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Chapter Four

AURORA

I slip out of the ring and as I walk back up the makeshift aisle, fans reach their hands out for high fives. It’s a small crowd tonight. Indie shows don’t draw thousands of rabid fans. They rarely have the reach that bigger promotions have. But I still feel like a star as I reach out and smack my palm against theirs. For these few moments, I get to feel like a real star. I’m Aurora Dawn. Not Aurora Bennet who works at ‘Rise and Roll Bakery’ in Bennington, Vermont most days of the week.

Later tonight, I’ll pass out in my shitty hotel bed with the paper-thin duvet, but right now, I feel amazing. I head towards the curtain so I can slip back into the makeshift locker room and get out of my sweaty gear. Hopefully, with enough time I can be back to hide in the back with Alex and watch Kai’s main event match.

Before I can get past the curtain, someone whisper-hisses my name. I stop, looking over to see Alex standing behind the gated-off portion of our production area. Next to him is the devil himself.

Okay, that’s not fair. I don’t know Theodore Abrams. He might not be evil, but everything I’ve heard about this man tells me otherwise. It makes sense the devil would be drop-dead gorgeous .

He’s wearing a navy blue button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The fabric of the shirt clings to his muscles. He’s broad and tall with dark honey-brown hair. It’s just long enough to run your fingers through and it curls at the end. Why the fuck am I even thinking about running my hands through his hair?

I head over, slipping around the gate to where they stand. The crowd’s looking toward the ring as the ring announcer gets them hyped up for the next match. I try to play it cool as I stand there. I am not impressed by this man. We work in the same business. He’s just had more success. That doesn’t make him better than me. He’s not my boss. I try not to even look at him, focusing my gaze on Alex. But pretending tall, dark, and evil doesn’t exist isn’t easy when I keep looking at him from the corner of my eye.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“You looked good out there,” Alex says. “And Sara wants me to extend an invite to the baby shower.”

I don’t want to go to Sara’s baby shower. I’ve said a handful of words to her. Plus, that’s an almost four-hour drive on a good day. I don’t get a whole lot of days off and the ones I do are usually to book indie gigs further than a couple hours from Vermont. I don’t have anything in common with Sara. I don’t say any of that, of course, because I don’t want to come off as a bitch. I nod. “I’ll think about it.”

When I go to turn away, the devil opens his mouth to lure me in.

“Aurora, right?” Theodore steps closer to me. “Theo.” He holds out his hand.

I reach forward and clasp it in mine, giving it a shake before looking up at him. Oh. Those are really pretty brown eyes. Pretty brown eyes, full lips and a face chiseled by the gods themselves. Fuck . “You can call me Rory, everyone else does.”

Theo makes a face like I suggested he should swallow gutter water. “I don’t like Rory,” he says as if I’m supposed to give a single fuck that he doesn’t like the nickname I’ve gone by since before I can remember. Before I can tell him that, he drops my hand and tilts his head to the side. “Y’know, I can honestly say I’ve never seen someone move as fluidly as you in a ring. You’re like poetry in motion.”

I’m trying hard to convince myself that I don’t care what Theo thought of my match. Why would I? He also told me that he doesn’t like ‘Rory’. His opinions shouldn’t matter to me.

But this one does. I’m not desperate for praise. I know I’m good at what I do, but Theo…he’s in the big leagues. Getting his attention could mean there’s the slimmest possibility that I get signed to GRW. His attention could mean a shot at my dreams. So, I can play it cool.

Mocking his motions, I tilt my head to the side. “Yeah?” I flash him a grin. I’m not the pillar of seductive beauty right now. My makeup’s a little messy from sweat. I’m fighting the urge to wipe at it and smear it across my face. I know my ponytail is a mess too. “Thanks...a lot.”

Theo smiles at me anyway. It’s not a surprise that his smile is wrapped in sin and temptation. “Yeah, I’m serious. You’ve got a bright future in the industry. And from a technical standpoint, you’ve got the best moonsault that I’ve ever seen.” He sounds so damn genuine too.

That was not what I was expecting. Heat creeps into my cheeks and I hope that Theo can’t see it underneath the dim lighting of the venue. The last thing I want is for him to think he has some sort of sway over me already. It was just a compliment.

But it was a damn good one.

“That is probably one of the best compliments I could’ve gotten. Thank you, Theo.” After I piece those words together, I look away. I need to leave or else I’m going to blush and make myself look like a fucking idiot.

Before I can take that step away to safety, he leans forward. Suddenly, he’s in my personal space. My nostrils are struck by the scent of his cologne. Citrus and cedar. “Are you blushing, Aurora?”

I swallow it down. This man is not going to walk in here and wiggle his way underneath my skin. I don’t need to know him to know how he works. He just got outed for cheating on his fiancée, the one he’s used like a trophy for months. I’m some young, independent wrestler and he could offer me the world. But I know he wouldn’t give it to me because of who he is. It’s about what I can give him.

I put my hand on his chest and give him a little shove back. Theo doesn’t look offended. He looks…amused. Light dances in his brown eyes, making them look honeyed.

“You are very charming, Theo.”

“I try.”

“But charming doesn’t mean you’re getting in my pants. Nice try,” I tack on, patting his chest. Those muscles feel so damn solid and strong beneath my fingers and touching them is nice. I can only imagine how his body would look on top of mine, how his muscles would tense as he…

Aurora, stop. Right now.

That smirk on his face widens. “Yeah? All right. I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

My eyes flash to Alex, eyebrows raised. “Did you literally call me over here because he wants to sleep with me?” I ask, sounding offended.

“I wanted to see you reject him. He needs it every once in a while, you know?”

“I’m telling Sara,” I smirk. As Alex starts to stammer over his words, I take a step back. The smirk stays on my face until my eyes meet Theo’s again. He’s still looking at me as if I’m his prey, as if this thing between us isn’t over yet.

Why does that terrify me?

Why does that excite me?