Page 19 of Botched

Looking up from where I’ve been studying my nice, thrift store purchased sneakers, Theo is looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I hold up a finger, telling him to hold on. All I need is to finish this phone call before he drives me insane.

Amusement flashes on his face. He’s not used to being told to wait. His arms are crossed over his broad chest. He’s wearing a pair of sweats and a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. It’s the most normal I’ve ever seen him. I’ve seen him in wrestling trunks. I’ve seen him dressed like he wants to be the cover model for GQ. Seeing him so normal makes me feel…uncomfortable. As if I’m seeing a part of him that I shouldn’t.

“Aurora,” he says.

I pull the phone away from my ear and fix him with a look. “Busy.” When I put the phone back to my ear, I still hear Janet humming as she tries to find the PPV.

“Well, Aurora, I just can’t find it,” she huffs. “Are you sure that’s what it’s called?”

It takes everything in me not to respond with,‘Of course I’m fucking sure. That’s what all the signs around here say.’ But I don’t. Janet is in charge of Dad’s care. She’s never been anything but kind and gentle, but I don’t want to piss her off.

I sigh. “Janet, this is super important. Can you ask someone else to help? All I need you to do is find it and charge it to my card.”

I must sound more exasperated than I think because Theo raises an eyebrow and holds his hand out expectantly. I shake my head. Absolutely not. He’s not getting involved.

He snatches my phone from my hand.

Before I can protest, he’s taking charge. “Janet? Hi. This is Aurora’s friend, Theodore.” He smirks over at me. “What’s the problem? Oh. Easy. Your easiest option is to…”

Theo proceeds to give Janet an entire walkthrough of how to buy the PPV. He does it so effortlessly with all the charm that he can muster. Finally, he smiles and nods. “Have a nice night, Janet. All right. I’ll tell Roo.” I cringe as he uses that nickname in front of other people. I don’t want it to stick. It can’t stick.

He hangs up the phone, steals a glance down at it, then hands it back to me. “Janet got it up and running. She says she’ll charge it to your card. She’s about to make your dad his snack while he watches.”

I take my phone back and slip it into the pocket of my sweats. I’ve already spent forty minutes in hair and makeup. My hair is pulled back into a high ponytail that’s sleeker than I could ever get it. My makeup is a smokey grey eye with dramatic lashes, a thick wing, and nude lips. All I need to do is head back to the locker room and change into the dress that Jules is letting me borrow.

“...Thanks,” I murmur.

“Stepmom?”

“Excuse me?”

“Janet, is she your stepmom? She sounds nice. Gives stepmom vibes.”

I shake my head. “No. She’s not. She’s…helpful.” I cut that conversation off right there. I don’t want to get into the details of my life with him. I don’t trust him. It would be stupid to trust him. Taking the opportunity, I pivot the conversation. “Is there something you need?”

“I wanted to make sure that you were ready. Hex said that he talked to you earlier. Something about a chair shot to the head?”

I nod.

“Right. That works. Here’s my thoughts…”

Chapter Fifteen

THEODORE

Last Kingdom PPV

Charleston, South Carolina

Sweat is dripping down my brow as my back crashes into the mat again. Hext stands above me as the crowd cheers, thinking that this is the moment the hero of this story finally dethrones me. Maybe anti-hero would be more apropos. Hext isn’t the type to play the knight in shining armor.

Hext is on top of me, raining down punches. None of the punches actually hit me. Wrestling would be an entirely different sport if he were actually punching me in the face repeatedly. Together, we sell it to the world. We tell them the story of a villain getting the beatdown that he’s deserved for so long.

When it’s my story though? The villain always wins.

The punches come to a stop. Hext takes a step back from me, taking the time to gloat to the audience. He plays up the cheers as he signals that he’s going in for his finisher. That’s the opportunity that I need. While he’s distracted, I roll out of the ring to a chorus of boos.

Now comes what none of them are expecting.

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