On the Ropes 2: Insidious Obsession (12 page)

Sean nodded. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Listen, I need to go find Mark and let him know I’m back.”

“He’s—” She paused as she thought about Cole. He certainly wouldn’t take kindly to finding out Sean was back. “Um, I’d call him on his cell first.”

“He’s with The Tribunal, isn’t he?”

She gave a nod. “Working on a new story line. Call him first. I’m sorry.” She pointed to the doors leading to catering. “I need to go find Lexi.”

“Sure.” He waved her away. “Good seeing you again, Amber.”

“Yeah,” she paused. “Um, you too.” Without looking back, she headed into catering to find Lexi. Then she’d need to find Cole before he found Sean.

Chapter Eighteen

The Tribunal’s music began, and Amber started down the ramp with Lexi. She looked ahead to where Cole, Jason, and Logan made their way toward the ring ahead of them, then back to Lexi. The scowl on Lexi’s face spoke of her unhappiness with this match. Fortunately, her love for Logan outweighed her personal opinions, and Amber had used that knowledge to her advantage in order to get Lexi to comply. Playing the guilt card for a change, she’d talked of how Lexi would be letting Logan down by not being there for him when it was over. Eventually, Lexi’d agreed. She felt bad taking the route of shaming Lexi into compliance, but she’d done so for the good of the group. They needed to stay a unit during this situation. Amber wondered when exactly she had become the voice of reason in this group.

Lexi walked around the cage toward Logan. Amber stopped a few feet away and looked at the structure. In all her years of wrestling, she’d never seen a steel cage up close. This wasn’t just a regular steel cage, but the one used for this match had been coined by the wrestlers as the “devil’s playground.” She’d seen it on television before. However, in person, it appeared huge and menacing. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of Cole being locked inside. Suddenly she understood why Lexi was so unhappy. No matter how she looked at it, Cole would most likely end up injured before the match was over.

Knowing he was walking into a dangerous situation made her want to grab him and run away. How badly would he be injured? Wrestlers sometimes ended their careers, and not by choice, in matches like these. What if he ended up hurt so badly he had to retire from wrestling? What would he do, and what would she do without him?

Cole came around the cage to her. He slipped an arm around her waist. “It will be okay.”

She looked up at him and noted the concern in his eyes. He might be resolved to what was about to happen, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t worried. “No, it won’t,” she replied, then turned in his arms to face him. She cupped a hand to his cheek. “Please be careful.”

“I’ll try,” he replied, then brushed a soft kiss over her lips. Around them, the crowd went wild, but she didn’t care. Right now nothing mattered but Cole’s safety.

She pulled back and let go. He turned and walked through the open door inside the cage. Jason followed, and finally Logan gave Lexi one last kiss and a quick pep talk before joining his partners inside the steel barrier.

Staff closed the door, and the
click
of the lock echoed in Amber’s ears. Her heart pounded, and her breathing grew shallow as she moved down the outside of the cage to what would normally be The Tribunal’s corner. One thing was for sure: she’d be happy when this match was over. Lexi moved next to her. “You okay?” Unable to find the words, Amber swallowed hard and nodded.

The moment the bell rang, all hell broke loose. Cole went after Noah while Jason attacked Parker, and Logan took on Calen. Chaos ensued with bodies flying around the ring. Amber curled her fingers around the steel as she followed Cole’s every move. He ran into the ropes, stopped, and ducked just as Noah leaped. Cole pulled down on the top rope; his action sent Noah flying headfirst into cage wall. His face impacted the steel, and he immediately crumpled to the mat.

Across the ring, Parker pounded on Jason, his fist leaving red marks across Jason’s chest. Meanwhile Logan and Calen traded blows in the opposite corner.

As the match wore on, Amber’s nerves began to unravel while the pandemonium inside the ring continued. Cole climbed to the top turnbuckle, steadied himself, then leaped not into the ring, but to the mat below in an attempt to take Calen down. Instead the giant deflected Cole’s attack, sending him headfirst into the steel.

A scream tore through the air, and it took a moment for Amber to realize it came from her. The urge to take down the staff member holding the key and free her guys nearly overpowered her. Instead she held tight to the steel, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

Lexi yelled from a few feet away as Logan fell backward off the apron and smacked into the cage. Parker climbed from the ring, grabbed Logan by the hair, and ran him headlong into the steel. “No!” She shook the cage, and Amber noted the hint of tears in Lexi’s eyes.

Two things she well knew about her friend. First, that she wore her heart on her sleeve, and second, that she loved Logan with a passion unmatched by anyone.

Amber turned her attention back to the cage, where Cole struggled to his feet. Dazed by his impact with the steel, it took him a moment to steady himself. When he turned around, Amber gasped at the sight. Blood poured from a cut on his forehead just below his hairline.

This was exactly why Lexi had fought so hard against this match.
Remember, head wounds bleed a lot, even when they’re not serious.
She tried to focus on that knowledge as the match wore on and all the men slowly became covered in blood. Her heart ached at the realization that she was helpless to do anything to stop the bloodshed.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it soon became obvious that all the participants were exhausted. Jason took off at a run, but Calen sidestepped him, and he ran headfirst into the steel ring post. Immediately he crumpled to the floor and didn’t move. Calen climbed into the ring and turned right into a spear from Logan. They hit the mat with a thud, Logan rolled away, and Cole went for the pin.
One-two-three!
Amber silently counted as the crowd chanted, and the timekeeper rang the bell.

“Your winners, The Tribunal.”

The ref motioned for the cage to be lifted, then crossed his arms, signaling for medical attention. The moment the cage was high enough to maneuver, Amber rolled beneath and hopped up into the ring. Cole reached for her, and she did her best to take his weight as he dropped to his knees. “I got you,” she said as she looked toward the ramp.

Paramedics, trainers, and Dr. Martin all ran toward the ring. “Jason,” Cole rasped. “Check on Jason.”

Amber looked toward the ring and found Lexi with her arm around Logan’s waist. “Have you seen Jason?”

Lexi looked around and shook her head. Making sure Cole wouldn’t fall on his face, Amber gently let go and edged over to the side of the ring. Jason was facedown unconscious on the floor. Dr. Martin assessed him. “I want a backboard and C collar,” he ordered. “Watch his breathing.” He looked up at Amber. “Cole?”

“Exhausted and bleeding, but better than Jason right now,” Amber replied.

Dr. Martin slid beneath the bottom rope and rushed to where Cole rested on his knees. “Let me see that cut.” He lifted a hand and began assessing Cole’s injuries. Amber stood behind Cole, helping to hold him in place. “Maybe a stitch or two but not too bad.” He held up his hand. “How many fingers?”

“Three,” Cole replied.

“Good,” Dr. Martin said. “Other than being exhausted and possibly a little dehydrated, his injuries aren’t that serious. Can you help him out of the ring?”

Amber gave him a nod. “I’ll do my best,” she replied even as Dr. Martin had moved on to check on the others. The trainers began arriving, helping the exhausted and battered men from the ring. All she could think was thank God it was over.

Chapter Nineteen

She couldn’t sleep. Amber propped herself up in the corner of the couch and scrubbed a hand over her face. Every damn time she closed her eyes, images of Cole and Logan bloodied and Jason unconscious flooded her mind.

Over the years she’d seen plenty of videos where matches ended in bloodbaths, but seeing it in real life was so much different, especially when the man she loved was involved. She glanced at the clock, then threw the blankets off. Maybe a quick bathroom break would help her to get back to sleep.

She stood and walked to Cole’s bedroom door. With Jason in the hospital overnight for observation and Lexi caring for Logan, the only one unattended was Cole. When they’d arrived back at the hotel, she’d briefly considered sleeping in Jason’s bed, but it felt wrong. So she did what she’d done for the last two weeks—she slept on the couch.

Instead of disturbing Lexi and Logan, she’d just sneak into Cole’s room and use his bathroom. That way she could also check on him in the process.

Careful not to make too much noise, she opened the bedroom door and peeked at Cole. He lay on his side with his back to her. She slipped inside, closed the door, and tiptoed to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she eased her way out of the bathroom and started for the bedroom door. Halfway across the room, she froze as Cole rolled over. His low moan broke the silence and Amber’s heart. She glanced at the door, then back to where he lay. There had to be something she could do to ease his pain. He shifted a second time, and the pained expression on his face made up her mind.

She padded over to the bed and crouched next to him. “Where do you hurt?” she whispered.

His eyes flickered open for the briefest of seconds before he closed them again. “My back,” he murmured. “Muscle spasms.”

“Let me see if I can help.” She rushed to the bathroom, grabbed the liniment the trainer had given her, and walked back to the bed. “Can you roll onto your stomach?”

Without opening his eyes, he gave her a nod and slowly inched his way over. She climbed onto the bed next to him, squeezed out the liniment, and began working it into his tight muscles. He sucked in a quick breath. “Ow. Ow. Ow. Fuck!”

“I’m sorry,” she replied. “You know I’d never intentionally hurt you.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” he mumbled.

After a few minutes he began to relax. The abused muscles in his back began to loosen, and the tension drained from his body. Working his shoulders and biceps, she continued until her fingers began to cramp. Regretfully, she pulled back and waited for him to respond. Instead, she noted his steady, deep breaths and smiled. It felt good to know she’d helped him.

She started to climb off the bed when Cole’s hand shot out and grabbed her by the thigh. He turned his head toward her and opened one eye. “Stay?”

She couldn’t think of anywhere else she wanted to be at that moment. “Let me put this stuff back in the bathroom.”

He released his grip, and she scooted from the bed, hurried to the bathroom, and set the liniment on the counter. She washed her hands, then paused at the doorway to look at him. How was it that she’d spent years avoiding anything that even resembled a relationship, but in less than eight weeks she’d fallen for a gorgeous badass with long hair and the cutest smile she’d ever seen?

This wasn’t about sex, per se. She doubted in his current condition that idea even crossed Cole’s mind. No, this was about intimacy and creating a bond between them that would span more than just the physical. It had everything to do with her giving him her heart.

She thought about Lexi and Logan. It was obvious to anyone who spent even a few minutes with the couple that they were head over heels in love. The way they looked at each other, with passion and respect, made Amber wish for their kind of relationship.

Could Cole give her the one thing missing from her life?

She walked across the room, and careful not to jar him too much, she crawled onto the bed and settled in. Before she could close her eyes, he rolled onto his side and reached for her, pulling her back against his chest. His warm breath drifted across her neck and he pressed a soft kiss to the sensitive spot at her nape. “Thank you for staying with me.”

“No need to thank me,” she replied. “Right now there isn’t any place else I’d rather be.”

* * * *

Morning light spilled around the curtain’s edge, filling the room with a warm glow. Amber stretched, then turned over to check on Cole. He lay behind her, eyes open, watching her. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning. How do you feel?”

“Sore and just a little anxious,” he replied as he reached out and pulled her to him. “I have a powerful need building for you, baby.”

She smiled as desire stirred within. “You’re injured.”

“When has that ever stopped me?” he replied as he took her lips in a scalding kiss. Passion flared, and she had a sudden need for him also. Though with him still recovering from last night’s match, no way was she going to make him work. With a shove she sent him back against the pillow, then rose over him. He watched her, amusement and desire in his eyes.

She placed both her hands on his shoulders, lowered her head to his, and consumed his lips in a hungry, carnal kiss. Gasping for breath, she pulled back and noted the grin on his face. “I hope you’re planning on having your wicked way with me,” he said.

“I’ve never had my wicked way with anyone before, but since you’re injured, that’s exactly what I intend to do.” She trailed a finger down the middle of his chest, noting the hint of a bruise on his left upper quadrant. Gently she pressed a kiss to the injury, then another to the darker bruise around his rib cage, and finally another to the scratches along his abdomen. He’d taken so much punishment during last night’s match, it amazed her that he wasn’t in more pain.

He sucked in a breath, and his fingers tangled in her hair. “Amber.”

“Shh,” she whispered as she lifted up and stripped off her nightgown, then wiggled out of her panties. She straddled him and slowly rubbed up and down, spreading her wetness over his erection, enjoying the currents of electricity that zipped through her body.

Beneath her Cole growled, and he curled his fingers around her hips. “Tease.”