CHAPTER TWELVE

It's been a few hours and I'm finally released. Scotty has spent the better part of this time trying to suck up to Phil to get back on his good side. I realize now how scared Scotty is that Phil will cut him out like he's already done to everyone else. Phil has mostly been ignoring him. He's furious and he needs someone to blame and if it can't be alcohol, it's going to be the guy who let me out of his sight. I actually feel awful about this. Phil and Scotty have been through a lot together. They are best friends, and theirs is the only friendship to survive Phil's breakup with wrestling. For a few weeks, he hadn't even talked to Scotty, but he'd come around when Scotty came over the house and refused to leave until Phil talked to him.

Tommy Dreamer walks in looking like he hasn't slept. He spots Drew and immediately goes to him. "What the hell happened?" Tommy asks him.

"The car came speeding out of nowhere," Drew says. "It smashed into us full-on. Rosa's door took the worst of it. She's in bad shape."

"The dirt sheets are having a field day with this. They're speculating about why you were in the car with two WWE Divas. They're also painting you as some kind of Scottish superhero. Did you really pull the girls from a burning car?"

"I pulled them out before it caught fire, actually," Drew says. "The rags can speculate all they want. It doesn't matter."

"Dixie called me and asked me if the McMahons realized their fuckup and were trying to steal you back."

"Not a chance of that. I like TNA. I'm not stuck in a gimmick there. Did she bother to ask if we were okay?"

"I didn't give her a chance to. I didn't know what she was talking about, so I went on Twitter. It's everywhere. There are pictures from the wreck. It looked awful. Speaking of, are you alright?"

"I've been worse."

"And April?"

"I'll live," I say. He notices me then.

"Jesus fucking Christ, April! I was worried when I saw the photos... I'm glad to see you," he told me. He gave me a gentle hug.

"Tommy." Phil says as his only greeting. Phil and Tommy did some time on ECW together. He respects him, but I know he doesn't want to talk to him.

"Phil. I didn't expect to see you," Tommy says.

"My wife needs me."

"Of course. Good to see you, Kid."

I can tell my husband isn't Tommy's favorite person right now, but he's trying to be civilized for my sake.

It's not too awkward until several people burst in. "April! Thank God!" Colby shouts. He runs to me with Dean and Joe not far behind him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright," I say as he pulls me into a hug.

Phil looks homicidal, first at Colby hugging me, then at the sight of Joe. Taylor briefly blocks his view as he pulls me into his arms, too. I didn't even see him come in.

"Oh God, oh my God... We saw the photos of the car... The details were vague on how hurt you guys were," Taylor tells me. His panic is starting to fade, but I can tell he was terrified. "You... you could have..."

"You could have been killed," Colby finishes for him.

"Drew made me put my seatbelt on before we left. If I hadn't, I'm pretty sure I would have been killed," I admit. "He also got me out of the car before it caught on fire."

"WWE released a hero," Joe says in respect. "I'm pretty sure they're regretting that right now, with it being TNA's gain."

"I did what any of ya would have," Drew insists.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Colby says.

"Where's Rosa?" Dean asks what no one else has.

I start to cry. "It's bad," I say.

It's Colby who moves to comfort me. Phil is too busy glaring at Joe. "We need to go," Phil tells me as I lean against Colby.

I stand up straighter. "What? No, Phil. You agreed we'd wait until Rosa was stable."

"That was before all of them showed up. Let's go, April."

I stand my ground. "No. You can leave if you want, Phil, but I'm staying. Rosa could die today for God's sake! She's been a good friend to me and I'm not leaving her."

"April, we're leaving, and that's it." He grabs my arm. I try to pull it free, but he won't release it. My arm twists awkwardly and I start to feel panic.

"Let go of me!" I tell him.

Phil doesn't. In fact, he twists my arm harder.

To my shock, although all of the guys except Scotty immediately look like they're going to hit him, it's Joe who gets to him first.

"In my family, we don't touch a woman like that," he says. "And if she says to let her go, we do." He actually rips Phil's arm off of mine.

I hear Dean mumble, "Reigns looks strong," snidely. Thankfully, Phil does not. He's too focused on Joe.

"She's my wife. Stay out of this, Reigns!" Phil says.

Joe asks me, "Are you okay?"

I nod, but Phil grabs me again. "She's fine, and we're leaving!" He declares. He tries to drag me away.

Joe punches him in the face. Phil is stunned and Joe takes that opportunity to move me out of harm's way. I'm shaking as Colby guides me toward him.

"You do not get to touch her if she doesn't want you to," Joe tells Phil.

"You just assaulted me! I have witnesses!" Phil shouts.

"I didn't see anything," Drew says coldly.

"The way I saw it, you assaulted April and Joe rescued her," Tommy adds.

"You should leave now," Joe says.

"Scott, call the cops," Phil says.

"But... Dude, I was looking at my phone. I didn't see anything," Scotty says, putting his phone down.

"Screw all of you!" Phil says.

"Just go, Phil. Please. This isn't the place for this," I beg him.

Furious, he walks away. I'm shaking violently. Colby hugs me against his body. "It's okay," he promises, although it's anything but that.

"Are you alright?" Joe asks me again.

"Yes... He just scared me with how hard he grabbed me," I say. "Thank you."

"No problem. No man has the right to touch a woman like that, even if they are married."

"Vince would be proud," Dean comments. "By being a little bitch, Punk made Reigns look strong!"

"Shut up, asshole," Joe says, playfully punching Dean in the arm.

"He had no right..." Colby mumbles. "If Joe hadn't gotten to him before I did, he'd be a dead man."

Tommy extends his hand to me. "Come on," he says. "You need to go for a walk."

I take his hand and let him lead me away. He's right. I can't be in the middle of that mess right now. "Has that ever happened before?" Tommy asks once we are alone.

"What?" I ask.

"Has Phil ever hurt you?"

"No," I say quickly. "He's not like that, Tommy. He's never hit me or anything. I wouldn't stay with him if he did."

"Good. Just remember, abuse isn't always physical. I watched the way he was talking to you, April. You deserve more respect."

I'm trying not to cry at his words. He's known me for one day and he sees how bad it is. Does everyone?

"You're strong, kiddo, but I knew Phil for years. He's a little piece of shit sometimes. You don't have to put up with that. From what I saw out there, there are plenty of men who treat you a lot better than he does. Don't settle for an asshole mistreating you. Put him in his place." Tommy squeezes my shoulder gently. Suddenly, I have way too much to think about.