Chapter 2

September 18th, 2015still

Austin, Texas

"So where to, munchkin?" Baron patted her on the head, grinning when she swatted at his hand.

"Do you like Theory of a Deadman?" She chanced a glance up at him to see a wide smile on his face. "I take that as a yes. Come on, we might just make the last half of their set." She grabbed his hand and took off running, darting between partiers on the sidewalk.

For starting off as a tentative exploration of the local night scene and turned into complete aggravation, Baron found himself enjoying the current development of this outing and felt himself begin to relax. He was especially surprised with how tightly he gripped her interlaced fingers.

"Lex, do you know where we're going?" He asked after a few minutes.

"I can't lie, Baron. I was going to wait to join your tour until tomorrow when you got to my hometown but decided to make the trip to this shithole when I heard they were in town. I hate this fucking city but venture here a lot for concerts." She glanced back at him with a huge smile. "So yes, I definitely know where we're going."

"Well I'm insulted that it took a band to get you here and not just me." He huffed like he couldn't believe her nerve.

"And I was insulted when you made Paul sound like my pimp. I got over it and so will you, sunshine. Oh crap!" She groaned; pulling her ringing phone from her back pocket and looked up at him when he snorted. "What?"

"The Game? Really?"

"Every single wrestler in my contacts' list has a theme song. I couldn't ask for anything easier. My band contacts are a little trickier. It's when Darth Vader's theme plays that we have to worry. I set that for Vince." She swiped her finger over the screen, holding her phone up between them. "What's up, Paul?"

"Lex, did you catch up to him?" Hunter's voice boomed from the speaker.

"He's blocking my view of the moon right now. Ow! What's with the shoulder-checking, Sasquatch?" She hip bumped him back and he laughed when she bounced off of him.

"I guess that answers my next question – if you two are getting along." Paul could not stop the grin on his face while they continued to push each other and toss snarky insults back and forth.

"It was a rocky start, man, but I think I brought him around. I even got the grouch to smile once or twice and the world didn't end."

"Hey, Lex, I have a favor to ask." He didn't come right out and say it; sounding tentative with those few words.

"Spit it out, Paul. I have a concert to get to." She slipped her hand from Baron's, moving it up to grab his bicep and leaned into his side when they stopped in front of The Parish.

"There has been a mix up with the hotel reservations in San Antonio and I was wondering if you'd be willing to put up Baron, Finn, Tyler, Joe and Solomon for the night." He trailed off at the end, hoping he wasn't asking too much of her. "I chose Solomon, Finn and Baron for obvious reasons, and figured you'd get along best with Tyler and Joe out of the others so what do you say?"

"Shit, I don't know, Paul. I mean Baron already thought I was a ring rat that you pimped out to him. What will the others think of one woman alone in a house with five men? Give me back my phone!" She yelled when Baron snatched it out of her hand.

"He did what?" Paul shouted through the speaker.

"Fuck! Did you really have to do that? You just told my boss I called him a pimp and you a whore. It wasn't anything like that, Mr. Levesque. Get down you little monkey!" He held the phone above his head; well out of her reach, and chuckled when she kept trying to jump for it. "Come on, munchkin, you can do it! Oh shit!" His eyes widened when she grabbed his shoulders and jumped up, cinching her legs around his waist, and wide brown eyes met mischievous blue. "Uh, Lex?" The look in his eyes went from startled to searching while he breathed through parted lips.

"Do I need to come there instead and kick that kid's ass for being disrespectful?" Paul growled and Lex couldn't help but silently laugh at the look of mortification on Baron's face.

"We're fine, Paul. Calm your shit before you pop that nasty vein in your forehead. Go ahead and make those calls to the other four and tell them my bus leaves at 7 AM. I want to be out of this fucking town before 8 AM traffic or I'll eat a bullet." A sultry grin slid into place when Baron lowered the phone down between them and stared at her mouth while she spoke. She slowly licked her lips, watching his eyes dilate while they followed the movement; his hand gripping her soft flesh tighter. "Are you okay, big man? You look a little distracted."

"Yeah, I'm good." He nodded his head while stifling a groan.

"Do you have supplies for all of them? I can send our driver out to buy groceries." Hunter rambled on in a concerned tone.

"Paul, I've been home a few days. I bought enough to feed your guys for one day. Just tell them to be in the lobby by 6:59 AM because I'm getting on my bus by 7. They can roll out of bed and on to the bus and go straight back to sleep. I plan to. Hey, call my driver and have him make up the bunks tonight so the guys can crash when we board if they want." She told him, all business now.

"I will and thanks, Lex. By the way, Bloom needs to speak with you – privately."

"Have him call me in about two hours; we should be back to the hotel by then. Got to go shake my ass now." She blew a loud, sloppy kiss at him; winking at Baron when he ended the call.

"You can take your hand off of my ass now." She broke out in laughter when his face flooded with color; his hand releasing its grip on her ass like he'd been burned.

"I'm sorry. It just seemed like the place to be when you climbed me." He swallowed heavily when she slid down his front to stand on her feet.

"You'd make a good stripper pole." She said with a straight face, taking her phone back from his outstretched hand.

"What?"

"I'm sure a lot of women think so, or would if their minds were as warped as mine. Come on, Sas!" She took his hand again; the two of them walking to the door.

The big man had no idea how to interpret the brunette's quirky behavior but she was definitely growing on him.

"Lex Rossi." She told the doorman who didn't even need to check his list.

"They told me to keep an eye out for you." He held out her wristband, putting it on for her before looking up at her companion.

"He's with me." She pulled Baron's arm out for the guy to affix his wristband before they walked in.

"I'm really pushing it bringing you here, Baron. I used to work security for these guys. I love this band and want to enjoy them like a fan instead of being on-duty but you're my priority so please stay by my side." All joking put aside, she fixed him with her cerulean eyes with a half demanding/half pleading look on her face.

"How about I keep a constant hold on your belt loop?" He hooked a finger into the loop in the center of the back of her jeans and jutted his chin out for her to lead.

"You just want to keep your hand close to my ass." She smirked at him over her shoulder; making her way through the crowd towards center-stage.

Baron couldn't deny that fact; it was one fine ass and he couldn't keep his eyes off of it while she walked in front of him. His attention shifted to the crowd around them when Lex caught an elbow or two from the jumping fans. They weren't the mosh pit type of band but the floor was cleared of chairs so that the people could dance and jump to the beat. He made a point of moving a hand to wrap across her midsection while he held the other out as a shield to keep people away from touching her. Finally reaching the stage, he groaned softly when her arms went up in the air and she moved her lithe figure to the beat.

During the next song, the crowd surged forward, pushing Baron up against Lex and he felt her entire body stiffen, and not in a good way. It was an instant reaction that changed her carefree attitude to immediate panic, and it was definitely panic; he could see it all around her. The moment her body was pressed into the barricade with a body pinning her there, she became someone else entirely and it pained him to bear witness to it. He had braced himself enough to know he wasn't crushing her but he could feel a keening whine reverberate through her and into his chest.

"Its okay, Lex, I won't let you get trampled." Baron stood behind her, caging her smaller body in against the barricade with his larger frame and arms on either side of her. The crowd was rowdy, pushing forward and; despite the woman's fighting skills, he felt a deep-rooted masculine urge to shield her soft feminine curves with his solid male form. A smug grin pulled at his mouth when she relaxed after a few minutes and began to dance within the cage of his arms; his hands resting on the barrier.

Tyler Connolly, the frontman, gave her a wink and a smile in between songs before they started No Surprise. Lex's hips were moving in a seductive sway; almost belly-dancing style, and Baron had to hold his breath a few times when her ass brushed against his denim-clad crotch.

Well it ain't no surprise

That you turn me on and leave

It ain't no surprise

That you turn it around on me

I don't know why

You won't give me what I need

It ain't no surprise

Whoa that that bitch is leaving me

The two of them belted out the chorus in each other's faces; Baron laughing that Lex didn't hold back in the slightest on the lyrics. One of his hands migrated from the barrier to rest flat on her toned abdomen during the last verse; literally feeling her diaphragm tighten while she sang along. He was pleasantly surprised at the end of the song when she turned and hugged him, bouncing on her toes.

"You sing pretty good, munchkin. Ever think about doing it professionally?" He bent down to talk into her ear; his hands resting on her hips.

Lex didn't get a chance to answer though.

Tyler was walking the edge of the stage, reaching out to slap hands with fans when one gripped his wrist and pulled him into the crowd.

"Get up on stage!" Lex shouted at him while pushing her way through the sea of bodies. "Don't argue with me, Tom!" She snapped when he began to follow her.

His eyes widened when she used his real name before disappearing from sight. "Come on, man!" He turned to see a security guard wave him over the barrier, and quickly vaulted over it before trying to spot her in the crowd. "Don't worry about Lex. She's the best in the business or was before she took off to work with you guys. Look, she got Tyler already! Excuse me."

Baron followed him down to where the singer appeared; Lex prying hands off of him using pressure points, stiff arms and the occasional hip-toss, and helped the three security guards pull him from the crowds' grasp, over the barrier to safety. Lex looked absolutely livid but underneath that lay a trace of fear; Baron saw it plain as day, before she disappeared within the rush of over-excited fans. Not sparing the singer a second glance, he leaned across the wall, drove his arms into the mass of flesh and; once his hands settled on familiar hips, he latched onto Lex and ripped her from the crowd.

"I've got you!" He panted in her ear while lifting her over the wall. "Are you okay?" He stood her before him, taking in the three feet of now loose hair hanging down, covering a tear in her tank. "Lex, talk to me." He brushed her hair back, holding her shoulders between gentle palms.

"I'm okay. I just hate that shit; getting pawed and groped. Pricks got my hair scrunchie." She frowned, rubbing the back of her head. "That is the exact reason I dove at the chance to switch to wrestling. I have room to fight. Rock crowds are like an orgy of Borg; all writhing and moving with a hive mind in charge. Just no." She shuddered; calming a moment later when he pulled her into his chest. "I couldn't breathe in there and was about to flip my shit. Thank you." She whispered, melting into his embrace.

"You're welcome." He cradled the back of her head in his large palm; settling his free arm across her lower back. "By the way, I will never look at another rock crowd the same way again."

"Tell me about it!" Tyler spoke up from their side, smiling at his friend. "That was a disgusting image. I might not ever perform again. A Borg orgy is just gross." He pulled a face before giving Lex a quick hug. "Thanks for saving my ass, and you too, man." He held out his hand to Baron.

"It was nothing." He exchanged a handshake with him before hooking her belt loop with his finger again.

"Are you two together or are you just new muscle on her team or both?" Tyler asked, noticing Baron's free hand resting possessively on Lex's hip.

"He's my client, you ass." She pushed the back of his head before following him up on stage.

"Client huh? I don't remember you letting any of your rock clients touch you like that." He smirked, waving them along. "You can watch the encores from here." He stopped at the side of the stage, taking another guitar from one of his crew.

"Guess none of you were my type." She shrugged her shoulders, mouthing 'sorry' at him when he gasped and grabbed at his heart. "Get out there, loser, and stay away from the damn crowd!" She pushed him beyond the side curtain; the crowd cheering his return.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Baron asked when he noticed Lex kept clenching her right hand.

"I'm fine, big man." She smiled, running a hand down his forearm before turning back towards the stage. "Oh he's getting me back for the comment about not being my type." She laughed when they started playing Bad Girlfriend.

Once again, Baron situated himself behind her with his hands on her shoulders, telling himself that the contact was to keep her aware of his whereabouts like she asked but he knew different. He wanted to touch her. When she first approached him on the street, he found her attractive but put off by the thought of her being a ring rat that was just looking to use him as a hook-up and bragging rights. After discovering what she really was his interest returned one hundred fold. The woman was sexy, strong, confident, funny and definitely had things in common with him. They had similar tastes in music, a love of wrestling and a loner mentality. And every damn time she shook her ass, his cock stirred to life inside his jeans – like now.

She likes to shake her ass

She grinds it to the beat

She likes to pull my hair, when I make her grind her teeth

I like to strip her down

She's naughty 'til the end

You know what she is, no doubt about it

She's a bad bad girlfriend!

Tyler glanced their way with a smile and laughed when Lex flipped him off.

Baron thought about her pulling his hair while he made her grind her teeth, stripped down and naughty under his body.

September 19th, 2015

Austin, Texas

The two walked arm-in-arm into their hotel, talking quietly to each other through the lobby, in the elevator and out into the hallway of their floor. Baron hesitated; taking her hand from the crook of his arm and holding it between his large palms.

"Who are you rooming with?" He asked, worrying his bottom lip.

"No one; I usually have an adjoining room with my client but I came too late to arrange that with you and Finn." She shrugged; her eyes sparkling up at him.

"Does that mean you usually sort of room with Rollins?" For some reason, the thought of her rooming with Seth got his back up.

"Sort of but there is that whole locking door between us thing happening. Who are you rooming with?"

"Solomon."

"Make sure his ass is up in time for the ride to SA."

"I will drag him down there myself. I had a good time tonight." He lowered his eyes to the floor at the sudden change in topic, only looking up when she placed her free hand on his wrist.

"I did too after all that ring rat business was put to rest."

"I'm sorry." He blushed; feeling uncharacteristically embarrassed about how badly he messed up their meeting.

"It was a fair assumption since it runs rampant in this business but best to make sure before you throw that lovely nametag out. I should let you get some sleep." She said softly, letting out a small gasp when he pulled her into a hug.

"Night, Lex." He kissed the top of her head before letting her go.

"Good night, Tom; see you in a few hours." She smiled, slowly turning and headed down the hall to her room. Unlocking the door, she glanced down the hall to see Baron watching to make sure she got in alright before she waved and went inside.

"Come on…" She whined, pulling her ringing phone out of her pocket. "What's up, Matt?" She sighed, realizing she forgot his incoming call and flopped back on her bed.

"Just getting in, Alexandra?" Matt Bloom's deep voice rumbled through the speaker.

"You know me too well or should I say you know your trainees?" She stood up and stripped down to her bra and panties while she waited for him to get to the point.

"Look I need your help with Baron. It is part of the reason why Paul suggested you work his detail. I'm having a hard time getting through to the kid; not in-ring work. He works his ass off in the ring but he isn't grasping the personal aspect of the job. I tell him he needs to connect emotionally with the crowd, I get a nod in return and nothing comes from it. It is really damaging his character development and chances of moving up. I know you worked with Ambrose and I was wondering if you can connect to the kid."

"Matt, I had a shitload of time to connect with Dean on that and it had nothing to do with his in-ring persona which was always golden. The work I did with Ambrose was completely different. How am I supposed to work with him on such an intricate aspect of his character if I'm primarily on the road with Rollins and Reigns?" She asked, crawling back into bed and snuggling under the covers.

"Well that's the thing…"