THE QUEEN'S GAME

Chapter 7

Charlotte punched the bag in front of her, grunting into the air. "Ugh!"
She could hear Hunter behind her and punched the bag again. He'd been trying to talk her down. Raw was still in progress, but she didn't care.
"Can you stop? Can you talk to me?"
"There is nothing to talk about, Hunter."
"Then talk to Paul." He grabbed her and pulled her body away from the bag. "Talk to me, baby. What's so wrong with that?"
She felt tears emerging. She hated it. It made her feel weak.
"You can't be mad at me. We promised work wouldn't affect us. Let's pause that and tell me what's really going on. The orders aren't that bad, but you're freaked out. Why?"
"I let them drag our relationship in front of cameras, I let them make a spectacle out of us, but I don't want it like this."
She was probably overreacting, but this was becoming too much.
"I know, but is it really that bad?"
"No, but..."
"Okay, then. I'm not freaked out. I'm going to enjoy this."
"I don't mind being the bad girl, I really don't. I don't even mind being at your side, but our relationship is so new. I don't want a fake onscreen marriage to mess with what we have."
"It's not going to mess with us. You get to be my wingman, my co-pilot. We're going to wreck so many things. My little dark angel." He kissed the side of her head.
"How are you so okay with this? They want you to propose to me on national tv. And they want me to accept!"
"Well that's the idea. I'd hate to be on one knee and get a no. That'd sting. I don't know if the Game's ego could take it."
"The Game." She laughed quietly and laid her hands on his shoulders. "I was freaking out as if it was real. You'd never do that, not now." She felt silly and his arms wrapped around her waist.
"I'd marry you yesterday, but I agree we do need time. I have a lot more test driving to do before then."
"I hid the keys."
She pulled away and he gripped her hips. "I made spares." Tossing her shirt into the air he latched his lips on her neck. She folded instantly. He knew how to make her cum, that was for sure. "I wonder if they're gonna hear you scream on live tv."
"We can't." Her pleas were half hearted as he slid her down on the locker room floor. It was a good thing she'd tossed her clothes in every place but her bag. They needed the padding for when he broke her down. He was definitely getting a home run tonight. Good thing they weren't the main event tonight. It would be super quiet and everyone would hear her screams. Joyful, lust filled, heightened pleasure coated screams. God this man made her weak.
"We're going to."
He was skilled at undressing her, he didn't even lift her as he undid her bra. His warm mouth clamped over a nipple, licking, flipping, and soothing as he bit it slightly, driving her insane. He worked her out of her restrictions on the bottom half and slid his finger over her folds. She was so wet. She was slowly losing all coherency and she couldn't, not when all she wanted was to taste him.
She snatched his hips, shocking him, but bringing him where she wanted. His hips buckled when her tongue licked his inner thigh. He wasn't going to stand for it, he hated relinquishing control.
"Babe," she panted, only wanting him to bless her mouth with his solid offering.
"Don't babe me... you know what I want."
"And you know what I need."
He didn't seem to want to give in, but she took away the choice. Pushing him flat on his back, she climbed on his face, her legs spread on either side of his head, her ass tilted over his forehead. Grinding her hips, she leaned forward, ripping his shorts down. He was sipping up her every secretion and when she dove forward, he bit down on her clit as she gripped his sac, tickling him with her tongue.
"Babe, uhhh." She was getting dual pleasure as she ground her hips into his mouth harder. It was a cocktail of pleasure, a prodigious display of pure skill from his mouth. She wanted to ensure that thing, God, she wanted to experience this forever.
Dancing her tongue up and down his virile length, she felt the shudders he emitted. She'd never pleasured him this way, but she felt empowered. She had a certain control over him, like she could make his body dance to the beat of her drum.
Lifting her hips and shifting them forward, she gave herself a new level of pleasure. Her thighs quivered around his face, she was getting close. So close to earth shattering, wind in your face, top of the roller coaster, out of body ecstasy.
"Baby, baby, uh, sto-"
He tried to move her, but she delved deeper, earning herself a mouthful of his thick nectar. Allowing it to roll down her throat, she sat up, letting him recover from their wild antics. They'd been loud, she wondered if he'd even locked the door to the locker room. It was his, and hers by extension, but people generally came in and out—his friends, her friends. Maybe they were all still watching the show.
"Hey, Hunter..." No such luck. "Oh, damn. Daaaammmmn." Billy was smirking, looking at the compromising position he'd caught them in.
"Get out." Hunter threw a shirt at him, but it didn't dissuade his eyes from looking at her. She was mortified. "Stop looking at her!"
"Right." Billy agreed as if he finally remembered to stop staring. He diverted his eyes and turned his back to them. "I just uh, everyone wanted to know what your plans were for tonight, but uh, I'm sure I know. I'll tell them you're unavailable."
"Thank you." Hunter's response was sarcastic at best. She could tell he was pissed.
Once Billy was gone she sprinted to the door, locking it before falling against the cool metal. Laughter consumed her, and Hunter looked at her as if she was crazy.
"How is this at all funny to you?"
"Your friend just saw us naked."
"And that's funny?"
"Yes. I was freaking out about a fake proposal, but your friend just saw us naked."
"Again, not funny."
"It's so funny. Considering all the publicity we face it's only fitting we got caught this way."
"You hate the publicity."
"I do, but this is hilarious. And besides, you took my Raw virginity. Now sky's the limit."
"Raw virginity?"
"I've never had sex at a Raw event before."
"You still haven't. Asshole ruined it." He was pouting. This was cute!
"Who says it's ruined? I plan to take you to the hotel and have my dirty way with you."
She finally earned a smile from him. It was beautiful—it was one of his real soul clenching smiles. She could love him forever. Love?
Her smile briefly escaped her when she realized where her thoughts had gone. They were disturbing. She wasn't supposed to feel this yet.
Gathering her clothes, she rushed to get dressed when he grabbed her, pulling his shorts up in the process.
"Hey, where'd you go just then?"
"I uh—we just need to get ready to go. It's been a long night. We need hot baths and sleep."
"And our dirty night." He bit down on her earlobe, pulling her closer. She tensed. He felt it.
"I just realized we have an early morning."
"That never stopped us before."
"I know, I just..."
"Fine."
He moved to pick up his things without saying another word to her. She'd ruined the night, she knew it. She hadn't meant to, but she was seriously freaking out about what all this meant. The earlier nervousness had resurfaced.
"I guess I'll tell everyone we're actually free tonight."
"Early morning, babe."
"All the more reason to have a drink. What's the point of going to bed when we have to get up early anyway?"
"Hunter..."
"Ashley, it's settled." He was pissed.
***
Charlotte sat uncomfortably watching Hunter drink and laugh with his friends. He was getting tipsy, and she had hardly touched her Manhattan. She'd hated what she had done, but this was overboard. She didn't want to make things worse, but she also was ready to head back to their hotel. She didn't want to go alone.
Swallowing hard, she walked over to her surly boyfriend and sat down. His friends made room for her where he just stayed exactly where he was, practically ignoring her. She wrapped her hand around his arm and he didn't even budge. He was stubborn.
Leaning closer to him, she spoke against his neck. "Babe, are you ready to head in?"
He laughed at a joke someone at the table made and continued his quest to ignore her. She sat there, awkwardly while he interacted with everyone the table but her. Slipping off quietly, she went back to the booth she was inhabiting.
She picked up her drink, sipping before taking a huge gulp and sighed when a body plopped down next to her.
"Trouble in paradise?"
Ivory was the last person she wanted to talk to, but here she was. Unwelcome, but possibly a reprieve.
"I'm sure it gives you great joy to see me and Hunter butting heads. I'm sure you'll write home all about it."
"It's going in my Christmas cards for sure. Hunter and Charlotte: Lover's Spat in Anaheim."
"Make all the jokes you want." Charlotte's eyes drifted over to him, he was still laughing. She hated that she couldn't be a part of it with him.
"Oh, God," Ivory scoffed. "You two are truly a pair. He's laughing at things and acting like he's having a ball only to get under your skin and you're watching him like you lost your best friend. This is why I would never date a coworker."
Up until this point she thought Ivory had either been with Hunter or at least liked him. She knew his reputation was notorious, and she'd made her peace with it, but she didn't want to act as if being around women he'd been with didn't bother her on some level. That would be a complete lie.
"I didn't plan to date anyone," Charlotte admitted. "I really only came here to work. I wanted to be more than people expected of me."
Ivory looked sympathetic. For the first time since meeting her she'd seen a shred of human emotion. Maybe she'd misjudged her.
"So all of that with Adam and Hunter, what was it? It looked pretty intentional to me."
"Everything happened so fast. Adam and I just clicked, and I really do like him."
"But not the way you do Hunter."
Charlotte decided to throw caution to the wind. What did she have to lose? Everyone already knew she and Hunter were a thing.
"There is nothing like me and him. But it's too soon. How can I fall for a guy in so little time?"
"You didn't just meet him. You have known him most of your life. I imagine this attraction didn't just appear overnight."
"No. I used to have a crush on him when I was younger, but I never imagined we would be here."
"Where is that exactly?"
"We're famous. We travel night in and night out, but we find time for each other. I laugh at his dumb jokes, even though they're not funny, he doesn't judge my picky eating habits, and he has this thing about just holding me. We don't even have to have sex, I just lay in his arms."
"I see why you're freaking out."
"What, why?"
"How old are you?"
"Twenty—five. But what does that matter?"
"You're young, but you're in deep. You're so in love it's making you run for the hills. Have you ever been in love?"
Charlotte nodded. "With the same man since for as long as I can remember."
"Hunter?"
"Yes." A smile lit Charlotte's face. She could feel it all over. "It's the first time I've ever said it out loud."
"And it's scaring you."
"What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if I'm just imagining this fantasy and he's just having fun?"
Ivory looked back and Charlotte followed her eyes. They both saw his smile slip into a frown briefly before recovering.
"He's just as miserable as you are about whatever this fight is. Go get your guy and take him home before he's too plastered to stand."
Charlotte was surprised by the good advice she'd received. She really hadn't expected it.
"Thank you."
"Listen, I don't apologize often, but you're owed one. This business can make you bitter, we've been overlooked for years, and here you come, this breath of fresh air reminding me of everything I wanted when I first came, except you did it."
"It could have cost me. It was risky, but without the groundwork you ladies laid I wouldn't be here. I know that, so I'm sorry too. I could have gone about it better and not said the things I did."
"You were right. We were on display like pieces of meat, you just had the guts to say it."
"Well at least it seems to be shifting. I'm glad about that. We're actually getting good matches now."
"No, sweetheart, you're getting good matches. We're getting phased out. They're going younger and blonder."
Ivory said it without malice, but Charlotte felt the heat of her words nonetheless. She was right. While Charlotte was forging her own path and becoming a superstar in her own right, a lot of the other women were being featured less and less. This couldn't stand.
"Well I'm glad we cleared the air."
Ivory left her at the table and made her way back to the group across the room. Charlotte finished off her drink before gathering her courage. She had to talk to Hunter, they had to get past this.
Sliding next to him again, she decided she wouldn't be ignored. Sliding her hand over his arm, she gripped him tightly. He tried to keep his focus off of her, but in a weak moment, on his part, they made eye contact.
She smiled at him, he smiled back, and forgetting the rest of the world, she leaned in, claiming his lips. He dropped his mad act and kissed her back, running his heavy hands through her hair. He pulled her closer and gripped hips. She slid into his lap, straddling him. She attacked his lips like she hadn't kissed him in ages instead of of earlier in the day. He was just as intense—maybe more when she moaned into his mouth. His kisses were amazing and even more so in their slightly drunken state.
A whistle from one of his friends broke them from their haze. With a smile against his lips, she ran her fingers through his hair.
"I'm sorry."
Her apology seemed to be all he needed. He stood with her still in his lap, and pulled her legs around his waist. Again, she realized his fondness for her legs being around him. She kinda loved it too.
He threw money on the table and shifted her in his arms. "Good night." He said his goodbyes and hailed them a cab on his way out. They had to have looked strange to the people passing by, but Charlotte didn't care. She'd be silly with him, she'd enjoy the playfulness they could engage in as well as the seriousness. She'd allow herself to be all in.
He'd practically mauled her in the backseat, staggered to the room, not relenting an inch on letting her walk on her own, and tossed her on the bed with reckless abandon. They did little talking as their bodies danced together. The one thing he'd done was pull the curtains open and let the moonlight bathe her naked skin as he thrust into her.
He took her slowly, surprisingly. She'd expected fast and powerful, but he'd slowed down each time her legs wrapped tighter. He'd sped up when she loosened her grip and bit down on his earlobe. He'd gathered her legs over his shoulders when she dug her nails into his skin so deeply she'd worried about him being shirtless the next night. Good thing they wouldn't be televised.
Hitting their peaks together as they poured into each other, they lay intertwined and out of breath, basking in whatever this was. It felt great, much better than the uncertainty she was facing a few hours earlier when he'd practically walked out on her in the locker room.
Running her hand over his chest, she kissed it once she lifted her palm. She'd never grow tired of this. She hoped he wouldn't either.
A content sigh escaped her and he kissed the top of her head. "You okay?" She could feel his eyes on her as he awaited her answer. She wasn't really sure what he was looking for, so she went with the obvious.
"You know you never hurt me, and if you do it's a good hurt."
"I'm serious, and not in that way. What happened in the locker room? I could tell you were holding back." She wrestled with what to say, but he had this way of disarming her. It was unreal.
"I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Us."
The silence was overwhelming. He didn't speak for a while, and when he did her heart sank. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face whatever truth he laid on her.
"Why would we scare you?"
"It's going so fast, and I'm getting in so deep I just didn't want to be here alone. I really care about you."
"I care about you too." He sighed. "I just can't grasp why you don't understand that. Have I given you a reason to doubt it?"
"Not this time, no. But I just remember how I felt last time. I don't ever want to feel that again."
"I've apologized for that so many times. I can't keep going back there. If you're not going to give us a fair shot, then what are we doing?"
He wasn't happy. She'd managed to upset him twice in one night. What a feat.
"If you don't think you can get past what I did, then maybe—maybe you should be with someone like Edge. He's the good guy. I think you're still torn about it and maybe you just don't want to tell me. I know it's hard to shut off feelings that fast. You were attracted to both of us. If I was being selfish..."
"Edge is a nice guy. We don't fight, and I laugh at his jokes, they're funny. He makes me feel safe."
"If he makes you feel safe, I don't want to take that away from you. I wouldn't be the man you deserved if I tried to deprive you of that basic right."
"I don't want safe, Hunter." She sat up, her hair draping over her shoulders. "I don't want nice, I want passion. I don't want a guy I never fight with, I want the arguments because the making up is worth it. I laugh at your dumb, unfunny jokes because I'd do most things for you—if Adam's jokes were as bad as yours I'd just let him make a fool of himself. I get to be myself with you. I don't feel this need to be perfect—uncompromising Charlotte because you see me. You see the inner parts of me that other people don't."
"You're perfect as anything you want to be. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that sooner. What I did was never about you, it was all me. I never want you to feel like any part of you isn't amazing. I want those parts."
"I know you do." She smiled, feeling like she'd won the lottery. She straddled him, pulling his newly hardened member inside her. "I want you too. Every single corny bit. The good, the bad, the ugly."
Moving her hips, she started to ride him again. As the morning hours crept upon them, she ignored the obvious need for sleep and spent her every waking moment getting the thing she craved most. It wasn't even just the sex, the closeness filled her up. She no longer questioned how he felt. He'd shown her all morning. He was as crazy about her as she was about him. Almost. She knew without a doubt she was a hundred percent in love with him. She'd tell him one day. Until then she'd spend every waking day making sure he fell in love with her too.
When she'd finally given in to getting a few hours of sleep, she melted into his arms and laid peacefully. He was quiet until he, out of nowhere, wrapped her tighter in his embrace and looked down at her.
"When we get engaged, I don't want you to do what they said. You won't be Hunter's girl, you're going to be Hunter's Queen."
"Queen." She grinned. "I like that."
"It fits." They both drifted to sleep after that. They enjoyed three uninterrupted hours before having to get packed and to the airport. Queen. It had a nice ring to it, but she wasn't the only queen. There were division full of them. She'd make sure they were all showcased. She had to.