Page 5

5

I walk into the towering UXW offices, nerves buzzing in my stomach. This is it—the moment that could change everything for me. I’ve been working toward this for so long, and now that I’m finally here, I feel like I’m about to step into the ring for the first time.

Ryan leads me to Brian Mitchell’s office. I’ve researched him, but I couldn’t be sure what was real, and what was for show, or what they call “kayfabe” in the wrestling business. He’s the owner of UXW, the one who built it into the global brand it is today. I expect this to be a big moment—a long conversation where we discuss my role, expectations, maybe some welcome speech. Something I will remember years from now when I look back at how my career started.

Nope.

Brian Mitchell doesn’t do small talk. The second I step in, he’s all business. And quite frankly, it seems like I’ve disturbed him.

“Natalie, right?” he asks, barely looking up from his computer screen. His voice is gruff, like a man who’s spent his life shouting orders and expects them to be followed without question. He’s older, mid-fifties maybe, but still fit. You can tell he was a wrestler once, the kind of guy who took no prisoners. He’s muscular, and abrasive, and suddenly, I’m not sure what I expected.

“Yes, sir,” I reply, my voice a little shaky but strong enough. I hold my head high, as I step into the large office. There are massive floor to ceiling windows, and a giant conference table that can fit at least twenty, and there is wrestling memorabilia everywhere, gold championship belts hanging in neat rows, along with tons of promotional photos.

“Good. Joel Carter and Stephen Rodgers will take it from here. Joel’s the Medical Director. Stephen is our senior physician—you’ll report to them every day. Stephen will give you the rundown, your schedule, and your patients information.” He looks up briefly, his piercing blue eyes locking on mine. “We run a tight ship here, Natalie. I expect you to keep up. I’ve heard very good things about you. I think you are going to be a very valuable asset to our team. If you have any questions, Stephen is your guy.”

“I will. Thank you for the opportunity,” I say, trying to sound confident.

He nods once, satisfied, and that’s the end of the conversation. Brief, to the point, no time wasted. Before I know it, Joel Carter and Stephen Rodgers are there, greeting me with a bit more warmth than Brian. Joel is older, in his forties, with salt-and-pepper hair and kind eyes. Stephen is younger, maybe mid-thirties, tall and lean with a no-nonsense expression.

Stephen gives me my schedule for the week. “We’re flying out to Boston tomorrow morning. Two shows there, then we head to Texas for two nights. After that, you’ll have three days off.”

He hands me a folder, with the UXW logo on it.

“This has everything you need, your itinerary, flight information, hotel accommodations, a full directory of the staff, your laptop should be at your hotel when you check in along with your ID. You need that ID to get in and out of every building so make sure you never forget it, that’s one way to really piss the boss off. Be on time and everything should be fine. Looking forward to working with you Natalie.”

It’s a lot to take in all at once, but I nod along, trying to keep up. “Got it,” I say, even though my head is spinning with all the new information.

“You’ll be working closely with me,” Stephen continues. “We’ve got a lot of guys on the roster, so you’ll need to stay sharp. Injuries happen fast in this business. We don’t get the luxury of time. Don’t worry, after the first week or two it will be smooth sailing. It will take a couple days to adjust.”

His words make me nervous, but also excited. This is what I’ve trained for. Now it’s time to prove I can handle it

After the meeting, I have the night to myself before the madness of traveling begins. I take an Uber to my hotel, a modest place in Manhattan, drop off my luggage, and head straight for the shower. The hot water washes away the tension of the day, but it doesn’t quite calm the buzz of excitement I still feel. This is New York City, after all. I’ve never been here before. I’m not going to waste my one night in the city by sitting in my hotel room. I have to explore, at least a little bit.

I try calling Annika, but it goes straight to voicemail. She’s probably out or at work, so I leave a quick message and head out to explore the city. I can’t wait to fill her in later.

I do all the tourist stuff—Times Square, Central Park, a walk down Broadway. It’s surreal, seeing all the places I’ve only ever seen on TV or in movies. The city’s energy is electric, like it’s alive, and for the first time today, I feel like I can breathe. The busy streets and bright lights give me energy, making me feel the most alive I have felt in years. I walk around in awe of everything around me for hours.

Eventually, I grab a couple slices of pizza from a little place on the corner and head back to the hotel. I need to get some sleep, I have an early flight to Boston tomorrow. I reach the hotel, wandering inside and saying goodbye to New York City. I’m halfway across the lobby when I spot Ryan. He’s standing near the elevator, phone pressed to his ear, talking to someone. He’s hard to miss—tall, broad, with that confident, commanding presence.

Our eyes meet, and he lifts his hand, motioning for me to wait. I give him a quick wave, trying to act casual even though my stomach does a weird little flip. I didn’t realize in the airport how big he really is—how muscular. He’s huge, even for a wrestler.

He finishes his call and walks over, his eyes flicking to the pizza box in my hands. “Good choice,” he says with a small smile. “How’d it go with the boss?” His hair is pulled back into a low bun, pulling even more attention to his molten brown eyes.

“Fine,” I say, shrugging. “It was quick. He introduced me to the medical team, and I got my schedule for the week. I guess I’ll be in Boston tomorrow.”

He nods. “Sounds about right. Brian doesn’t waste time. Good luck with it all. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

“Yeah, you too,” I reply, feeling the flutter of nerves again. He’s so… intense. Even when he’s just making small talk, it feels like there’s this weight to everything he says, like he’s sizing you up.

“Enjoy the pizza,” he says with a wink, before he is on his way. I didn’t realize we were staying at the same hotel.

I watch him walk away, and something in the back of my mind wonders what his deal is. He doesn’t seem like the type to chit-chat for no reason, but he stopped to talk to me. It was just polite conversation, but still… I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more behind his words.

Back in my room, I settle into bed with the pizza box on my lap and dial Annika again. This time, she picks up.

“Hey! How’s New York?” she asks, her voice bright and bubbly as always.

“Crazy,” I say with a laugh. “I did all the touristy stuff today. Times Square, Central Park, the works. And I met Brian Mitchell. He’s intense, but the meeting was super quick.”

“Of course. Guys like that don’t have time for chit-chat,” she says. “So, what else? Anything exciting?”

“Well… I ran into Ryan Pierce again.”

There’s a pause, then Annika’s voice comes through louder. “Wait. Ryan Pierce? The wrestler?”

“Yeah,” I say, rolling my eyes. “The one I told you about from the plane.”

“Okay, spill. What happened? Did he ask you out?”

“Ugh, no. He just asked how my meeting went and then told me to enjoy my pizza,” I say, stuffing a slice into my mouth. “But he’s… I don’t know. There’s something about him. He’s so… massive, so intense, I don’t know.”

“Oh, I bet,” Annika says with a giggle. “This is exactly what you need! A hot, muscular wrestler to shake things up. Come on, Nat, live a little! Think about how all of that would feel pressed up against you, or better yet, on top of you.”

“Please,” I groan, shaking my head even though she can’t see me. “The last thing I need is to get involved with a wrestler. I’m here for work, not to screw things up by falling for some guy. Especially not a guy like Ryan Pierce.”

“Why not?” Annika teases. “He sounds like exactly what you need. A little fun, a little distraction. A whole lot of muscle.”

I sigh, stretching out on the bed. “There is nothing little about Ryan Pierce, besides I’m taking this job seriously. I’m not going to let a guy mess it up for me. I need this.”

“Sure, sure,” Annika says, not convinced. “But you never know, Nat. Sometimes, the things we least expect are exactly what we need.”

I roll my eyes again, but a small part of me wonders if she’s right. I can’t afford to get distracted right now. But the way Ryan looked at me in the lobby, the way he made my stomach flip… it’s dangerous.

And I’m not sure if I’m ready for that kind of danger.