squeeze, reassuring me like she always does that she’s here for me.
The boss presses a small red button on the console next to him. “Back to the hotel to drop Xavier and Anna off, please.”
“Right away, sir,” the driver replies. The car begins to move.
He adjusts the gray tie he’s wearing and then locks eyes with me. “A couple of shows ago, I seem to recall having a discussion with you about following the script to a T and reminding you that I don’t like lawsuits. It appears, that discussion fell upon deaf ears, seeing as how I just came down to bail you out of jail because you’d beaten one of my other employees unconscious during a live show.”
There’s no denying what he’s saying.
I square my shoulders and lift my chin, ready to face the consequences of my actions head-on. “Yes, I did all those things, and while I’m sorry that it’s landed me in some deep shit, I’m not sorry that I did it. Rex had it coming. He got personal and took it to a level that it should never have gone to.”
“While I don’t doubt that Rex was a son of a bitch to you, the cold, hard truth here is that we have rules in place for a reason. No matter what he said or did, you should’ve kept your cool.”
“I know. I’ve been trying hard to work on my temper.”
“You’ve put me in a predicament here, X. Both you and Rex are the future of my company—you, in particular. You’ve been the topic of a lot of marketing strategies now that Brian wants to step back and spend more time with his wife and little girl. We need someone who can takeover his role, someone the crowd will really get behind. I’m struggling with going against my company policy and trying to make all of this go away for you. I need to work it so that the company can still benefit from you.”
My mouth drops open a bit. “Are you saying that I’m not fired?”
Anna bites her bottom lip, trying not to smile, like she doesn’t want to show any excitement until it’s confirmed that my dream hasn’t been crushed.
“I’m saying that you are too valuable to fire. Your popularity means money for Tension, and that’s good for business, which is why I bailed you out. I’ve got a meeting with some local connections tomorrow. I have to put a spin on this situation, saying that it was a match that got out of hand, that everything was actually a part of the show, and that the cops intervened when they weren’t needed.”
I roll my eyes. “Rex will never go along with that. He’ll press charges just to see me suffer. That motherfucker hates me.”
“I’ve already worked things out with Rex. He’ll agree to save your ass, if I make him the next champion.”
I should be grateful for this easy out, but I can’t stop myself from being pissed.
The muscle in my jaw flexes beneath my skin. Rex getting the belt this way is soul-crushing. That championship should’ve been mine, and had I not lost my fucking head, I would be on my way to wrapping that gold around my waist. Instead, I practically handed Rex the belt on a silver fucking platter.
I always fuck up everything good in my life, which is why I’m holding on to Anna with both hands and doing my best to do right by her. If that means allowing Rex this short-lived victory to keep me from being behind bars, then that’s the way it has to be. I need this job more than anything to support Anna and to prove to her that I can take care of her every need.
“The problem is”—He rubs his chin—“it doesn’t seem like the mandatory vacation I sent you on was enough distance between you and Rex, so I’m suspending you, X. I have to make an example out of you, so the other employees see that, no matter who you are, they cannot pull stunts like this and walk away from this matter scot-free.”
I hate the idea of not being able to work, but it’s a hell of a lot better than rotting in jail or spending all my time on probation. My boss will get no argument out of me on this one.
I sigh. “For how long?”
“Three months,” he answers matter-of-factly. “And during that time period, you will not be permitted in any arena where we hold shows.