~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Thirty Four
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Penny for your thoughts." Jaela said to Astrid after having walked into her dressing room completely unnoticed. Even after she'd said hello twice, Astrid was still oblivious to her presence. Finally Astrid snapped out of the daze that she was in.
"Huh?" Astrid's head whirled around, her eyes wide with surprise as she looked at her friend, who she had no idea was even there.
"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Jaela asked from where she still stood by the door.
"No, no. Come in." Astrid assured as she rose to her feet and smiled. Despite the smile, Jaela could easily read the troubled expression in her eyes.
"You okay?" Jaela stepped further into the room and took the chair across from Astrid's.
Astrid sighed heavily as she looked down at her hands. "Something is going down with the group. The past few days they've had meeting that haven't included me." Astrid began, knowing that she could trust Jaela to keep this amongst them. "They won't talk to me outside of business. Even Randy. I thought we had something between us, but he hasn't talked to me in days."
Jaela quickly got rid of the expression of shock that she knew was on her face. But the fact still remained that what she as hearing genuinely shocked her. Astrid and the other members were like family. And she knew that she hadn't imagined the looks that passed between Randy and Astrid. There was definitely something there...Or at least there had been.
Jaela put on her best smile. "I'm sure that everything is fine. There's a big pay-per-view coming up and they're probably just preoccupied with the matches you all are in. As for their secret meetings, maybe they're planning a surprise for you. Your birthday is coming up, you know." Jaela said to her friend, hoping her words were more convincing to Astrid than they sounded to her own ears.
Astrid smiled. "You're right. I'm just so used to having them around all the time. it feels strange when they're not."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Thirty Five
~~~~~~~~~~~
�So, where�s Chandler?� Calliope asked as she and Chase walked the hallways of the arena where Smackdown was currently taking place.
�She�s hanging out with Jaela. Jae was seriously overbooked with work tonight, and you know my sister; can do just about anything she puts her mind too, decided she was going to be a costume designer tonight and help Jae out.� Chase answered, glancing down periodically at the papers in her hands, which held the matches for the night.
�And Jae didn�t mind?� Calliope asked a little shocked. Jaela was probably the best designer the WWE had ever seen, and she was overworked more so than not, but she flat refused on several different occasions for them to hire an assistant for her. She was very proud of her work and didn�t want any other hands having anything to do with the finished product.
Chase shook her head. �Actually, she was relieved when Chandler offered to help her out. I was floored!� She laughed.
They turned the corner, and it was almost like deja vu from before, but this time they were both able to stop themselves before running into the hard bodies of Taker and Kane.
�Oh great.� Calliope muttered under her breath, instantly backing up a couple steps, just as Chase had.
Chase eyed the two big men warily. �Uh, hey guys.� She said apprehensively, not sure how to take them. Ever since they discovered they were loosing the belts, they had taken the acting thing a little too far. Luckily neither she nor Calliope had any more run-ins with them until this moment. She could only hope they were over �loosing� the belts, but from the look on Taker�s face and the way Kane was standing, she highly doubted it.
�Your husbands have a match tonight.� Taker said, his voice low and dangerous. Both women just nodded. Taker glanced over at Kane, a slight evil smirk forming on his full lips.
�It would be a shame if something were to happen to them.� Kane nodded at his brother�s words as stepped closer.
Before either woman could say anything, Astrid rounded the corner, her eyes lighting up when she saw her friends standing there. She barely spared even a glance at Taker and Kane.
�There you two are! I�ve been looking for you everywhere. Stephanie needs to see you both pronto�something about slight changes in tonight matches.� Astrid informed them. It wasn�t until after she had finished speaking did she start to pick up on the tensions that was now suffocating. Her eyes darted from Chase to Calliope, to the big brothers, and back.
�Uh, did I interrupt something?� she asked softly, her eyes meeting Taker�s green ones. She felt the heat rise in her face, suddenly feeling�caught. Like she couldn�t look away. She swallowed hard and forced her attention to Chase who was talking.
�No, you�re not interrupting a thing.� She stated, shooting a pointed look to the brothers. �Come on, let�s not keep Stephanie waiting.� And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, Calliope and Astrid along side. Before turning the corner, Astrid looked back over her shoulder, her eyes once again connecting with those intense green ones. She quickly looked away and hurried out of sight.
Taker didn�t move from his spot, even when his brother sighed heavily. �They don�t fear us�not like they should.� Kane growled out, his voice very scratchy from lack of use.
Taker blinked and shook his head slightly. His focus from the moment Astrid had come up to them hadn�t been on Calliope and Chase. He had seen Astrid around the arena, but had never been face to face with her, opting to keep his distance. Looking into her blue eyes, he could feel something stirring that he thought had died a long time ago.
He growled low in this throat as he abruptly turned on his heel and started down the long hallway. Astrid would be a distraction he didn�t need. So he had one of two options. Get her off his mind completely�or have her join them.
A new light came to his eyes as he thought of that. Yes, it was perfect. He would have her join them�turn her against her friends, which wouldn�t be all that hard to do. Then, once she joined forced with him and his brother, he would make her his�permanently.
***
Chris and Adam looked up and smiled at their wives as they walked in the room. Calliope took one look at them and rolled her eyes as Chase snickered.
�You both just polished those belts this morning, and you�re already doing it again? Damn, how shiny do you want them to be?� Calliope teased her hands on her hips. Chris grinned as he put the belt and the rag he had been using down as he got up and walked over to her.
He pulled her into his arms and dipped his head, catching her lips with his own. With a soft groan she was helpless to keep inside, Calliope gave herself completely over to the kiss, pressing closer to her husband, running her fingers through his long hair.
Adam shook his head at the two and turned to his wife, smiling as she leaned down and gave him a kiss. �What took you so long?� he asked, having expected them back over a half-hour ago.
�Um, well we kinda got held up in the hallway, then Astrid found us and told us we needed to meet with Steph, which we did. Slight changes in tonight�s match ups.� Chase said, sitting down next to him as she handed him the paper with the changes so he could read it over.
He skimmed it over, and then looked over at Chase. �Held up? What held you up?� he asked.
�Uh�� she trailed off, unsure of how to answer. She honestly didn�t know what was up with Undertaker and Kane, but definitely got some freaky vibes from them. Yet she didn�t really want to say anything and get everyone stirred up if it turned out to be nothing.
�Not what, but who.� Calliope said, having broken the kiss, now leaning against her husband, looking more than content in his arms.
Chris frowned as he looked down at her. �What am I missing?�
�You mean besides a brain?� Adam asked, earning a nice glare from the other half of the tag team champions.
Chase shook her head. �Calm it you two, or you�re both going in time out.� She teased. Chris just shrugged off her warning.
�Anyway, back to earlier. Who held you two up in the hallway?� he asked. Neither he nor Adam missed the look that passed between Chase and Calliope.
Chase sighed. �I�m sure it was nothing.� She said. Adam�s expression darkened, not liking how hesitant either woman was being.
�If it was nothing then it shouldn�t be any big deal to tell us about it, right?� He stated firmly. Calliope then sighed loudly as she pulled away from Chris and motioned towards the couch in the room.
�Alright, fine. But sit down, we�ll explain everything from the beginning, then you can decide if it�s nothing or not.� She said, sitting down. Unlike Chase, she didn�t believe for a second that the Undertaker and Kane situation was �nothing�. And it was time to see if Adam and Chris agreed.
***
�Hey baby.�
Jaela looked up from her work, breaking out into a radiant grin when Kevin came through the door. She immediately dropped what she was working on and hurried over to him, tipping her head back for the kiss that had her weak in the knees.
�Mmm, hey.� She said softly, smiling up at him. �I was wondering where you were.�
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. �Sorry, got held up. They are big on security tonight.� He lifted his head and smiled at Chandler who was grinning at them from across the room. �Hi Chandler.� He greeted warmly. He had met Chase�s sister the day before, and the two had hit it off right away, instantly stepping into the role of almost big brother and little sister. They teased each other constantly, and hung out together when everyone else was busy with the WWE superstars.
�You all make me sick with all this lovey dovey shit. If it isn�t you and Jae, it�s my sister and Adam, or Calliope and Chris!� She joked, pretending she was gagging. She giggled when Kevin flipped her off before he turned his attention back to Jaela who was laughing at the two.
�So what�s up with the up scaled security?� she asked, pulling away reluctantly going back to the drawing she was currently working on.
�We�ve got some people coming to the show tonight that apparently they are worried the female fans are going to be after, so we have to make sure we keep a close eye on them.� He stated. He�d already met the men he would be guarding so to speak, and was looking forward to the night ahead. All four men were fun, outgoing, and completely down to earth. And, just knowing who they were, one in particular, he could funny understand Vince�s concern for extra security.
�So, who is it?� Jaela asked as she sat back down at her desk and picked up her pencil, going back to the drawing as she listened.
�Just four of NASCAR�s top superstars.� He stated, both he and Jaela whipping around to look at Chandler who had dropped the box of pins in her hands, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at Kevin.
�What did you just say?� she demanded, her voice shaking a little.
Kevin grinned. �You heard me. Looks like tonight is your lucky night. On hand we will have Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.�
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Thirty Six
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris and Adam stared at Calliope and Chase, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and anger. Finally Adam broke the suffocating silence.
"Is this the first time that this has happened?" He questioned, his eyes hard.
"No. There was one other time...the day you guys got the belts. But both Callie and I completely forgot about it until now." Chase answered, cringing when she saw Adam's eyes darken further.
"What happened that time?" Adam demanded.
Calliope began explaining how they had run into them in the hallway much like they had this time. "We tried to get around them, but every time we moved, they moved as well to block our paths. Undertaker said something about our hell beginning once you two got the belts.
Chris surged to his feet and began pacing the confines of the small room. On one hand he didn't want to believe that Undertaker and Kane were really doing these things that Chase and Calliope were telling them. Sure, they were a little 'round the bend, but not like this. But on the other hand, why would Calliope and Chase lie about something like this? He knew that they wouldn't...and weren't.
Rising to her feet, Calliope went over to Chris, halting his movements when she placed her hand on his arm and turned him to face her. "Chris, calm down. I really don't think that Undertaker and Kane mean anything with these threats. I think they're just..." She trailed off when she really couldn't find an appropriate word. She didn't believe for one second the words that she was saying to her husband, but she wouldn't admit it. Not yet. For all she knew Undertaker and Kane could just be blowing smoke out their asses. She thought that they should just wait and see.
Chris raked his fingers through his hair as he looked down at his wife, then at Chase, and then finally meeting Adam's eyes. Chase stood up when she saw their expression and knew what was coming.
"Really, I don't think it's a big deal." Chase persisted, honestly believing that it wasn't. Calliope and the two men were blowing this whole thing way out of proportion. "I mean, think about it. What's the worst they could do? Before we jump to any conclusions, I think we should just wait and see. I honestly believe that Undertaker and Kane are about as harmless as a newborn kitten. Really you all, think about it!"
Adam met Chris' eyes again, they two men silently communicating. After a few moments they both gave a sharp nod. "Okay, we'll wait and see what happens." Chris said, looking at Calliope and Chase. "But, if you two go anywhere outside of this arena or any other...for any reason, you will have either Adam or myself, or Kevin with you." He paused for a moment, seeing Chase roll her eyes slightly.
"We mean it!" Adam added, having also seen Chase. "Comply to this or you'll be heading home until all of this blows over."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Thirty Seven
~~~~~~~~~~~
Adam grimaced inwardly as the words left his mouth and he saw the way Chase�s eyes narrowed. He knew she wasn�t going to like it, but he and Chris were doing it for their own safety. Yes, this thing with Taker and Kane may very well be nothing, but neither he nor Chris were willing to take any kind of chances with their wives.
�Comply?� Chase echoed through grit teeth. Calliope bit the inside of her cheek, keeping her own mouth shut. She understood where Adam and Chris were coming from, although she didn�t agree with the way things were said, but she knew she wouldn�t even have to speak up. Chase was more than capable, and willing from the looks of it, to voice her own opinion.
�Or I�ll be heading home.� Chase clarified, beginning to pace, which they all three knew was not a good sign. Chris sent Adam a sympathetic, yet understanding look. He�d been on the receiving end of Chase�s temper many times in the past years, and he knew his friend was about to get full force.
�Honey�� Adam started but was quickly cut off when she spun around to face him, her eyes blazing.
�Don�t you dare �honey� me now.� She spat angrily. �I understand perfectly well that you want to make sure everyone is kept safe, but personally I don�t believe there is anything to be protected from. Taker and Kane are well�Taker and Kane! Everyone here knows how they are. If I felt for one instant that we had something to worry about, then I might be reacting a little differently right now.�
She paused as she thought about it. �No, scratch that. I wouldn�t be acting any differently when I�m basically given an ultimatum!� she ground out.
Adam again went to speak but she held up her hand, halting his words. �You will not just send me home. This is my job, which I take just as seriously as you take yours. Something comes up here, I deal with it, just as we will deal with Taker and Kane if needs be. But there will be no more ultimatums.�
With that said, she turned on her heel and walked out the door, needing to just get away for a few minutes. She knew they meant well, but the way things were said just didn�t sit well with her.
�Fuck!� Adam swore, staring after her, but Chris stopped him.
�Uh, I�d give her a little time to settle down, just speaking from personal experience. She�s not going to want to talk to you right now, and if you do go after her, it could only make things worse.� Chris said. Calliope nodded.
Adam ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. �I didn�t mean it like that sounded�well yeah I guess I did.� He corrected. He looked at Calliope, who just raised an eyebrow at him.
�Don�t look at me for sympathy. Like Chase, I too understand where you are coming from, both of you. But did I like what you said? No.�
Chris stepped up to her, looking deep into her eyes. �We need to know you�re both safe.�
Calliope nodded. �I get that, I do, and so does Chase. And don�t worry neither of us are going to put ourselves in any kind of position where we�d have to worry about that, but to tell us if we don�t �comply� we�re being sent home, that was going too far.�
She looked at both of them for a moment before she too turned and walked out the door. She wasn�t happy about the situation, but she wasn�t near as pissed as Chase was. Mainly because she didn�t think that Taker and Kane were just blowing smoke. She truly believed they had reason to worry.
***
Chase grumbled under her breath, still not happy with being given an ultimatum. She perfectly understood that Adam and Chris were just trying to keep Calliope and herself safe, but she honestly didn�t think it was necessary. Plain and simple, she didn�t feel like she had anything to fear from Undertaker and Kane.
She turned when she saw her sister hurrying towards her. �Hey, did you hear who is here?� Chandler demanded, her eyes shining brightly.
Chase frowned, wracking her brain. She had heard something earlier, but had completely forgotten about it after what had happened. Her eyes widened.
�Oh shit, I knew there was something I was supposed to tell you!� she exclaimed, grinning sheepishly at her sister. �I�m sorry, I completely forgot!�
Chandler put her hands on her hips and glared at her sister in mock disbelief. �Forgot? FORGOT? How in the hell could you possibly forget something like this?� she demanded. �Dale Earnhardt Jr. is here!�
�And three other NASCAR drivers as well.� Chase added with a smirk.
�Huh? Oh yeah them too.� Chandler said absently, her entire being focused on the Budweiser Chevy driver.
Chase giggled. �So now you�re gonna switch to stalker, right?� Chandler took a playful swipe at her sister.
�No!� she exclaimed. �Not even close. I doubt I�ll even see him. It�s just cool knowing he�s here.�
�You�re not gonna see him?� Chase asked. Chandler shook her head.
�It�s not like I have the opportunity to meet him and the others like everyone else around here. And I�m not going to just go throw myself at him or anything like that. Oh yeah, I can see him now. He�d think I was a big freak!� Chandler shuddered.
�And you�re not?� Chase asked, earning herself another smack in the arm. �I�m kidding!�
�So I guess that means you�re not coming to the party after the show then, huh?� she grinned. Chandler looked confused.
�What party?� she asked.
�The one that Vince is throwing for everyone, including our guests.� Chase said. �You�re invited.�
�Uh�� she stumbled over her words.
�It�s the perfect opportunity to meet Mr. Earnhardt.� Chase added, loving the way her sister�s cheeks flushed at his name. �I gotta go meet with Kevin Nash before his match, so think on it, and let me know before the end of the show if you�re going to attend.�
She grinned at her sister, knowing full well that her answer would be before she turned and walked away, leaving her shell shocked sister standing in the middle of the hallway.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Thirty Eight
~~~~~~~~~~~
Astrid stood outside the entrance curtain waiting for her match against Sable that was to begin shortly. She looked around for the other members of Evolution and sighed deeply when she didn't see them anywhere. She knew that they were in the arena and up until recently they always accompanied her to her matches. After her match, she would be finding them and they would be talking. She turned around when she heard Jaela calling her name
"Oh good, I caught you in time." Jaela as she stepped up to her friend.
"Barely." Astrid smiled, glad to see her. "What's up?"
"Just wanted to wish you good luck." Jaela paused for a moment and then smirked. "See of you can pop the bitch's other implant."
Astrid immediately laughed. "Jae, you're terrible!"
"Oh please! You can't tell me that you haven't thought about it."
Astrid's smile faded. "Honestly, no. I've had other things on my mind."
"The guys still AWOL?" Jaela questioned.
Before Astrid could answer, her entrance music filled the arena and they heard the crowd instantly roar to life. "There's my cue. I'll talk to you later." Astrid told her before turning and stepping through the curtain.
"Good luck!" Jaela called after her before she turned also and went back to her room to watch the match on her monitor while she worked.
*****
Astrid easily set the pace of the match. Taking all of her frustrations out on the other woman, she beat Sable from pillar to post.
The appearance of Big Show at ringside diverted the referee's attention, allowing Sable to gain the upper hand with the aid of a steel chair. This brought Evolution down around the ring.
As she slowly got to her feet again, Astrid found a sense of relief when she saw her teammates surrounding the ring. Still a little groggy from the chair shot, Astrid was unable to block herself when Sable grabbed her arm and whipped her into the ropes and into the arms of Big Show, who was waiting on the apron. He held on tight as Sable approached, ready to make short work of her competitor. Before she could do anything though, Randy jumped into the ring and pushed Sable down to the mat before rushing to Astrid's defense.
Or so she thought that was what he was doing anyway.
The last thing she remembered before everything went black was his smug smile and then the pain that exploded through her head as his fist connected hard with her right eye.
*****
Rubbing his hands together thoughtfully, Undertaker smiled maliciously as he watched the events unfolding on the monitor before him. This was exactly the opening that he was looking for. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Thirty Nine
~~~~~~~~~~~
�NO!� Jaela screamed, her hands going to her mouth as she watched the events unfold on the screen in front of her. Tears filled her eyes as she watched as Evolution entered the ring and continued their assault on Ashtyn�s lifeless body.
Without really thinking, Jaela turned and rushed out of the room, heading towards the curtain, not really worried about what she was going to do, just knowing she needed to get to her friend as soon as possible.
She ran to the door, and yanked on it, her mouth falling open when the door wouldn�t budge. �What the hell?� she yelled, the need to get to her friend driving her over the edge.
She yanked and pulled on the door, but it obviously wasn�t budging in any way. Tears poured down her face as she continued to pound on the door, screaming for anyone to help her.
***
�WHAT THE FUCK!�
Calliope and Chase came running in the room at Adam�s outraged yell. Before they could say anything, their eyes were drawn to the monitor, where the carnage was currently taking place.
�Oh my god!� Chase whispered as Adam and Chris bolted to the door of the locker room, intent on getting out there to help Ashtyn, and to beat the living hell out of Evolution.
They hit the door, and just like the one down the hall, it was locked and wasn�t budging. Chase and Calliope moved closer together as they continued to watch helplessly as their friend took the sever beating�and as their husbands doubled their efforts to get out of the room.
***
The crowd was booing and yelling as they watched their favorite female wrestler being betrayed in front of them. No one had expected it�on one ever thought it would happen. Sable stood back, grinning evilly as Evolution pranced around the ring proudly. She grinned broader when Randy walked up to her, and there in front of everyone took her in his arms and showed the world who exactly he was with.
Suddenly the lights went down, and all the moment in the ring, around the ring and in the crowd ceased. Everyone was confused when the lights continued to stay down. Suddenly as if hitting the light switch, the lights came on. A collective gasp sounded through the arena when the Undertaker and Kane appeared in the ring, standing directly behind Evolution.
Sable saw them before any members of Evolution did. Her eyes widened in fear and she pulled away from Randy and began to back up from the two monsters in the ring. Without any kind of warning the Brothers of Destruction attacked, easily taking out Evolution, without so much as breaking a sweat.
Rick Flair and Triple H were taken out quickly, then Taker stalked Randy around the ring. He was unable to escape, every time he tried to get out, Kane would block him. He swallowed nervously as he faced the obviously angry man.
Striking like a snake, Taker had Randy by the throat, pulling him towards him, leaning down until their faces were inches apart.
Undertaker stared him down, then turned and looked at Ashtyn�s crippled form lying in the center of the ring, then back into Randy�s eyes. �Big mistake boy.� He growled, then smiled viscously. �One you will regret very soon�this I will promise you.�
With that he lifted Randy in the air, and slammed him down on the mat in one of the worst choke slammed ever executed. Taker then turned and put his piercing gaze on Sable who was cowering in the corner.
He simply smirked at her, causing more fear than if he had actually moved towards her. That smile, she knew held much promise of pain and destruction�all directed at her. She watched wide eyed and shaking as Undertaker moved over towards Ashtyn�s prone body. He knelt down beside her, checking her over for a moment before scooping her up, almost tenderly in his arms. He and Kane made their way up the ramp, and without so much as a glance back towards the ring, they made their way to the back.
***
Ashtyn struggled towards consciousness, but decided she liked being in the dark when she felt pain shooting through her whole body. She could tell she was being carried and forced her eyes open, gritting her teeth against the pain that was screaming through her.
She tried to lift head, but it was just too much. She raised her eyes and met the green eyes of Taker, who was looking down at her. She blinked, thinking she really must have taken a beating, because now she was hallucinating.
�Don�t fear, little one.� He said, his voice softer than anyone ever heard�almost soothing. �You�ll be fine. Everything will be fine now.�
Ashtyn was hurting too badly to really comprehend what he was saying. The only thing she was able to think before darkness consumed her once more, was that for the first time in forever, she felt safe in the shelter of Undertaker�s arms.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty
~~~~~~~~~~~
Calliope ran down the hall, spinning around when she heard her name being called. She sighed a small sigh of relief when she saw Jaela rushing towards her.
�What the hell was that?� Jaela demanded the instant she stepped up to Calliope. �What the fuck just happened, and where in the hell is Astrid?�
Calliope shook her head. �We�re working on answers for that even as we speak. Chase has gone to meet with Stephanie and Vince to see if any of this was in the script, although I seriously doubt it, since Chase gets a copy of the scrip every event, and there was nothing that even came close to this!�
Jaela�s eyes filled with tears. �So they really turned on her�of their own free will?� she asked in a small voice. Calliope stepped forward and put an arm around Jaela�s shoulders.
�I�m afraid it looks that way.� She whispered sadly. She stepped back when Jaela suddenly pulled away, the fire back in her eyes.
�Why in the hell did Undertaker and Kane help her? Not that I�m ungrateful by any means, hell I wanted to go down there and help myself, but someone locked my door and placed something in front of it, and I�m more than willing to bet it was Evolution, those bastards!� she seethed. Right now, she would like nothing more than to get her hands on Randy Orton and tear him from limb to limb.
�The same thing happened to us. They sure covered their bases to make sure no one came to help Astrid�but they didn�t count on Taker and Kane.� Calliope said thoughtfully, putting it all together in her mind. She shook her head and continued. �But why Taker and Kane helped her, I can�t figure that out. It�s so out of character for them, especially lately.�
Jaela began pacing. �We�ve got to find her!� she cried, a tear slipping down her cheek. She could only imagine the pain and heartbreak Astrid was feeling, and she wanted nothing more than to be there for her friend.
Calliope reached out and put a hand on Jaela�s arm. �We will, I promise.� She smiled, hoping she sounded more convincing than she felt.
***
�This is bullshit Vince, and you know it!� Chase yelled, shaking with anger as she glared daggers into her boss�s eyes. Vince stood up from his chair.
�You think I�m happy with the way things went out there?� he yelled back. �They totally went against the script, and they will have some answers to provide me!�
Chase�s eyes narrowed dangerously. �Fuck the script.� She said in a low tone. �We�re talking about a real betrayal that just happened in front of millions of people, not some little script that doesn�t mean dick!�
�And now, to top it all off, we have no idea where Astrid is. She�s hurt damnit, you saw as well as everyone, the kind of beating she took from those fuckers in the ring. Now she�s with Undertaker and Kane of all people?� By the time she was finished, she could be heard down the hall.
Vince raised a hand to his head and closed his eyes taking a deep breath. He wasn�t at all happy about being yelled at by an employee, but he was willing to overlook it, since he knew she was justified.
�Chase, calm down a minute, pleases.� He said, trying to remain calm. �I�m just as worried about Astrid as you are, believe me. We are doing everything we can to locate her, but you also saw how almost, caring Undertaker was with her. I don�t think his intentions are to hurt her�I think in his own way he wants to help her. And with Evolution�s attack earlier, we don�t know if they are planning anything else. Perhaps the safest place for Astrid right now is with Undertaker and Kane.�
�Oh horse shit!� Chase snapped. �The safest place for her to be right now is with us, the people who truly care about her!�
Nothing was said for a moment until Chase finally broke the silence. �Now Vince, what are you planning on doing about Evolution, because there is no way in hell I am going to sit back and allow them to just get away with what they just pulled out there in the ring.�
***
Adam and Chris met back in the locker room after both of them thoroughly checking the arena for any sign of Astrid, Undertaker or Kane. Just judging from the look on Adam�s face, Chris instantly knew his friend hadn�t had any more luck than he had.
�What the fuck are we going to do?� Adam demanded, running his fingers through his long hair. Chris shook his head.
�What can we do? You know those two big monsters as well as I do. If they don�t want to be found, they won�t be. I just hope and pray for their sakes than then they do return, there isn�t a hair out of place on Astrid.� Chris said through clenched teeth.
Adam nodded in agreement. Suddenly he stood up a little straighter, looking even more pissed that just a second before as he started towards the door. Chris followed behind him.
�Where the hell are you going?� Chris demanded.
Adam looked over his shoulder at Chris and flashed a smile that held both promises of pain and suffering. Instantly Chris knew where he was going and smiled in return, nodding his head in approval.
�I�m going to go pay a little visit to Evolution.�
***
�Jaela, wait up!� Chandler called as she saw the familiar figure up ahead of her. She sighed with relief when Jaela stopped.
�Any news?� Chandler asked as she caught up with the other woman. Jaela shook her head.
�No, and it�s driving me insane!� she cried. She took a deep breath. �I don�t know what to do.�
Chandler took a step forward and hugged her new friend. �Astrid is strong, very self efficient. She�ll be fine.� Jaela shook her head.
�Normally I would agree with you, but on top of being betrayed, she�s just had her heart ripped out and stomped on by that bastard!� she said through clenched teeth, thinking of how she�d love to get her hands once again on Randy.
She shook her head and took a deep breath. �What are you doing now?� she asked, looking for any kind of distraction. Chandler shrugged.
�Nothing really. Just kinda wandering around, keeping my eyes open for any kind of sign of Astrid. I can�t find Chase, I think she�s still in Mr. McMahon�s office. I can�t find Chris or Adam. So I�m just kinda on my own right now.� Chandler looked around, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. She hated feeling so helpless and only wished there were more she could do to help in locating Astrid.
Jaela knew exactly how she felt. �Well, you�re more than welcome to come with me. I�m going to go find Kevin. I just really need to be with him at the moment.�
Chandler nodded as they started walking. �Where is he?�
�Well, since the show is over, he�s with the rest of security in the VIP lounge. That�s where I�m headed.� Jaela quickened her steps, desperately needing to be with Kevin. Chandler hurried after her.
They finally slowed down when they came to the door to the room. Without a moment�s hesitation, Jaela pushed the door open and walked in, Chandler following close behind.
Jaela�s eyes instantly connected with Kevin�s and he quickly excused himself from his conversation and hurried over to her. She immediately fell into his arms, holding on for dear life, sighing contently when his strong arms came around her.
Kevin held her close, rubbing her back as his eyes connected with Chandler�s, silently asking her if they had found Astrid. She got the message and shook her head. He sighed and turned his attention back to the woman in his arms.
�Hey,� he said softly, getting her to pull back slightly to look up at him. �She will be fine. I promise.� He said.
He�d been down by ringside when the match at occurred. It had taken everything inside him not to jump in the ring and stop the carnage, but he couldn�t. He didn�t know for sure it wasn�t in the script, although the shots Astrid had taken had looked far too real for his liking. But he also knew that if he had tried to step in, in anyway, it would have cost him his job. So, he had held back, although it had gone against everything inside of him.
Jaela didn�t say anything, just buried herself deeper in his embrace, needing his support and comfort more than words.
Chandler stood back and watched the two with a soft smile on her face. Jaela and Kevin truly made the perfect couple in her eyes. She tore her eyes away from them, looking down at the ground, wanting to give them a little bit of privacy. It was then that she felt like she was being watched.
She raised her head and started to look around, her eyes widening when she fully took in where she was, and who all was there. How had it slipped her mind? She was in the VIP lounge�and who was there, but the special guests for the show. She swallowed nervously as she looked from person to person, giving a small smile and nod of her head.
She was still unable to shake the feeling of being watched and turned slightly. Her breath caught in her throat when she found the person she had been looking for, and had obviously been looking at her. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty One
~~~~~~~~~~~
Astrid groaned softly as her eyes fluttered open and she tried to take in her surroundings. She closed her eyes again, her vision still fuzzy and the pain in her head excruciating. She startled a little bit when she felt fingers brush her cheek, but she instantly relaxed when she recognized his touch. Astrid opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times until her vision cleared enough for her to be able to see.
Turning her head slightly, Astrid met Undertaker�s caring green eyes.
�How are you feeling?� he asked softly, still unable to believe what he was feeling for this woman. It was something he never thought he�d experience again. But he was�and it felt good, made him feel alive again�something he hadn�t felt since his wife died several years ago.
�Like I�ve been punched in the face.� Astrid answered bluntly, her emotions still mostly numb from everything that had happened. She knew when she did start to feel again though it would be unbearable.
�Or maybe not.� She thought to herself as she continued looking into Undertaker�s eyes. She was surprised that in the time she�d been in the WWE she�d never really noticed Undertaker. He and Kane did keep pretty much to themselves though.
�Where are we?� Astrid questioned as she tore her eyes away from his and looked around a little bit. The best she could tell they were in an airplane.
�We�re on mine and Kane�s jet. We purchased it about a year ago after getting fed up with flying on regular commercial airliners. Not leg room�even in first class.� He explained. �Right now we�re on the way to my home. You can rest and recuperate there.�
�But�� Astrid began to protest, but Undertaker hushed her by placing his fingers gently against her lips.
�It�s best for you there�away from those responsible for hurting you.�
She looked at him, knowing she couldn�t fight him, even if she wanted too�and truth be told she really didn�t want to.
�There�s a lot that I need to fill you in on. It wasn�t just Evolution. They did the deed, but it wasn�t just them that betrayed you.� Undertaker paused seeing the clear confusion in her eyes.
�I promise, soon you will know everything. But for now, get some more rest.�
Astrid looked at him for several moments before she closed her eyes again, feeling absolutely exhausted. She drifted to sleep as Undertaker tenderly caressed her bruised face.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty Two
~~~~~~~~~~~
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was having a blast! He�d never been one who was big into wrestling, but when Kevin Harvick asked him to come with the guys, he�d agreed, needing to just get away from everything for a day or two. They had received VIP treatment, and ring side seats. And the show�yeah he knew wrestling was fake, but after watching the live show for the first time, he could truly understand why so many people were addicted to wrestling.
He hadn�t liked the match where the woman, Nemesis, was attacked, and apparently betrayed by her own teammates. Sure, it was entertaining to a point, but the hits the woman had taken didn�t seem near as fake as others he�d seen during the night. And with the tension going around in the back after the show, he was beginning to wonder just how �fake� it had been.
�Whoa.� He heard Kevin mutter and turned to look at his long time friend and fellow racer.
�Huh?� Dale asked, snapping out of his thoughts. The grin that was steadily spreading across Kevin�s face told Dale he�d definitely missed something.
�Two hotties, nine o�clock.� Kevin answered. Dale turned and glanced over his shoulder, then turned all the way around as he watched the two new women enter the room.
One was blond and headed straight to the guy he knew was security�Kevin was his name. He�d met him earlier in the night and instantly made a new friend. But it was the other woman who captured all his attention.
He took a deep breath and continued to watch her. In his line of work he was surrounded by gorgeous women on a daily basis, and even watching the ones in the WWE, he was to the point where appearances never really affected him much anymore. Sure he could admire, but that was it.
But the dark haired beauty that walked in the room instantly captured all his attention. There was just something about her�like he could feel an instant connection�a pull towards her.
He watched as she stood back, allowing the other woman and Kevin the time they needed. She looked sad and concerned, and he found himself, for the first time, wanting to wipe away all the sadness from her eyes. He felt protective urges like never before�over a woman he hadn�t even met!
He saw her look around, and smirked at the way her eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn�t known who was in the room. But when she turned her head and her blue eyes met his, his heart literally jumped in his chest and his breath caught in his throat.
Chandler was unable to look away, she felt like she was trapped by his eyes. Her mouth was dry and she had to remind herself to breathe. She jumped and snapped her head back around when she felt something touch her arm.
�What?� she demanded, her heart pounding, fighting against everything inside her to not look back at the man standing across the room.
Jaela raised an eyebrow and looked past Chandler, to see what had her so captivated. She couldn�t prevent the small knowing smile that came to her lips when she saw Dale Earnhardt Jr standing there, his eyes still on her friend.
�Sorry to interrupt your little moment.� Jaela teased, a small giggle escaping when Chandler flushed. Jaela just wished she could focus more on Chandler, but in all honesty, she was way too worried about Astrid to really think about anything else. �But I wanted to see if you�re ready.�
Chandler took a deep, steady breath that she knew would only work if she didn�t look over to her right. She tilted her head slightly. �Um, where are we going?�
Kevin answered. �I want you two back with Chris and Adam. I�m going to be tied up here for a little bit. I seriously doubt Evolution would try anything, but you are Astrid�s friends and if they want to take this a step further, they could start coming after you two, Chase and Calliope. I really don�t think they will, but just to be safe, I�d much rather you two be somewhere safe.�
Jaela turned and looked back up at Kevin. �Are you coming with us?�
Kevin shook his head, running his hand up and down her arm. �I�ll walk you there to make sure you�re both safe, but then I need to get back here. But don�t worry, baby, I�ll see you at the party back at the hotel that Vince is throwing.�
Jaela sighed and looked down. �I�m not much in the mood to party.� Tears burned her eyes as she thought about her missing friend.
Chandler understood completely. �I know you�re not Jaela, I doubt many of us are, but that could be the best place to be right now. I mean, the majority of the wrestlers will be there, and maybe they saw or heard something�or can give us some kind of a clue as to what the hell is going on.�
Kevin smiled down at the other woman, easily seeing just how much she and Chase had in common. Not only did they look nearly identical, but they both had level heads, and were quick thinking.
Jaela sniffled then nodded, knowing Chandler was right. �Okay.� She said softly, turning towards the door, just wanting to get away from people she didn�t know so she could break down like she really wanted to do.
Kevin stayed in step with her, Chandler a little bit behind. As Chandler got to the door paused just a moment and looked back over her shoulder, her eyes once again connecting and holding Dale�s blue ones. She took a steadying breath and sent him a small smile before turning and walking out.
�Damn man, are you okay?� Kevin Harvick asked, having never seen his friend like this before, his eyes glued to the spot where the dark haired woman had just been.
Dale shook his head, snapping out of the daze he was in. He turned and looked at Kevin, a full blown classic Earnhardt smile forming. �I�m giving you a mission Happy.� He said, using the nickname Kevin had been stuck with since he was constantly smiling. �Find out her name�and find out if she�ll be at the party tonight, and if not, find a way to get her there.�
Kevin took a deep breath and then nodded. �Alright, but what if she�s married or taken?� Dale scowled at the thought. It was a very high possibility she was indeed �involved�. A woman like that didn�t stay single for long.
�It doesn�t matter.� Kevin�s eyes went wide in shock.
�What the fuck does that mean?� he demanded, ready to smack some sense into the young Earnhardt.
Dale laughed and held up his hand. �No, not like that. I mean, sure I really hope she is single, but if not then I just want to meet her. There�s something about her�I�d just like to get at chance to talk to her and know her name. Chill dude.�
Kevin studied his friend for a moment before sighing with relief. �Okay man, I�ll work on it and see what I can come up with. You better get over there and do your little press thing, Gordon�s shooting you some serious looks�he�s getting impatient waiting on you for the interview to begin.� He chuckled.
Dale simply shrugged. �I�m scared shitless, believe me.� He deadpanned as he started to move away, but hesitated. Kevin sighed.
�Would to go and allow me time to amaze you with my detective skills. Now�get!� he shooed the Budweiser driver away. He laughed a little when he saw Jeff Gordon give Dale a stern glare then start running his mouth. Dale simply turned his own Earnhardt glare on the older man and instantly shut the Dupont driver up.
Kevin rubbed his hands together. �Okay, how to go about getting info on someone I don�t even know.� He thought about it for a moment then started towards the door. �Oh you are gonna owe me big time Earnhardt�big time.�
***
Chase hurried down the hall, coming from her meeting with Vince. She didn�t leave with the sense of security. Vince had assured her that Evolution�s punishment would be severe, but she also knew how that man was about ratings�and like it not, the events that had unfolded earlier would increase the ratings. People may not have liked what happened to Astrid, but they would watch to find out what would happen next, just like with any story line�unfortunately this wasn�t a story line.
She was so deep in thought, she really wasn�t paying attention when she rounded the corner and slammed rather hard into someone. She fell back a couple paces, leaning against the wall, her hand to her head, which was now throbbing painfully. She blinked a couple times to see who she had run into.
There was a young man standing before her rubbing his chin, where they had smacked together. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn�t put her finger on where she�d seen him.
�I�m so sorry.� He immediately apologized, shaking off the effects of the impact. He looked over at the woman leaning against the wall and his eyes lit up. He nearly jumped up and down in his excitement.
�It�s you!� He exclaimed. Chase lowered her hand from her head and gave him a puzzled look. Perhaps they had hit heads harder than she thought.
�Excuse me?� she asked.
�I�ve been looking for you everywhere! Oh, I�m Kevin Harvick, by the way.� He held out his hand. She slipped her hand in his.
�Chase Copeland, nice to meet you.� She responded, then looked up at him. �Um, not to be rude, but I don�t believe we�ve met before, so why would you be looking for me?�
Kevin laughed. �Well, I�m not looking for you for me. It�s for my friend actually.�
Now Chase was thoroughly confused. �Okay�um�huh?�
�My buddy�Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to meet you. He sent me to find out what I could about you�and finding you is even better! Don�t get me wrong, he doesn�t normally do this kind of thing. Come to think of it, he�s never done this kind of thing. But I think from the moment you�re eyes met, he was completely captivated.�
Chase shook her head. �Um my eyes? But I�ve never�� she was cut off by an over enthusiastic Kevin.
�So tell me, Chase. Are you married?� he asked, holding his breath.
She smiled up at him. �Yes I am, and very happily so.� She answered, nearly laughing out loud at the way Kevin�s face dropped and shoulders slumped. �But I�m telling you, I haven�t met your friend.�
Kevin shook his head. �No, you haven�t. But you were in the VIP room just five minutes ago and he saw you there.�
Chase shook her head. �But I wasn�t in the VIP room�� she trailed off , her eyes going wide when it hit her. Suddenly she burst out laughing.
Kevin looked around confused. �Uh, what�s so funny?�
Chase got herself together, still giggling. �You�re not looking for me. You�re looking for my sister, Chandler. I know this because I�ve been in Vince�s office for the past half hour. So it had to be Chandler.� Inwardly she was ready to do a happy dance. She just hoped she could be there to see Chandler�s face when she found out Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanted to meet her!
She grinned up at Kevin. �And you have to be sure to let Mr. Earnhardt know, Chandler is completely single.�
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty Three
~~~~~~~~~~~
Astrid woke again as the jet began descending to land, a small smile touching her lips when she saw Undertaker still at her side. Within an hour the jet had landed and they arrived at Undertaker�s home. As they walked through the front door, Astrid glanced behind her at Kane, her eye brows rising in surprise when she saw that he was carrying her bags. He had obviously taken the time to gather them before going to the airport.
As they stepped further into the house, Astrid looked around, impressed at what she saw. She turned her attention back to Undertaker when she heard his voice.
�I�ll show you to your room. There�s an adjoining full bath so you can shower or whatever you need to do.� He told her as he took the bags from Kane and began towards the staircase.
Astrid hesitated for a moment, but the followed him. She would stay there for a few days, relax and then catch back up with the company. She had to admit that she was enjoying Undertaker�s company and she was curious as to what he was talking about when he told her earlier that there was much more going on that what she knew�that Evolution wasn�t the only ones involved in the betrayal.
A few hours later, after taking a nice hot shower then resting for a bit and going over everything that had taken place, Astrid left her room and went back downstairs. She found Undertaker and Kane seated in the living room talking quietly. She was taken aback a little and wasn�t able to stop her breath from catching when Undertaker looked up at her and a genuine smile crossed his handsome features.
�How are you feeling?� Undertaker asked as he gestured for her to come in and sit down.
�Okay.� She replied. Aside from the slight throbbing in her head and face, she did feel pretty good. Her breath caught again when he met her eyes and held them.
�I want you to know that Evolution isn�t going to get away with what they�ve done to you.� Undertaker promised. Astrid tore her eyes away from his and looked at Kane, seeing him nod his head in agreement. She turned back to Undertaker when he spoke again.
�And Evolution is only the beginning. All who have turned against you will pay.�
�I don�t understand.� Astrid said quietly, beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by all this. �All who have turned against me?� she questioned.
�Your �friends� were behind Evolution turning on you. More specifically your friend Jaela. She was very jealous of you�all the attention you were getting. She wanted it all for herself.� Undertaker told her, knowing that he was lying but unable to stop himself. Yes, Evolution had turned on her, but it was all their own doing. Saying that her friends were involved�particularly her best friend, would be the first step in making her his and his alone.
Astrid started at him, her eyes wide with shock as his words sank in. Jaela? No way, it was impossible! Jaela wasn�t like that. She would never hurt anyone intentionally. Would she?
Her emotions warred with each other as doubt began creeping in and taking over her rational thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty Four
~~~~~~~~~~~
Astrid shook her head, trying to clear it from all her wayward thoughts and emotions. She looked back at Undertaker, the devastated look in her eyes nearly causing him to back down and tell her the truth, but he stopped himself in time.
�There�s some mistake.� Astrid started, her voice quivering just a little. �There is no way Jaela had anything to do with what happened.� She said, her voice filled with determination although her eyes showed her doubt.
Undertaker stood up and came over to her, kneeling down in front of her, taking her clasped hands in his. �I�m sorry Astrid, but she�s been working with them behind your back all along. It was her job to distract you, keep you from seeing how distant Evolution was becoming so they could work out their plans to turn on you.�
Astrid again shook her head, a lone tear slipping down her cheek. �No.� she nearly whimpered, feeling as if her heart were truly breaking. Evolution�s betrayal was bad enough, and she really hadn�t even taken the time to really focus on that�the hurt and pain from them. Now to throw Jaela on top of it�it was almost more than she could bear.
She tore her hands away from Undertaker�s and jumped to her feet, wincing in pain when her body protested, but she chose to ignore it as she ran from the room and up the stairs, seeking solace in the privacy of her own room. She all but threw herself on the bed and for the first time since the attack, allowed the tears to come.
***
Undertaker stood up as she rushed past him, intent on going after her, but a strong hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned and met Kane�s steady gaze.
�What game are you playing, Brother?� Kane demanded, knowing full well the lies Undertaker was feeding Astrid. He�d seen something in his brother�s eyes whenever he looked at Astrid, something he hadn�t really ever seen before. So why was he deliberately trying to hurt the younger woman?
Undertaker turned back around and stared at the stairs. �I�m doing what needs to be done.�
Kane snorted. �You�re doing what you think is best for you. What do you think is going to happen when she finds out you�re lying to her?� Undertaker turned slowly until he was fully facing his brother.
�We will make sure that doesn�t happen. But if it does, by the time it does, she will be so deep in to this, leaving me won�t be an option. She won�t want to leave. She will see that her place is here, and no one will take her away from me.� He said; his voice cold, his eyes even colder.
Kane knew better than to argue with his brother when he got that look. He simply nodded before walking off.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty Five
~~~~~~~~~~~
�Hey baby.� Chris said to Calliope, pulling her into his arms as she stepped up to him. After holding her close for a few moments, he pulled back and they walked over to where Adam was waiting for them.
�Did you find anything out?� Calliope asked the men although she didn�t need to. Their expressions told her they hadn�t.
�No.� Adam replied regrettably. �Hopefully Chase will learn something from McMahon. Or at least get him to do something to find Astrid.� Neither he nor Chris had a good feeling about any of this. Especially after what Calliope and Chase had told them about what Undertaker and Kane were doing.
�Calliope sighed heavily as she went and sat down. After a few moments Chris and Adam joined her. They were waiting for Chase, Chandler and Jaela to get there so they could all head over to the hotel together.
Several moments later, Chandler and Jaela arrived there, accompanied by Kevin. After making certain that Adam and Chris would be around the women at all times, he left promising to meet back up with them at the hotel. A short time later Chase walked in. Although her expression was very serious, there was a twinkle in her eyes that all of them could easily see.
�Anything?� Chase questioned as she walked over and sat down beside Adam with a weary sigh. By their silence, she got her answer.
�Did you get anything accomplished with McMahon?� Adam asked as he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.
Chase looked annoyed. �He says that Evolution will be reprimanded, but he didn�t seem at all concerned that Undertaker and Kane basically kidnapped Astrid.� She paused, seeing the looks of disbelief on all their faces.
�Because Undertaker was gentle and caring with Astrid.� Chase told them Vince�s reasoning when she knew that �why� would be the next question.
Calliope snorted, her eyes filled with disgust. �Did you tell him what they�ve been doing to you and I?�
�No, but I don�t think that it would have made much difference.� Chase told her.
�Wait a minute.� Chandler jumped into the conversation. �What has Kane and Undertaker been doing to you and Callie?� she demanded, looking at both women.
�Yeah, what the hell is going on?� Jaela asked also, knowing she wasn�t sure if she could handle it if something happened to another of her friends.
�Undertaker and Kane have threatened Chase and I.� Calliope began explaining. �It started when Chris and Adam got the belts from them. The first time it happened, we didn�t think anything about it. Figured they were just being�well Undertaker and Kane. Then it happened again.�
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Forty Six
~~~~~~~~~~~
�I can�t believe you didn�t tell me what Taker and Kane were doing.� Chandler pouted after her sister, following her down the hall of the hotel room. �What if something serious had happened with you and Calliope?�
Chase sighed and threw her younger sister a warning look. �You�re beginning to sound like my husband.� Chandler smirked.
�Good! Hopefully he can talk some sense into you!� she snapped back. Chase stopped in her tracks and turned about to really let her sister have it, but stopped when she suddenly remembered. A slow sly smile spread across her lips.
Chandler gave her a suspicious look. �What?� Chase�s smile just grew. �WHAT?� Chandler demanded, her hands going on her hips. �What�s with the shit eating grin? Don�t even think about trying to change the subject.�
�Oh but this is a subject change that I do believe you will like, sister dear.� Chase grinned. Chandler shook her head, giving her sister a stern look.
�Uh huh, you�re not getting out of this one.� Chandler began but stopped when Chase cut her off with a wave of her hand.
�We�ll get back to that later, and you can try to chew me out then, if I decide to let you. For right now, we need to talk about something else. Like a certain race car driver that is interested in meeting you.�
Chandler�s mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide as her face paled considerable. �W-what? Um, huh?�
Chase crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. �I do believe you know exactly who I am referring too.�
Chandler shook her head frantically. She opened her mouth and closed it and then repeated a couple more times, unable to find the words she was searching for. Chase laughed.
�Oh my god, I have never seen you speechless. Wow, I�m really gonna have to meet this Dale Earnhardt Jr. If he can make you like this, he�s got my vote!� she giggled.
Chandler finally found her voice. �What the hell are you talking about?�
Chase held up her hands. �Easy now. Kevin Harvick bumped into me in the hall, quite literally, and told me that he�d been looking for me all over the place, because he had a friend that wanted to meet me. That friend is none other than Dale Earnhardt Jr.!�
Chandler�s expression fell and her eyes darkened. �Then this has nothing to do with me. He wants to me you, not me.� She bit her lip, willing the sudden hurt she felt in her chest to go away.
Chase immediately shook her head. �You�re not letting me finish. Kevin started saying how ever since he saw me and our �eyes met� that Dale just had to meet me. Now it took me a couple minutes, but I was able to figure out that it was you Kevin was actually looking for, not me. He said something about the VIP lounge, and since I had been in Vince�s office during the time of this eye connection thing, I knew it had to be you. So I told Kevin that you would be at the party tonight, and would be looking forward to meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr.�
Chandler took a step back and leaned against the wall. �You did?� she squeaked causing her sister to laugh even harder.
�Yes I did. You can thank me, and make it up to me later.� Chase grinned as she turned and started back towards the hotel room, wanting to be with Adam, forgetting all about the ice bucket in her hand, and the lack of ice in it. Which was the entire reason she had left the room in the first place.
She paused and looked over at her still shell shocked sister. �Oh and by the way, I told Kevin to tell him that you are most definitely single.�
Before Chandler could say anything, Chase swiped her key card and was through the door, closing it behind her, leaving her sister out in the hallway to think over and �prepare� her self for the upcoming evening.
***
The minute Kevin walked into his hotel room, he was greeted by an over anxious Dale Jr. He couldn�t help to grin and smirk. He had known his friend would be like this, since after running into Chase in the hall, he hadn�t had a chance to even see his friend, much less talk to him and tell him what he�d found out.
�Where the hell have you been?� Dale demanded, his blue eyes flashing with impatience. �I�ve been waiting for you for hours!�
Kevin chuckled and glanced at his watch, shaking his head. �You have not, Mr. Over Dramatic. It�s only been like a half hour.�
Dale�s eyes narrowed. �That�s not the point. What did you find out? Did you see her? What�s her name? Will she be at the party tonight? Did you mention my name? What did she say?�
Kevin held up his hands. �Whoa whoa! Calm down there tiger! Jesus you�re gonna scare the poor girl off!�
�Answer the fucking question, Harvick.� Dale growled, reaching the end of his patience.
Kevin grinned. �Which one, you only asked about a million.� He couldn�t help but laugh, although he cut it short when he saw the look on his friend�s face. He knew when to stop pushing, and now was that time.
�Okay okay. I did talk to someone. I ran into Chase Copeland in the hallway. Apparently she�s your dream girl�s sister. In fact, I thought it was your dream girl. If they aren�t twins, then I�ll be a monkey�s uncle!�
Dale�s eyes widened with surprise. �Twins? Wow.� He pictured the woman he�d seen earlier�and honestly couldn�t imagine two of them. Well, it didn�t matter anyhow. Only one has his undivided attention�and speaking of which�
�Well, I�m not sure if they are twins, I�m just assuming. If they aren�t their looks are so similar it�s almost scary!� Kevin exclaimed.
�So, what did you find out about the sister?� Dale demanded, wanting more important information.
�I didn�t find out much, because Chase told me to tell you that if you really want to know about her sister, then you need to talk to her yourself, the sister not Chase. I tell you, if the one you like is anything like Chase, you better hold on to her. I really like this Chase girl.� Kevin commented.
Dale shook his head. �You�re married, dumbass.� He deadpanned.
Kevin rolled his eyes. �Happily so, thanks for reminding me.� He said sarcastically. �Damn, I didn�t mean it like that. You know I love my wife more than life. And besides, Chase is married as well.�
Dale nodded feeling a little better. �So, did you get a name for the sister?�
Kevin nearly smacked himself in the forehead. �Oh yeah I did. Her name is Chandler, and Chase assured me that she would make sure her sister attended the party tonight. Oh, and according to her sister, Chandler is very single.� He said, his grin spreading when he saw the look in his best friend�s eyes. If he were a gambling man, he�d put a lot of money down that this Chandler wouldn�t be single much longer.
Book Four 2002/2003/2004 K&K Productions
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