He slid a knee between her thighs and was rewarded with a moan as she rocked her hips against his. With one hand still holding her wrists above her head, he trailed the other down and slid his fingers between the apex of her thighs and his leg. Her body went stiff, and her eyes widened, and for the first time, she began to fight back. “Stop. Logan, please stop.”
Normally the word stop wouldn’t hold any weight with him. That was what safe words were for. Since he doubted she had a clue about that lifestyle, he’d accept her request to stop…this time.
He pulled back, released her hands, and stared down at her. “Tell me why.” After allowing him to get this far, at the very least he deserved to know her reasons for prolonging both their suffering.
Immediately she dropped her gaze and tried to turn away.
“Oh no, sweetheart.” He curled a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “No hiding. Now tell me why.”
“As much as I loved what you were doing, I-I need to know that this is more than just some insane attraction between us.”
The pain and regret in her eyes clawed at his heart. Who had hurt her so badly that she’d chosen to close herself off and bury her passion? “You’ve been hurt before, and you’re wary.”
She gave him a small nod, and her eyes turned glassy. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for leading you on like this, then asking you to stop.”
“No need to be sorry.” He leaned down and brushed a soft kiss over first one eye, then the other. As much as he wanted to take it deeper, to taste those luscious lips of hers yet again, it wasn’t what she needed now. A good Dom always put his sub’s needs ahead of his own, a rule he’d damn near forgotten. With regret, he pulled back. “I understand, but I promise that this is more than just some insane attraction, as you call it. I also know you need more than words for reassurance, so we’ll take this nice and slow.”
She cupped his cheek in her palm. “I need more than just slow, Logan. I need some space so I can get things straight in my head. I need you to back off for a while.”
Frustration bubbled just beneath the surface. He hated that someone broke her heart. Even more, he hated being compared to the bastard who’d inflicted her pain. While her admission stung, he refused to let her see his anger. She already carried enough guilt. Pushing her when she wasn’t ready or worse yet, getting angry, would only make the situation worse. He took her hand in his, kissed her palm, and stepped back. “Okay. I’ll give you some space, but I’m not going away, sweetheart. If proof of my intention is what you need, then that’s exactly what you’ll get.” He buried the frown threatening and forced a small smile. “Now, let’s get some ice for your cheek before it swells any more.”
Chapter Six
Nearly a month after her fight with Jackie, Lexi enjoyed the feeling of finally being back inside the ring. Even if it was only a sparring exercise with Brooklyn, she’d take whatever she’d get. “So how are things going with you and Logan?” Brooklyn bounced off the rope, grabbed Lexi by the arm, and flipped her.
Lexi hit the mat with a thud, and waited a moment for the sting to pass before countering the move. “Slow. I asked him to back off a little, ‘cause it felt like we were getting too serious too quickly.”
“Did he?” Brooklyn offered her a hand up.
“Sort of.” Lexi accepted Brooklyn’s hand and pulled up to her feet. “He’s determined to prove to me that this weird attraction we have is more than the sum of its parts, so while he hasn’t tried to kiss me again, he’s still hanging around.” She released Brooklyn, then took a step back and reset.
“And you don’t believe him?” Brooklyn moved in and maneuvered Lexi into a headlock.
Lexi countered and shoved Brooklyn toward the ropes. “I don’t know. He’s trying really hard, but…” She pulled up, leaned forward, and rested her hands on her thighs.
“You’re afraid,” Brooklyn offered.
Lexi nodded. “I know it’s stupid and completely unfair to him, but once bitten, twice shy, you know?”
Brooklyn leaned back against the rope. “I know, but I’d hate for you to let a good one slip through your hands because of something that happened years ago.”
Lexi smirked. “Well, if you take the opinions of those in the locker room, they’ll tell you that maybe Logan isn’t such a catch.”
Brooklyn frowned. “Why?”
“According to Logan, management instructed them to keep their distance from the rest of the roster in order to ‘help boost this Tribunal storyline.’” She air quoted the words. “You know, make everyone just a little more nervous than normal because the guys aren’t hanging out like everyone else.”
“That sounds like some stupid idea cooked up by the creative team.”
Lexi nodded. “Yeah, well, so far Garrett and several others have voiced concern about me getting mixed up with Logan.”
Brooklyn frowned. “Why do they think you’re seeing Logan?”
“I think Garrett may have seen Logan and me kissing. He never came right out and said it, but he made a point to tell me that Logan was no good. It wasn’t too long after that the others started in on me about the Tribunal.” Lexi leaned back against the ring ropes. “I want so badly to tell them that the badass Tribunal shit is all just an act, but so far, you’re the only one who knows.” She pointed a finger at her friend. “So you can’t tell anyone. Otherwise Mark will have my head on a platter.”
“So you’re stuck in the middle?” Brooklyn shook her head and grinned. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not funny for you, but the absurdity of this entire situation is amusing. I mean, really…you’re not even dating the man, yet the guys are bugging out, thinking you are. Then there’s Logan, who would probably love nothing more than to make that dating rumor come true. What a mess.”
“Tell me about it. I’m just waiting for somebody to call my father and tell him that I’ve completely lost my mind.”
“Have you talked to your dad about Logan yet?”
Lexi shook her head. “Not yet. I didn’t figure there was any point in telling him about Logan until I was sure something truly existed between us.”
“Considering what you’re telling me, it might be in your best interest to tell him before somebody else does.”
“Yeah.” Lexi considered her friend’s warning. “You’re probably right, but with the way my last relationship ended, I don’t want to tell him until I’m sure of my feelings. He tends to get overprotective at times. I just don’t want to concern him with this until I know there’s something more between Logan and me than just this ridiculous attraction.”
“Don’t you think your dad would be more concerned if he hears about Logan from somebody who doesn’t have all the information?” Brooklyn reached over the rope and grabbed the towel hanging on the ring post. “Your dad is badass, Lexi. I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.”
“Lexi?” A male voice came from behind her. Lexi spun on her heel to find her closest friend in the world, Kyle Stinson, standing just a few feet away. “Kyle!” She slid beneath the ropes, bounded toward him, and threw herself into his arms.
Laughing, he twirled her in a circle and planted a kiss on her forehead before setting her on her feet. “You look good, sprite.”
“Thanks. You too. Now what are you doing here?” she asked. “You weren’t due back until the Ultimate Battle pay-per-view.”
“I’m not back to wrestle, yet. I’m still waiting for doctor’s clearance. After I got calls from Garrett, Derek, and Dominick about you, I thought it might be best to check things out for myself.”
“Calls? They called you about me?” Lexi glanced up at Brooklyn, who remained inside the ring. “See what I mean? I wonder who’s managed to call my father.” She turned back to Kyle. “So you’re here because you’re worried about me too?”
Kyle rocked back on his heels. “Pretty much.”
“We need to talk.” She gave Brooklyn a wave. “Kyle and I are going to go
have a little conversation. I’ll catch you later.”
Brooklyn laughed. “Good luck.”
* * * *
Lexi sat across from Kyle at a corner table in catering and toyed with the lip of her coffee cup. “I wish people would learn to mind their own business.”
“They’re just worried about you. I don’t know anything about this Logan character except from what I see on the TV, and from that perspective, he looks like a psychotic monster. The guys tell me he and his buddies act the same way on and off camera. Which is why they’re worried about you.”
“Logan is not a psychotic monster. If anything, he is a sweet and caring person with a quiet nature.” She leaned forward across the table. “And did it ever occur to you or anyone else that maybe it’s some sort of act?”
Kyle mocked her action. “Did it ever occur to you that after what happened with Aaron, your friends are only trying to look out for you?”
Why did he feel the need to hold her past over her head? Didn’t he or any of the others think that maybe she’d learned from her past mistakes? She pulled back and sank into the chair. “I know what I’m doing, Kyle.”
“Do you, really, Lexi? If I remember correctly, you said those same words to me when I warned you about dating Aaron.”
“I was a lot younger and infatuated with him,” she argued. “I fell hard and fast, and I thought he felt the same way about me.”
“And in the end, he ripped your heart out and damn near cost you your life,” Kyle added.
“Thank you for that wonderful reminder.” She folded her arms across her chest. “By the way, you were the only one who warned me about Aaron. Everyone else thought we made a great couple.”
“Which is exactly why they’re so concerned this time. They never imagined Aaron could be such an asshole.”
The last thing she wanted was to talk about her ex or what happened. “Look, this situation couldn’t be more different. Logan likes me, he respects me, and wants to build something with me. Plus we’re taking things nice and slow. He understands I’ve been hurt, and he’s proving himself to me.”
“Well, he needs to prove himself to your friends, because he’s revealed very little to them, and they’re all worried that you’re headed for heartbreak.”
Why wasn’t he listening to her? “I appreciate everyone’s concern, but I’ve done a lot of growing up over the past few years. I’m a big girl, Kyle, and I know what I’m doing. As my best friend, I need you, above everyone else, to have some faith in me and back off.”
Chapter Seven
Lexi pushed her hairdresser’s hand away. “Enough already. I’m gonna be late.”
Beth frowned. “You know, I’ll be glad when you’re back wrestling full-time. Then I can prep you properly instead of on the fly.”
“You and me both.” Lexi sighed. She hopped out of the chair, checked her reflection in the mirror, and arched a surprised brow at the cascading spirals of curls Beth created in less than thirty minutes. “Nice work, Beth. I barely recognize myself.”
“Thank you. Now don’t mess it up.” She shook her comb at Lexi.
Lexi laughed. “You won’t be able to say that when I start wrestling again.”
“I won’t put that much work into your hair when you start wrestling again,” Beth replied.
Still wearing a smile, Lexi pushed on the door, glanced at her watch, then broke into a run. Two minutes until High Heat made their appearance for the night. With any luck, this would be her last time appearing with the tag team. Once the storyline wrapped up, she could go back to being a Vixen, and her so-called apprentices would fade into their true positions of tag-team midcarders.
She slid around the corner just as High Heat’s music started.
“I was wondering if you were going to make it,” Emma commented as Lexi rushed past to take her place in front of her tag team.
“This rushing around is for the birds,” Lexi grumbled.
Emma laughed and gave her cue. “You’re cleared to head out.”
Lexi stepped from behind the wall onto the stage, and the crowd cheered. The crowd’s approval warmed her deep in her core. In some ways it was like an addiction she needed to feed once in a while. She smiled and gave the crowd a quick wave as she led her team toward the ring. Once the guys were in the ring, Lexi crossed around and filled the empty seat at the announcers’ table.
“Well, look who has graced us with her presence,” Josh Dietrick observed.
“Welcome, Lexi,” announcer Matt Singley said. “It’s good to see you again.”
Lexi slid the headset on and adjusted the microphone. “Hello, Matt. It’s good to see you and Josh again.”
“Your pupils are looking good out there,” Josh offered as the match began.
“Thank you, Josh. They’ve been trained by some of the best and guided through these early days in their career by me. I really think they’ve finally come into their own. Don’t you?”
“Yes,” Matt answered. “You’ve done a great job with them.”
“Thank you, Matt.” Lexi watched from the announce table as the tag team she “managed” worked flawlessly against team Another Realm.
“Lexi,” Josh began, “how’s the knee healing?”
For a split second, confusion reigned before she remembered that creative had written her out with a knee injury so she could take over the backstage coordinator’s position. Early into the storyline of her managing Eddie and Mason, she’d even appeared on crutches with her knee wrapped to solidify the story. “It’s healing nicely,” she finally replied.
“I’m sure you’re itching to get back into the ring,” Matt added.
Lexi nodded. “You have no idea. I’m just waiting on clearance from the staff doctor, and I’ll be good to go.” She glanced up to see Mason take a suplex from The Embalmer and cringed. The tide had suddenly turned in this match, and her guys were getting squashed.
“Are you going to continue managing team High Heat after your return to your own wrestling career?” Josh asked.
“Well, the Blackwell family philosophy for managing new teams is to give them what they need, then cut them loose. As you can see, my guys can hold their own against anyone in the EUW, so as far as I’m concerned, I’ve done my job. It’s time for them to stand on their own.”
Before she could continue, music filled the arena, and Lexi’s heart skipped a beat. What was The Tribunal doing invading her team’s match? When they went over the script for the show earlier in the day, no one mentioned anything about this. Her pulse sped up as she glanced around the arena. The Tribunal had a bad habit of appearing from out of nowhere. While she might be interested in Logan and know him as a sweet man backstage, that didn’t mean she wanted to face him and his crew in the ring. In front of the fans, they had an ability to be ruthless and show no mercy to those who got in their way.
“Oh man, this isn’t going to be good. Lexi, you’d better get your guys out of there,” Josh warned.
Lexi slid the headset off, dropped it on the announcers’ table, and rushed toward the ring. She tapped Eddie on the leg. “Get down. It’s time to go.”
Eddie looked down at her, confusion in his eyes. “What do you mean go? We’re in the middle of a match.”
“Not anymore. The Tribunal is about to dismantle Another Realm.”
Eddie glanced behind her, frowned. “What are they doing here?”
“I don’t know, but now is not the time to argue,” Lexi replied. “Get Mason’s attention. You guys need to get out of that ring before something bad happens to you.” Movement in the corner of her eye had her turning in time to see Jason and Cole appear at the base of the ramp. She shifted her gaze and spotted Logan near the barrier closest to her. His heated gaze landed on her and held there for just a moment before he returned his focus to the ring.
Eddie dropped to the floor and yelled at Mason, who quickly slid from the ring. He turned to face Lexi. “We’re not just going to leave them to these jackals.”<
br />
Lexi snagged him by the arm and turned him toward the ramp. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
“Are you crazy?”
She got the distinct impression that these two youngsters thought what happened in the ring was real. “It’s not our fight,” she countered. “The writers obviously didn’t bother to tell us about this change in the script. I’m guessing they were looking to use us to up the tension. Either way, it’s time to go.” She motioned to them. “Now come on.”
“But it’s three on two,” Mason replied.
“I know that, but you can’t get involved.” Man, sometimes she hated working with newbies, especially ones who refused to listen to an experienced veteran.
“Like hell I can’t,” Mason shot back, then returned to the ring, where Jason, Cole, and Logan had already attacked Dominick and The Embalmer.
“Mason!” Lexi returned ringside, hoping to get her charge out of the melee, only to watch Eddie follow his partner back into the ring. “Eddie, Mason, get out of there,” she yelled and smacked the mat. What she wanted to do was climb into the ring and teach both her so-called prodigies a little lesson, but she knew better. The script was already jeopardized by Mason and Eddie’s involvement. She’d only make the situation worse.
Jason grabbed Eddie and tossed him over the top rope with ease. Lexi pounced on the opportunity to snare one of her wrestlers and rounded the ring to where he was pulling himself off the mat. “No more,” Lexi ordered as her temper began to rise. “Don’t you dare step back into that fight.”
Eddie shook his head, as if he were shaking away cobwebs. “Mason’s going to get annihilated if I don’t.”
“That’s his problem for defying orders,” Lexi argued. “Stay out of it.”
Unfortunately, as was with most of The Tribunal attacks, it spilled onto the floor. Lexi sidestepped The Embalmer and turned away from where he and Cole began trading blows. If she could get Eddie to bail out of the fight and head to the back, his career might be saved. Management would no doubt suspend Mason for interfering with a storyline. She took a single step toward Eddie when someone hit her from behind. The impact threw her forward. She struggled to bring her hands up to catch herself but wasn’t quite quick enough. Pain exploded inside her head as her skull impacted with the steel ring post. Then the world went black.
On the Ropes 1: Leap of Faith Page 4
