A/N: Thank you to 33, Guest, benova13, Alexis Black-Reigns, LetItReign, squawswarpath, mitchy21, corbettluv, IRENELOVE83, Bharm, LuxuriaVanitas, princessreigns, Anon and Olivia Reigns for the reviews from We Are Closer. I'm very happy that you all love the series so far, and you're all loving 'Romaida' :D For newcomers, I advise you read 'Fire' and 'Closer' first respectively before reading this one.
This is We Are Burned. Enjoy!
Jaida slid into the booth across from her friends and mumbled an apology for being late for breakfast.
"You look like shit," was Summer's pointed greeting, pushing a plate of waffles toward her friend.
Jaida cast her a withering look. "Thanks," she stated flatly, sliding her sunglasses onto her head. "How's the food?"
"Edible," the blonde Diva analyzed, scooping up some oatmeal. "Actually, I've noticed you don't seem to be getting a lot of sleep lately. Are you okay?"
Jaida kept her green eyes trained on her plate. There were a few reasons, and most of them involved a certain former member of the Shield. This time it was a long night of FaceTime sexing. Having followed the Total Divas crew to Vegas, she'd snagged a hotel room for herself and therefore had free rein to do whatever she – and he – wanted. They'd only just finished a few hours ago, leaving her with little time to sleep and almost sleeping through her morning alarm. She could feel Alicia's eyes boring into her, waiting for an answer, but she wasn't going to get one.
Taking a small bite of a waffle, Jaida winced. It tasted like dry bread. "I'm fine. Just been busy," she said vaguely.
"Busy, huh?" Summer inquired, "Doin' what? Bangin' Roman?"
She felt her heart drop in her chest. She knew she'd gotten sloppier hiding it, but then again she should have known that nothing went under the radar in this company. She could only imagine who else knew about it.
Summer finally looked up, an eyebrow raised in interest. "So you've finally boarded the Reigns Train. About fuckin' time. Something tells me it's been happening for a while too."
A month, to be precise. The fact that it had gone relatively unnoticed for that long was a miracle in itself. "A while," she replied curtly.
"And you've been spending the night with him, right?" Alicia observed, sipping on her apple juice. "He never lets anyone stay over. Not to my knowledge anyway. I guess you're doing something right."
Jaida could hear the jealousy in the young woman's voice, but she opted to ignore it. "I guess."
Summer winked at the seamstress. "So give us the deets, Jay. He's good, right? We told you he was."
Good did not come close to describing it, but she was better off taking the indifferent route. "He's good," she shrugged again. Reaching for her glass of orange juice, Jaida met both of their incredulous stares. "What?"
"He's not just good, Jaida," Summer corrected, "He is the best. By a mile. Like, has he done that figure eight thing in your pussy with his tongue yet? I swear my eyes water every time-"
"Okay," Jaida interjected, rolling her eyes. "Fine, whatever. He's awesome. Happy?" When Summer rested her elbows on the table and fixed her with a stare, a frown came upon the seamstress' face. "What?"
"He's going to hurt you, you know."
"And why would you say that?" Jaida said, an edge to her tone.
"Getting too deeply involved with Reigns never ends well," the blonde Diva said matter-of-factly, "Not to mention Cameron will be on your ass when she finds out. When, not if. Notice how the rest of us have backed off since?"
"Right, because little miss gold-digger is gonna stay faithful to Roman. She was all over Cesaro for weeks before she realized the office wasn't backing him anymore," said Jaida, frowning at the thought of the Samoan's rumored girlfriend, with whom she never saw eye to eye. Apparently the former Funkadactyl had an issue with Jaida's increasing appearances on Total Divas simply because she wasn't that – a Diva. Jaida cared little for what Cameron thought, especially when the so-called wrestler had as much wrestling credibility as Jaida herself. Vince wanted her on the show more often and she would be foolish to turn down that level of exposure. Reverting to the topic at hand, she said, "It's just sex, Summer. Nothing more, nothing less. We know where we stand."
"Do you?" Alicia asked suddenly.
Taken aback, Jaida's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, is there a problem?
"I know you haven't been around long sweetie, but this is how it works with Roman." Alicia's voice was low, but her tone was unmistakable. "If he likes you enough he'll keep you around for a while. Obviously he does, and he'll keep you coming back for more until you start having feelings for him. And then, the moment he realizes that, he'll get rid of you. You're playin' with fire, Jay, and it's gonna burn you. Just like you're certainly burning Lincoln."
"Oh, suddenly y'all care about Lincoln?" Jaida countered, irritated by Alicia's sudden self-righteous attitude, "Don't make me out to be the bad guy. I didn't hear you say nothin' when you was fuckin' Roman behind Wade's back." She glared at the other woman, ignoring the way she blanched. "You and Summer are the ones who told me to hop on it, and now that I have, you're mad? Please. I know what I'm getting into. I won't fall in love with him like you did. I'm a grown-ass woman and I can handle myself. And I'll worry about Lincoln, not you."
"Fine then," said Alicia, her expression anything but fine, "Don't say you weren't warned."
"Hey, stop it, both of you," Summer said sternly, then met Jaida's eyes. "Look, Alicia's just saying be careful, alright?" she placated, "We genuinely don't want you to get hurt, babe."
"I won't. But thanks for worrying about me," she replied, the finality in her tone telling Summer to drop the subject.
Luckily, she picked up. "Okay. So what time's your interview with E?" she asked. The E network was flying in today to meet with the young seamstress for the inside scoop on the Divas' wrestling outfits and her designs. It was a huge opportunity for her and she couldn't wait for it.
As the ladies moved on to less volatile topics, a text came through to Jaida's phone.
Hey sweet pea. How's Vegas?
She tried not to smile, knowing it would prompt more nosy questions and judgmental glares. Good. Have my interview in a couple of hrs.
Cool. U gonna kill it. Have fun.
I will. She hesitated, then typed, I miss u.
Miss u too. Layin in bed thinkin bout that thing u did with ur leg last night. Need them sexy thighs wrapped around my head like that.
Jaida licked her suddenly dry lips, her loins growing moist as she recalled their memorable FaceTime tryst the night before. Feeling rascally, she texted back: Thinkin bout u too…flat on ur back while I'm ridin that big dick.
Fuck, I'm hard now. Hurry back soon so we can get it on for real.
Easy big boy. Take a cold shower, lol. I'll call u when I get back. X
She knew this was wrong. She had a boyfriend that she was essentially cheating on. It was dangerous waters she had chartered into but she was confident that she could bring herself out of it and all would be right again. No way was she going to end up like Alicia – the former Divas Champion made it quite obvious that somewhere along the line she had indeed fallen in love with Roman. But Jaida knew better than to go down that road. She could handle herself, and she planned on having as much fun with Roman first before she finally walked away. And she would walk away. Soon.
As soon as she could figure out how.
"Fuck, Jaida…"
"You like that, baby?" Jaida taunted the big man panting underneath her, craning her head to look at him as she rode him reverse cowgirl. "You like how I'm ridin' that big dick?"
Roman's arms were spread at his sides, his fingers digging into the couch as he watched her ass roll on his throbbing erection. Swearing softly, his head fell back, eyes shut and mouth parted, the feel of being deep inside her warm wetness taking him over. Jaida rode him diligently, her hands braced on his knees for leverage, thoroughly enjoying the sounds tumbling from his mouth. Roman ran a hand up her back before sliding down to her ass to probe her other entrance with his thumb. He smiled with satisfaction when she moaned reactively and rolled her hips faster. "Mm, yeah baby. Bounce that pussy on my dick. Fuck me," he growled.
Raking her hair back, Jaida pumped harder on him, her naked skin slapping audibly against his. "Like that?" she said, gasping as she felt him harden inside her. "Ooh, you like that huh? Take that pussy, baby. Take it all."
"Fuck yeah. Ride that dick hard. Shit," he moaned as her hand closed around his balls, massaging them while grinding down on him. Her moist pussy gripped him, holding his length hostage. He couldn't hold back anymore, he was too close. He surged to his feet, holding her in his arms, and dumped her back onto the couch stomach-first. He pulled her ass up in the air and shoved his dick back inside her pussy, smacking her ass as he did so. The stinging pain only added to her pleasure, and Jaida squealed, her moans coming in short, raspy breaths as he thrust into her hard, over and over. His fingers dug into her hips, and she arched her back for him. She loved it when they went at it like this. No frills, no dilly-dallying; just straight-up vulgar fucking that hit her spot so sweetly.
Their moaning and heavy breathing echoed around the private locker room and mingled with the sound of the couch rocking underneath them. Roman slid two long fingers between her legs, circling her swollen clit as he pounded into her. Jaida screamed into the couch as her muscles tensed and her legs shook from the intense orgasm, and she felt Roman's final surging thrusts before his body seized up, releasing deep inside her. He found enough strength to pull out of her, swatting her backside one last time before he collapsed on top of her, breathing hard as he tried to recoup his senses.
Giggling, Jaida wriggled beneath him. "Um, babe? You're kinda heavy."
Roman chuckled. "Sorry." Kissing her shoulder, he moved off of her, and Jaida rolled onto her back and stretched out on the couch, purring contentedly from yet another satisfying bout with the hottie standing across from her. They'd had sex in a few other adventurous places; in the backseat of his rental on the side of a deserted highway; in a janitor's closet in a busy backstage area at the All State Arena in Chicago; the dark alleyway outside a dive bar in Phoenix. And just last week, in one of the more romantic settings, the Jacuzzi at his penthouse suite in Manhattan. Each time he was passionate and powerful and all-consuming. She liked her men strong and creative, and it didn't come any stronger or more creative than Roman Reigns. It was why she was all too happy to ignore Summer and Alicia and every warning thrown at her. The Reigns Train was a fun ride and she had no qualms hopping on it over and over again.
She saw his eyebrows knit together as he read whatever it was on his phone. "Cameron?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Every time he had that irritated look on his face, it was her.
The Samoan cut a nonchalant glance to her. "Yeah. So?"
"Nothin'," said Jaida, picking up her clothes so she could start getting dressed. "I don't think I should be here when your girlfriend shows up." She would rather eat her Louboutins than admit it, but the term left a sour taste in her mouth, even though she had no business feeling that way. Not when she had her own partner to feel guilty about.
Roman put his phone away and reached for his ring gear. "She's not my girlfriend."
"Really? That's what she's been telling everyone," said Jaida, distracted by the sight of his bare backside as he walked around the locker room.
"Everyone knows she's talking out of her ass," Roman was saying. "We're just fooling around."
Just like we are. "Well if you're so sure, you better handle that shit before she starts to really cramp your style."
"And what about you?" Roman questioned, tying a towel around his waist, "When are you gonna handle your man and tell him to quit whinin' like a little girl every time he calls you?"
A pang of guilt jabbed her insides. "Shut up, Reigns. Don't act like you know what's up."
At the sharp retort, the Samoan looked over at her, a smirk lighting up his features. "Ooh, did I hit a nerve, sweet pea? You think I don't hear y'all over the phone?"
Making an annoyed sound, she slipped into her ballet flats. "He misses me. There a problem with that?"
"He's fuckin' clingy is what it is," Roman chortled.
Jaida started to retort, caught herself, and shook her head. "You are the last person I should be discussing my relationship with. It wasn't part of our agreement. We fuck, we go our separate ways, we hook up the next time it's convenient. No private shit."
He pulled back his long hair into a ponytail. "I don't recall us discussing an agreement, but whatever. And you're the one who brought up Cameron. It's only fair I bring up your boyfriend."
"So you are saying Cameron is your girl," Jaida goaded.
Roman threw an annoyed look her way. "Don't be a bitch."
Jaida grinned. "Why so adamant though? Personally I think you two look cute together." It was a lie, but she only said it to get a rise out of the Pensacola native. He wasn't comfortable talking about things related to romance so it was the only way she could make him squirm. Well…that, and when she was deep-throating him. However, she was not expecting the response that followed.
"Not as good as you and I would look."
Jaida stared at him, blinking slowly as the out of the blue remark sank in. It was confusing moments and comments like that, that made her question Roman's true sentiments towards her. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she picked up her handbag. "You're not allowed to say stuff like that," she admonished him.
Roman lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "I just did. Sue me."
"Whatever. You're just taking the piss like you always do." She walked past his big frame to inspect her reflection in the mirror. "I gotta go. You have a show to get ready for." She was turning to leave when she felt him grab her hand.
"You're gonna leave without giving me a kiss?" he said.
Turning back around, the seamstress raised an eyebrow in amusement. "What, the ten-minute long make-out session in the beginning wasn't enough?"
"What can I say? I like your lips," said Roman, flashing her a goofy grin as he intertwined their fingers. "Come on, sweet pea. A kiss for good luck with my match tonight. The Big Show may be a bitch but he's still a tough bitch."
Rolling her green eyes, she tried to control her smile. "Fine. You're lucky I like your lips too." Closing the short gap between them, she tiptoed up and brushed her lips against his. Roman instantly seized control, his mouth and tongue sliding leisurely over hers, and just like that she was lost in him again. He was as incredible a kisser as he was a lover, and butterflies fluttered in her belly with every touch of his mouth.
"Want some company tonight?" she asked, her tone hopeful as she pressed her lips to his tattooed shoulder.
"I don't mind," he answered with another kiss. "I'll text you my room number."
"Okay," Jaida replied as Roman enveloped her in his muscular arms, holding her tight as they kissed. "I should go," she whispered after a long moment.
"Mm-hmm," he murmured distractedly, gently squeezing her backside. Jaida giggled against his lips. He was hard again, straining against her center through his towel. She caressed his hair and let her other hand trail the expanse of his naked back. "Seriously, I gotta go."
"Nothing's stopping you."
"You are," she giggled, moaning when he sucked her upper lip, then darted his tongue into her mouth. She leaned into him as the kiss went on and on, and it was a full minute before Jaida found the strength to pull away. "Okay, I really should go," she chuckled, stepping away from him to take a final glance in the mirror. Roman looked on with a smirk, sensing her reluctance to leave, but enjoyed the sight of her walking away. Jaida slipped out of the locker room as deftly as she could, walking down the hallway with a huge grin on her face.
It was wrong, yes, but damn did it feel good.
The two days off she spent at Lincoln's L.A. mansion flew by, and before she knew it she was packing to return to work. WrestleMania was right around the corner and it was all hands on deck, from the on-air talent to the production crew to wardrobe. Everything and everyone needed to be perfect for the biggest show of the year. She tried to pretend that was the real reason she was excited to get back on the road and not because she was going to see Roman again. He sounded from his texts like he was really missing her though, and it was quite the ego boost.
"I don't like how short your stays are," Lincoln complained, sitting on his king sized bed as he watched her throw items into her carry-on suitcase. "You're barely here for a full day. I just don't think it makes any sense."
Sighing deeply, Jaida shook her head. They'd had various versions of this conversation, via the phone or in person, and they never ended well. "What do you want me to do Linc? You want me to file a complaint to Vince McMahon? 'Hey Vince, my boyfriend doesn't see me enough'? This has been WWE's lifestyle since the seventies. People have been doing it way longer than I have without complaints."
"Well I don't like it. You're gone for days at a time, weeks even. Even when we're in close proximity in some city, you're always too busy to meet up, yet I'm willing to cancel whatever business meeting I have so that I can be with you. And then when we do meet up you're always on the phone being all secretive and shit."
Jaida could feel her hairs standing on end, and she wondered if maybe…just maybe…he knew. The guilt began to rear its ugly head, but she warded it off immediately. "I'm not being secretive about anything," she replied coolly.
"Really? Because it always seems like someone else has your attention. Has had it for a while too."
Her expression remained neutral, but inwardly she was panicking. Jesus, was she really that obvious?
"Why did you get back with me, Jaida?" Lincoln asked abruptly, ignoring the wounded look on her face. "I've been wondering…Am I a rebound or something? Your safe bet when some other guy decides he's bored with you? Which is it?"
Her heart sank to her toes as she tried her best to come up with an answer. She didn't think he was a rebound. She did care about him, and there was a real possibility that they could go back to how it was. But her feelings for him were rapidly paling in comparison to the intensity of her feelings for Roman, making things rather complicated. It was bad timing, getting back together right after first hooking up with Roman, and she was so far gone that she wasn't sure how to disentangle herself from this mess. "What do you think?" she challenged.
Frowning deeply, Lincoln crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you want me to think?"
"I want you to think it's neither, Lincoln. You're not a rebound or a safe bet. You're my boyfriend. I'm sorry I keep leaving but I have to work. This is my job just like you have yours."
"How about you quit?"
Jaida blinked in disbelief. "What?"
"Yeah. You can come work for me, just like old times. You won't be gone for these ridiculous periods of time and we'll get to see each other."
The WWE seamstress straightened, glaring at Lincoln. "So let me get this straight," she said, "I should quit for you? Just like I basically quit my last job for you, is that right? Then I come work for you and have all the people whispering behind my back, that I only got the job because I'm fucking you? Like last time?"
"Come on babe, it won't be like that."
"And how do you know? Do you remember what I went through when our affair came out? Probably not. I don't even want to be in L.A. This place brings bad memories but I suck it up and come back because you live here. And you're talking about rebounds. I heard the bitch that outed us still lives around here. Shouldn't I be the one concerned?"
"Of course not," Lincoln said, offended, "What are you insinuating?
"Nothing. Nothing at all," she said coldly, looking at her watch. "I have a flight to catch. I'll call you when I land." Without another word, she grabbed her suitcase and marched out of the house into the cab.
Lincoln may have instigated their argument, but Jaida had deliberately stoked the fire and made it worse. And with good reason. How was she supposed to look him in the eye and tell him that she was holding out for another man? That she craved said other man's caress right this very moment? How was she meant to tell him she was a no-good, lying, cheating whore and that he deserved better? She couldn't. So she did the next best thing – she threw an excuse in his face, then ran away from the problem and hoped it could somehow solve itself. It was a much better solution than telling the truth.
The ringing of a cell phone shocked them both from sleep. Jaida lifted her head off of Roman's chest to glance at the alarm clock. Six a.m. "Fuck's sake, turn it off," she mumbled, snuggling against the big man's warmth.
Roman searched blindly for the offensive ring, opening one eye to look at the phone. "Yours," he grumbled, handing it to her and rolling onto his side. Yesterday had been a long day of interviews and motion capture work for the upcoming video game, followed by a live event in the evening. It was their day off and he was tired and needed some well-earned sleep, but listening to Jaida's phone conversation, he quickly realized things weren't going to get much better.
"It's early. What do you want?" she grumbled, sitting up in the bed.
Roman could always decipher from the tone of her voice when it was Lincoln on the phone, the dumbass constantly bitching about her being gone. His thoughts were confirmed when her fingers weaved through his hair. She always did that when she was talking to Lincoln and the Samoan was within reach of her. It was almost a reflexive thing, like some weird sort of comfort or defense mechanism from her boyfriend's diatribes. Not that he didn't like it; her hands were soft and dainty and soothing to the touch. He would have liked to stay and be her knight in shining armor this time but he needed to take a piss. Turning his face to kiss her fingers when they slid over his cheek, he rolled out of bed and shuffled toward the bathroom.
Jaida was a new addition to his life that Roman found himself welcoming with open arms. Aside from their hot sexual escapades, he genuinely enjoyed spending time with her. There was a little dynamic between them that they both liked to play off of. He liked their little talks, which was strange as he never stayed around long to talk with the bitches he fucked. He guess it helped that she could carry a half-decent conversation to complement her ability to fuck him six ways to Sunday. She also seemed to be the only person being straight with him regarding his career, when everyone else was either sugarcoating or whispering behind his back. He saw Dean's pre-Fast Lane interview with Renee, and the man he used to call brother pretty much accused Roman of taking the glory while he did all the dirty work while they were still a trio. It was obvious that the two men's friendship was slowly starting to deteriorate, and the impending loss felt equally as painful as Seth's sudden and unexpected betrayal. Cameron was too absorbed in her ill-advised plans for world domination to give him much time of day. How he had let her rope him into becoming her 'boyfriend', he didn't know. He was a trophy to her, a bright shiny accessory, and to him she was a convenience, a poor substitute for the woman currently occupying his bed.
He chuckled at that, shaking his head. A couple of months ago he would have laughed at himself for sounding pussy-whipped. But things were changing. Every resistance that he had built to protect himself, to stay emotionally disconnected from anyone who could hurt him, was being picked apart by Jaida. He should have been done with her after the first night they had sex but here he was, months later, unable to imagine life without her. Yeah. That girl had made herself a nice little home under his skin, and in other places he wasn't ready to admit. But as long as the punk blowing up her phone remained in the picture, there was all likelihood that she would be gone just as quickly as she arrived. He previously thought he could handle the boyfriend being part of this equation, but now? Not so much. He just didn't know how to tell Jaida that without sounding like a pussy.
Rolling her eyes as she hung up, Jaida tossed her phone with a sigh, wincing when the device collided with Roman's phone on the bed. Hoping she hadn't cracked his screen, she took it to place it somewhere safer when the text message displayed caught her eye. She didn't want to snoop, but on seeing it was from Cameron, curiosity got the best of her.
Baby I know u wanted ur space, but u can't keep avoiding me. I know u remember what u said to me at the bar a couple of nights ago. Yeah we weren't exactly in a sober state of mind but if u said it then u must have been thinking it all this time right? I just want to know if you meant it. Well, I hope u do cuz I feel the same way abt u. Call me. Love u.
Jaida read the text again, and then a third time, realization washing over her with the same brutal impact of a bucket of ice water. Suddenly it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Numbly, she sat up on the edge of the bed, gathering the sheets up over her nude body, her mind whirling with a million different thoughts.
Roman returned from the bathroom, climbing back into the bed and coming up behind Jaida, oblivious to the inner turmoil brewing within the seamstress. "Mornin', sweet pea," he crooned, dipping his head to kiss her neck. His brows furrowed when she shifted away from him, confused by the frown on her pretty face. "What?"
For several seconds she didn't move. Then wordlessly, she tossed his phone onto the bed next to him. Glancing questioningly at her, he picked it up. Jaida turned to watch him read the text, and his reaction told her everything she needed to know.
"What did you say then? You tell her you love her?" she still had to ask, her voice eerily quiet. She wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth.
Roman looked away, and his silence prompted tears to climb up her throat, but she swallowed them down and forced herself to speak. "Well? Did you?"
Roman sighed, reluctantly meeting her eyes. "I was drunk," he mumbled.
"Drunken words are sober thoughts, Reigns," she replied, shaking her head at the lame excuse.
"Jay-"
"You're 'drunk', and the first thing you say to a girl is you love her." As he averted his gaze again, she felt her stomach churn. "Why did you say that? Huh? Surely it couldn't have been to lure her into your bed; you've already fucked her. So what was it?"
"Look, I didn't mean it okay?" said Roman, a frown of his own creasing his features. "Why are you so worked up about it? Are you jealous or something?"
Ignoring his question, Jaida reared back, blinking rapidly. "Oh, you didn't mean it," she repeated sarcastically. "So you just said it to fuck with her or somethin'. That what gets you off, Reigns? Fuckin' with people? You fuck them, then fuck with them, like it's some kind of sick game. You manipulate people."
"Really?" Roman countered angrily. "What, you gonna tell me I manipulated you into sleeping with me next? You think you're not manipulating Lincoln right now, sneakin' around behind his back? You got him wrapped around your finger, stringing him along and pretending you give a damn about him. If you did you wouldn't be here with me. You're such a hypocrite!"
"At least I don't go around telling people that I'm in love with them when I don't mean it!" Jaida yelled back, jumping up from the bed and gathering the sheets awkwardly around her naked body. Why did she feel so betrayed?
"That's because you never mean it. I bet you said it to your precious boyfriend back then because it's what he wanted to hear. But you lied, didn't you? You were only using him to further your fashion career. You were using him then, and you're using him now simply because you can."
The barb pierced Jaida right in the heart. "Shut your mouth. You don't know shit about me or him!"
"I know you just fine," Roman snarled, standing up as well and getting in her face. "Let's see; he was the son of the CEO at your famous little magazine, so you sank your claws into him. You probably got your hands on some higher-up to be in the WWE. And now, you're with me 'cause you realized I got a chance to be the man around here. So you can be seen hangin' off my arm. It's no coincidence you came to me after I won the Rumble, and you let me fuck you after months of playing hard to get." He sneered. "That's your M.O., ain't it sweet pea? Whoring yourself out to the highest bidder?"
Jaida stood there frozen, her mouth hanging open in shock. Then, her hand flew up, slapping Roman hard across the face. The impact rocked his head to the side, but Roman showed no emotion, only turned back slowly to face her.
"You bastard!" she hissed. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"
"The guy who just hit you with some truth," he said. "I made a mistake and you're fuckin' judging me for it. Go ahead then, if you think it will make you feel better about cheating on your boyfriend. Since you're such a saint and all."
Jaida's eyes narrowed. "I never said I was a saint, Roman-"
"Then get off my fuckin' back! You ain't my girl!" he roared. "I don't answer to you! Never have and never will!"
For several agonizingly long seconds, the two regarded each other warily, the tension in the air skyrocketing to suffocating levels. Unable to take it anymore, Jaida turned her back on him. "Fine," she snarled. "How about you leave then? Get out."
"Good idea," Roman answered harshly.
Before she could say anything else, he stormed away. With weakened knees Jaida lowered herself down on the bed, jamming her fingers into her hair. She could hear Roman packing up his things but she didn't turn back around. Neither said another word. Once the front door slammed shut, she choked back a sob.
Lincoln opened the door and was surprised to find Jaida standing there, suitcase in hand and tears in her eyes.
"Jay…are you okay?" he started to say, but that was all he got out before she launched herself at him, holding him tightly. For a moment, he was too stunned to respond, then he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back.
"I'm sorry, Linc. I'm so sorry."
His gaze softened. He hated seeing her cry. "Hey, it's okay, baby. Come on, get inside." He led her into the house and handed her suitcase to a helper to take up to his bedroom. "Is everything alright?"
"Now that I'm with you, yes."
"I'm sorry about what I said, Jay-Jay," Lincoln said softly, "I was selfish and inconsiderate. Let's forget about it okay?"
She smiled at him. He was such a sweetheart. "Consider it forgotten." She backed him into the house, undoing the buttons on his shirt as she kissed him over and over.
"Jaida," he whispered, his voice growing husky with desire.
"I want you, Linc. Make love to me," she pleaded. She kissed him again, deeper this time, and Lincoln knew he couldn't deny her if he wanted to.
As she leaned into her boyfriend's embrace, Jaida let everything and everyone else melt away. Lincoln was the guy she should be with. He was the guy that always made her laugh whenever she had a shitty day, always fascinated her with every story and theory that he shared. He was gorgeous and charismatic and showered her with gifts and affection. Any woman would consider herself lucky to have him, her included. When Roman looked at her, it was full of lust and an unspoken promise to tear her pussy up. It made her heart pound and set her body on fire. With one touch, he awakened all her senses and made her forget her own name. It wasn't that way with Lincoln but he possessed an ability that Roman didn't; he made her feel like a queen. It was a tale of two contrasts, none of which she could settle on. Until now. She decided that her days as a side piece were over.
It was time she stopped taking Linc for granted. He was good for her and from now on she was going to stick with him no matter what.
WrestleMania week was the busiest week of Jaida's life. She could count the number of hours she'd slept this week on one hand. She and Sandra worked overtime ensuring that the ring gear and costumes were in top shape for the biggest event on the wrestling calendar. She was glad she hadn't asked Lincoln to show up in San Francisco until the weekend, otherwise she wouldn't have had any time for him. Also, she was glad she was busy because it kept her from doing other things.
Like thinking about him.
Their fight from weeks ago played over and over in her mind, and a part of her chastised her for allowing herself to open up to him and become vulnerable. She should have listened to her gut from the beginning and stayed away because he was nothing but trouble. He still flitted through her mind though; his cocky smile, the feel of his warm skin against hers, the taste of his mouth, the primal grunt that came from somewhere deep inside his throat when he came apart for her. Now they were flat-out avoiding each other and she hated it, wishing she wasn't missing him as much as she was.
She supposed it was smart that they ended it...whatever 'it' was. Because frankly, she couldn't do it anymore; she couldn't keep juggling two men and keep putting herself through this heartache. It was only ever going to be sex between her and Roman and honestly – foolishly – she had wanted more. But it wasn't happening, so that fantasy was over now. Now she could concentrate on a man who truly cared for her and wanted to be with her, as well as preserve what was left of her fragile heart.
Lincoln arrived on Friday night for the weekend's events. On seeing his girlfriend in the hotel lobby, his features broke into that sexy smile that always made Jaida melt. He looked so good. She took one step forward, and then another, and within seconds she was wrapped in his arms and her legs were around his waist. His nose settled in her hair, and Jaida inhaled his scent, his warmth, his love. He kissed her cheek before his lips found hers, and a sigh of longing escaped her. She was aware they were being gawked at, but all her brain could register at the moment was that her boyfriend was here, and she was going to have him for the next three days. "How was your flight, babe?" she asked.
"Long. The plane actually had to stop to refuel. I was very inclined to fire my pilot on the spot." He yawned. "I'd love to yak some more but I'm beat. There anywhere a man can get some shut-eye?"
Jaida giggled. "Right this way, Mr. Brandt." She turned around and her stomach clenched as her gaze landed on Roman standing with Jimmy, Jey and Cameron in the lobby. Without acknowledging them, she dragged Lincoln towards the elevators.
"Why is that guy looking at you like that?"
She was afraid to ask, but she did anyway, sounding as indifferent as possible. "Who?"
"The huge guy with the tattoo," Lincoln said, casting a derisive gaze at Roman, who was staring at Jaida and making no attempts to hide it. "I don't like the way he's looking at you. Is that what you go through at work every day?"
Shrugging nonchalantly, Jaida said, "Sometimes. But whatever."
The elevator doors opened, preventing Jaida from saying more, thankfully. She grabbed Lincoln's hand and steered him into the elevator. Pressing the button corresponding with their hotel room floor, she pulled him close. "I'm free for the next three hours," she whispered in his ear.
Lincoln smiled and let his hands find her backside. "Sounds good to me." He nipped her jawline, causing her to giggle and lean further into him. As his lips slid down to her neck, she turned her head, locking eyes with Roman right before the elevator doors slid shut.
WrestleMania was a resounding success. The atmosphere in the packed Levi's Stadium was electric and every Superstar and Diva had brought their A-game to the show. Of course, Jaida was most invested in the main event, watching Roman win his very first WWE World Heavyweight title in a brutal fight with Brock. During their numerous late-night talks he'd fretted over this very moment, wondering if he was indeed ready for it. All of his worries were seemingly washed away as he basked in his victory. Their conflict aside, she was very proud and happy for him. When he returned backstage, there was a line of Superstars applauding and congratulating him. Cameron jumped into his arms and planted a massive kiss on his lips, pretty much confirming their status as a couple. Jaida had had to look away, feeling her heart wrench in her chest.
The post-Mania party was fun. She'd missed the Hall of Fame after-party as she had to work, but she planned on living it up tonight. All the hard work of the past few weeks had paid off and it was a very satisfying feeling. It was a great party, and she would have enjoyed it more if she hadn't spent half the time eyeing up the man of the hour. The new Champion looked immaculate in the dark grey suit he was wearing, hair all shiny and slicked back, the WWE World Heavyweight title draped over one shoulder and Cameron on the other. She brushed off her jealousy, determined to make tonight the night to enjoy herself, to let her hair down, and spend time with her boyfriend. She didn't need anyone else, especially not goddamn Roman Reigns.
Returning from a very fun session on the dance floor with Paige and Naomi, she settled on Lincoln's lap, swiped his glass of champagne out of his hand and took a sip. "Baby you haven't danced with me yet," she whined, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him in for a passionate kiss. She'd ensured to lavish as much attention as possible on him tonight.
"You know I'm not a great dancer," Lincoln replied, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "But I'm kinda beat. I think I should turn in."
"Really? You wanna leave?" said Jaida. "Should I come with you?"
Lincoln shook his head. "No need to, babe. You've worked hard for this and you deserve to have fun and enjoy yourself tonight. Don't worry about me. I won't wait up."
"Are you sure?" Jaida asked.
"Positive, sweetheart." He pressed his lips to hers once more, and looking into her eyes, he said, "I love you."
The seamstress gasped softly, her expression falling with guilt. It was the first time he said those three words since they got back together. She opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was "Ditto. Come on, let me get Terry." Pulling him to his feet, she kissed his cheek and summoned one of the designated drivers to take him back to the hotel.
It was soon almost three in the morning, and gradually, people were checking out of the party. Management had organized a number of cars to ferry the Superstars and crew back to the hotel, leaving in pairs and groups. Jaida tiredly leaned against a still-vibrant Dolph Ziggler as she waited her turn to head out.
"Ziggler, you go in that car. Jaida, you ride in here," Michael Hayes hollered, waving her over as a valet held open the door for her. Gratefully she went over to the car, halting abruptly at the sight of the other passenger sat in the back seat.
Roman.
Oh no.
"Well what are you waiting for?" Michael barked, "Get in! We still got other people to pick up."
Seeing that her complaints would be futile, she gritted her teeth and cursed the gods as she slid inside the car, keeping as far away from the Samoan as possible. The distance from the party to the hotel was on the long side and judging from the thick cloud of uncomfortable silence hanging in the air already, it was not going to be fun. She wished she was at least riding shotgun so she wouldn't have to be this close to him.
Several minutes passed, and Jaida realized the only way the tension could dissipate was if she made small talk. "So you're Champ now. Congrats," she said, looking at the title so she wouldn't have to look at him.
Roman turned his gaze from the window. "Thanks," he responded. "You believed I could do it, so I'm glad I proved you right."
Jaida could only smile at him. "Good," she said.
Awkward silence descended over them once more, the sound of his fingers drumming his title belt the only thing preventing the quiet from suffocating them.
"You look beautiful," Roman spoke up. He gazed at her, taking in her gorgeous coral dress, and he had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch her. He'd wanted to touch her for ages, particularly at the Hall of Fame ceremony, to take her somewhere private and rip off the strapless light blue gown she had on. As he lifted the title in the middle of that ring tonight, battered and bruised, she'd popped into his mind, and he hoped that despite their fiery history, there was still a proud smile lighting up her beautiful face. He'd taken every advantage to watch her tonight as well, mingling with the talent and crew, dancing with Paige and Naomi, making out with Lincoln, which made the Pensacola native's blood boil. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss being with her. He missed talking with her, missed her trash-talking when they were in bed. He missed her little laugh, and the moans that escaped her when he touched her most sensitive spots; the way she tightened around him, her eyes rolling back as she surrendered to him…
At the look in his eyes, Jaida felt her insides tighten. "Thanks. You look nice too," she acknowledged after a beat.
Roman huffed and rolled his eyes. "Why so nervous, sweet pea? Scared your boyfriend's gonna see us together?"
Jaida frowned. "Leave him out of this, Reigns. Besides, it's not like there's anything between me and you anymore."
Chuckling snidely, the Samoan crossed his arms. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. You think I haven't noticed you staring at me?"
"Do you have to be a fuckin' jackass?" Jaida argued, riled up already. It was uncanny how easily he was able to do that. "Why can't you leave well enough alone?"
He was tired, both mentally and physically, but somewhere inside him he still found the strength to bicker with her. It was a dangerous hold she had on him. "Because you need to quit kiddin' yourself and stop hidin' behind your fuckin' boyfriend," said Roman. He turned in his seat, his grey irises boring into hers. "Especially when we both know you still want me."
Picking an imaginary piece of lint out of her dress, Jaida scoffed. "No I don't."
"Liar. I see right through your little PDA act. You still think about me, don't you? When you're kissing him, fuckin' him?" A cruel smile formed on his lips. "Maybe you try not to, but you can't help yourself, right sweet pea? I'm under your skin."
"Shut the fuck up," she hissed, wishing she was anywhere but here.
"Why? Because I'm telling the truth?"
"What do you want from me, Reigns?" she rounded on him, impatiently pushing a lock of hair out of her face. "Huh? What do you want me to say? That you're all I think about anymore? That every time I close my eyes I see your face, fuckin' haunting me? That I miss you? Is that what you want? Fine! I admit it!"
She watched him shrink back in his seat, surprise etched on his handsome features. Evidently he hadn't expected her to cave in. But she was tired of everything, tired of fighting. She rambled on, her voice warming with pent-up emotion. "Linc is a good guy. He loves me. Even with all the time that's passed between us, he never stopped. And he's good to me in every way possible. But yet I can't tell him I feel the same way because I can't get your dumb ass out of my head. You look at me and I can barely breathe, let alone when you touch me. I can't stand you, but at the same time I feel like I'll go insane if I'm not near you." Her voice cracked, and she bit down on her lip as she struggled to curb her feelings. "You were right. I am a whore. I've been cheating on a wonderful man and I'm supposed to feel horrible about it. But I don't. So what kind of person does that make me?"
She couldn't look at him anymore. She couldn't bear the myriad of emotions that were weighing so heavily on her. More horrifyingly, she couldn't stop the tears that spilled down her cheeks. She drew her knees up to her chest and tucked her face between her knees, trying to will away the painful ache in her heart.
Seeing her shaking shoulders, Roman's heart sank. "Jaida." His voice was sweet and hushed all of a sudden. "Fuck. Jay, don't," he pleaded. "Come on, I'm sorry. Please don't cry."
She refused to meet his eyes even when he reached across the seat and put a hand on her arm. It was mortifying that he was seeing her this way but she couldn't help herself. She was beyond the point of no return now. It was stupid. She had a great boyfriend and her career was going strong. She had no reason to cry about anything, and yet…
Roman set aside his World title, the hardware's significance suddenly diminishing in comparison to the vision of the weeping woman. "Baby girl." His voice was in her ear now, and she made no move to stop him from pulling her smaller body onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face in his neck, holding on for dear life while he rubbed her back soothingly.
"Baby, look at me," Roman whispered.
"No…"
"Jaida," he said sternly, carefully guiding her face up. In the darkness of the car, tearful green eyes reluctantly met grey. In a move that shocked both of them, he leaned in and kissed the tears on both her cheeks. "What do you want from me, baby?" he asked gently, "What do you really want?"
She sniffled. "Roman…" Inhaling sharply, she made a feeble attempt to backtrack. "I…I shouldn't have said those things…I've had a lot to drink and-"
"Stop," he interrupted calmly. "Enough with the pretenses. What do you want? We both know the answer to that, but I need you to tell me yourself, Jaida," he urged. "So do it. Say the word and it's done." He cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb, but she turned her head away. "Say it, Jaida. Tell me you want to be with me."
"No."
"Jay-"
"No! I can't!" she wailed.
"Yes you can," Roman insisted, pulling her face back to him again. "Damn it Jaida, look at me-"
In the next breath they were kissing, lips crashing against the other. Neither could tell who had initiated it, but that wasn't going to stop them. In one quick move Jaida was straddling Roman's lap as they devoured each other with heated, open-mouthed kisses. They groped each other, with Jaida ripping off his suit jacket while Roman tugged the top of her short dress down to her waist. She groaned into his mouth as he kneaded her breasts, pinching her nipples between his fingers. Every nerve ending in her body came to life as she pressed against him, caressing his hair. She should have stopped dreaming about him by now. She should have stopped entertaining the fantasies, but it was proving very difficult. And now that she could feel his breath on her face, his hands on her body, his length hardening underneath her, it was going to be damn near impossible. Everything else within her shut down, leaving her with nothing but hot, burning need that could only be quenched by his touch, by his taste, by him.
This was wrong. It was only going to make things much more complicated. But the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion had never wanted anything as badly as he wanted Jaida at that moment. She had never looked as beautiful as she did right then, sitting in his lap, her gorgeous green eyes rimmed red with tears that he couldn't help but kiss away. And there was a whole lot more he wanted to kiss and reacquaint himself with, damn the consequences.
There was no time for foreplay, and it wasn't what either of them needed at the moment. Jaida fumbled with his belt and then the button of his tailored dress pants. Once she was done with those, she yanked his zipper down and snaked her hand inside his pants. Roman threw his head back against the backseat and groaned as Jaida started stroking him with frightening expertise. He kept telling himself that he had a girlfriend waiting back at the hotel, but as his hand glided up Jaida's thigh and slid her panties to the side, he couldn't care less about Cameron. He couldn't care less about anything as Jaida lowered herself onto him. All was right in the world, if only for these few minutes, because he had this beautiful woman in his arms where she belonged.
As she pillaged the side of Roman's neck with her mouth, Jaida stopped worrying about how wrong this was and just let herself feel. Because honestly, it wasn't going to change anything. She would still get out of this car and go back to Lincoln and be his girlfriend again. But for now, she needed this. She needed the spark that only Roman Reigns could ignite inside of her. She needed to hear his spine-tingling baritone voice in her ear, feel the passion that only he could give her. The passion came in waves as she locked eyes with him, feeling his hands slip inside her dress to grip her ample backside and guide her up and down his length. She rode him wildly, her moans blending with his as the pressure built up within her. It was nothing short of incredible, how good he felt inside her, how good he made her feel. No one came close. It was just a shame that she had realized it too late and there was nothing she could do about it.
They had both reached a frenzied climax when they felt the car slowing to a stop. They had reached the hotel. Avoiding eye contact, they straightened their clothing, a long edgy silence filling the car as each came to grips with what they had just done.
Clearing her throat, Jaida managed to speak. "This can't happen again," she muttered, smoothing her hair back in place. "You have Cameron now and I have Lincoln. I care about him and I want to make it work with him." She looked at him with remorseful eyes. "I'm sorry."
For a long time he didn't respond. Merely held her gaze with those deep penetrative silver eyes of his, making the seamstress squirm in her seat. Finally, he broke eye contact, and she could see his jaw clench.
"Right. Whatever," he mumbled, staring straight ahead.
The venom in his tone made her chest tighten with despair. "Roman-"
"Get out."
Jaida visibly flinched, as though she'd been struck by a bullet. It would have hurt less if he'd slapped her. Stunned, she climbed out of the car and hurried into the back entrance of the hotel, not stopping until she'd stumbled into an elevator. The second the doors slid shut, she burst into tears, sliding dejectedly down to the floor as she wept. It was suddenly hard to breathe, a desperate effort to slow down the dizzying vertigo that suddenly overtook her. She could still smell his scent, taste his lips, feel his touch. And now it was all gone, simply because she had allowed it to.
It's for the best, she tried to tell herself, You did the right thing. It's for the best.
And yet she felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.
Yikes.
Long chapter, wasn't it? What do you think of the situation with our little love triangle? Kindly review, I will be very happy if you did. :D