Roman arrived at 9.30 AM as promised. She opened the front door when he was halfway up the short tile path, and hurried out to him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back while looking at Dan who stood in the open door with a not too pleasant look on his face.
"Dan looks mad," he said lowly.
"He is," she said.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because I don't want him to come along," she answered.
He chuckled at that information. She was a grown woman at the age of 28, but all her choices had been taken away from her for 15 years. Now she was choosing again what she wanted and didn't want, and of course people would get butt-hurt along the way. He liked that she stood her ground like that.
"I think he has a small fanboy crush on you," she said.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"And who can blame him? You are good looking, and you can fight," she said.
"You saw some of my matches? And you think I'm good looking?" He grinned proudly.
"Yes and yes," she started walking towards his car. "But I like your eyes most of all. They're kind. They make me trust you."
"That's a nice change. I'm so used to getting comments on my muscles. Tons of women want me to carry them around and protect them against whatever," he said.
"And do you protect them?" She asked.
"Only the ones I care about," he answered. "Which means I'll protect you if you ever need me to."
"Where were you 15 years ago?" She mumbled.
That hurt. He knew it wasn't meant as her lashing out. It had probably sounded like some sort of joke in her mind, but when she let it out, the truth came crashing down hard. They hadn't known each other back then, and he doubted his young 18 year old self would have been much protection anyway. Maybe. They would never know. That was the past, and the past fucking sucked.
"I'm sorry," she seemed to have read his mind. "That was very stupid of me to say, and very uncalled for."
"It's alright," he said. "Let's get on the road."
Jimmy and Jey were already going at it inside the ring when they arrived. Roman had called both his cousins the night before and let them in on everything with Meadow, so they wouldn't be in for a surprise when the woman from the news was suddenly there. He didn't want them to treat her any different than other people.
"Hi girl!" Jimmy waved. "Naomi's in the bathroom. She'll be out shortly to entertain you."
"Roman, get your ass in here so we can kick it!" Jey shouted.
"As if!" Roman laughed. "Let's see if I still got it."
He rolled into the ring and locked up with Jey. Meadow moved down to sit on a chair by the wall close to the door. Roman watched it all between moves. He realized she probably needed to feel like she could escape if need be. He couldn't blame her for feeling like that. She had been captured for so long. Naomi came walking out from the back while Jey managed to pull Roman down. She walked straight over to Meadow, put a smile on her face, and stuck out her hand.
"Hi, I'm Naomi," she said.
"Meadow," Meadow shook Naomi's hand.
"Are you alright being here? I know they can get all huff and puff-like when they try to show off in front of women," Naomi said.
"I don't mind as long as it's inside the ring," Meadow said.
Naomi sat down on the chair next to Meadow before moving a hand to Meadow's hair. She tried to run her fingers through the felted mess, but it was impossible.
"I haven't brushed it while I was gone," Meadow looked down ashamed.
"Gone? You actually use the word gone?" Naomi asked.
"What else should I say? People don't like hearing the truth. Kidnapped is an ugly word. Raped is an even uglier word," Meadow said.
"Not around us. If you wanna talk, we'll always listen," Naomi said.
"You're a special family," Meadow chuckled.
"Indeed we are," Naomi chuckled too. "What do you say we leave the guys here, and I'll take you to my hair dresser? Let's see if we can get this birds nest sorted out."
Meadow nodded and smiled. The hair was heavy weight to carry around. She didn't like asking for things like that herself, but Naomi had offered. That was different.
"Hey guys!" Naomi called. "I'm taking her out on a trip."
"Stay safe!" Roman called back.
He stood in the ring, watching the two women leave. It wasn't until they were gone, the twins spoke up.
"Dude!" Jimmy chuckled.
"What?" Roman asked.
"You have hearts coming out of your eyes," Jimmy said.
"I do not," Roman objected.
"Yeah, you totally do," Jey chimed in. "You got the hots for her."
"So what if I do?" Roman sighed. "What kind of a creep would I be for trying anything after what she's been through?"
"So you'd rather have her single and alone all her life? Or someone else come in and take advantage of her insecurity?" Jey asked. "Think about it, Roman. No matter how good your intentions are, at some point she'll be released out in the world on her own. No more safe house or cops or anything. If she's lucky, she might find someone who'll treat her right. If not..."
"Shut up!" Roman hissed. "I get it, alright? I get what you're saying, but it's only been a few days. And she's not gonna be released into the world on her own. She has me!"
"That's what we're trying to say," Jimmy chuckled.
"Wrestle!" Roman growled.
They wrestled around each other for another hour until Roman's phone went off. He jumped out of the ring, sweaty and exhausted, and saw Naomi's name on the screen.
"It's your wife," he looked at Jimmy before answering the phone. "What's up, Naomi?"
"We're in trouble," Naomi said.
"What? What the fuck happened? Where are you?" He yelled.
"Calm down. She locked the door, so they can't get in. Unfortunately we can't get out either. They're all over the fucking place," she said.
"Where the fuck are you?" Roman yelled.
"At my hair dresser. We got her hair fixed, but another customer overheard us talk, and called the medias. They're swarming the fucking place, and won't let us out," she said.
"We're on our way," he said.
Roman grabbed a hooded sweatshirt from his bag. Three sweaty men jumped into his car. Jimmy gave directions to Naomi's hair dresser while staying on the phone with her. They arrived within record time. Angrily Roman stormed out of the car, pushed his way through the crowd of reporters, and slammed his fist on the glass door. An unknown woman, probably the hair dresser, unlocked and let them in. Jimmy and Jey stood up against the glass door, blocking the reporters' views as much as possible.
"Where is she?" Roman growled.
"In the back," the woman said.
He hurried out in the back and found Meadow and Naomi in a small room.
"Roman!" She threw herself into his arms.
"It's alright, sweetheart," he calmed her down. "Let me see you."
She leaned out and allowed him to get a better look at her new hairstyle. It had been cut up to a bob, and what remained had finally been untangled and combed out. Her hair was straight and smooth.
"We couldn't fix it. It was too messed up," she sounded apologetic.
"Are you kidding me? You look stunning," he said.
"Really?" There was hope in her eyes again.
"Fucking beautiful," he grinned. "Foxy as hell too. I like it. No, I love it. You don't like it?"
"I do," she finally smiled. "I was afraid you wouldn't."
"Why? Even if that was the case, you shouldn't care about things like that. You gotta do you," he said.
She nodded and gave him an even bigger smile that made her green eyes suddenly come alive. There was a sparkle there for the first time, and it was in that second he knew the twins were right. If he didn't do something about it, someone else would move in, steal her, and leave him heartbroken.
"Let's get you out of here," he handed her the hooded sweatshirt. "Here, wear this."
She put it on, and looked like she was drowning in it. She pulled the hood up to hide her face.
"It's gonna be a battle, but I promise I won't let go of you. You trust me, right?" He asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"Let's go then," he said.
They walked out in the front again where Jimmy and Jey were still waiting.
"Ready to play human shield?" Roman asked.
"Always," Jimmy answered.
Roman wrapped his arms around her to hold her close.
"I won't let go," he promised her again.
Jey unlocked the door, and all five of them pushed through the crowd. Questions and blitzes came from all over, but they didn't stop for anyone. Roman kept his arms around her while Jimmy, Jey and Naomi did their best to cover her front, back and other side. They managed to get to Roman's car and get inside of it. He started it and got them on the road fast.
"We'll be all over the news tonight. We better call Hunter or Vince to let them know," Jey said.
"Fucking leeches!" Roman sneered. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"
He looked in the rear view to see her sitting in the middle between the twins. She pulled the hood down, and her hair had become a bit of a mess again.
"I'm fine," she met his eyes in the mirror. "Thank you for coming."
"I said I would protect you," he winked.
He drove back to where they had been training. All their stuff was left there, and all three of them still needed to shower and change. Naomi stayed with Meadow while the men took care of themselves. 15 minutes later Roman came back out with damp hair and in fresh clothes.
"How are things here?" He asked.
"All good," Naomi said. "She's a tough one."
"I already know we got a strong fighter on our hands," Roman said.
He put an arm around Meadow's shoulder and pulled her in for a sideways hug.
"Roman?" She asked.
"Yeah?" He asked.
He looked down at her and saw that hopeful look in her eyes again.
"I don't wanna go back to the safe house," she said.
"Do you got somewhere else to go?" He asked.
"No, I..." She looked down. "Forget it. It's nothing. I need some air."
She walked outside, and Naomi looked at Roman.
"You already know what she was about to ask," she said.
"Yeah, I just caught on a second too late," he sighed. "Typical me."
"So go give her your answer, and try not to hurt her," she said.
"What makes you think I'll say no?" He smirked.
She shook her head and chuckled just as Jimmy came walking out.
"What?" Jimmy asked.
"Roman's about to get a roommate," she answered.
Roman walked outside where Meadow stood and stared straight ahead.
"I'm officially an idiot," he said.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because I didn't understand what you were trying to ask me," he answered.
"It was stupid anyway. You don't really know me," she said.
"I don't care," he took her hands and looked in her eyes. "Ask me."
"Can I go home with you? Just for a day or two?" She asked.
"Yes and no," he chuckled. "Yes, you can go home with me. No, not just for a few days. You're staying for as long as you like. But we gotta go to the safe house first and tell Dan. He's gonna flip his shit."
"I don't care," she said. "It's my life."