"Wow, you are intensely motivated today," Seth said as he laid on the floor trying to catch his breath.
Antonio shrugged and took a swig from his water bottle, "Was a good session. I like this gym."
He took off his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face, making his frizzy hair look even more disheveled, "Uh-huh and what was she wearing when you left the hotel room this morning?"
"I'm returning to the ring tomorrow night, I need to get in shape."
"Yeah, OK, sure, whatever you say."
Antonio focused on stretching, maybe Rollins was right, Beth looked stunning when he left her perched on the edge of the bed wearing nothing but his tux shirt, she only closed a few of the buttons and the sleeves were all bunched up so she could wrap her hands around the coffee mug. She gave him a little pout when he left but he knew she had no desire to pick up CrossFit, especially when she could lounge out by the hotel pool all morning.
"What?" he asked when noticed Rollins staring at him.
"Are you two OK?"
He sighed, "Yeah, I mean, I think so. This last media tour was rough. Being overseas is always hard."
"You had planned on being home the whole recovery time and you told her that, didn't you?"
He nodded, "How was I supposed to know they'd make me tour the other half of the globe the second I was cleared for travel?"
"Because you are the only person on the roster than can speak five languages," he said getting up and heading towards the locker room. "Come on, shower up so we can get some grub."
"You actually bring a hairbrush so you can tame that mess?"
Seth snorted, "Chrome dome sounds a little jealous."
Beth climbed out of the pool and walked over to where she left her stuff, looking around for the millionth time. She swore someone had been watching her but whenever she looked up, she couldn't figure out who it was. Everyone around the pool area seemed to be involved with something else, the older man reading the paper, the mom watching her little girl splash around the low end, the two teenage girls whispering and giggling over a fashion magazine, some guy with his ear buds in and scrolling through his phone… Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but still, she felt her skin prickle up in apprehension, something just didn't feel right. She laid out her towel on the chaise lounger and stretched out to enjoy the sun after popping her own ear buds in.
She must have dozed off in the early afternoon sun, when a shadow passing over her startled her awake, she shaded her eyes with her hands and blinked trying to make out the person standing over her.
"Sure is a nice day, ain't it?" he asked.
She nodded, "It is…"
"You here for that wrestling stuff?" he asked?
She nodded and sat up in her chair, her eyes finally adjusting to the brightness. "I am."
"What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?" he drawled as his eyes travelled up and down her body.
"Oh, I'm not alone, I'm here with my boyfriend and some friends."
He nodded at the empty chair next to her, "Mind if I join you?"
"Actually, I do. I was just enjoying some quiet time before I met up with my boyfriend."
He laughed and sat down anyway, "Such a shame, out here all alone."
She stretched her legs out, tapping her feet on the ground trying to find her flip flops without looking away from him, "Like I said, I'm not alone. I'm here with friends. And my boyfriend."
He looked around, "Well, I don't see no boyfriend anywhere…"
She grabbed her tshirt and her phone and stood up, "Well, I should be going," she looked around for her room key, she knew she left it right near her phone but now it was gone. No biggie, she'd stop by the front desk and ask for another one.
"Looking for this?" he winked holding it up.
She felt her heart start to race, "Nope, think I left it in my room by mistake." She turned and started to talk towards the hotel entrance when he grabbed her arm.
"Why the rush?" he said pressing his face against her ear.
"I… my friends… and my, umm… my boyfriend…"
"You keep saying boyfriend, but I don't see nobody looking out for you," he snarled squeezing her arm tighter.
"That's because you didn't look behind you."
Beth let out a sigh of relief when she heard Antonio's strangely calm voice, the scumbag must have turned around because her arm was suddenly freed. She turned around and saw Antonio still in his gym clothes, his sunglasses resting on top of his head, his fists clenched at his side and his eyes burning a hole into her unwelcomed admirer. She was standing next to her man before she knew it, "please, let's go inside," she whispered.
"You should take better care of your lady, she was all ready to come back to my room with me," he smirked.
"Oh, I highly doubt that," Antonio replied taking a step in front of Beth, "Now, I suggest you get away from me before you regret waking up this morning."
He laughed, Beth couldn't believe it! He actually looked at Antonio and laughed. She noticed his whole body stiffen as he flexed his hand, "Antonio. No," she gently placed her hand on his arm.
The other man took a step towards them, challenging Antonio to make a move, "If you are so tough, why was she so willing to join me?"
"Stop, let's just go," she pleaded.
"Sounds like she doesn't want you to know the truth."
"Sounds like you are a very stupid man who wants to die," Antonio countered, his jaw twitching with rage.
Beth's eyes grew wide as she foolishly stepped between the two men and placed her hand on Antonio's chest, "Antonio, don't…"
Before she knew what was happening, the sleazy jerk had her by the elbow and was jerking her away from her boyfriend, then Antonio's fist was connecting with his jaw. She screamed and jumped back as the other man rushed towards her boyfriend.
"Whoa, whoa, break it up!" Beth looked over as both Sheamus and Wade Barrett came running outside from the hotel lobby. Sheamus easily tossed the scumbag aside while Wade held Antonio back.
"Cesaro! Relax, man," Wade yelled, "What the fuck happened out here?"
Sheamus looked over at Beth who was rubbing her arm, "You alright?"
She nodded, "he grabbed me, I was just lying in the sun, minding my own business… and…"
Antonio managed to break free from Wade's grasp and pulled Beth into him, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Liebe, are you ok?"
"And he wouldn't leave me alone…" she whimpered into his shirt.
"Its not your fault," Sheamus said flexing his jaw.
Wade nodded, "As much as he deserved a good ass whooping, you'd get in serious trouble."
"Yeah, that scrawny bastard wouldn't even stand a chance," the Irishman said with a laugh.
"Can we go inside now, please?" Beth begged. "I think I need an ice pack."
"Let me see it," he demanded. He scowled, her arm was already starting to bruise.
"I'll call the doc," Wade said pulling his phone out of his pocket, "let him look at that."
"No! No, I just want to go inside, please," she looked at the three giants standing around her, "just needs some ice."
"I should have killed him," Antonio muttered as he took her hand and walked inside, the other two wrestlers following close behind.
"He keeps carrying on like that and someone likely will," Wade responded grimly.
They parted ways at the elevator and Antonio let them into their room, making Beth remember that she needed to replace her room key. She shuddered thinking about what Antonio would have done to that guy if he knew about the stolen room key.
"Are you sure you are alright, Prinzessin?" he asked wrapping a towel around an ice pack and gently pressing it against her elbow.
She nodded, "just a little creeped out still."
"Does it hurt? Its pretty swollen, I can have one of the trainers take a look."
"It hurts a little, its fine though. I can move it," she rested her head on his shoulder and squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to cry.
He kissed the top of her head, "come with me to Axxess, the session is only two hours, then we can get some dinner before we head over to the arena."
"I need to shower though, I was in the pool."
He checked the time on the clock radio next to the bed, "We have an hour left, plenty of time."
"Can we get coffee?"
"You ask such silly questions," he said caressing her cheek and lifting her chin to make her look at him. He kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose and then her lips, "We can always get coffee."