THE QUEEN'S GAME

Chapter 21

"I won't be long." Hunter kissed Charlotte before releasing her hand. "I'll be right there."
"I know." Charlotte smiled weakly. "I'm okay, babe. Go out there."
His music started and he kissed her one last time. They were at Smackdown and she was waiting for him to finish his promo before he took her back to the hotel. He had actually tried to get out of appearing, but she'd made him come. She told him she would wait in the back until he was done. He hadn't wanted to spend a moment away from her.
Giving her one last glance as she smiled at him, willing him to go, he pushed through the curtain a moment later. Water bottle in hand, his title around his waist, he barreled down the ramp. He was originally going to wrestle tonight, but after a few calls between him and Vince and Ric and Vince, they all agreed to make his appearance brief. Partly to take care of Charlotte, but also because they were worried about his mental stability. Mickey had slipped into a coma and his prognosis was grim. She'd beat the hell out of him, but if he died they were all worried about how Charlotte would hold up.
Another thing they worried about was the fact that they'd have to address the interference by Stephanie at the Royal Rumble. As much as Hunter hated it, he'd have to be around her at least for the next few weeks to give their outburst a valid conclusion.
He wasn't thrilled.
While his rematch with Edge was inevitable, Hunter still had to set up his next rivalry. It was great that he'd get to work with his best friend and the love of his life, but adding in Stephanie was a sure fire cocktail for disaster. They all really had to learn to keep their personal lives out of the job. Easier said than done.
Barging out in the middle of Edge's speech, Hunter held his hands up in protest.
"What the hell do you want?"
Edge stopped his rant to face Hunter. While they were in character, Hunter felt as if their hostility was further heightened by the fact that they'd fell for the same woman. Edge didn't speak to him anymore, where otherwise they'd been cordial. Things were just different.
"Well, you were ranting about your title match, and I thought I'd come out here and listen to what you had to say."
"I have nothing to say to you other than enjoy it while it lasts. With both things."
"Both things?" Hunter hoped it wasn't going where he thought.
"You got the title and the girl, but you won't keep both. She isn't even here. Where is she, Hunter? Ashamed of kissing you in front of the world?"
He'd done it. The crowd started the chant from Monday, only louder, and he swallowed hard. She had to be watching and feeling helpless as the crowd screamed for her. She hadn't even dressed to be on camera. She was in one of his shirts and her jeans.
"All you need to know is that I won. I won my title and as for Charlotte," he smirked, "you never had a chance. You see, she likes real men."
Edge threw his mic down, they were supposed to scuffle a bit before being interrupted by Chyna, but the crowd grew louder.
"Charlotte."
"Charlotte."
"Charlotte."
Her music hit soon afterward, and Hunter looked up to the ramp. She wasn't there. What was going on? Had they tried to force her too soon and freaked her out? He was going to get an understanding of what happened, but after a few seconds, the crowd erupted. He didn't see her, at first, but once the spotlight lit her entrance, he looked over in awe.
She was making her way through the crowd, Edge's previous entrance, but she looked nothing like the girl Edge had escorting him. Her hair was down around her shoulders, a bright red lip jumped out at him with black wing tipped eyeliner. She had on a black leather jacket with a cut off top underneath that he'd known to be one of Trish's and she had on sexy ankle boots. His rogue angel.
Her mere presence gave the ring a different energy, and when she entered, she was at Edge's side. The took the mic from Edge and gave the crowd time to die down before she spoke.
"I know you all want to know where I've been and what sparked my actions at Royal Rumble."
"What?"
"It's all very simple."
"What?"
"I got my title stolen by a woman who's jealous. I'm the future, she's the past. And look at me," she waved her arms out. "I'd hate me if I couldn't be me."
They started booing, and she laughed.
"You really think I care what you—shut up! You think I care that you don't like me? Screw you! No one disrespects the queen."
Hunter grinned. She was phenomenal, she had them pissed.
"Shut up!" She faced the crowd, squinting her eyes. "You know, I really hate Chicago. It's one of the coldest pits of hell I've ever visited. I can't wait to get out of here. You don't deserve the presence of the queen."
Edge took the mic from her hand. "What are you doing? Who are you?"
She didn't respond, she just slapped him, earning louder boos from the crowd. She laughed loudly and walked to Hunter. Running her hands through his hair, she pulled his mouth to hers.
The kiss was intoxicatingly erotic. Her leg lifted to cross around his, and he'd picked her up, cupping her ass. Make it look real, they said. This was as real as it got, he'd tuned out the crowd and the cameras until she giggled.
"Put me down, babe." She'd had to whisper against his lips.
"If I have to." He smiled, pushing several strands of hair behind her ear.
Edge bellowed into the microphone. "This is what you want? Fine, then I have a surprise of my own."
"What?"
"I never wanted you, Charlotte. I was using you. I knew you were Ric Flair's daughter and that sleeping with you would get me whatever I wanted."
"Let's not tell lies," Charlotte sniped. "You never slept with me. You never had the testicular fortitude."
The crowd reacted loudly, and Edge actually looked embarrassed. Maybe it hit too close to home.
"No, you're right, I didn't have to, but I still got two title shots out of the deal. Where is your belt, by the way?"
"What's the point of title shots you will never capitalize on? How's your head, by the way? Still stinging from that sledgehammer?"
Edge's face turned bright red, and he reached out as if he was about to grab her. Hunter saw and sprang into action. He'd pedigree'd Edge within seconds, and Charlotte vacated the ring. Hunter assumed it was too much for her after everything that had happened the past few days, but when she appeared at his side with a chair, he developed a wicked scowl. She pointed at Edge and screamed for him to swing the chair. He swung, making sure not to hurt Edge and picked her up, swinging her around several times before tasting her lips again. This was fun.
He was enjoying the moment they'd been sharing when he heard Chyna on the mic.
"You two are really proud of yourselves, huh?"
"We are, in fact." Charlotte spoke. "Thanks for asking."
"You're nothing but a bed hopping tramp, and I'm so glad I was able to rip my title out of your hands."
The crowd went wild.
"You got a cheap shot in on me, but I bet you won't do it to my face."
"I'd beat you in your face or anywhere else."
"Come down here. Let's do it right now. I'll destroy you in this cold—shitty town and leave your prone body for the help to clean up."
Chyna laughed and shook her head. "I've already dealt with you. Now I'm only interested in ripping that title out of your boy toys hands."
"That will never happen," Charlotte warned. "You never know what might smack you in the head when you're least expecting."
"Neither do you."
Smack.
Charlotte hit the ground and Hunter was next. Edge had managed to get to his feet, and Stephanie stood next to him, with a chair in her hands. She'd snuck in behind them while Chyna ran her distraction. It was a well laid plan, but if people knew the real mechanics behind everything they'd be surprised all these combustible elements were able to work together.
The groundwork had been laid. Stephanie would be in Edge's corner and Charlotte in Hunter's. This would bring about the end of having to be in storylines with either Stephanie or Edge, and then the rivalry would shift to Chyna and Hunter with Charlotte buzzing around wreaking havoc.
Charlotte and Hunter were helped out of the ring once commercial hit, and once backstage, he held her, really being proud of how she handled herself.
"Was it too much?" She always had this adorable way of being timid after she'd kicked ass onscreen.
"No, it was perfect. You sold the hell out of your heel turn. How did you even get ready so fast?"
She shrugged. "I was standing there when you walked out and I just knew I needed to be out there. I didn't have any clothes here, but Trish was coming through and tossed me her shirt and Ivory gave me the jacket."
"Your makeup is sexy."
"That was easy. I could pull this look together in my sleep."
Her bright red lips curved into a smile, she was seriously too cute. "I love it that you did this tonight. I wasn't expecting it, but I really got a high from being out there with you. Us working as a team was fun."
"It was fun, wasn't it?"
He slid his hands down to her waist. "Yes. Are you ready to go?"
She shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Could we stay? I think I want to see the rest of the show."
Nodding, he kissed the side of her head. "Whatever you want, baby."
"Thanks, babe."
They stood in the back, watching the monitors, and he was wrapped around her. She felt so good in his arms. He'd wanted nights like these, where they could just exist and block out the rest of the world.
They watched Victoria and Trish compete for the women's title, Victoria retained. In a shocking twist of events, The Undertaker turned on Kane—breaking up The Brother's of Destruction, and Ivory took on Molly Holly—emerging as the victor. The episode of Smackdown was one of the best they'd seen in a while.
As the show came to an end, Charlotte turned in his arms, laying her head against his neck. He could feel her lips slip into a smile. He kissed her hair.
"I know this is going to sound strange, but I needed all of this," she admitted.
"Why would that sound strange?"
"We just fake beat the hell out of someone and talked all kinds of trash."
"And it was great. We finally get to be what we really are onscreen."
"Well not exactly, but I get to be your woman."
"So you're my woman now?"
"I've always been your woman, Hunter. You've always been my guy."
"I'm glad that you know it."
"I think I've always known. But it's great to hear you say it too."
"No more hiding, right?"
"No more hiding."
"I love you."
"I love you more."
"I love you—I love you more," Ivory teased. "Oh goodness, you two get a room."
"We have a room," Hunter pointed out.
"So save your sucking face for there. You're sickening the rest of us." She rolled her eyes, obviously joking but trying to remain serious.
"Well you're just going to have to be sick."
Charlotte ran her tongue over his lips, gripped the back of his neck, and forcefully pulled him to her. He didn't mind being used as a prop for her. He actually loved it that they were in this place. The last time they were at work together things were so tense, and now they were back to loving each other openly and without restrictions.
She pulled back when Ivory made a gagging noise and her laughter filled their space. "You're such a prude."
Ivory shook her head. "No, you two are just annoyingly loveable. I hate it that I actually root for you. It's not like me at all."
"We love you too."
Charlotte hugged her, and Hunter laughed when she rolled her eyes. Charlotte had this way of making even the most reluctant person fall under her spell. He'd been a goner the moment he actually looked at her as more than the sweet girl who had been like extended family most of his life. It was weird to love her at first, but now it was second nature.
"Get off of me with all that. I don't want whatever it is you two caught."
"They're cute." Trish appeared. "I'm so glad those freeze out days are over. It was hard to watch you two be so miserable."
"They were so miserable," Ivory agreed.
"Okay, we get it," Hunter cut them off. "We were miserable, we were stubborn, but we figured it out."
An awkward silence befell them, and Trish was the first to break it.
"Are you okay?" She touched Charlotte's arm.
He saw a sadness wash over her as she nodded.
"I can't imagine how you must have felt. I can't believe he'd try that again. And thank God you were there, Hunter."
"She did it all." He refused to let Charlotte feel bad about defending herself. "She was so strong." He wrapped his arms around her, making sure she knew he would always be there for her. "She saved my life and her own. I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't acted fast."
Ivory cracked a smile. "Okay, you win, it's cute. All that life and death stuff is heavy, but how you stuck together is even getting to someone like me. I'm no sucker for sweet words and love, but this is different. It's—I don't know—but dammit, I'm happy."
Charlotte smiled, blinking away a stray tear. "Thank you." She looked at Hunter and her friends. "Thank all of you. You've been there for me, even those of you who really didn't want to be." Ivory nudged her. "I feel like I have a whole other family."
"You do." Trish gave her arm a squeeze. "We're always going to be here for you."
"Isn't that just enduring?" Stephanie walked up with Edge at her side. She was being intentionally nasty, and Hunter anticipated the drama about to ensue.
"Do you need something?" Trish popped off the fight that was surely brewing under the surface.
"Just checking in with my ex and his next. How's my money treating you, Charlotte?"
"Hmmmh, lets see... Hunter bought me diamonds and roses when he flew to Carolina from Sacramento to take me on a date, so I'd say rather well. Thanks, Babe."
"Anything for you."
He played along, grabbing her ass, listening to her giggle. Stephanie walked off, but Edge hung back.
"Sorry about that. I uhhh, I hope I didn't cross the line out there. I didn't mean any of that stuff I said."
"I know you didn't," Charlotte graciously accepted. "I didn't mean it either."
"Friends?"
"Friends." She nodded. "But we're so going to kick your ass Monday night."
"Not even if God himself made the three count."
Edge tapped her nose and winked before walking away. Hunter knew he'd just have to accept their friendship. It would probably always be there, but he was the one she went home with every night.
They stood with her friends a few more minutes, Chyna had come and gone after thanking Charlotte profusely for all she'd done to help her career. Charlotte was modest, she'd acted as if what she had done was nothing major, but it was. Because of her they'd have the first woman competing for the WWE title. She needed to acknowledge how fierce she was.
"Let's go."
He grabbed her hand, pulling her from the building, and once the cool night air hit them, he picked her up.
"Caveman isn't really your style."
"I want you all to myself."
"What a coincidence, I want to be all yours."
"Your wish is my command."
"Thank you, Genie."
"Stop talking."
He got them a cab and they rode to the hotel with her head resting on his shoulder. She'd held his hand the entire way, and reached for it again when they got out of the cab. Lacing their fingers, he led her inside and into the elevator. Unlocking their door, he picked her up, locking her legs around him. They stumbled into a wall and he assaulted her neck, letting her feet hit the floor.
He threw her shirt into the air, after pushing the jacket off of her. She was panting, her lips still red from the lipstick, and her nose was bright red as well. Even with all that, she looked so innocent.
He pulled her from the wall, laying her on the bed. He wanted her, it wasn't even a want anymore, he craved her. Smiling up at him, she ran her fingers down his lips.
"Not in the mood anymore?"
"I'm always in the mood for you."
"Well then, what?"
"I just want to stare at you for a second."
"Don't be creepy."
"I'll be creepy. I can stare at the love of my life and wonder how I got so lucky any time I want."
"Oh, stop that."
"Why?"
"Because it makes me feel funny."
"Funny how?"
"Like you think I'm perfect when we know it's not true. The way you look at me—"
"Your imperfections make you perfect and the fact that you acknowledge them with such grace and humility makes you perfect in my eyes."
"You look at me like I'm the most important thing in the world."
"To me you are."
"Hunter, you have no idea the way I love you."
"I do."
"No, you don't. When we were apart it was so bad, I had all these people around me, but I felt like I was the loneliest person in the world. I cried every night, and during the days I'd be so angry I could only ever focus on work. It was all I had to keep me sane."
"My days and nights blurred together. I couldn't focus on anything. It's a wonder I didn't hurt myself in those matches. I was being completely reckless. So I understand."
"You're never reckless at work."
"I was for those two months."
"I hate it that we can make each other sink so low."
"We can only do that because the love between us is bigger than anything we've ever had."
"That's true."
"And I don't want to ruin it again."
"We won't."
"You sound confident."
"I'm a queen now."
"That was so bad ass. I was so proud of you."
"There was this adrenaline flowing through me that just gassed me up."
She lit up when she talked about what they were doing now. He loved the excitement in her eyes. She was doing better, much better than he'd expected with everything going on.
She talked for a while longer and he just listened, running his hand through her hair. She was still only in her jeans and bra, and watching her talk, running his eyes over her body, he felt the urge emerging again.
He kissed her, she kissed him back. It was sweet and when he rolled on top of her, she opened her legs, allowing him more space. Slowly stripping her the rest of the way, and letting her strip him, he made them one in every way possible.
Her breath on his cheek as he thrust deeper made him crazy. Her screams of his name when he hit certain spots was sure to wake all their nearby neighbors, but it only invigorated him. The passionate way she kissed him when he'd finally let her be on top had him digging his nails into her back.
She'd have prints, so would he. They'd marked each other, fed each other, devoured each other in a way they hadn't before. Pulling her hair earned him her beautiful smile, and her pulling his earned her a mind blowing orgasm.
He'd flipped them—again—driving into her forcefully but taking his time to make sure there was nothing but pleasure on her face. She'd erupted several times before he got there, and once he exploded—failing somewhere between candescence and transcendence, he laid on their pillows, recovering from the best climax he'd ever experienced.
Her head settled on his chest, her legs tangling in his. Her heart was pounding, he could feel it. Dancing his finger tips up and down her spine, he sighed into the air.
"What are you thinking?" Her voice was slightly hoarse, it had an extra amount of rasp that he found extremely sexy.
"That you're absolutely amazing."
"Is it because I let you have my body?"
"That helps, but it's not the only reason."
"It's because I do that little thing when I'm—"
"Tomorrow, after the panel, we do date number two."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I loved our first date, it was the best date I've ever had. I want to do stuff like that regularly."
He saw her lips curve into a smile, and he knew he'd wowed her. They'd be in Michigan, which wasn't ideal for a date because of the weather, but he'd planned to hold up somewhere in a lake front cabin in front of a fireplace and enjoy their time together. He hoped she didn't mind, but he'd invited friends. Before he knew how she felt about everything, he'd invited her closest to make sure she had all the support she needed. Hopefully all would go well.