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Chapter Fourteen

AURORA

Last Kingdom PPV

Charleston, South Carolina

B ackstage at my first pay-per-view is unlike anything that I’ve experienced in my career. Things always feel hectic backstage at the weekly show, but this feels like insanity. People are bustling about, trying to make sure that every single detail is paid attention to and perfect.

While I’m not on the card for a match, tonight is the biggest night of my career. Tonight is the night that I screw over Weston Hext to help Theo retain his title.

I haven’t seen Theo all day, which feels strange. Normally, I can’t escape him. I’ll never admit that I’ve been quietly looking for him all day.

There’s still time before I head into hair and makeup, so I take the opportunity to swing by catering. Maybe I’ll see Theo. Wait . Why am I so desperate to see him? I never want to see him. Maybe it’s the nerves. Maybe the idea of him yelling at me to make sure that I don’t screw this up comforts me. Still, I don’t like the idea of Theo comforting me to any degree.

There’s a croissant on the catering table that’s calling my name. I’m not wrestling tonight, so eating light doesn’t matter. I snatch it, and right as I go to shove it into my mouth, a voice behind me has me whipping around.

“You’re Aurora, right?”

Weston Hext stands there in all of his over six-foot glory. He has shaved blond hair, heavy stubble, and these baby blues that any woman would get lost in. Women around the world go crazy for this man. They have for years. He’s a veteran in the industry, although I’m not quite sure of his age.

“I am.” I lower the croissant from my mouth. Being covered in flaky breadcrumbs feels like a bad first impression waiting to happen, and I don’t want to make a bad first impression.

He holds out his hand, his wedding band glinting in the overhead lighting. “Weston Hext,” he says, shaking my hand. His voice is a raspy bass. “You can call me Hex or Wes. Whatever you prefer.” He has a charming smile. I can see why women scream for him and desperately claw toward the front rows for a chance to touch one of his muscular biceps.

Once our hands are broken apart, Hext falls into business. “You’re supposed to interfere tonight and cost me the match against Theo. Any idea how you’re doing that?”

“I…” I had planned to talk to Theo before tonight about this. I’m sure that he has some ideas. But I also want to be my own person. I want to prove that I can swim on my own, not that I’ll flounder if I’m left to my own devices. “I could pull him out of the ring when you go for a pin. Or toss him a weapon.”

“Yeah.” Hext nods. “You could. Or you could hit me in the head with a chair.”

“You want me to hit you in the head with a chair?” I ask my question slowly, as if it’s my first time using any of those words in a sentence. Most wrestlers would prefer not to be hit in the head with a steel chair, even if it’s gimmicked.

“It’s a good way to draw some heat to the whole thing. No one’s going to find you redeemable if you hit me in the head with a chair. It shows how far gone you are, how wrapped up in Theo you are, that you’d resort to something so violent almost immediately. I also know how to take a chair shot.”

I don’t love the idea of hitting a legend in the head with a chair. It feels so damn risky. What if something goes wrong? Accidents happen in wrestling all the time. I’d also much rather hit Theo with the chair. Like in the moments when his gaze obviously lingers on me for a little too long.

I nod anyway because Hext is a veteran and I trust him. He also has a good point. What comes off as more far gone than whacking someone in the head with a chair without remorse?

“Yeah, okay. I can do that…if you’re sure.”

He chuckles and nods his head. “Mm-hmm. Sure. I trust that you won’t go psycho on me.” His gaze leaves me then. Jules walks by and Hext’s blue eyes follow her movements as if she’s the only other person to exist. Seems like Theo isn’t the only person with a staring issue. “I’ll see you out there tonight,” he adds before he walks off, leaving me alone.

“Mm-hmm.” The phone is pressed to my ear as Janet rambles on the other end. All I want her to do is buy the PPV so my dad can watch. I know I’m not Stevie Nicks, but I think he’d appreciate seeing the biggest moment of his daughter’s career.

He’s been watching Rise every week since I’ve been on. Janet has sent me pictures of his eyes glued to the screen. Is he processing everything that is going on? Does he even know it’s me? I like to think so .

Janet sighs. “I don’t know why they made this whole thing far too complicated. Asking all these questions. All I want to do is purchase—what is it again?”

“GRW Last Kingdom. It’s on at eight. Costs $59.99,” I say, feeling like a salesperson. Nathan should give me a bonus for it.

Hidden in the back corridors of the arena, I thought it would be me and a shit ton of black production crates. I was wrong. I feel him before I see him. That sounds stupid. He’s not some supernatural entity.

Although if he were, that would make so much more sense. A demon crawled from the depths of hell, sent to punish me for masturbating too much or something.

Looking up from where I’ve been studying my nice, thrift store purchased sneakers, Theo is looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I hold up a finger, telling him to hold on. All I need is to finish this phone call before he drives me insane.

Amusement flashes on his face. He’s not used to being told to wait. His arms are crossed over his broad chest. He’s wearing a pair of sweats and a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. It’s the most normal I’ve ever seen him. I’ve seen him in wrestling trunks. I’ve seen him dressed like he wants to be the cover model for GQ. Seeing him so normal makes me feel…uncomfortable. As if I’m seeing a part of him that I shouldn’t.

“Aurora,” he says.

I pull the phone away from my ear and fix him with a look. “Busy.” When I put the phone back to my ear, I still hear Janet humming as she tries to find the PPV.

“Well, Aurora, I just can’t find it,” she huffs. “Are you sure that’s what it’s called?”

It takes everything in me not to respond with, ‘Of course I’m fucking sure. That’s what all the signs around here say. ’ But I don’t. Janet is in charge of Dad’s care. She’s never been anything but kind and gentle, but I don’t want to piss her off .

I sigh. “Janet, this is super important. Can you ask someone else to help? All I need you to do is find it and charge it to my card.”

I must sound more exasperated than I think because Theo raises an eyebrow and holds his hand out expectantly. I shake my head. Absolutely not. He’s not getting involved.

He snatches my phone from my hand.

Before I can protest, he’s taking charge. “Janet? Hi. This is Aurora’s friend, Theodore.” He smirks over at me. “What’s the problem? Oh. Easy. Your easiest option is to…”

Theo proceeds to give Janet an entire walkthrough of how to buy the PPV. He does it so effortlessly with all the charm that he can muster. Finally, he smiles and nods. “Have a nice night, Janet. All right. I’ll tell Roo.” I cringe as he uses that nickname in front of other people. I don’t want it to stick. It can’t stick.

He hangs up the phone, steals a glance down at it, then hands it back to me. “Janet got it up and running. She says she’ll charge it to your card. She’s about to make your dad his snack while he watches.”

I take my phone back and slip it into the pocket of my sweats. I’ve already spent forty minutes in hair and makeup. My hair is pulled back into a high ponytail that’s sleeker than I could ever get it. My makeup is a smokey grey eye with dramatic lashes, a thick wing, and nude lips. All I need to do is head back to the locker room and change into the dress that Jules is letting me borrow.

“...Thanks,” I murmur.

“Stepmom?”

“Excuse me?”

“Janet, is she your stepmom? She sounds nice. Gives stepmom vibes.”

I shake my head. “No. She’s not. She’s…helpful.” I cut that conversation off right there. I don’t want to get into the details of my life with him. I don’t trust him. It would be stupid to trust him. Ta king the opportunity, I pivot the conversation. “Is there something you need?”

“I wanted to make sure that you were ready. Hex said that he talked to you earlier. Something about a chair shot to the head?”

I nod.

“Right. That works. Here’s my thoughts…”