"Why the hell didn't you tell me Shawn was here?" Hunter bellowed.
Evie grit her teeth before responding. "I didn't even know he was here. And even if I did, how was I supposed to tell you? You were already into your match with Rocky."
"I don't give a damn if you had to send smoke signals! You should have warned me!"
She threw up her arms in frustration. "You know what? This is pointless! Fact of the matter is that I didn't know he was here! End of story!" Evie glared at him. "Subject closed!"
Hunter threw his towel down. "The subject isn't closed until I say it is!" He shook his finger at her. "The point is you should have told me!"
Evie was pissed that he was taking this out on her. It wasn't her fault that Hunter had been caught off guard by Shawn's abrupt appearance during his no DQ match with The Rock. He and Shawn had ended up on the ramp beating each other. Several officials had to come out and separate them. It took a few minutes, but they finally wrested them apart and dragged Hunter to the back while the other officials restrained Shawn. Shawn promptly left after Hunter was out of sight.
"Fuck off Hunter! Don't blame this on me because Shawn ruined your damn match!"
Hunter got right in her face. "You better watch your mouth woman," he said in a deadly tone. "I don't like being talked to like that."
"Fine," Evie huffed. "How about a little sign language then?" she asked as she stuck her middle finger up at him.
Hunter grabbed her by her wrist and twisted her hand down. "Don't piss me off even more Evie."
Evie exploded. "Fuck you!"
Hunter's rage boiled over and before he could even think about what he was doing, he grabbed the front of her t-shirt with his other hand and ripped it open exposing her bra. He abruptly shoved her back onto the sofa, still holding onto her wrist. Before she had time to react, he crushed himself against her so she couldn't move, his face mere centimeters from hers. He needed a release,
"How about I fuck you instead," he whispered roughly. His mouth pressed against hers as she struggled. He managed to work one hand between their bodies and grabbed a breast. One of his knees shot between her legs as he pawed at her. Hunter's mouth moved down her neck, leaving a trail of marks as he nipped her skin. His lips came back to hers and he kissed her hard.
While his aggressiveness would excite her at any other time, she was pissed as hell that he thought he could just take what he wanted from her. Without her consent. Evie wriggled her left arm free and jabbed him hard in the side of his neck with her thumb. Hunter gasped at the sudden pain. He let go of her wrist and raised his hand.
"Go ahead Hunter. Hit me. Then you'll be exactly like Davis," she said quietly.
Her words made him stop. He realized what he was about to do, dropped his hand and got off her. Evie eyed him for a second or two and then moved away from him. Without a word, she quickly gathered up her things and clutching her shirt together, she left the room, slamming the door behind her.
Hunter collapsed onto the sofa, his head in his hands. He couldn't believe what he had almost done. Never in his life had he lifted a hand to a woman. No one. Not even Stephanie. He shook his head. How could he do that to Evie? She had never given him a reason to do what he almost did. Sure he was pissed off, but that was directed more at Shawn than anyone else. And to take it out on her? It wasn't her fault, but she happened to be the closest person he could vent his anger on. She didn't deserve that.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" he whispered.
You really want an answer to that? The voice in the back of his mind piped up.
Hunter ran a hand across his face. "No. No I don't."
You better go apologize then.
He stood up, grabbed his things and left the room in search of Evie.
***************
Evie huffed as she walked down the corridor and into a women's bathroom. As soon as she was inside the door, she dumped her bag on the floor and checked her t-shirt. Hunter had ripped it in half so it now looked like she was wearing a short sleeved jacket over her bra. She grunted in frustration as she removed it and took the shirt she had arrived in out of her bag. As she slipped it on, she fumed silently at Hunter. She was definitely getting another hotel room tonight and would be damned if she was going let him touch her.
He had made her so angry she could have spit. It was unfair to blame her for something that neither of them had any control over. Even if she had known Shawn was going to show up, how would she have warned him in time? He had always told her never to come down to the ring during one of his matches. It reduced the risk of distraction. She had been surprised that Shawn had shown up in Hunter's dressing room. She wasn't sorry, however, that Shawn had extracted a little revenge on Hunter for the crap he had pulled a couple weeks ago.
Tears formed at the corners of her eyes as she thought about what Hunter had done to her. "Damn him," she muttered as she leaned forward over one of the sinks, her palms resting on the cool porcelain. She fought against the overwhelming urge to sink down on the floor and cry.
I am NOT going to let him do this to me. I am NOT that person anymore. I have come too far to let some... man... do this to me again.
Angrily, she swiped a hand across her eyes and then turned the water on. After she splashed cold water over her face and dried off, she picked her things up and left the bathroom.
Evie headed towards the parking lot. She didn't have the keys to the rental car, but she figured she could call a cab to pick her up. As she exited, she pulled her cell phone out to dial information. Before she could even punch in a number, a hand clasped her shoulder. Evie whipped around in an attack stance, but immediately relaxed when she saw who it was.
"Dammit Shawn! You almost got yourself hurt!"
Shawn smiled apologetically. "Sorry doll. I thought that I'd..." he trailed off as he looked at her closer. "What happened to you?"
"Well since you pissed Hunter off, he decided that he was going to take it out on me and-"
Shawn cut her off. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle." She paused as she saw the scowl on Shawn's face. "Just leave it alone Shawn. Don't even think about it."
He looked at her, his face hardening into a mask of anger. "He should know better than that doll. He had no right to take it out on you. I'm the one he's pissed at."
"It doesn't matter right now Shawn. Just leave before he sees you." She lifted her cell to dial the number for information.
"What are you going to do?"
"Call a cab to get back to the hotel, pick my suitcase up and check into another room or another hotel all together," she said as she pushed numbers. "I am not sharing a room with him tonight," she muttered.
Her last statement caught Shawn's attention. "Please don't tell me its true doll," he said quietly. He watched as she raised her eyes to meet his. He could see the truth in them. "Oh man," he whispered. "You got involved didn't you?"
She nodded slowly and tears filled her eyes again. He said nothing as he took her phone, pressed the disconnect button and took her by the arm. He walked her over to his car and unlocked the door for her. As he opened it, he motioned for her to get in.
She stopped short. "No. I can't."
Shawn sighed. "Evie, I'm just giving you a ride back to the hotel."
"If Hunter sees us together he's gonna think it was all some sort of set up. He knows I'm pissed at him for lying to me and for what he did to you." Evie backed away from the car.
"You got a point there. I didn't think about that," Shawn stated. "Better if you did take the cab instead." He watched as she wiped her eyes. "Look, if you need to talk, just call me. Okay?"
"I'll keep that in mind," she said as she held out her hand for her phone.
Reluctantly, he dropped it in her palm and then closed the passenger side door. "Evie, I mean it. If you need to talk…"
"And I said I would keep it in mind," she replied as she stepped away. She gave him a watery smile. "Thanks Shawn."
"Not a problem doll." He watched as she walked away. He felt bad for her. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into by getting involved with Hunter. Shawn clenched his jaw as he thought about what Hunter had possibly done to her. Hopefully the man already regretted it. It would be a shame to lose someone like Evie.
Shawn got into his car and waited until a cab had picked Evie up. He started his own vehicle and pulled out of the parking lot, heading to his own hotel.
*************
Hunter didn't find Evie anywhere in the arena. He assumed that she had gone back to the hotel. He left the parking lot and went back to the hotel. When he arrived at his room and opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see that her things were gone. He dropped his stuff on the floor and went down to the lobby.
"Can you tell me if my assistant checked into another room?" he asked the young lady behind the desk.
"The name of the person sir?"
"Evie Mackenzie," he replied as he watched her check the records. "Or it might be under Evelyn Mackenzie."
The clerk typed in both names. The computer beeped as it turned up the results. "I'm sorry sir, she is only registered under one room and that is room 527."
"That's the room she checked us into earlier today. You're sure she's not in any other room?"
The young lady looked at Hunter. "I don't have her registered under another room."
Hunter thanked her and headed back to the elevator. As he entered his room, he made a beeline for his cell phone. Quickly he pulled up Evie's number and dialed it. HE waited as the line range. After four rings, her voicemail picked up. The beep signaled him to leave a message.
Hunter cleared his throat. "Uh Evie, it's me. I just wanted to make sure you're okay." He paused for a couple of seconds. "I'm really sorry about what I did," he said in a low tone. "I don't know what came over me. For what it's worth, I am sorry." He disconnected the call.
Hunter sat down on the bed, dropping the phone on the mattress next to him. He still couldn't believe what he had done to her. Of all the people to take his frustration and anger out on she had been the closest. But that was no excuse. No excuse at all. It wasn't her fault. She had said that she didn't even know Shawn was there. And she had never been known to lie to him in all the time they knew each other.
He lay back on the bed and flung an arm across his eyes. You really did it this time. Don't be surprised if she quits.
That last thought brought on some strong feelings that he kept pushing aside because he didn't want to deal with them. Feelings he was afraid to admit. He hadn't lied when he told her he was attracted to her physically and emotionally. She had been there for him since he started rehabbing his leg; through his return; through his problems with Steph and the divorce. She never demanded anything from him; never expected anything more from him than he was willing to give. She made him feel like it was just him that mattered. Not the money he made. Not the power he had. Not who he was in the ring. Just him.
She was tough and didn't take any crap from him or anyone else. A smile appeared as he remembered the time she had punched him. The smile slowly faded as he also remembered that was the first time he had realized he was attracted to her. The first time he had truly kissed her.
Evie excited him. Not just in a physical sense, but emotionally as well. He loved to watch her when they were together in bed. The way her eyes grew wide when he touched her; the way she moved underneath him; how she looked after they were done. He loved the way her hair would fall across her face when it came loose from her ponytail. He loved her infectious laugh and her sense of humor. Hell, he even loved those goofy nightshirts she wore. He loved her.
His train of thought stopped abruptly at that one thing that he was unwilling to admit because it scared him.
Hunter rolled over onto his stomach and buried his face in the pillow. He didn't want to admit that he loved her. Not now. Maybe not ever. It made him cringe. He wasn't supposed to be weak. He was supposed to be strong. He was 'The Game'. And there was no guarantee she would feel the same way towards him.
"Mmmmphh," he growled into the pillow. Things had already gone from good to worse tonight where Evie was concerned. It wouldn't surprise him at all if she never spoke to him again. You are such a screw up Hunter. You have this great woman and you go and mess things up. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Even if you did tell her you love her would she believe you? She'd probably think you're just saying it to get back in her good graces. You dumbass!
He shoved his thoughts to the back of his mind as he sat up and began undressing. No point in dwelling on it now. He was sorry about what he had done and it didn't do any good to keep brooding. He couldn't take back his actions. He would just have to deal with the consequences in the morning. From now on, he was going to have to practice a little anger management around her.
*****************
Evie glanced at the display on her cell phone when it had rung. Hunter's number. She didn't bother to answer it. She let the voicemail pick it up. She had no desire to speak to him tonight. Let him worry about where I am or if I'm gonna quit. Serves him right.
She had picked her suitcase up from their room and left the hotel. The cab had taken her to a hotel a mile down the road, where she was now. The room was tiny, but then again, she didn't need much.
She lay on the bed in the dark, trying to sort through her thoughts. Her anger towards Hunter had cooled a bit. She had no intentions of leaving. His behavior was inexcusable, but she was not going to walk away. She wasn't going to admit to failure or weakness where he was concerned. True, he wasn't Davis, but she felt she had more to gain, more to prove, by staying than by quitting.
What are you trying to prove? How tough you are? How you don't take garbage from anyone? That no man can make you leave until you choose to?
Evie pursed her lips at these thoughts. She couldn't fathom exactly why she wouldn't let Hunter's behavior run her off.
Or is it the fact that you're in love with him that's keeping you from leaving?
Her eyes clenched shut at that particular thought. She knew that her feelings for him had become stronger, but she never thought of it as love. He did drive her crazy at times with his incessant teasing and nit-picking. And the way he had to be right about things, even when she had proved him wrong. She especially couldn't stand it when he lost his temper. Like tonight. Even though she stood up to him, it still startled her that he had almost struck her.
However, (or perhaps unfortunately for her?) the things she did like about him did outweigh the bad ones.
Evie sighed as she rolled over and clutched the pillow to her. She supposed that she would have to talk to him tomorrow. She still worked for him after all. Anyway, he was the one that had to deal with the consequences. She wasn't one to play games with people's emotions, but she would definitely make it a bit difficult for him to get back onto her good side.
A/N: Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! I can't express how much they all mean to me! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Just giving them a little push to admit their real feelings for each other. Will it work? You'll just have to keep reading to find out!