Rex sits with a smirk on his face and pats the empty chair next to him. “Saved you a seat, Princess.”

The female writer looks up from her computer. “Hi, Anna, have a seat. We’ll be with you in just a moment.”

I do as requested, but I choose the seat on the other side of the empty one next to Rex. My entire body stiffens, every inch of me on edge. I don’t like having him so close, especially without Xavier knowing where I am.

The female writer finally spins around in her chair and faces me. She’s pretty, in that librarian kind of way, her dark hair pulled back in a low-set bun and her glasses resting low on the bridge of her nose.

The kind smile on her face relaxes me a bit. “Anna, I’m Vicky, the head writer of Tension. I wanted to meet with you to go over a couple of ideas I have for your character.”

I furrow my brow. “My character?”

“Yes, dear. Now that you’re a full-fledged member of our crew we’ve written a storyline for you. Your stage name is Anna Sweets, and you are Phenomenal X’s love girlfriend.”

I smile. I like that title. It’s fitting considering we’re official now. “Sounds good. Is that all?”

Vicky shakes her head. “You haven’t heard the best part yet. Rex approached me with an idea that will solidify the rivalry between him and Xavier. Something that will really get the fans involved.”

I readjust in my seat. Any idea of Rex’s cannot be good—especially when it involves Xavier. “So what’s the story?”

“You’re going to love this, Princess.” Rex winks at me, and my skin crawls.

“You are going to have an affair with Rex. It will drive Xavier into a jealous rage. Fans will love the intensity it brings,” Vicky says.

I shake my head. “No. No way will I agree to that.”

Vicky removes her glasses and carefully folds them before leveling her gaze on me. “You signed a contract, Anna, and this isn’t up for negotiation.”

I don’t like being backed into a corner.

“What if I refuse?”

“Then we fire you and escort you off the property. You won’t be allowed back into the vicinity at any of our shows.”

I attempt to clarify as my stomach clenches. “So, if I don’t agree to go along with this, I can no longer be backstage to support Xavier, in any manner?”

“Correct.”

I sigh and shove my hair back from my face. This will send Xavier over the edge, but what choice do I have? If I don’t go along with this, there’s no point of me being on the road with Xavier.

I hate it, but I don’t see any other way around it. Xavier will understand that it would all be an act, wouldn’t he. Wouldn’t it be worth it for me to be able to stay backstage with him?

I hope he sees it that way.

I stare at Vicky and do my best to pretend that Rex’s eyes aren’t boring into me. “I’ll do whatever you want, as long as Xavier gets to keep his job. He won’t allow all this to go down without a fight. I know him.”

Vicky smirks. “Mr. Cold doesn’t run things around here. If he tries to fight this, we’ll fire him. Everyone in this business is replaceable.”

“Including you?”

My snarky question leaves my mouth before I can stop it.

Vicky raises one perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Yes, even me. Now, if those are all the questions you have, we’re done here. Get ready. Your first kiss with Rex in the ring is tonight when he faces Xavier.”

“Fine, but it’ll be Rex’s funeral,” I say with my eyes leveled with hers.

Before I can say anything else, Vicky turns back around in her seat and begins typing again. Rex sits with a smirk on his face.

“We could practice that kiss first, if you’d like?”

He waggles his eyebrows at me, and my stomach turns.

“Dream on.”

I shove out of my chair and head for the door without a backwards glance.

Once I’m out in the hallway, I rub my forehead vigorously. How am I going to tell Xavier? He’ll lose his mind.

I head into the weight room—the one place I know I can count on finding Xavier. The man loves to push his body to the limits. Never in my life have I known a man as strong as him.

Xavier holds a bar in his hands, three large weights on each side, and his shoulders tweak up and down. I’ve learned during my time with him in here that this kind of training works his shoulders.

I sit on the bench in front of him, watching him work. After he finishes his reps, he sets the bar down and steps over it.

He plants his lips on mine. “Hey, beautiful, where were you?”

“With the writers,” I tell him honestly.

He twists his lips. “What did they want?”

I take a deep breath. “They gave me a character name.”

Xavier chuckles as he sits next to me and wipes his face with a towel. “What is it?”

I roll my eyes. “Anna Sweets.”

He laughs. “That’s fitting. Is that all they wanted?”

I shake my head and frown.

He slides his index finger under my chin and gazes into my eyes. “What did I say about frowning?”

My frown deepens. I can’t help it. I don’t want to tell him the truth, but I know I have to. It’s not like I can exactly keep this from him. “They wrote a storyline for me…and it involves a love triangle with Rex.”

“What?!” The roar in his voice is unmistakable, and I jump.

Instantly, he’s on his feet and although I grab his wrist, attempting to calm him down, it’s no use. I see the rage building in his eyes. “Please, calm down. Is there anyway we can get out of this?”

“You told them no, right?”

My mouth instantly goes dry. “I couldn’t.”

Pain flickers across his face. “Couldn’t, or wouldn’t?”

“Xavier…how…? I didn’t…do you think I want Rex?” I ask, flabbergasted that he could ever think that about me.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been used by a woman, just to get ahead around here.” The coldness in his voice is unmistakable.

“Whether you believe it or not, I mean it when I tell you that I love you. I love you so much that it kills me to even think about being away from you. That’s why I agreed. Vicky told me that if I didn’t I would be fired and banned from coming backstage with you.” My voice shakes as my emotions threaten to get the best of me.

Xavier runs his hand through his hair. “This is horse shit!”

Before I can say anything else he darts out of the room.

By the time I get to the door, the hallway is empty. I head to the right and search every single room. After about ten minutes of searching I turn around and head in the opposite direction.

Five minutes later I find myself back at the catering room. I glance inside and start to turn away when out of the corner of my eyes I spot Xavier, only he isn’t alone.

Xavier stands beside the wall while Deena leans against it. My stomach clenches as I take in their seemingly intimate stance with one another.

Deena peers over Xavier’s shoulder and notices me standing there watching. To add salt in the wound she runs her hand down his bicep.

Xavier’s eyes widen as soon as he spots me.

Before I can stop myself, I storm over there and fling Deena’s hand off of him. “Keep your filthy slut fingers off of him!”

Deena raises her hands in surrender. “I’m not fighting you. I’m with the next champion now. You can have X for all I care.”

“Then remember that, and stay the hell away from him,” I say through gritted teeth. “Leave.”

Deena’s stare meets the challenge in my eyes. Finally, she huffs and then practically runs out of the room without a fight.

I’ve never been jealous like this before. I guess I don’t share well either.

I begin backing away from him, and he reaches for me, but I quickly swat his hand away.

“Anna! Wait!”

I don’t want to hear his explanation. I know what I saw.

I storm down the hall toward the exit, but he catches my wrist and spins me to face him before I can make it outside.

“Leave me alone, Xavier!” I order.

“No,” he says sternly.

“How could you?”

Xavier catches me in his arms, halting my escape.

“Leave me alone,” I demand again and shove against his chest.

His jaw muscle flexes beneath his skin as he attempts to hide the emotion in his face. “Don’t you see that I can’t?”

“Why?” I plead.

Can’t he see I just need to get away?

I can’t deal with him…this…the entire situation.

He grips my shoulders, and his gaze locks with mine. “You’re the one, Anna. The dream I’ve always been chasing. You make me feel whole. I’m addicted to your light. Please—” There’s a noticeable break in his voice. “Please, don’t take that away from me. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You give me hope that I can be a better man, because I see myself through your eyes. Give me a chance to be that man.”

I close my eyes and allow the tears to streak down my cheeks. “You promised, no other women…just you and me.”

Thick fingers slide under my chin and tilt my face up. His magnetic blue eyes hold mine. “I didn’t break that promise. There’s no one else. I swear to God, it wasn’t what it looked like. No other woman holds me like you do. You’re it for me.”

Every fiber in my being wants to believe that what he’s saying is the truth.

“You swear?”

“On my fucking life,” he whispers. “I went to talk to Deena because I was trying to con her into asking Rex to put an end to the storyline. I won’t allow him to touch you. It’s not in me. I won’t be able to hold back.”

“I love you,” I say so softly that I barely hear my own voice.

He cradles my face in his hands and rests his forehead against mine.