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I wake up to the obnoxious blare of my alarm, groaning as I fumble for my phone on the nightstand. My head is pounding, and I barely got any sleep last night. Ryan is all I can think about—his protective stance, the way his body felt pressed against mine when he led me inside the hotel. Like a wall of strength. The things he shared with me about himself. I feel like we had a moment. I don’t remember falling asleep last night, but the thought of seeing Ryan again has my heart suddenly racing.

But then, there’s also the embarrassment. My stupid uncle showing up here, drunk and pathetic, begging for money so he can drink himself to death, humiliating me in front of Ryan. I wanted to keep that part of my life hidden, wanted to be seen as this put-together professional. Now I just feel weak. Exposed. And damaged.

I roll over, groggily unlocking my phone, only to be met with a flood of angry text messages from my uncle. Fantastic.

"You think you can just ignore me?" "I’ll find you again. I always do." "Ungrateful little brat. After everything I did for you."

My stomach tightens, and I quickly block his number. Annika was right. I should’ve changed my phone number ages ago, but now everyone in UXW has it. I can’t change it now—not in the middle of all this. He’ll probably find another phone to harass me with anyway or use someone else’s. That’s just what he does. I know, deep in my bones, this is not the end.

I take a deep breath and dial Annika’s number. She picks up on the second ring, her voice cheerful as always.

“Morning, sunshine!” she sings. “How’s it going over there in wrestling wonderland?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “Annika, I need to tell you what happened last night.”

“Oh god, this sounds serious,” she replies, her tone shifting to concern. “What’s going on?”

I tell her everything. About my uncle showing up, the confrontation, how Ryan stepped in and basically saved me from a total meltdown. As I talk, I pace the small space of my hotel room, the memory still too raw, too fresh.

“Wait, wait,” Annika interrupts. “Ryan Pierce? As in the Ryan Pierce came to your rescue like some kind of tattooed, muscular knight in shining armor?”

I let out a small laugh, despite the tension still coiled tight in my chest. “Yeah. I guess that’s exactly what happened.”

“Oh my god, Natalie! This is... this is the stuff romance novels are made of!” Annika squeals through the phone. “He’s hot, he’s protective, and he came to your rescue like a freaking hero. Please tell me you’re going to climb that man like a tree!”

“Annika!” I groan, heat flooding my face. “It’s not like that. I mean... it was intense, and—” I pause, biting my lip. I can’t deny it anymore, the pull I felt toward him, the way his presence made me feel safe and electrified all at once. “Okay, fine. There was... a moment. It felt like something was going to happen, but it didn’t. And then he walked away, and I’ve just been... thinking about it. About him.”

“You have to see where this goes,” she insists. “I’m telling you, Nat, life is too short to not go after something—or someone—you want. You deserve some happiness. And it sounds like Mr. Tall, Dark, and Muscular might be exactly what you need.”

I fall silent for a moment, Annika’s words sinking in. Maybe she’s right. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to let myself feel something for Ryan. He’s strong, protective, gorgeous, and honestly... I can’t stop thinking about him. But there’s so much baggage.

“I just don’t know, Annika,” I finally say, collapsing back onto the bed. “It’s complicated. And after everything with my uncle, I just feel so... exposed. I didn’t want anyone to see that part of my life, and now Ryan knows. It was really embarrassing; this is all just so much.”

“Nat,” Annika says softly, “Your past doesn’t define you. Your uncle is a parasite, and you need to cut him off for good. Blood doesn’t mean anything if the person is toxic. You’ve done so much to get away from him and build a new life. Don’t let him drag you down anymore. Don’t give him anymore power over you. This is your life, take it back girl.”

Her words hit me harder than I expect, and I blink back sudden tears. She’s right. I’ve spent far too long letting him control parts of my life, even when I thought I’d broken free. Like Annika said, it’s time to stop letting him have that power over me.

“I know,” I whisper. “You’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Annika quips, her voice light again. “Now, go get yourself a slice of that Ryan Pierce pie. Seriously, the way you talk about him? Girl, you’ve got it bad.”

I laugh again, shaking my head. “We’ll see. But thanks, Annika. I really needed to hear that.”

“Anytime. You know I’ve got your back.”

After we hang up, I feel a little lighter. Annika always knows how to put things in perspective, even if she does make everything sound like a rom-com.

I glance at the time and realize I’ve still got a few hours before my first appointment at the arena. I need a distraction, something to take my mind off everything that happened last night. And what better way than to dive into work? I settle into the bed with my laptop and begin to read through my notes.

When I arrive at the arena, it’s still early, and the halls are mostly empty. I make my way to the massage therapy room and start setting up, organizing my equipment and making sure everything’s in place.

My first appointment today is with Chrissy. Thank God. I could really use her positive energy right now.

As soon as Chrissy walks through the door, her face lights up with a big smile. “Morning, Nat! You ready for me?”

“Always,” I reply, grinning as I motion for her to hop up onto the table.

As I start working on her shoulders, she starts talking about the women’s division, how things are really shifting in a positive direction. “I’m telling you, Nat, it’s amazing. The women are getting more airtime, more storylines, and people are actually starting to take us seriously. It’s about damn time.”

I nod, feeling the tension in my own body start to ease as she talks. Chrissy’s passion is contagious, and being around someone so confident and driven makes me feel a little more empowered myself.

“That’s incredible,” I say. “You deserve it, Chrissy. All of you do. You’re amazing athletes.”

“Thanks,” she says, her voice softening. “It’s just... it feels good, you know? To be part of something bigger, something that’s changing the landscape for women in this business. It’s not just about eye candy anymore. We’re here to fight, to show what we can do.”

Hearing her talk like this makes me feel stronger. Like maybe I can take control of my life, too. Like maybe I can stop running from my past and start embracing my future.

And maybe... just maybe... that future could include Ryan Pierce.