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Chapter Nineteen

Say Something

Vince

“I’m just saying, if the Beast of Burden doesn’t want everyone to be so intrigued by him, he shouldn’t insist on keeping his identity a secret,” Rafe said dryly, sipping his beer.

I was at Gargy’s with him and Dan, having met up with them after their weekly game night with Rafe’s buddies ended. I was trying to relax after the whirlwind of a day—meeting the new wrestlers and finding out I was going to have to do goddamn couples therapy with Crossbody.

Seriously, what the fuck was Corey thinking?

“He could just give us a fake name,” Dan agreed, his arm draped over the back of Rafe’s chair. “You’re right, kitten. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if he hadn’t made it one.”

“Seems to be more his appearance he wants to hide,” I said thoughtfully. “Dunno why, though. And I’m pretty sure he didn’t say a fucking word the whole time they were there.”

“He didn’t.” Dan shrugged a little. “But the Ghastly Boys hardly spoke either. And they didn’t show their faces. They just didn’t make a whole thing of it.”

“What about the other two?” Rafe asked. “What are they like?”

I tensed, remembering watching Crossbody introduce himself to La Dame Blanche. I didn’t want to think about the way my belly had tightened when he’d started speaking fluent French in that low, smooth voice.

And they’d seemed almost… flirty. She’d touched his arm. And kissed his cheek.

I wanted to know what they’d been talking about.

“John seems alright,” Dan was saying with a shrug. “Eager to get started. Think I touched a nerve when I asked about Will-o’-the-Wisp, though. Apparently John-o’-the-Wisp doesn’t like that his older brother is way more famous than him.”

Rafe snickered, grinning at him and leaning in a little closer. Dan grinned back, ducking his head to kiss his cheek.

“And La Dame Blanche seems nice,” he added. “Crossbody started speaking French to her. Not surprised. He probably knows a million languages.”

“She seems fine, I guess,” I muttered into my beer. My phone vibrated in my pocket, so I pulled it out as I drained the last of my drink and started to say, “You two want another?”

The words died in my throat when I saw the name on the screen, my gut bottoming out.

Why was he calling me?

Holy crap.

“Who is it?” Dan asked, because I was frozen in place, staring down at the phone.

“Is it the dude you banged in the arena?” Rafe asked, which made them both snicker.

My throat bobbed as I stood up and absently said, “Uh, yeah.”

“Oooooh,” Dan called after me teasingly as I strode away from the table, “I wanna see the footage this time.”

“Dan,” Rafe chastised with a little growl. “No, you fucking don’t.”

“Just ’cause it’d be funny, kitten.”

Their voices faded as I took a deep breath, my palms sweating a little, and answered the call, bringing the phone to my ear as I stepped outside into the covered patio area. There were two guys standing down one end smoking, so I quickly walked to the other.

“Uh, hey.” My voice was rough with… something. Nerves, I realised, which made my jaw clench. Fuck him for making me nervous. Why the fuck was I nervous?

There was a long pause before his low voice sounded in my ear, making my belly clench.

“It’s Crossbody.”