A/N: I don't own any WWE characters you may recognize and I'm damn sure not getting paid for this.
Seth knew who it was immediately not shocked that she called him so quickly after so long. He blew out a sigh of relief that she was even able to call and Hunter didn't get to her first. "There's a Holiday Inn about 10 minutes from the diner, head north. Meet me there."
Lanay disconnected the call without responding. She felt upset with herself for admitting to him that he was what she needed. The revelations Stephanie threw at her were finally hitting her. What if they're both playing you against the other? What if Seth is involved somehow? What if he did die and you're just now finding this out? She shook her head violently. The last time she shed tears involved him so it makes send the next time he would still be at the ire of her emotions.
It's not just him. Her mind argued and it wasn't. Stephanie words about Hunter got to her. She knew of the men that hated her for being a female in the business, those that would get rid of her just to get on her level of skills and to know Hunter may use that against her upset her IF that was the case. It's too much. The drive to the hotel was done in record time as she parked the car yet again. She leaned down to reach for her gun in just as a quick movement caught her eye. She had it in her hand in record time pointing it at the man in the window.
"Still quick I see?" The words came muffled against her raised window as she lowered her weapon slightly and reached over to raise the window down.
"I could've killed you and this time for real." Lanay yelled at him.
Seth smirked at her opening the door for her while she placed the gun back in her ankle holder. "You couldn't."
Once she stepped out of the car the energy between them felt off. She needed him but what do you say to the man you left for day? The one that caused his pain and what if it was all for nothing?
"I got a room, it has two beds you know… I probably won't stay long." His hands moved confidently soothing his hair back in the bun.
"I didn't notice before but your blonde patch is gone." Lanay tilted her head finally getting a good look at him, one that wasn't tinged with a job on the line.
"Yeah, well… I didn't have anyone to help me dye it so I said to hell with it." He moved more awkwardly. "Come on, you look tired."
Lanay followed behind him just watching him move. There was a gift and science to Seth Rollins and it was one she studied and mastered a long time ago. He was a good poker player, never showed his cards until tonight, the normally arrogant walk was stumbled. Can you blame him? He hasn't seen you in two years? The tight jeans and even tighter Pantera tee gave her a nice view of his ass. She didn't become an ass woman until she met him, it was so tight.
"You're checking me out." Seth laughed as he used the keycard to go into the room. "Wait here." His voice went seriously shoving her back as he went in first looking through the room to make sure no one is hiding. "Safe. Come in."
Lanay rolled her eyes at his motion. "You know I can take care of myself right? I've been doing fine for the past few years." She took a seat on one of the beds immediately kicking the tennis shoes off and leaning back on the headboard.
"I never thought you couldn't."
"Good, so we're both on the same page."
There was that silence again. He sat on the opposite bed in the same spot as her letting his head hit the headboard. "How are you handling all the news?" He finally asked after what seemed like an eternity of silence.
"I don't know yet. It's a lot to process right now."
"You do believe Stephanie is telling the truth?" He turned his body so that he could face her.
"I don't know what to believe anymore but I know the only person I can truly trust is myself."
Seth nodded not letting her words get to him but he understood her, he knew her but there was one question that was nagging him more than the others. "Why did you call me?"
"I needed to know if what I did to you was in vain? I almost killed you in loyalty to The Authority and that…" Lanay cleared her throat. "That would've did me in emotionally. We're in the business of killing, it is what it is but to know that you were being used in whatever the fuck is going on, hurt. I had to see you to remember that you are still here and that I didn't do it." She finally looked over at him feeling his stare, brown eyes stared each other down and his face softened.
"I don't die easily"
"Obviously." She gave him a small smile.
"Why didn't you tell me then? Hell, you didn't even beg for your life. You just... Oh God." The memory hitting her as she cradled him in her arms, there was no sweet release just her tears hitting his hair. The only reason he didn't die was because Dean interrupted what she was doing. Lanay knew she could've finished both of them off but couldn't instead opting to report her failure back to The Authority. She covered her eyes with her hands trying not to cry to stop the memories and felt the dip in her bed. "Don't touch me."
Seth listened to her as she did her breathing techniques to get her emotions back in check. "I'm here aren't I? You know I couldn't just leave you behind and then you'll be with those two animals…why didn't you tell me what Roman did to you?"
"He didn't do anything."
"He fucking watched while…"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Why didn't you tell me instead of waiting till we're fucking one upping each other to say it?"
"I just said I don't want to fucking talk about it so stop it. I don't know what's up with you and Roman wanting to bring the shit up. It happened, it was a lesson. I learned! Nothing ever happened like that again. I should be grateful it was between them and not someone else that could've done it. What the fuck do you want me to say Seth? It's in the past. I said it to get under your skin! We weren't even fucking together at the time!"
"It was the night before we were though."
"I'm going to strangle you. LEAVE. IT. ALONE."
"Subject dropped for now. Let's talk about what we're going to do now okay?" Seth moved closer to her taking his hair from the bun and leaning against the headboard. The curls reaching over to her face as she brushed them aside. They were shoulder to shoulder and other than him taking her hand it was the most physical contact they had in a long time,
"I'm going back to Hunter tomorrow."
"Are you crazy?! He will kill you."
"No, he doesn't know I'm gone or I hope he still doesn't. I have to figure something out. I'm not saying I don't trust Stephanie but I have to hear what he's going to say and go from there. There's a lot on the line on this. I can't just walk away and believe what Stephanie says or even you, for all I know you're trying to play my emotions against me. I'm not saying this is 100% sure but I can't prove it otherwise either."
"Fine, that's fair."
"Oh that was too easy to get you to agree with me on."
"It's true. It's a lot of information to take in whereas we knew."
"Why did you start showing your faces again? I heard you guys were out the business after you know…"
"It was Dean's suggestion to be fair. Once Stephanie contacted us about what Hunter was doing and trying to take over we decided to get back in business and not hide." Seth's voice trailed off as if thinking about something else.
Lanay nodded. "How long were you and Stephanie working together?"
"Under a year but I knew your every fucking move."
The woman looked at him raising her eyebrow. "Really?"
"I had Stephanie report it to me, to us. I wanted to make sure I knew if Hunter tried anything."
"And what were you going to do? Rush in like Spiderman? I don't need protecting Rollins."
"You're oh so wrong with that." He chuckled and it felt way too close to her ear. It was as if her body was finally reacting to the closeness and the air in the room changed.
"Lanay?"
Yep, he was definitely closer now. The voice was all but whispering at her ear as his beard tickled her ear lobe.
"What's up?" She dared not turn her head because she knew if she did what would happen. It's the same thing that always happened between them.
"Look at me."
Don't turn your head. Don't turn your head. Her mind was going through a back and forth struggle there was a part of her that wanted to give in and the other knew if she did at this very moment, she would fall for him again. This is why you shouldn't have called him.
Lanay turned her head slowly and stared at him. "Fucking hell."
Seth laughed as his lips slowly reached down and kissed her cheek. "You think I was going to make it that easy for you?" He whispered against her cheek pulling away and getting back on his side of the bed.
Lanay felt the relief and a side bit of disappointment in his move as she tossed a pillow at his head.
"Thanks for letting me know you still care about me though." Seth smiled catching the pillow and putting it under his head.
"I hate you." She hissed out but it was all too apparent that wasn't the case.
A/N: I struggled with this chapter and have drafts of it ending 3 different ways. I decided to end it here because the story is about to pick up again next chapter.
