“No, thanks. Being trampy isn’t my thing.”

Deena narrows her eyes at me. “I’m sick and tired of your shit, Anna. Call me a slut one more time—”

I resist the urge to do as she asks, but Rex interjects.

“Ladies, ladies, save it for the ring. The tension between the two of you will make an entertaining show, so don’t unleash it on each other until we get out there, and make sure the fans perceive it as the two of you fighting over me.”

“That’s never going to happen,” I snap.

Rex levels his stare on me. “It has to. It’s scripted. We are all actors, remember? You’d better follow the script if you don’t want your pretty little ass canned.”

His words bring forward a bit of a reality check for me.

He’s right. Damn it, I hate that he’s right.

I have to figure out a way to stand my ground yet coexist with these two assholes if I want to be with Xavier when he goes back on the road—that is, if he still wants me around.

It’s hard to know what’s going on between Xavier and I, seeing as how he has yet to respond to any of my attempts to contact him. If he doesn’t answer me by the time I’m finished with my portion of the show, I’m going to be pissed.

Rex’s entrance music blasts through the arena, and he extends his elbow to me. “Shall we?”

I lift my chin and then hook my arm through his. “Let’s get this over with.”

Rex leads Deena and I through the black curtain and out onto the steel grating stage. When we’re facing the audience, the crowd ignites in a roar of applause and cheers.

Rex’s expression is smug as he walks us down the ramp and then up the steps leading into the ring. He sits on the ropes, holding them open for me and Deena to squeeze through.

Stepping into the square ring without Xavier is a surreal experience. I don’t want to be the center of attention. It was much better when I was out here with Xavier because all eyes were on him.

A stagehand runs up to the ring, hands Rex a microphone, and then dashes out of sight.

Rex takes a moment to stare out at the crowd while Deena struts around the ring, showing off her legs, eliciting catcalls from some of the men in the crowd. I do my best to be invisible.

“Well, well, well. I bet you all didn’t expect me to be back so soon. Thought Phenomenal X messed me up real good, didn’t you? Well, as you can see, I’m doing quite well.” Rex waves his hand up and down in front of himself, as if to say, Check out my body. “In fact, I’m doing so well that I’ll be back in the ring when we film Tension live on Tuesday night.”

This statement causes the crowd to go nuts.

“So, this Tuesday, live, right here on Tension, you all will get the pleasure of watching me go one-on-one with Brian ‘Razor’ Rollins with the championship on the line!”

The decibels shoot up tenfold at this announcement.

My eyes widen. I didn’t expect for him to say that at all, considering I was told he had some broken ribs.

Rex smiles as he gives the crowd a few seconds to calm down, but instead, they all begin chanting the word, “Tonight,” over and over again.

He brings the mic back up to his lips. “I would love nothing more than to take on Razor tonight, but where’s the fun in that? I want Phenomenal X to witness me taking something that he wants so much. Speaking of...” His voice trails off just before he reaches over and hooks his arm around my waist, drawing me to his side. “You all remember Phenomenal X’s lady, Anna Sweets, don’t you?”

Whistles erupt around the crowd—approving the way I look, I suppose. Never have I felt so much like a piece of meat on display.

“Mark your calendars, people. You won’t want to miss the fireworks that are coming because I’m about to crush Phenomenal X’s dreams live, right before your very eyes, by taking everything in this world that’s important to him.” Rex laughs darkly into the mic before dropping it on the blue mat.

“Come on, ladies.” He extends one elbow to Deena and the other to me. He escorts us out of the ring and to the backstage area, much in the same manner as when we came in.

The moment we’re away from the eyes of the crowd, I jerk my hand away from Rex, causing Deena to snap her head in my direction.

She narrows her eyes at me. “You’d better learn how to be a team player. You did absolutely nothing out there to sell the idea that you are Team Rex now.”

“That’s because I’m not on it. I’ll walk out there with him because I have to in order to keep this job. Doesn’t mean I’ll be lovey-dovey with him—pretend or not.”

I turn to walk away, but the second I pivot, something catches my feet, sending me flying forward. Pain shoots through my hand as I land awkwardly on my left side.

I glance up, only to see an evil snarl showing up on Deena’s face, and it’s clear that she caused me to fall.

What is it with all these bitches tripping me?

“Anna?” Brian bends down next to me. “You all right?”

I stare at the pinkie finger on my left hand, and it’s beginning to bruise already.

Brian grimaces. “Let’s get you to a trainer. Someone needs to take a look at that.” He helps me to my feet. “I’ll show you where it is. I’ve got a little time until my main event.”

“Don’t worry,” Rex chimes in. “You won’t be the main attraction for much longer. Come Tuesday, I’ll be taking that belt.”

Brian’s lip curls back, and it’s easy to tell that he’d like to rip into Rex.

But Brian exhibits perfect self-control and simply says, “The only reason you’ll be getting it is because I’ll be giving it to you willingly. If this were a real fight, you and I both know you wouldn’t have a shot in hell against me.”

Rex’s nostrils flare, but he doesn’t argue with Brian.

“Come on, Anna. Let’s get you looked at.”

Brian’s quiet as he walks me to the trainer, and as soon as we get there, he alerts the doctor to our presence. “Looks like a busted little finger, Doc.”

The tall redheaded doctor stands up and walks over to me before gingerly inspecting my hand. “How the hell did this happen?”

“I fell backstage,” I answer, leaving out the details about Deena tripping me.