Disclaimer: Again, Not Mine! :-(

Chapter Four
Long Damn Day

I hope Ashley has my schedule clear for the rest of the day. Because so far my day has been almost murderous for Alabama. We had a training session scheduled for eleven in the morning. It was now almost one in the afternoon and I wanted to be anywhere but in this ring with this wrestler. Especially before I kill him. And I still had another hour to kill for this pompous ass before I'm free for I'm hoping the rest of the day.

Alabama is a five foot eleven inch asshole. He believes he knows it all when in fact he knows jack shit. In the two hours I've been trying to train him, I've thrown him out of the ring twice. He thinks he's hot shit when in fact he's terrible. He's too cocky and too much of a know it all. He's tried my signature move over a dozen times and each time he screws it up. I try to show him simple moves and he tries to show me that he already knows how and fails miserably.

And he wants to talk. About me and my personal life. I don't talk about my life. Ever. On the show for the story line, I play the dark, handsome, tall, silent type. I'm brooding and grumpy and a heartless ass sometimes. But the fans love me that way. Outside of wrestling, I'm pretty much the same way. Only difference is, I have friends who I talk to and confide in when I need it. But I hardly ever talk to anyone. My life is my own. I don't want people knowing about my life. My ex-wives, my daughters, my girlfriends, my fuck buddies, my family or my sex life. It's all mine. And I don't want the paparazzi to know any of my business either. And that includes big pompous assholes such as Alabama.

Even with my mind on Ashley, what she's doing and what happened yesterday, I've still managed to kick his ass all over this ring. Without really even thinking about it too. I would rather be with the pushy physical therapist than here with Alabama. His 'signature' move is called the Alabama Slammer. I mean really? How original is that? He climbs up on top of the rope in the corner of the ring. He then does a somersault in mid-air and slams into his opponent-whose standing up-with his back. When he showed me this 'signature' move, I almost left. I almost shouted fuck it and walked out. But I can't do that. Not to Vince and most especially to Ric Flair who helped me get to this point in my career. So two hours, twenty-seven minutes, and fifty-three seconds later, I'm still here and I'm still dodging his very personal questions.

"Does wrestling interfere with your personal life?" He asks. This one was different. I didn't mind answering this one.

"No." I reply. I shrug. What more did I need to say?

He nods and tries to get me into a head lock. He fails. When he backs off, he asks another question. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

I do believe he has asked that same question thirty times in the last two hours, twenty-nine minutes, and thirty-seven seconds. Yes I was counting every minute. Something that isn't like me as I have never done it before. Maybe that had something to do with one little brown eyed beauty.

I shake my head no and he once again tries to get me into a head lock. My mind drifts back to yesterday. After I left my appointment with the therapist, I walked down to join Ashley at the local diner. The place was pretty much packed but with women. Ashley had her small nose stuck in her folder and clipboard and had no idea I was there until I sat down and scared the hell out of her.

I could instantly see the moment she saw my tall form sit down in the chair across from her. She didn't look up to see who it was, she just tensed so tight I thought she was gonna break. Her breathing became ragged and her fingers gripped her ball point pen so tightly I was sure it was gonna snap in half. She took several deep breaths and hard swallows before she looked up. And when those pretty brown eyes met mine, she visibly relaxed. Her body went soft, her grip loosened, and her breathing slowed. She smiled then and said hi. It was an uneasy smile and her eyes were swimming with wariness. I knew then that she was scared I was gonna ask what happened back at the therapist's office. So even though I wanted to know what happened and why, I gave her a smile and asked her if she had eaten. She relaxed even more and shook her head no. She was waiting for me.

I liked that thought just a little too much so I signaled for a waitress, flirted shamelessly and then ordered our lunch. Ashley never once looked jealous or upset at my flirting with another woman and that almost disappointed me. Almost. I hated a jealous woman. With I'm with one woman, I am only with that one woman. I don't cheat. That isn't who I am. Besides, Ashley and I weren't seeing each other.

I didn't have long to think about her being jealous when she stunned the hell out of me ordering a double bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and catsup with a side order of fries. And a vanilla milkshake. I grinned and ordered the same. And when the food came, she ate half of the burger, half of her fries, and all of her shake. So I finished my food and then ate hers. She smiled and shook her head.

I paid for the lunch even though Ashley wanted to pay because she didn't eat all her food. I laughed at that. She didn't find me funny. The cute little waitress gave me her number and I tossed into the trash back the hotel room. I don't know why I did. I guess she just wasn't my type. Too fake. Her hair was too teased and her make up too over the top.

So I spent the rest of the day lounging in my hotel room watching television while Ashley spent hers on the phone with my ex-wife, getting my daughters' schedules for the next month and five days. I would have tried to do it, but in the end my ex and I would have ended up arguing and hanging up on each other. Since it's July fourteenth and summer slam is August twentieth, I wanna try to spend as much time with my daughters as possible between now and then since school starts August twentieth-fifth. But I have a lot of training to do in that short month also, but I have a feeling with Ashley in charge of my schedule, I will be able to accomplish quite a bit.

"Um hello! How do you do that?" Alabama's question snaps me back to the present.

"Do what?" I ask, stepping back to clear my head.

"We've been wrestling for the past ten minutes and you've been kicking ass, but your attention is totally elsewhere, dude."

I check the time and sure enough, it was two o'clock. I was out. I shrug at Alabama's question. "When you've been wrestling for as long as I have, it comes natural." I tell him. I duck out of the ring. "You might wanna practice a little more. Especially on that slammer thing you've got going on. But maybe you should have your opponent laying out flat on the mat. You could still do the somersault and land on your back." I shrug when I catch the look on his face. "Whatever you wanna do. But keep training."

With that I walk away. I hear him mumbling and whining but I ignore him. Ashley should be back at the hotel doing who knows what. But it's Saturday night and I have a plan. Damn, I hope my schedule is clear.

I enter my hotel room to find it nicely clean and completely empty. Where's Ashley? She should have been here because she said she would be. I drop my gym bag on the floor at the entrance before closing the door behind me. I barely heard the click of the door when a soft knock sounds. I turn just enough to open the door to allow her to come in before striding further into the room.

I sit down in the only chair to unlace my shoes and look up at Ashley while I do so. She's studying my features and I'm sure it has nothing to do with my devastating good looks.

"What?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "You did train today, correct?" She questions.

I slowly nod. "From eleven to two. Three of the longest hours I have ever spent." I tell her.

She gives me a nod and sits down on the edge of the bed which faces me. "You just don't look like you've been training. Or wrestling." She adds.

"I did take a shower."

She nods again. "Oh okay. That does make sense, but—." She breaks off and cocks her head.

"But what, Lil Bit?" I ask. Usually I would have been annoyed, but this time I wanted to know what she was thinking.

"You don't have any bumps or bruises. Shouldn't you at least have a black eye or a bruise cheek from training with Alabama?" She asks with genuine interest.

I actually laugh. Not a deep belly laugh, but a good one nonetheless. "Not when you're as good as I am." I brag.

She smiles and gives me a little eye roll. "Oh of course, I forgot."

"Mmmmmm… sure you did." I tease her. She blushes a light pink. I like it when she blushes. "You do know that it is just a story line, right?" I ask. She nods. "Good. Now tell me exactly what the story line with Alabama is and does it involve me?" I ask because I really have no idea.

"Well, Alabama will appear in every show until Summer Slam, but he'll be fighting other wrestlers. However, in the back ground and around the ring, you two are seen with each other quite a bit. Vince and the writers want people to believe that you two are going to be tag teaming. The night of Summer Slam, when you and Booker T are wrestling and Queen Sharmell interferes and you win by disqualification, well he shows up and helps you out. Until the referee's back is turned. Then he jumps on you and beats you up."

I snort. "He's gonna need a lot of practice to be able to do that." She ignores my comment and continues.

"And he takes your title belt and runs. Then after that the next several shows after you have a match, he pops up on the jumbo screen and taunts you mercilessly."

I was done taking off my shoes, I just wanted to listen to her talk. Her voice was so damn erotic. "Uh huh. Then what happens?"

"You track him down and get your revenge."

I nod. "Sounds easy enough. But he's really gonna need a lot of practice." I comment, bending at the waist and resting my forearms on my knees. I keep my eyes on Ashley the whole time.

"Is he really bad?" She asks in disbelief.

I nod again. "Really bad. And he's such a girl."

She cocks her head. "How do you mean?"

"He talks a lot. He wants to discuss feelings and shit."

Her eyes widen. "Not all girls talk a lot or wanna discuss feelings."

I snort. She was the exception. "You may not, but you are rare." And that little comment made her blush and I can't help but smile.

"Thank you." She replies softly.

I nod in reply. "What's the plan for the rest of the day?" I ask her.

"You have a dinner meeting with Vince and—."

I interrupt. "Why? And when did this happen?"

"Vince called while you were training and I don't know why he wants the meeting."

"You didn't ask."

"It's none of my business."

I sigh. The one time I wish I had a nosy assistant... or shadow. Whatever. "Anything else?"

She nods. "All three of your daughters are going to be home this evening. I told Glenda that you would be able to call them at eight this evening. They have cleared their schedules so you have plenty of time."

I was in shock to say the least. I wasn't expecting it. "And Glenda agreed to that?" I question.

Ashley nods. "Yes. She said that your girls missed you very much and I said that you had this evening free and maybe that you could call and talk to them. She said all three of them would be home by seven. She said to call around eight so that way all of them should be settled down and have everything done."

"Thank you. I miss my daughters."

She smiles at me. "I know. You're a good father."

I nod but I can't smile. For once I didn't agree with a compliment.

"Alright Vince, enough of the small talk. Why am I here?"

We were back at the same restaurant and seated not too far from where we were the first time. I had a huge T-bone steak with bake potato in front of me and I was having ice tea. So far Vince had done nothing but make small talk. I didn't want small talk.

He takes a drink of his own ice tea before responding. "How are you getting along with Ashley?" He asks.

I'm immediately on defense and I haven't a clue why. "Why do you ask?" I reply with my own question.

He sighs. "She's been gone for two days and my personal schedule is already a mess."

"So you wanna her back?" I ask with a laugh. Oh that so wasn't gonna happen.

He shakes his head. "No. I need for her to keep you in line. But there was something I wanted to tell you and forgot the other day."

"What is that?"

He looks me straight in the eye and his jaw is clench tight. "Don't touch her. Don't fuck her."

"What the hell, Vince?" I ask; his words like a shock to my very core. Not because I wanted to. Or because eventually I was going to. But because he was warning me away.

"I don't need a reason why. I just wanna make sure you understand that she isn't one of your little ring rats to play with, fuck, and toss aside."

"And if I ignore you?" Because I was going to.

He clears his throat. "Then you're fired."

I was taken back. I had no clue what to say. He would fire me if I slept with Ashley. Damn. Was she worth it?

"Then fire me." I tell him.

His mouth drops and his eyes widen. "You've already slept with her." He accuses me with malice in his voice.

I shake my head in disbelief. "You think Ashley is that easy? Or am I just that good?" I ask getting angry.

His head snaps back. "You said to go ahead and fire you…" He trails off in assuming that I already had sex with Ashley.

"I haven't had sex with her yet. But it is gonna happen, Vince. And you can't stop it. You're gonna have to fire me."

"She told you she would?"

I shake my head. "I don't need her to. I know it will happe. I want her."

He rolls his eyes. "And you always get what you want, huh?" He asks mockingly.

I nod. "I do if I want it bad enough."

His eyes narrow. "Would you force her?"

His question sends my blood boiling. "I don't force any woman, Vince." I hiss out between clench teeth. Both of us have abandoned our food and drinks to stare at each with anger and rage in our eyes. Our bodies are tense with anger and the waitresses are steering clear of our table.

He lets out a growl of frustration and gets up. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you." With that, he walks out of the restaurant.

I signal the waitress so I can receive the check. I'm no longer in the mood to eat. If she's only a personal assistant to Vince then why is he so protective of her? And why do I even care?