Page 83 of Heartbreaker
“Savannah left because she found out about a bet between me and Drake.”
It’s quiet for a moment, but this time when Wolf speaks, his normal tone is replaced with something far more dangerous. “What do you mean abetbetween you and Drake?”
Brody shakes his head as I begin the story, filling our friend in on the truth about everything. The whole time, Wolf glares at me from across the table, hands clenched so tight around the beer bottle I’m sure it’s going to crack at any moment. I don’t think he blinks once, eyes narrowing further into slits with every piece of information he learns.
“You only dated Savannah based on a fucking bet with Miles Drake?” Wolf grits out before he glances over at Brody. “And you knew about this?”
“I was there,” Brody says. “Wolf, it’s not as bad as it sounds, but—”
“There is nobut. Savannah was right to leave your ass. What the fuck, Brooks?”
I begin to argue, but I’m grateful when Brody steps in. He explains the full situation, showing it from an outsider’s perspective, instead of just my own, and I watch as some of the fire fades from Wolf’s eyes. I see the moment he begins to understand why I did it, even if he doesn’t agree with my decisions.
“Drake’s game is not the only reason I wanted to be with Savannah,” I add when Brody is finished. “We knew each other before she ever came to EWE, and—”
“You knew each other?” Wolf interrupts me.
“We met once, at a bar down in Texas. It was well before she ever joined the company. The only reason we never said anything was because she didn’t want anyone to think she got handed opportunities because of me.”
“And I was dating the one person who would’ve taken that information and done the most damage,” Wolf says, the heat in his tone fading. He sighs, taking a long drag of his beer. “Shit, I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you guys, but—”
I shrug. “All good. What’s done is done, no taking it back. Now it’s time for everyone to pick up and try to move on.”
“Can you?” Wolf glances back up at me. “Move on?”
“I don’t know,” I say, drumming my fingers on the stone tabletop. “I’m working on it, and as long as I know she’s doing okay and she’s happy, then one day I know I can be, too.”
The almost-full moon reflects off the black waters below, the sky around it freckled with white stars. A small cluster catches my eye. Its unique pattern reminds me of one I’d come to know all too well. One that I’ve traced a thousand times.
I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. My eyes trace over the pattern, drawing the invisible lines to connect the dots, and when it’s complete, my heart stops as the five-pointed star stares back at me—identical to the one on Savannah’s left shoulder.
“John,” Brody’s voice pulls me back.John? He must have been trying to get my attention for a while. Meeting his stare, I notice the concern etched on his face even in the shadows. He’s standing now, poised to walk back inside, holding three empty beer bottles between his fingers. “You want another beer?”
I nod. “Y-yeah. Thanks. Grab those cigars, too.”
“Hey, what time is it?” Wolf asks.
Flipping over my phone on the table, I tap the screen, and for the second time tonight, I feel my heart stop beating.
12:01 a.m.
Bizarre. That’s the only word I can use to describe today. Everyone around here seems to be on edge, or maybe it’s just me. A heaviness has settled deep within me that radiates from one nerve ending to the next. Matched with a sinking feeling in my gut, it tells mesomethingis coming. Something big, and I don’t like the anticipation of it one bit. Normally, I could shake it off, put it behind me until I leave the arena, but not this time.
I’ve been telling myself that it’s just because I don’t knowwhois going to step out of that curtain tonight, but part of me wonders if it’s something more than that…Amos, Noah, and Tim have been extremely secretive about my tag partner. When they first mentioned the idea, they carefully skirted around the topic of a name, saying they had a few ideas, none of which had been solidified. I didn’t believe them. The look Amos and Noah shared told me they had already found someone, but they weren’t ready to tell me. For some reason, I found that unsettling. Why would they need to keep it a secret?
As time went on, they kept the identity under wraps, only making the three of us—Austin, Viviana, and me—all the more curious…and even more nervous. Who could be so important that they’d need to keep them a secret for over a month now? It had to be a veteran. Someone who could put Viviana’s character in her place—someone the fans wouldn’t question. A hundred names have run through my mind—Juliet?Holly?Luna?Moxie? Any of them would be a good pick.Cali Kennedyhas been out with a knee injury. Maybe she’s making a return…She isn’t a vet, but she’d be a good choice nonetheless.
But if it’s any of them, why wouldn’t Creative tell us?
Trying to find a way to release the nerves, I jump in place, shaking out my hands, ignoring the side glance from Stu, the timekeeper. I plant my feet and stretch my arms over my chest, taking a deep breath as I wait for my cue. Austin has been running his mouth for at least five minutes, but I tuned him out well before he picked up the mic. I haven’t been this nervous to step in front of a crowd since my debut match fourteen years ago, and I blame Noah and Amos.
Stu points at me, and my music fills the arena. I take a final breath—cranking my neck from side to side, pushing my shoulders back—and walk out.
Almost like walking through a thin veil between worlds, the nerves melt away when I step in front of the crowd, andBrooks Taylortakes his place at the forefront. He stands tall—confident—maintaining the collected nature he prides himself on. This crowd is amped. We’re only three weeks away from Wrestlefest, and the closer we get, the rowdier they become.
“Oh, look who it is,”Spencer Austinscoffs. “It’s like Candyman—say his name too many times and he’ll appear.”Vivianasnickers at his side, and I roll my eyes.
Each week, the fans have eaten up whatever Austin and I have thrown at them, because while most of the EWE fanbase loves me, a good amount of them hate me almost equally. Whenever they get the chance to see someone knockBrooks Taylordown a few pegs, they enjoy it more than I’d probably like to admit. Everyone knows there isn’t anyone who can oustBrooks Taylorfrom the throne of EWE…No one is ready because no one is willing to do what I do for this company. They aren’t willing to make the sacrifices it takes to be at the forefront. Not even the man standing in the middle of the ring. And while that same man would like to think he can break me—if only in story form—we both know he can’t.Brooks Taylorrarely cracks; it’s only happened a handful of times, and two of those times were because ofher.
