Page 51 of Between the Ropes

“I guess some people just don’t know their place,” she says, drawing out the words like honey laced with poison.

A slow, twisting dread unfurls in my chest.

I shouldwalk away. Ignore her. But my feet stay planted, my breath held tight in my lungs.

Then she drops the hammer.

“You know, Ryan knew exactly who to call last night after his little loss. Poor guy. Needed someone to help him lick his wounds.” She sighs, feigning sympathy. “Guess things with the littlemassage girlfizzled out already. You know Ryan—he loses interestfast.”

Her laughter rings out, shrill and pointed.

The words slam into me, sharp as glass.

My stomach drops. A cold, numbing sensation spreads through my limbs.No.

Ryan wouldn’t—

Would he?

He told me I belonged to him. That I washis.

Ibelievedhim.

And yet, doubt sinks its claws into me, dragging me down, suffocating me under the weight of her words. I feel unsteady, like the ground beneath me is suddenly untrustworthy, shifting under my feet.

I don’t wait to hear more. I push past them, my vision blurring as I shove open the door to my office. The second it closes behind me, my knees give out, and I collapse against it, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps.

The tears come fast, hot and relentless, slipping down my cheeks as I bury my face in my hands.

I feelstupid.

Stupid for letting myself believe in something that might not have been real. Stupid for thinking Ryan could feel the same way I do.

WhatamI feeling?

Hurt.

Broken.

Betrayed.

I don’tknow.

All I know is that my heart aches in a way it never has before, and for the first time since Ryan stormed into my life, I wonder if I was nothing more than a passing moment to him.

And I don’t know how to survive that.

38

I should be on top of the world right now. Days away from my championship match, days away from the biggest event of the year. The city is buzzing - I should be buzzing. My face is plastered all over billboards, posters line the streets, and the whole town is gearing up for the big show. There are meet-and-greets set up with the fans, interviews, promo appearances—everything’s being done to hype up the event.

But as I step into the office to meet with Brian Mitchell, the owner of UXW, and Casey Ward, the General Manager, I can feel this heaviness clinging to me like a second skin. My mind is far from the ring. All the excitement around me just makes the chaos in my head louder.

"Ryan," Brian begins as I take a seat across from him and Casey. "How’re you holding up? That chair shot last night lookedbrutal. Doctor said you needed a few stitches? No concussion though?"

"Yeah," I say, leaning back in the chair. I fold my arms over my chest, trying to appear relaxed, but the tension in my body tells a different story. "It wasn’t that bad. Took it in stride."

Brian’s brow furrows, his gaze intense. He’s not buying my act. "We just want to make sure you're okay. That chair shot could’ve done some real damage. We need you sharp for this match."

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