Ch 33
Lisa woke up in the morning feeling like a truck had run over her. Her back and arms throbbed in pain reminding her of the hellish night. She quickly forgot her pain when she felt Mark next to her with his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. She grinned kissing him lightly making a smile form on his handsome face. I'm glad I was wrong about my feeling about him not being here when I woke up, she thought as he opened his eyes slowly.
"Good morning sweetheart, how did you sleep?" he ran his fingers along her cheek.
"Like a baby," Lisa tried to stretch feeling her back aching. "The medicine really knocked me out. The last thing I remember is you putting me to bed." Mark was relieved she didn't remember waking up while he was gone. He was also sad because that meant she didn't remember saying she loved him. He was going to tell her about what happened with Paul then decided it could wait till later. "You look tired, did you sleep at all?"
"I slept a few hours," Mark tried not to fall back to sleep as she ran her fingers over his chest.
"Get some more sleep I'll wake you up in a few hours."
"No, I'll catch up on sleep over the break. Vince could be showing up here any minute and you need my support to deal with him," Mark propped himself up on the pillows wiping the sleep from his eyes.
"I can handle Vince," Lisa started to get out of bed when Mark stopped her pulling her close.
"I'm sure you can but I want to take care of," Mark paused tilting her chin to look into her blue eyes, "my girlfriend." Lisa's eyes filled with tears making his heart warm instantly for her.
"I love hearing that," Lisa smiled at him.
"Well I love that you're finally free to be with me unless you don't want to be with me," Mark ran his fingers through her hair.
"Mark, you're the only one I want to be with for the rest of my life," Lisa said as he wiped the tears from her eyes. She was going to say she loved him when the phone started ringing. Mark rolled his eyes in frustration answering it. He listened to Vince announcing he was on his way up and would be there in five minutes. Mark hung up sighing deeply.
"We better get up the boss is on his way," Mark reluctantly let her go. She surprised him with a sweet long kiss before climbing out of bed sliding her black skirt on under his t-shirt. Mark couldn't stop smiling as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before joining her. She was sitting on the couch with a sad look on her face. "What's wrong baby girl?"
"I don't want to see Paul today. I'm afraid to see him," Lisa rubbed her swollen cheek.
"I will be with you the whole time," Mark reassured her as the knocking started. Mark kissed her before letting Vince in.
"Good morning Lisa, how are you feeling?" Vince sat down across from her.
"Like I've been through a war," Lisa was relieved when Mark sat next to her wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "What did you want to see me about?"
"About tonight, I really need you to be there to keep the storyline going," Vince kept rubbing his hands together as he spoke. "And I really need you to keep working with Paul regardless of what happened last night."
"I can't do that," Lisa shook her head not wanting to be anywhere near Paul.
"I'm trying to be nice about this. I can fine you if you don't show up. I can't just drop this storyline in the middle," Vince sneered.
"Why do you let Paul control you like this?" Lisa stared at him. "Just tell us what he has on you and maybe we can help."
"No one can help," Vince said under his breathe before regaining his composure. "It's my problem I'll deal with it."
"It's becoming our problems too," Mark spoke up staring Vince down. "You're letting him run the show screwing all of us left and right. You have to be insane to think Lisa can handle being around him tonight even for a minute. Are you blind? Can't you see what he did to her?" Mark pointed to the swollen side of Lisa's face as Vince looked away. "Don't you dare look away from her. I want you to see what that bastard did to her. Baby girl, please show him." Lisa hesitated a moment than slowly stood up lifting the shirt to reveal her bruised back.
"Oh my God," Vince wasn't prepared to see the result of Paul's violent temper.
"It gets worse Vince," Mark carefully ran his fingers along her arms pushing her sleeves up revealing the cuts on her arms. "You still want her to work with that son of a bitch?"
"Yes, Lisa will work with Paul tonight but I promise it will be a short segment and there will be no physical contact. You basically just have to tell him off I'm sure you can handle that. I have to run see you later," Vince rushed to the door not wanting to feel the wrath brewing in Mark's eyes. Vince disappeared out the door leaving Mark and Lisa speechless.
Mark and Lisa got over Vince's decision that Lisa would still work with Paul. They both felt better when they got to the arena seeing that Mark was in every segment with Lisa even the one she had to do with Paul. Lisa was anxious to get the taping done and get as far awhile from Paul as she could. Her and Mark were hanging out in his locker room when Paul poked his head in making her immediately start to shake.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Paul softly asked her as she shook her head no. "Please we need to talk."
"Paul, leave now!" Mark warned him.
"Not until I say that I'm sorry for what I did last night. I don't know what got into me. I was drunk and didn't mean to hurt you. I was hoping we could go out after the show and talk about what happened," Paul smiled at her making her skin crawl.
"I don't want to hear your half hearted bullshit apologizes. I'm tired of you blaming everything on your drinking. You knew what you were doing last night and I will never again give you the opportunity to hurt me again. I meant what I said our relationship is over," Lisa stared at him as he smirked.
"Here we go again. You have said that numerous times before and you always come back," Paul ignored Mark coming very close to Lisa.
"I won't be coming back this time. Do your worse I will never come back," Lisa yelled at Paul.
"You think Mark will keep you happy. You think this ass is better than me," Paul pointed at Mark. "You don't know him as well as you think."
"Paul, get out I don't want to hear your lies," Lisa turned away as Mark pushed Paul towards the door.
"I'm not bullshitting. Do you think its magic I have cuts on my arms from broken glass too? Why don't you ask Mark about my cuts?" Paul screamed making Mark tense up.
"Go to hell Paul," Mark shoved Paul out the door slamming it behind him. Mark turned seeing the questions in Lisa's eyes. She flashed for a minute on waking up and him not being there.
"Mark, were you with me all night?" Lisa quietly asked as Mark decided not to tell her at that moment about his visit to Paul's room.
"Baby girl I was there when you woke up wasn't I?" Mark rested his hands on her arms.
"Yes," Lisa hated herself for doubting Mark because of what Paul said. "Forget I even asked I need to get to wardrobe. I'll see you in a few minutes." Lisa smiled kissing him softly pushing her doubts away.
"Hurry back sweetheart," Mark kissed her again. He watched her go feeling like a heel for lying to her again. I will tell her everything over the break, Mark thought starting his stretches for his upcoming match.
Lisa was in wardrobe when Stephanie rushed through the door calling her name. Stephanie was relieved to see Lisa dressed for the show getting the finishing touches on her makeup.
"I'm glad I found you," Stephanie was out of breathe. "I'm sorry about what happened to you. Paul should be in jail right now for beating you not here. I wanted to make sure you were alright and give you these to you." Stephanie reached into her bag pulling out a manila folder.
"What's this?" Lisa handled it carefully.
"Open it and find out," Stephanie sat down in one of the makeup chairs. Lisa slowly opened the flap pulling out the photos of her and Mark from the photo session. "The negatives are in there too. I didn't want you to keep worrying about me using them upsetting Paul even more."
"Thank you Stephanie," Lisa put the photos back putting the envelope in her bag. "I broke up with Paul last night so I don't care about him finding out about me and Mark anymore."
"So I guess that means you and Mark are now together?" Stephanie smiled.
"Yes, we are," Lisa felt butterflies in her stomach just thinking of Mark.
"That is wonderful. I'm happy for you," Stephanie hugged Lisa. "If Paul tries to get too close to you during the segment I'll make sure to cause some chaos to end the segment immediately."
"Won't you dad get upset with that?"
"I don't care it isn't right for you to have to deal with Paul," Stephanie sighed hating when her father changed things for Paul benefit. "I have experienced Paul's temper too many times after I botched my lines or didn't do something to his satisfaction. I want to help you anyway I can and I don't want you to be afraid to come to work. I have to go check on Adam before the show starts. Remember I got your back tonight if Paul acts up."
"Thanks again Stephanie," Lisa smiled as Stephanie ducked out the door. Lisa looked in the mirror at her swollen cheek hidden slightly by makeup wishing she never again had to see Paul. She deeply sighed hoping the break would help her regain her strength to deal with Paul.
