Wrestling Desire 2 (A Contemporary Romance) Read online

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  This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. E-books containing adult content are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  * * *

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Wrestling Desire 2

  COPYRIGHT © 2012 by Michelle Cary

  Published by:

  Michelle Cary

  [email protected]

  Wrestling Desire 2

  Chapter 1

  Emma Cruise placed a hand over her suddenly queasy stomach, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why did it seem as if her life was slowly spiraling out of control? “How can I possibly do what you’re asking?” She opened her eyes and stared directly into the face of her boss Gene France.

  “You can do it because I’m not asking, I’m ordering,” Gene argued. “And because your storyline with Holt is a ratings hit.” His thin lips tipped up into a mischievous grin. “We’ll bury the competition with our All Hallo’s Eve bash and the championship match is the clincher.”

  “But you want me to pick sides.” Emma pushed up from her chair and began to pace. “How could I possibly choose between my boyfriend and my brother? Even if I could, which I can’t, people will hate me no matter my choice.”

  She glanced from where her boyfriend Holt sat in the chair across from Gene’s desk, to Gene then over to the couch were her brother Derek rested with his arms stretched across the back and his leg across one knee. “I can’t believe you guys are all right with this.”

  Derek let out a sigh, shifted and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Why are you getting so twisted about this, Em? It’s not like he wants you to do it for real.”

  “It’s real enough to me,” she shot back. “I’ve never wanted to be in front of the camera and now not only am I, but you’re placing me in a position where I’m going to be hated by fans.”

  Gene leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “If you didn’t want to be in the spotlight then you shouldn’t have gone to the ring last month to save Holt from William. That action gave fodder to the fans and they’re eating it up, especially when you throw in Holt and Derek’s hatred for each other.”

  “How about we do this?” Holt offered. “What if Emma and Derek cut some promo videos where he’s leaning on her not to support me during the title defense. Maybe he can threaten to turn his back on her or something. You know, stuff like if she goes with me the family will shun her. His demands will force her to choose me, then the fans won’t hate Emma for making the choice, they’ll hate Derek for forcing her to choose.”

  Derek arched a brow. “Oh, so now I’m supposed to play the heel? You know that’s not what I’m all about.”

  “But you play the part so damn well. It just seems to come naturally to you.” Holt shot back.

  “That’s it.” Derek popped up from the couch. “You want to go Hendricks? I’ll kick your ass right here.”

  Exasperated, Emma rolled her eyes and yelled. “Stop!” She looked from Holt to Derek and back. “You both promised to knock off the fighting outside the ring.” Why did she always have to end up being the adult in these situations?

  For a moment there was silence then Derek dropped back down to the couch. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “Me too,” Holt added, a sheepish expression on his face. “It’s just that Derek is always so serious about everything, he ends up being an easy target.”

  “I’m serious because I care about my job,” Derek shot back. “You could try it sometime.”

  “Oh My God…enough,” Emma nearly growled. “My stomach is in knots right now. You both know what Doctor Andrews said. Are you trying to put me in the hospital?”

  “Of course not,” Holt reached for her.

  “All though,” Gene added. “You being hauled off in an ambulance would make for great TV.”

  “NO!” Emma and Derek said in unison.

  “Come on, it’d be great. We could have Holt by your side, holding your hand,” Gene encouraged.

  “Absolutely not,” Derek shot back. “Emma isn’t an actress and all this camera shit is taking its toll on her.” Derek pointed a finger at him. “You need to lay off unless you want a real life scandal plaguing the company. I don’t think it would do well to have her sick in the hospital and the reason being because you pushed her too hard.” He dropped his hand to his side. “Tell you what? I’ll go along with whatever you decide to do to me, but you back the hell off when it comes to throwing Emma in the spotlight.”

  “All right, all right.” Gene held up his hands in surrender. “I see your point so I won’t have the writers go that route with Emma, but I do kinda like the idea of making you the bad guy in this instance.”

  “What?” Derek’s head jerked up as he looked over at Gene. “You can’t be serious. You know that I always play the good guy.”

  “Yes.” Gene nodded. “But you also just agreed to go along with whatever I decided and I decided I like this idea.”

  “Yeah, but…”

  “No butt’s, Derek. Look at it this way; you’re also fighting against what you see as bad influence and infiltration into your family. Like it or not, the fans love to see rebels go up against authority, especially if they’re being treated unjustly. The fans love Holt and Garrett for that very reason.”

  “Then the fans are misguided,” Derek shot back.

  “Maybe,” Gene shrugged. “But no matter how you slice this pie, there are going to be fans who take sides, so I say we play those sides against each other.” He leaned forward as his smile widened. “You ride Emma to leave Holt and take your side. She’s going to resist and at the match on All Hollow’s Eve Emma will be in Holt’s corner and Bryan will be in yours.” He slapped his hands together. “It will be a family feud and a ratings grabber.”

  Emma’s heart sank. She loved her job as backstage coordinator, but hated how she’d suddenly been thrust into the spotlight because of her new relationship with Holt. Besides the stress her relationship caused with her family, now she carried the added burden of having to remember script and make time for promos on top of all her other duties. Still, Gene was all about ratings and beating the competition, which meant he wouldn’t change his mind. So she needed to suck it up.

  “Are we finished here?” Emma asked hoping the answer was yes.

  Already on the phone, calling his writers Gene nodded. “I’ll have Mark check in with you guys later about schedule the promos.”

  Clutching her stomach with one hand Emma yanked open the door with the other and stepped into the hallway. “I hate this.”

  “I told you Gene would throw you to the wolves,” Derek warned. “He’s a shrewd businessman and he doesn’t miss an opportunity to turn a buck.”

  “Thank you for standing up for me.”

  “Anytime, sis.” Derek leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

  “The good thing is the match is only two weeks away and then it will be over,” Holt offered as he rubbed circles across her shoulders. “Besides, being in the spotlight isn’t really so bad.”

  “Says you,” Emma sneered. “I hate being the center of attention, always have. She moved he
r hand from her stomach to her head and rubbed her temple. “At this rate I’m not sure my stomach is going make it.”

  “You know,” Derek observed. “I find it interesting that you’re still not feeling well despite Holt and I backing off on the fighting.”

  “Barely backing off,” Emma corrected. “You two still go at it like cats and dogs.”

  “Yes, but what I’m saying is I think your nerves have as much to do with being in front of the camera as it does with our feud.”

  “Maybe.” Emma considered his words. “And if that’s the case I’m in serious trouble.” She stepped out of Holt’s embrace. “I’m going to find a quite spot to meditate and if that doesn’t work to settle my stomach I’ll go find Doctor Andrews. Maybe he can prescribe something to get me through the next two weeks.”

  * * *

  The roar of the crowd shook the building. Trying to calm her nerves, Emma took a deep breath. The last two weeks had been hell and she’d dreaded tonight. Though in a way she was glad the moment finally arrived. In twenty-five minutes this would all be over and she could go back to her nice little world of coordinating from behind the cameras.

  “You okay?” Holt eyed her with some concern.

  She nodded. “I will be soon. Let’s just get this over with.”

  His intro music began to play and she stepped through the curtain beside him. The crowds roar nearly drowned out his entrance music pulling a grin from her. The fans really did love Holt and apparently, despite her concern to the contrary, they liked her too.

  As they reached the ring, Emma walked around to the far side while Holt climbed between the ropes. He raised his arms above his head and much to Emma’s amazement the crowd grew louder. As the music ended the announcer introduced Holt, then almost immediately Derek’s music began to play. Derek entered to a round of boos and jeers that left sadness in Emma’s heart. For years Derek had been a hero to these fans as he and Bryan teamed up as ‘The Crusaders’ to take on evil within the EUW.

  Now, because of Gene’s desire for ratings Derek’s persona had been decimated and those same loyal fans turned on their champion. Bryan walked beside Derek then took his place at ringside while Derek stepped through the ropes.

  With a ring of the bell the match began. At first Emma tried to scan the crowd, keeping her gaze averted. She studied the construction of the ring and even focused on the television commentator’s voices, any distraction that would keep her focus off the battle taking place in the ring. However, she quickly realized that escaping the inevitable wouldn’t work. She wasn’t back stage where she could turn away from the screen.

  Holt loved to fly high in the ring and after dropping an elbow on Derek he climbed to the top rope. Emma caught movement in the corner of her eye and immediately raced toward where Bryan was preparing to push Holt off. She stepped between them just as Bryan raised a hand. “Don’t you dare,” she warned.

  “Get out of the way,” he threatened.

  She folded her arm across her chest. “No. This is a match between Derek and Holt and you are not going to interfere.”

  Behind her she heard Holt launch off the ring post and connect with his target much to the crowd’s delight.

  “So you really are taking Holt’s side,” Bryan yelled.

  “No. I’m making sure things stay fair,” Emma argued. “Just go back to your corner.” She gave him a shove and a roar went through the crowd reminding her she held an audience.

  Bryan eyed her with disbelief as he slowly backed away. Their face off wasn’t part of the script and she regretted him forcing her to this stand. Still, they all knew the only real way for the rivalry to end was for Holt and Derek to have a fair fight.

  She returned to her own side where she worried and fretted as the match wore on, mulling over what transpired between them even as Holt took the upper hand in the match. With Derek leaning on the ropes for support, Holt performed a running clothes line that launched Derek up over the top rope and out of the ring.

  He hit the ground and let out a shout of pain that had Emma scrambling around the ring with a new fear coursing through her. She paused at the corner as did Bryan on the other side and they watched while Holt use the ropes to perform a springboard moonsault off the ring and land on Derek. He let out a second shout of pain and reached for his knee. Emma and Bryan raced forward and she immediately pulled Holt off Derek.

  “Em, what the hell?” Holt protested with his arms held out.

  “Derek is hurt,” she replied. “Get back in the ring.” With this match being no disqualification there was only one way for it to end…by pin fall. Which meant, even injured Derek would need to finish what they’d started. For a moment, Holt didn’t move. “Please,” she begged.

  Holt frowned, but stepped away from Derek and slid under the bottom rope back into the ring to wait. She turned her attention to Derek, where Bryan was already talking to him. “What happened?”

  “My knee,” Derek grimaced as he held his leg. “Something gave.”

  “Do you think you can walk?”

  Derek shook his head. “I think it’s really damaged. Just laying here the pain is incredible.”

  “What are you going to do?” Bryan asked.

  There was only one logical answer, but one thing Emma knew about wrestlers…they weren’t always logical creatures.

  After several moments Derek let out a long suffering sigh. “Lose.”

  His one word statement brought tears to Emma’s eyes. He had to be in a lot of pain for him to make such a decision. “Maybe it’s not as bad as you think.”

  “No, it’s bad. I felt the tear. There’s no way I can win on only one leg. Now help me back into the ring,” Derek instructed.

  With Bryan, Emma helped Derek up to one foot. “Are you sure about this?” she asked.

  He looked down at her with resolve in his eyes. “I don’t have a choice. I don’t know what I did to my knee, Em, but I know it’s bad. Even if we stop the match I’ll end up having to give up the title because I can’t defend it. I’d rather lose to someone who deserves it and can defend it than to have to walk away from it.”

  His statement created a mix of emotions inside her. For the first time ever Derek made his respect for Holt known. Too bad it happened under these circumstances. Never in his career had Derek thrown a match. For him to do so now, with the championship on the line meant he knew the seriousness of his injury. With Bryan’s help she eased Derek forward and helped him roll back into the ring. Holt looked up at her, confusion in his gaze.

  “He’s injured. Finish him now,” she mouthed. It didn’t matter that there was still another ten minutes to this match. Derek couldn’t put weight on his knee as it was. No way would he manage another ten minutes. With a nod of understanding, Holt turned his attention back to Derek and Emma raced around the ring to Paul the show coordinator. She leaned up and spoke directly in his ear. “Derek is hurt and Holt is going to pin him. Tell Jill to find a couple of wrestlers to volunteer for a quick bonus match.”

  A brief moment of panic lit in his eyes before he began speaking into his headset. Emma turned back just in time to see Holt pin Derek and take the championship. A cheer went up from the crowd and the bell rang. Holt raised his hand in victory then walked to the corner of the ring to accept his championship belt.

  Ignoring him, Emma hurried around the ring and stood waiting as Bryan helped Derek out under the bottom rope. She slid beneath his arm, taking some of Derek’s weight as he eased down onto his good foot. His face a mixture of pain and sorrow, he turned to her. “Thank you.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “You’re welcome.” Bryan joined them, sliding under Derek’s other arm. No matter what transpired between them for the sake of the show, they were still a family when it really counted.

  They’d only made it a few steps before Holt yelled. “Wait.” Emma glanced up in time to see Holt appear next to her. He looked from her to Derek and Bryan, then slid the championship belt off his shoulder and
held it out. “Emma, you carry this and I’ll help Derek.”

  She stepped away from Derek and accepted the belt and with pride in her heart watched as for the first time ever, her boyfriend and her brothers worked together. Depending on the severity of Derek’s injury it might be a long time before this type of event happened again. Worse yet, his injury meant he might be off the circuit for weeks or months. While she loved Bryan they’d never been all that close. If Derek had to leave it meant that for the first time in her life she’d be without her safety net.

  Chapter 2

  Emma glanced out the window and tried not to cry. This couldn’t possibly be happening.

  She’d spent most of the past week on airplanes, bouncing between work and the hospital and was more than a little exhausted from the stress. She’d been with Derek for the diagnosis on his knee. She’d flown back to work for the live show, then the next day flown home for his surgery.

  Now less than a week later she sat in the living room of the home she’d grown up in and stared at her brother in disbelief. “You’re just in shock.”

  Derek shook his head. “This isn’t shock, its reality, Emma.”

  Tears welled in her eyes and she did her best not to cry like a little girl. “But Doctor Ericson said you could eventually return to wrestle if you wanted to.”

  Derek rested with his knee upon the couch. His gaze dropped away from her to the cast on his leg. “Maybe I don’t want to.”

  She didn’t know who this person was in front of her, but it wasn’t her brother. He might look like Derek and sound like Derek, but he wasn’t acting like the Derek Cruise she knew and loved. She pushed off the chair, crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside him. “Why, Derek?”

  “There are a lot of reasons why, Em. The biggest one being that I’m not happy there anymore.”

  She closed her eyes and worked to steady her nerves. Even trying to imagine her life without Derek around every day made her heart hurt. “You’ve been unhappy before and it’s passed. What’s different this time?”