’s worth.”
“The roof will damn near blow off that joint when Paul finally gets the title in his hometown,” Vlad said.
“Should be a nice payoff.” William chewed his way through a huge slab of steak before continuing. “Like I said, I’m going to be running the mid-south territory and I’d like both you boys on my crew.”
“For real?” Vlad lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Yes, I think it’s time for Billy to have his first heel run. Seeing as you two are a lot bigger than most of the boys they got now, I was thinking I’d push you both hard.” He turned to Vlad. “I want you to shave your head and really play up the whole Commie Russian gimmick.”
“You got it.” Vlad agreed without even waiting to discuss the pay.
“Billy, I want you to keep growing your hair out and go with a little stubble. We need to rough you up a bit.”
Odessa must have been right about the heel look.
“You’re going to be Vlad’s mouthpiece and a hippie Communist sympathizer, seeing as how I can’t get him over as a real Russian with that North Carolina drawl. I want to push you to the moon as the territory’s monster heel to set up my coming out of retirement to knock some sense back into you.”
Billy wasn’t too sure about being no Commie, but he trusted William so he decided to play along.
“Once we get the territory hopping, you’ll both be making at least triple what you’re getting here. So give Vic a good notice, and maybe take some time off in December so you’ll be fresh for a new start. I’m not going to lie, you’ll have some long drives on horrible roads, but the money will be worth the effort.”
“As long as there ain’t no snow, I’m good,” Vlad said. “I’ve seen enough Minnesota winters to last me a lifetime.”
“You’ll be more likely to see a gator than a snow flake.”
“Then sign me up.” Vlad grinned. “I can’t wait to tell Franny I can afford to pack us up and get the hell out of here.”
“Why don’t you go tell on and tell her?” William said. “I’d like to speak to Billy about a few more things in private.”
They said their good byes to Vlad and William ordered a round of Jack and Coke. He sat there sipping on his drink like he had all night.
“I’d like to have you stay in our guesthouse, rent free of course, and help me keep an eye on Charlie.”
That was all it was? “Sure thing.”
“We’ve been having some problems with him. He got kicked out of prep school and Dinera refuses to let me send him to a military school,” William said, shaking his head in frustration. “She’s supposedly home schooling him until he gets his GED, but I don’t know how he’ll get into a decent college like that.”
“I got my GED over the summer.”
“Good for you. Maybe you could take some classes with Charlie next fall. I’m afraid he’s going to want to start working as soon as he turns eighteen, and that’s not what I want for him. He needs to have something to fall back on before he gets into the ring fulltime.”
“Maybe he could do both.”
“You know how it is Billy. The ring gets in your blood and there’s no getting away from it.”
“You did alright for yourself.”
“Yes, but I have a degree in finance. I still have money set aside from my first year in the business and have made good investments to where if, God forbid, I never stepped in the ring again I’m set for the rest of my life.”
“Must be nice,” Billy said knowing that was what he wanted almost as much as he still wanted Lizzie.
“Stick with me kid and I’ll get you there. If you want I’ll automatically take a portion of your pay and put it into something to build your future.”
“And what’s the catch?” Billy wondered aloud.
“I want you to be my eyes and ears when I’m not around.”
“You mean your dressing room snitch?” Billy wasn’t sure he would be comfortable in that role even if it was for William.
“Think of it more as my enforcer to keep the rest of the crew in line.” William took a confident sip of his drink. “The marquee says pro wrestling and I expect my boys to be just that - pros. I don’t care what goes on off the clock, but when we’re at an arena there won’t be any booze, pills, egos, attitudes or especially women getting in the way of putting on the best show possible.”
“That means no sneaking out back for blow jobs?”
“I don’t want you picking up any more of P
aul’s bad habits, or venereal diseases for that matter.” William chuckled. “I have nothing against arena rats. They’re good for business. Just show them a little respect and save it for after the show. At least have the class to take them back to the hotel.”
“I can assure you, I ain’t trying to be anything like Paul.”
“Don’t get me wrong, he’s a hell of a worker, just not the type of man I look up to outside the ring.”
William was preaching to the choir on that one.
“If you don’t mind my asking,” William continued. “What caused the break up between you and Lizzie?”
“You mean you really don’t know?” From the way William looked at him, Billy could tell he didn’t. “He’s my father. Lizzie is my half-sister.”
William was so shocked he about choked on his drink. He coughed and sputtered and wiped his mouth before saying, “Paul told you he was your father?”
Billy nodded.
“There is no way in hell that he ever scored with BJ. Not for lack of trying, I’m sure but-“
“Lizzie’s not my sister?”
“No, she’s not. I can say with 100% certainty that Paul Bryson is not your father.”
Billy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. All of a sudden it was okay to love Lizzie again. He should have been the happiest man in the whole world. Instead, all he could think about was what he’d done to her, taking off and leaving like such a dadgum fool. He didn’t know how he was ever going to get her to forgive him.
William ordered them another round of drinks and sat in silence while Billy let it all sink in. When the waitress returned and placed the fresh glasses on the table, he finally spoke.
“I can’t believe Paul lied to you like that.” He handed Billy a shot glass of pure Jack, no ice, no coke, just good strong liquor. “Well, then again, it is Paul so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at what he would try to keep one of the boys away from his only daughter.” He downed his own shot. “Isn’t it weird how we love this business with every fiber of our being, yet we try to protect our kids from it with everything we’ve got?”
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