Page 16 of Between the Ropes

And yet, I’m not sure if I want it to stop.

11

Ryan Pierce is lying across my table, all 290 pounds of him, shirtless and massive. His arms, thick and muscled, barely fit on the table, threatening to spill off the edges. I can't help but notice how tense he seems—his whole body locked up, rigid. I'm not sure if it's because of me or because of the pain he's in, but the atmosphere feels heavy, almost suffocating.

I run my hands across his lower back, where Stephen told me the inflammation is. His body is like it's been carved from stone, all hard muscle under soft, tanned skin. Tattoos cover his arms and stretch across his back, swirling patterns that draw my eye, and I force myself to focus. I’ve never seen him like this, so up close and vulnerable. His hair is tied back into a bun at the nape of his neck, and he smells...God,he smells intoxicating, a mix of something woodsy and clean that makes my head spin a little.Snap out of it, Natalie.

I try to be professional. My fingers press into the knots in his back, working along the inflamed areas, and I can feel him tense even more under my touch. "Relax," I murmur, but his body remains stiff. It's like he’s fighting the massage, like he’s doing everything he can to block me out. I work in silence, the minutes stretching on, and I can’t help but feel that this is more than just physical discomfort. There’s something else. Something between us that I don’t fully understand.

When I finally finish, I step back and wipe my hands on a towel. “I’d like to see you again after your match,” I tell him, keeping my voice light. “And after that, I think we should continue for the next few weeks. It’ll help with the inflammation. What are you doing for the pain?”

Ryan sits up slowly, his expression closed off, as if he can’t wait to get away from me. He nods but doesn’t make eye contact, and in seconds he’s out the door, leaving behind the faint scent of his cologne and ignoring my question all together. I stand there for a moment, staring at the empty space, feeling more confused than ever.

I wait for him at the end of the show, just like I said I would. I’ve set up my equipment, expecting him to come back after his match. But he never shows.

By the time I start packing up, most of the arena is empty, and I’m left wondering what happened. Did I do something wrong? Did I misread things? The weird tension between us, the way he’s been hot and cold since we met... I try to shake it off, focusing on my job. But it’s hard to ignore the nagging feeling that something is off.

Three days off. That’s what we get before the next set of shows and appearances in Indianapolis, and it feels strange to be back home, even though I’ve only been gone a few days. I should be relieved to be back, to sleep in my own bed, but the truth is... I don’t want to be here. Being home brings me back to reality, and it’s not a reality I’m particularly fond of. Working for UXW feels like the first real step toward building a new life, and every minute I’m back here feels like a reminder of the one I’m trying to leave behind.

Still, seeing Annika is nice. She’s lounging on the couch when I walk in, her feet propped up as she scrolls through her phone. She doesn’t even look up as I collapse next to her.

“So, how was it?” she asks, her voice teasing, playful as always.

I roll my eyes. “Exhausting. Crazy. The fans are insane, the wrestlers are... well, wrestlers.”

“Any hot ones?” she says with a smirk, glancing at me sideways.

“Annika, please,” I groan, leaning my head back against the couch. “This is a job, not a dating service.”

“Come on, there’sgotto be someone you could have a little fun with. You’re living the dream, Nat! Wrestling, muscular, sweaty, shirtless men everywhere...”

“Jesus,” I mutter, though I can’t help but laugh. Annika never takes anything seriously. “It’s not like that. I’m there to work, and I need this job. I can’t mess it up by hooking up with the talent. Besides, I want to be taken seriously. And honestly, I amway too busy to even have a social life right now. There's so much to learn. And literally always something to do. ”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says, waving a hand dismissively. “You’re so boring sometimes. But seriously, what’s going on with that guy you were talking about? Ryan Pierce?”

I pause. “I don’t know,” I admit. “First, he was friendly. Now he’s all standoffish, like he can’t even stand to be around me. I don’t think I did anything to offend him, but it’s been weird. One minute he’s fine, the next he’s avoiding me. It would have been nice to have one friend there.”

Annika shrugs. “Guys are weird. Don’t worry about him. There’s probably a bunch of hot, muscular wrestlers you could spend time with instead. Or you know, just do your job and let them come to you.” Annika wags her eyebrows.

I shoot her a look, and she just grins, her usual carefree self. Sometimes I wish I could be more like her, just brush things off and not overthink every little interaction. But I can’t. That’s not me. I over analyze everything.

I spend the next couple of days getting things ready for Indianapolis, packing and organizing my notes. It’s easier to focus on work than to let my mind wander back to Ryan or the way he acted. I tell myself it’s just a blip—something that’ll smooth out over time. I don't even really know Ryan anyway, he owes me nothing. I need to stay professional, no matter how awkward things get.

At least, that’s what I’m trying to focus on when I dodge yet another call from my uncle. Annika mentioned that he stopped by while I was away, and I’m grateful she didn’t tell him aboutmy new job. If he knew, he’d be back, trying to manipulate or threaten me until I gave him money.

I can’t let that happen. Not again. This job, UXW, it’s my ticket out of the life I’ve been stuck in for so long. I’ve worked too hard to let him pull me back under. It wasn’t always all bad with him, not at first. He took care of me when my parents died. I felt safe with him at one point, but as the years went on, he resented me. He hated that he was my guardian, that he was responsible for me. And well, resentment, takes a toll, and things slowly got bad, until they were awful. And then, there was no turning back.

As I stare at my packed bags, ready for the trip, I feel a mixture of excitement and unease. Indianapolis is just another stop on the tour, but for me, it’s a chance to prove myself. To start fresh. To make a name for myself, to secure a career.

I just hope I can figure out what the hell is going on with Ryan before it drives me crazy.

12

I sit next to Travis on the flight to Indianapolis, staring out the window. My mind's stuck on the stiffness in my back. It feels better after the three days off, better than I expected, but still not one hundred percent. I roll my shoulders, testing the tightness. The rest has helped, but that’s not what’s got me tense right now.

“So, how’s the back?” Travis asks, his voice snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Good,” I grunt. “Rest did its job. I’ll be fine tonight.”

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