Lita swore softly as she gazed at herself in the mirror. Wincing in pain, her hand came up and she gently touched the dark bruise that lay just below her right eye. She sighed heavily and let her hand drop, turning away from the mirror and looking over to the unconscious man sprawled on the bed in a drunken sleep.
They had been fighting again. Lita knew that she should leave him for what he had done, but he was the only family she had and besides, he hadn�t been himself tonight, it was the alcohol. Lita acknowledged that as a lie the second it went through her head, it hadn�t been the alcohol, drunkenness was never an excuse for violence. Wrapping the robe tighter around her waist, she slowly made her way over to the bed and slid between the cool sheets. She closed her eyes and willed herself to forget everything that had happened, the lying, the cheating, the hitting�
It was a long while before sleep claimed her, and when she finally did fall asleep, her head became filled with dreams of a love that could never exist�
Chapter 1
Monday night Raw�
Lita paced back and forth across the room anxiously, wringing her hands together. Sitting in a chair off to one side was her partner and lover, Essa Rios. He sat back and toyed with his long fire-red hair, watching her with an amused expression on his tanned face. After a few moments he stood up and went over to the small fridge that stood in the corner, taking out a beer and twisting the cap off. Lita stopped at the sound of his drinking and turned around to face him, an angry look on her face.
�Essa, what are you doing? You said that you had quit drinking that stuff over two months ago!�
Essa sneered at her and took another long swig, keeping his eyes on her the whole time. Lita gritted her teeth and said a silent prayer for patience, hoping to God that she would be able to stay calm. �Please God�, she thought to herself, �don�t let it happen again!� She took a deep breath and tried again.
�Essa, you promised me there would be no more drinking. We have a match in less than an hour and here you are getting tanked! Please, don�t screw things up for us here, we�ve worked so hard for this!�
Lita could tell by the way he was looking at her that he didn�t care about what she was saying. She could see that this was all just a game to him and that he really didn�t give a damn about the fact that he could go out there and hurt himself�or someone else. She knew that there was no reasoning with him now and that the only thing she could do was go and warn their opponents for tonight�s match�The Hardy Boyz.
Sighing heavily, she let herself out of the room and walked down the long corridor towards the men�s locker room. Stopping in front of the door, she took a deep breath and then knocked softly. When no one answered, she knocked louder and stood back to wait. Finally, after about two minutes, the door cracked open and a head poked out. Lita recognized him as Christian and she smiled and said hello. When he didn�t answer and he just stared at her, she hesitated and then realized that he might not know her yet.
�Um, my name is Lita, I just started here two weeks ago and I need to speak to Matt or Jeff Hardy about tonight�s match, can you tell them please?�
Christian stared at her a minute longer and then abruptly slammed the door shut. Lita blinked, astonished. She pressed her ear up against the door and could hear muffled voices inside. She heard someone laugh and then footsteps coming towards the door. Jumping back, she flushed guiltily and stared at the floor, not wanting whoever it was to know she�d been trying to eavesdrop. The door opened and a young man stepped out into the corridor, naked except for a towel around his waist. Lita looked up and immediately averted her gaze, her face turning an even brighter shade of red than her hair. The young man smiled slightly, amused at her reaction.
�Can I help you�miss�?� He drawled out in a slightly southern accent. Lita kept her eyes averted and answered.
�My name is Lita, my partner and I have a match against you and your brother tonight and something has come up that I feel I need to warn you about.�
She could sense his skepticism at her statement and she braced herself for whatever was coming. She jumped in surprise when she felt his hand cup her jaw, bringing her into eye contact with him. Her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. His eyes were the most beautiful shade of green! She couldn�t stop staring at him, he was gorgeous. He had high-defined cheekbones and full pouting lips and his eyes were filled with questioning.
� And what is it my lovely Lita, that you feel you have to warn me about, hmmm?� Lita blushed again and looked away, not trusting herself and what she was feeling at the moment.
�Um, my�partner�he-he�� she stuttered dumbly. He laughed softly and leaned against the wall across from her. Lita winced, afraid that he would start mocking her for her shyness. He did the exact opposite, instead of humiliating her and making her feel like dirt, he patiently waited for her to speak, encouraging her softly.
�It�s okay, what do you have to tell me? Something about your partner, I know that much�� He paused for a second,
�Wait a minute, who did you say your partner was?� By now Lita had recovered somewhat and was able to answer clearly.
�Essa Rios, we just started a few weeks ago and we have a match with you and your brother tonight. By the way, which brother are you?�
He was surprised that she didn�t know who he was and it showed on his face. Lita felt like crap.
�I-I�m sorry that I don�t know who you are, I don�t really know anyone here yet and so please don�t be offended.�
This surprised him even more and he was quick to reassure her. He took her hand and was shocked to feel it trembling. With what, fear? He thought to himself.
�Don�t worry about it, I can understand what it�s like the first few weeks of being new. Oh, and I�m Jeff, Jeff Hardy.�
Lita smiled, relieved that he wasn�t angry with her for her ignorance. The feel of his warm hand holding hers was giving her butterflies and she was having a hard time remembering why she was here. Sighing with disappointment, she reluctantly slipped her hand free and straightened her back, looking him in the eye. Jeff gave her a warm smile, urging her to speak.
�Right, Jeff, I came here to tell you that Essa has been drinking and well, I�m worried about what he might do to himself or one of you if he messes up.�
Jeff noticed right off that she didn�t mention that she was worried about her own safety, but he was shocked that she would be considerate enough to come and tell him. He gently touched her shoulder and looked her in the eye.
�Lita, THANK YOU for telling me, someone could�ve been hurt badly and I�m glad I know about this before-hand.�
Lita shrugged off the thank-you and just smiled, she liked this man, he was nice, polite, sincere�everything Essa wasn�t�
She glanced down at her watch and was shocked to see that they�d been there for over twenty minutes, she had ten minutes to get back and get ready! She looked up at Jeff and saw that he too had realized the time. She apologized for keeping him and hastily made her way back to her and Essa�s room, not waiting for Jeff�s reply�
Chapter 2
Jeff stared after the girl running down the hall, a bemused expression on his face. After she was out of sight, he turned and went back into the locker room, a silly grin on his face. He had taken two steps when he realized that everyone was staring at him with equally silly grins on their faces. Jeff blushed and continued on, going to where his duffel bag was and pulling out his ring-wear, a tight see-through shirt, black kik-wear pants, and his armbands which consisted of ladies stockings with holes cut in them. He had just pulled on his shirt when his brother Matt broke the silence.
�So baby-bro, who was that out there? Some chick hoping to get an autograph?� Jeff shook his head but didn�t volunteer any more information. Matt shrugged and went on with his business. Sitting across from him were Edge and Christian, two extremely good-looking Canadian wrestlers. Edge had his patented shit-eating grin on his face and Jeff knew that something was up.
�Soooo, WAS SHE HOT?!?� Everyone broke out laughing and Jeff found it hard to keep a straight face. Christian slapped Edge on the shoulder and grinned.
�My friend, she was un-be-fucking-lievably hot! Jeff man, you are one lucky bastard!� Jeff smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
�I don�t know what you�re talking about man, she just came to talk about tonight�s match, that was it.�
Everyone groaned, disappointed. Scotty-2-Hotty snorted and rolled his eyes.
�Yeah fucking right! You expect me to believe that some girl, one who is apparently, a fine piece of ass, to come here to talk to you about wrestling? Come on! Tell me you at least got her number, she�s gotta be a ring-rat or something!�
His friend, Grand Master Sexay nodded in agreement.
�So uh, who is this *cough* lady wrestler who came to speak to you about *cough* tonight�s match?�
Everyone laughed at this and Jeff just shook his head. He finished lacing up his boots and motioned for Matt to come with him. Before they left the room, Jeff turned around and grinned.
�My friends, you�re about to see.�
Chapter 3
Lita closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. What�s wrong with me? She thought to herself as she and Essa stood backstage together waiting for their cue. It�s probably just nervousness, that�s all. But Lita had a sneaking suspicion that nervousness wasn�t what was wrong with her�it was Jeff. Lita shook her head as if to get rid of those thoughts, she couldn�t be attracted to Jeff! Lita turned her thoughts to the match that was about to take place, mentally going over their strategy. Okay, she thought. We go out there, Essa tires them out, I get in a few shots�
Lita thoughts were interrupted when Essa came over and smacked her shoulder, getting her attention.
�Hey chica! Pay attention, will you!! We�re up in two minutes so get your shit together and make sure you don�t screw things up tonight!�
Lita winced, not from the sting of his words though, his breath reeked of Vodka and beer. Guess he finished off the beer and moved on to bigger and better things�she thought to herself in disgust. Lita faced him and forced a smile onto her face, masking her true feelings.
�Sorry hon, I was just thinking about the match.� Essa sneered at her and then turned on his heel, dismissing her. Lita�s smile vanished instantly and she clenched her hands, trying to contain her anger. How can I love this man? She thought darkly. He�s such an assh-
�You�re up!� Came a voice from behind them and Lita immediately forgot about what she�d been thinking. Taking a deep breath, she put on her �happy� face and standing next to Essa, she got ready to go out in front of an arena full of screaming fans�
Men�s locker room�
Christian sat in front of a small television set, absently toying with his long blond hair. Beside him, sat the grinning idiot Edge, Scotty, and Grand master Sexay. All four men were intently watching the screen, waiting for Jeff�s �mystery woman� to make her appearance. They were at commercials right now, and so it would be another minute or so until the show continued. Edge, with a *surprise, surprise* grin on his face, turned to Christian and poked him.
�Hey, were you serious when you said that she was hot, or were you just saying that to get us interested?�
Christian stopped playing with his hair and looked at his best friend, who was staring back at him with a hopeful expression on his face.
�Edge man, I�m not lying, this girl is gorgeous!� Edge smiled happily at this and returned his attention to the TV screen. Scotty had just leaned over to say something to Christian, when Edge started �shushing� him loudly and pointed to the TV. Four sets of eyes watched in anticipation as the commercials ended and the arena was shown. The ring announcer, Lillian Garcia, stepped into the ring and introduced the match. All of a sudden, the arena lights dimmed and Spanish music blasted from the speakers. Scotty and Grand Master wrinkled their noses in distaste, not liking the music. Scotty was the first to complain.
�WHAT-THE-HELL-IS-THIS?!? This is sooooo not music, this is crap, this is embarrassing, this is-�wow.�
No one in the locker room heard Scotty though, they were all staring open-mouthed at the young woman with flaming red hair who was making her way down to the ring�
Chapter 4
Lita�s heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest it was pounding so hard. She and Essa had made it down to the ring and were now waiting for their opponents. Lita listened to the crowd, hearing their whistles and shouts of curiosity and it pleased her to know that they were at least interested in seeing them perform. Tonight was their official television debut and the only people they�d wrestled before were jobbers and that was at house shows. Lita knew she looked good tonight, she was wearing her favorite color, red. Her ring-wear consisted of a one-piece shiny red catsuit that had no back, and red boots. Her long flame-colored hair was loose, and it cascaded down her back in little waves. On her shoulder was a large green and blue tattoo of�she didn�t exactly know what it was, she�d been drunk when Essa had talked her into getting one. She�d woken up the next morning and found that most of her shoulder was covered in ink and that Essa had used $250 of HER money to pay for it�
Lita was brought back to the present when once again the lights dimmed and their opponents� music filled the arena. Lita�s eyes were glued to the top of the ramp, where two young extremely good-looking men were standing. One, a dark-haired muscular youth, was facing the crowd and making the sign of guns with his fingers. His brother, multi-color haired and breathtakingly handsome, was doing the same thing�only he was looking straight at her�
Lita�s heart jumped and she felt a blush staining her face. She felt a touch on her arm and she looked over to see that Essa was glaring at her and telling her to get the hell out of the ring so that he could start things off. Lita glared back but did as he said, she didn�t need a fight later on. Matt and Jeff were now in the ring and it looked as though Matt was going to start things off on their side. Lita stood at ringside in Essa�s corner, Jeff across from her in Matt�s. As Essa and Matt got it on in the ring, Lita found herself paying more attention to the young rainbow-haired man in the opposite corner who kept looking her way. Lita forced herself to ignore Jeff and to watch her partner, who was dominating the match for the most part, but was getting slightly winded. Lita leaned over the top rope and called for Essa to tag her in, holding out her hand to make the tag�
Jeff watched as the Mexican wrestler known as Essa Rios stumbled slightly as he went to tag in his partner. Jesus, he thought, Lita wasn�t kidding when she said this guy had been drinking! He made the tag and Lita hopped into the ring, going straight for Matt, who was lying on the mat trying to get his breath. It was clear after only a few seconds that Lita was an extremely competent wrestler and that she was giving his older brother a real run for his money! Jeff couldn�t help but stare at her as she bounced around the ring, throwing the much larger man around and hitting him with lightening fast moves. Jeff all of a sudden felt a fluttering sensation in his stomach and it surprised him. The more he watched her, the more intense the feeling became and it occurred to Jeff that he was going to have to put aside his attraction for her in order to win this match. Leaning over the top rope, he clapped his hands together, gaining his brother�s attention. Matt quickly sidestepped as Lita aimed a kick at him and he deftly took her legs out from under her, stunning her momentarily. Matt capitalized and made his way over to Jeff, tagging him into the match. Jeff quickly went over to Lita, picking her up by her hair and sending her flying back with some well aimed shots to the stomach. He watched as Lita crawled into the corner and tried to catch her breath. Smiling smugly, Jeff walked over towards her and was just about to pick her up, when he suddenly found himself flat on his back, courtesy of Lita and a magnificent spear. Sitting on top of him, she buried her fingers in his long thick hair and slammed his head against the mat until he saw stars. Jeff groaned and flipped their positions, causing Lita to gasp in surprise as she found herself trapped beneath his muscular body. Jeff used his body to hold her down, causing the ref to go for the three-count. He only got to two, Lita, in a sudden burst of strength, threw him off of her and jumped agilely to her feet. Jeff was stunned, how in the hell had she been strong enough to get out of that?!? Lita saw the look on his face and grinned at him, making his heart jump. While he was standing there, she bounced off the ropes and hit him with a cross-body, sending him crashing to the mat. Lita quickly went for the pin, pressing her body tightly against his and hooking his leg. Jeff kicked out after one and Lita was sent flying backwards, her head hitting the bottom turnbuckle. Jeff�s heart slammed in his chest as he saw her crumpled body hit the mat, her head bouncing once more against the turnbuckle. Behind him, he heard Matt yelling at him to tag out but he ignored him. After what seemed like minutes, Lita slowly lifted her head and pulled herself over to her corner, reaching out her hand to Essa. What happened next shocked everybody, Essa reached out to make the tag�and then turned his back.
Jeff blinked, that bastard! He thought as he watched Essa calmly jump down from the ring apron and make his way up the ramp and into the back�
Lita stared in astonishment, where the hell is he going?!? When she realized that he�d left ringside, she slowly pulled herself to her feet and turned to face Jeff. After about two seconds though, she realized that something was wrong with her vision and that everything had a red tinge to it. When shaking her head didn�t make it go away, Lita decided that she would have to go on in spite of it. Using the last of her strength, she hit Jeff with a massive drop kick and layed him out flat. Then, making sure he was down and that Matt wasn�t going to interfere, she climbed up onto the top turnbuckle and delivered a breathtaking moonsault onto Jeff�s prone body! The whole arena was silent as she pinned him�one�two�three!!! She�d won! Lita�s head was swimming and the red tinge seemed to be getting worse. She still hadn�t gotten off of Jeff and she was shocked when he slowly put a hand up to her face and wiped a trickle of blood from her forehead. When did I start bleeding? She thought to herself as he continued to wipe the blood from her aching head. Lita�s breath caught when Jeff brushed a thumb across her lower lip, caressing her softly. She closed her eyes and leaned slightly into the touch, it had been so long since anyone had touched her like this! She heard Jeff moan softly and she felt his heart beating rapidly against his chest, matching hers in tempo.
All of a sudden, Lita was ripped from Jeff�s body as a newly re-appeared Essa Rios dragged her from the ring and carried her unceremoniously into the back. Jeff gingerly sat up, groaning when his back cracked loudly. Matt was now by his side, rolling him gently outside the ring and helping him to stand upright. As they made their way up the ramp, Jeff was staggered by a realization that suddenly came to him. Jeff�s mind was racing, how was this possible? It sunk in fully two seconds later, and Jeff knew without a doubt that from the minute she�d hit him with that moonsault that it was real. And for the first time in Jeff Hardy�s life�he was in love�
Chapter 5
Men�s Locker Room�
The four men sat silently, still staring at the flickering TV screen in awe. Scotty was the first to break out of his trance,
�Holy shit! Did you just see that?!?� The others only nodded and Scotty continued, excited.
�She kicked his ass dudes! Man, she is one hot chick!� Grand Master Sexay chuckled and shook his head, a huge smile on his face.
�And by the looks of things, Jeffy-boy has it bad for her, I don�t blame him.� The others nodded in agreement and turned their attention back to the screen to finish watching Raw�
Lita�s room�
Lita moaned as she was roughly deposited onto the couch, her head feeling like it was about to be split open. Essa glared down at her, his fists clenched at his sides in anger.
�You bitch! How could you do this to me!!!� Lita looked at him, confused. She thought back to the night�s events and tried to find the reason that Essa could possibly be mad at her for but couldn�t think of anything. She tried to sit back but gasped when Essa shoved her back down. It was Lita�s turn to glare at him, how dare he treat her like this!! She tried again to sit up and this time he let her. Her eyes flashed as she faced him, her anger quite evident in the way she was carrying herself.
�How could I do WHAT to you? And how can you say that when YOU were the one who left ME to fend for myself out there?�
Essa sneered at her and then went over to the fridge to get a drink. Lita winced at the sound of the liquor bottle being opened and she had to restrain herself from jumping up and smashing the bottle against his thick head! She watched as he drank half the bottle and then belched loudly, making her frown in disgust.
�Essa, answer me, why did you leave me back there?� Essa didn�t answer her and Lita became even angrier. She got up slowly and went over to her bag, throwing her things into it and zipping it shut. She now had Essa�s attention and he was looking at her curiously.
�Where do you think you�re going?� He asked in a slurred voice. Lita stood up and put the bag over her shoulder, pasting a sweet smile onto her face. This confused him even more and he stared at her dumbly.
�You know what Essa, for the last three years I have poured my heart and soul into this relationship and all you�ve done is step on me. I don�t think you even love me anymore, that is, if you ever loved me at all. I guess what I�m trying to say is, I�M LEAVING YOU.�
With those words, she walked to the door and was just about to open it, when Essa�s hands shot out and grabbed her by the hair. Lita gasped in pain as his fingers dug into her scalp, bringing tears to her eyes. Lita struggled to free herself but he held fast, ignoring her cries of pain. Dragging her back to the couch, he threw her down roughly onto her stomach and cruelly jammed his knee into her back, effectively stilling her. He brought his face down next to hers and hissed into her ear.
�You will NEVER leave me, do you understand? You are MINE and nobody else�s, no one loves you like I do and no one ever will!�
Lita screwed her eyes shut, trying to hold back the hot tears that were spilling down her cheeks. Essa saw this and smiled, pleased. Bringing his hand down to her forehead, he gently pushed back some hair that was covering her face. Lita tensed, not quite sure what was going on. He continued to stroke her head, now whispering endearments in Spanish and pressing his lips against her temple. Lita lay still, not wanting him to fly into a rage again, she knew that if she tried to leave again, he would probably do worse than he�d done tonight�he might even kill her. She waited until he was through touching her before trying to roll over, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She rolled over and looked into Essa�s face, searching for his true feelings. What she saw in his eyes chilled her to the bone�possessiveness�but not love.
Something inside her seemed to give way, and whatever feelings she may have had for this man disappeared completely and was replaced by absolute loathing. She flinched in disgust when he brought his lips down on hers, kissing her deeply. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth and she nearly gagged as she tasted the sour beer and vodka on his breath. Lita brought her hands up and pushed against his chest, trying to get him off her but he only stuck his tongue farther down her throat. Gathering up all the strength in her body, she bit down on his tongue, making him howl in pain. His fist caught her just below her eye and she cried out. He jumped up off of her, his hand clutching at his mouth and blood streaming between his fingers. Lita got up off of the couch and went over to the counter, grabbing a cloth and wetting it under some cold water. She placed it against her throbbing cheek and then threw the cloth at Essa, who grabbed it with one hand and brought it to his bleeding tongue. Lita watched silently as he dabbed at his injured mouth, glaring at her the whole time. After a few minutes, she sighed and went to go pick up her bag where it had been dropped by the door. She looked once more to Essa and then turned and opened the door.
�I�m going out Essa, I�ll be getting a separate room from now on so don�t wait up.� She in a flat voice, before limping out and slamming the door behind her�
Men�s locker room�
Jeff was humming to himself as the arena doctor checked him out after his match. Matt sat across from him, giving him a look that suggested he thought Jeff had been knocked senseless. After the doctor had finished up and declared him okay, he jumped down from the bench and bounced over to where his things were, still happily humming away. Matt followed,
�Jeff man, what�s wrong with you?� Jeff stopped humming and looked at him as if seeing him for the first time since their match. He gave his big brother a gigantic grin and shook his head.
�Nothing�s wrong big bro, why do you ask?� Matt shook his head in exasperation. There was definitely something up with his little brother, and he meant to find out what it was. A muffled laugh behind him made him turn around and see Edge, who was unsuccessfully trying to keep a straight face. Matt scowled at him.
�And what the hell are you laughing at �Big Teef�?� At the mentioning of his hated nickname, Edge stopped laughing and glared at Matt.
�How many times do I have to tell you Hardy, don�t call me that!!!� Matt smirked, now enjoying himself somewhat.
�Aww, is the big baby upset? Okay, I won�t call you that�but just out of curiosity, which one bugs you more, Big Teef or Bucky the Beaver?�
Edge snarled and jumped up, grabbing Matt by his shirt collar. Matt laughed and put his hands up in mock submission.
�I-DO-NOT-HAVE-BIG-TEETH!!!!� Edge yelled into Matt�s face, causing him to laugh even harder. By now, everyone else in the locker room had been watching and they all broke out into fits of laughter, Christian laughing the hardest.
�Yeah sure man, you know, it must of hurt like a bitch when you were teething!� This sent everyone over the edge and there was soon a locker room full of full-grown men rolling on the floor, laughing until tears streamed down their cheeks. Now even Edge had a smile on his face and he was finding it extremely difficult to keep himself from laughing. Matt saw this and batted his eyelashes at him, making Edge break into fits of laughter. Matt�s attention was suddenly drawn to the small television screen, where replays of the night were being shown. He pried Edge�s hands off of him and went and sat down in front of the screen, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face. Behind him, he heard Jeff say that he was going for a shower and he nodded absently. They were showing their match right now, when he and that Essa-something-or-other had been in the ring together. But he wasn�t watching himself, his eyes were instead glued to his brother and that girl Lita. After a few seconds, understanding hit and Matt smacked his forehead. How could I have not seen it? he thought to himself as he watched the way they were looking at each other. He was still sitting there when Jeff stepped out of the shower area, a towel wrapped loosely around his lean hips and water dripping from his multi-colored hair. Matt turned around and looked closely at his brother, who was now pulling on a pair of baggy blue jeans. Jeff obviously felt someone staring, because he stopped and looked over to Matt, meeting his gaze.
�Is there something you wanted to talk about Matt, why do you keep looking at me like that?�
Matt smiled and went over to where his brother was getting dressed, ignoring the strange look Jeff gave him. He sat down on the bench and leaned back into the wall, trying to figure out how to start things off.
�So.� He said lamely. Jeff stared at him, waiting expectantly. Matt took a deep breath and continued.
�I was just watching the replay of our match bro, that chick with whatever-his-name-was, kicked our asses pretty good.�
Jeff only smiled to himself and didn�t answer, confirming Matt�s suspicions. He stood up and pulled his baby brother in for a hug. Jeff, not knowing what the hell was wrong with his brother, just stood there.
�Uh Matt�Ma-aatt�MATT!!!� Jeff yelled when his brother didn�t show signs of letting go anytime soon. Matt pulled back, startled. Jeff looked at his big brother, trying to figure out why he was acting so strange. Matt suddenly realized how silly he looked holding on to Jeff, and his face turned bright red with embarrassment.
�Matt, why the hell are you acting like this? Ever since I got out of the shower you�ve been treating me like I was about to get married or something.�
Matt sat back down, deciding to just get it over with. He patted the spot beside him, telling Jeff to have a seat. When Jeff complied, he took a deep breath and blurted it out.
�You love her, don�t you.� Jeff blinked, and for a second Matt thought that he would deny it. Instead, Jeff zipped his bag shut and stood up, heading for the door. Matt sighed in disappointment and was just about to head for the showers, when Jeff�s voice stopped him.
�Yeah bro, I think I do.� With those words, he walked out into the hall and closed the door behind him.
Chapter 6
Arena Parking lot�
Lita cursed and kicked at the curb, wincing when pain shot through her foot. She�d been standing out there for the last hour or so, debating on whether or not to go back to the room. Earlier when she�d left Essa, she�d forgotten that he had the keys to their car and that without them, she couldn�t go anywhere anytime soon. Lita knew that her pride wouldn�t let her go back to him, he�d done too much to her. She knew she didn�t love him anymore, she�d known tonight the second he�d left her in the middle of the ring. Their fight afterwards had only confirmed it. She had no idea what was going to happen now, no idea how she was going to make it on her own. She�d been dependant on Essa too long and she didn�t even know where she was going to stay, he had all their money�She didn�t think that Essa had realized that it was over between them, and his words rang hauntingly through her head. You will never leave me�no one will ever love you� Lita tried to block them out but they only became louder and angrier. You are MINE and no one else�s�You�d better not screw up tonight!�Lita shook her head, trying to make the voice stop but it didn�t. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry, but the tears were already streaming down her cheeks and loud sobs were escaping from her throat. She sat down heavily on the curb and buried her face in her hands, her entire body shaking with her agony. It was like something snapped inside her and all the years of abuse and heartache came rushing back to mock her�
Jeff hummed happily to himself as he made his way out to his car, it�d been a good night. Yeah, even though we got our asses whipped by a drunk wrestler and his girlfriend� Jeff�s heart contracted painfully at those words, HIS girlfriend� It was obvious to Jeff that they were a couple, the way he�d come down to the ring and yanked her from Jeff�s arms was a dead giveaway that she was unavailable. Unavailable or not, I still want her� Jeff rounded a corner and went to his car, he was just about to get in when he heard a noise. He threw his bag into the backseat and locked the door, wanting to find out what the sound was. He went around the other side of his car and stopped in his tracks. There she was, sitting on the ground still in her ring-wear and�crying? Jeff didn�t know exactly when he started running, but suddenly he found himself on the ground beside her and within seconds she was in his arms. Jeff held on to the sobbing woman in his arms like she would disappear at any second. He rocked her gently back and forth like a baby, trying to calm her down. After what seemed like forever, she calmed down a bit and was no longer crying so loud. Jeff leaned back and looked into her pain-filled face, noting the tear tracks, the quivering mouth, the�bruise?!? Jeff tipped her face up to his and looked more closely at what appeared to be a bruise the size of a man�s fist forming on her cheek. He instantly knew who�d done it and he was filled with a rage so intense that it made his body shake. Lita felt this and looked up at him, her eyes melting his soul and soothing his anger. He tenderly brought his hand to her cheeks and wiped the tears from them, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. They sat like that for about twenty minutes, just staring into each other�s eyes and falling more and more in love with each other. Jeff however, needed some answers about her face.
�Lita honey,� he started softly, �Why were you crying out here in the dark?� Lita looked away from him and bit her lip, afraid to answer. Jeff smiled encouragingly and rubbed her back softly, trying to get her to answer.
�We�h-had�a-a�fight. I t-told him�it�was o-ver�a-and I t-tried to l-leave.� Jeff hugged her to him, afraid of what was coming next. Lita however, decided that if she was going to tell him, she had to do it all now before she couldn�t anymore.
�He th-threw me on the c-couch and said horrible things a-about me, h-he said that I couldn�t leave h-him and that no one would ever l-love me like h-he did.� Jeff closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down and to keep himself from going in there and killing the bastard.
�H-he kissed me�and I bit him�� Jeff had to smile at this, imagining how much pain that would have caused.
�He p-punched me, and I-I left.� Jeff squeezed her gently and put his chin on her forehead, breathing in her scent. Suddenly, she stiffened and pulled back, a wild look in her eyes.
�I WON�T GO BACK TO HIM!!! JEFF, DON�T LET HIM GET ME, PLEASE JEFF!!!�
� Shhh baby, don�t worry. I won�t let him hurt you anymore. You�re safe with me now.� He soothed her gently and she was immediately calmed by the sound of his voice. She snuggled into him and his heart jumped. I really do love her he thought as her hand found his and he held onto her tightly. They were discovered a few moments later by Matt, who�d come out to look for his brother. He had just come from Jeff�s car when he spotted them and came running over. He knelt down by Jeff and looked at him questioningly. Jeff nudged Lita and introduced her to Matt.
�Matt and Lita, I don�t believe you�ve been properly introduced.� Lita smiled timidly at Matt and he instantly knew why his brother was head-over-heels for this woman, she was incredible. Matt stuck out his hand and was rewarded a few seconds later when she put her much-smaller hand in his.
�Hi, I�m Matt. I�m the one you were throwing around earlier on.� Lita laughed softly and it was like music to both men�s ears.
�I�m Lita, It�s nice to meet you.� Matt smiled again and then patted Jeff on the shoulder, making him grin. Jeff looked around and saw that most of the wrestlers were leaving now, and that they�d better be getting out of there fast before Essa made an appearance. He looked down at Lita and saw that she was also watching the door where the wrestlers were coming out of.
�Matt, would it be all right if Lita stayed with us tonight, I�ll explain later okay?� Matt gazed closely at the two of them, now noticing the large bruise on Lita�s face and the way Jeff was holding onto her for dear life.
�Yeah sure, no problem. I guess we�ll be leaving now then, I�m sensing a little urgency here.� Jeff nodded and replied,
�You might say that, yeah.� Matt stood up and held out his hands for Lita. Jeff looked like he didn�t want to give her up and Matt sighed.
�Jeff, you can have her back as soon as we get to the car, you have the keys and I don�t think you can juggle those and Lita at the same time. Jeff agreed grudgingly and handed Lita over to Matt, who brought her protectively against his muscular chest. They made their way over to the car and put Matt and Lita�s bags in the back corner. Matt set Lita down gently against the car while Jeff handed him the keys and then got in the back seat. Matt had just gotten Lita over to Jeff and was just about to get in the driver�s seat when Lita screamed. Matt�s head whipped around as he saw the figure approaching them�It was Essa�
Chapter 7
Matt quickly closed the door and stood in front of the back window, blocking Lita from Essa�s view. Matt didn�t know why, but he had the feeling that this was the man responsible for Lita�s bruise, he hated the man instantly. Jeff was now standing beside his brother and he was having great difficulty in keeping himself from beating this man senseless. Matt noticed this and placed a calming hand on his arm. Essa stopped a few feet from the car and sneered at them. He leaned to one side, trying to see behind Matt into the back window. Matt looked coldly at him.
�Can I help you with something?� Essa ignored him and continued to crane his neck, grinning evilly when he caught a glimpse of Lita, who was sitting in the backseat, wide-eyed. Jeff cleared his throat and glared.
�My brother asked you something, now I suggest you answer him!� Essa slowly transferred his gaze from Lita to Jeff, the grin still on his face.
�Ah, I know you! I kicked your asses earlier, what were your names? Ah yes, the HARDLY Boys.� Matt and Jeff scowled at him and Essa knew he�d hit a nerve.
� First of all friend�, Jeff spat out, �The name�s HARDY and second of all, YOU didn�t kick anyone�s asses out there tonight.� Matt nodded in agreement and smirked when Essa�s face turned red.
�As I recall, YOU were the one high-tailing it backstage while your PARTNER was left to finish the match! So YOU definitely did not kick our asses tonight buddy! NOW, what was it you wanted?�
Essa sneered at them and spat on the ground, swaying a little as he did so. He�s still hammered, Jeff thought as he watched. Essa took a few steps forward and was immediately stopped by a hand on his chest, courtesy of Matt.
�Where ya goin� friend?� Essa swatted Matt�s hand away and smiled, still swaying drunkenly.
�Relax amigos, I�m just here to claim my property, she seems to have gotten lost!� Jeff�s hands clenched and his eyes narrowed, not a good sign.
�Your property? I don�t see anything of yours around here, why don�t you go somewhere else and look!�
Matt nodded and Essa lost his smile, apparently done with the act. He glared at the brothers and then took a threatening step forward. They stood their ground.
�Listen BOYS, step aside and let me-��
�You guys need some help here?� The voice came from behind Essa and he spun around, losing his balance and falling to the pavement. Matt let out a sigh of relief and smiled at their rescuer.
�Naw, just having a conversation with the newbie. Thanks anyway Chy.� Chyna shrugged and nodded, a little disappointed with the lack of action. She turned and looked up to the man standing beside her with his arm wrapped around her waist.
�What do you say we get this guy out of here Hunter, these guys ought to get to their hotel.� Chyna said, pointing to the fallen Essa. Essa glared at her and then sneered at Triple H.
�Hey man, you should really keep your BITCH on a leash!� Matt and Jeff blanched, knowing that even if hell froze over, there was no saving this man from an ass kicking. No one insulted Chyna, NO ONE! Jeff looked at Triple H and shuddered, he looked ready to murder Essa. Chyna had an odd look on her face and it made Jeff uneasy, she usually got this look right before she punched some poor bastard in the nuts! By now a small group of people, mostly wrestlers, had gathered and had heard Essa�s comment to Chyna, there were now bets being made. Edge and Scotty were bickering back and forth.
�NO man! I say she�s gonna wrap his nuts around his neck AFTER Hunter pedigrees his ass!�
�And I say that she�s gonna do it BEFORE!!!� Chyna snickered at this and Essa�s face went white. Christian noticed Lita in the backseat and looked questioningly at Jeff. Jeff shrugged and opened the door, letting her out. Matt and Jeff immediately moved on either side of her, supporting her. Chyna, who hadn�t met her yet but had seen the match from backstage, walked up to her, a huge smile on her face.
�Hey there, I�m Chyna. I saw your match earlier, you were awesome!� Everyone gawked at this, Chyna NEVER complimented the women wrestlers, and with the exception of Debra, Kat, and Tori, she hated them! Lita smiled warmly and stuck out her hand, liking Chyna instantly.
�Hi, I�m Lita. I�ve been watching you wrestle since I got here, you�re phenomenal!� Chyna blushed, which surprised everyone further, especially Chyna herself! Jeff smiled and squeezed Lita gently, who in turn looked and gazed at him adoringly. Nobody missed this and they all grinned, Christian and Scotty giving each other high fives. Unfortunately, Essa had also seen the display and he jumped up, furious.
�You whore! I told you before, you CAN�T leave me, I won�t let you!!!� Essa snarled and launched himself at Lita, preparing to strangle her. He was caught midair by Chyna and thrown backwards into the wall of wrestlers, who were on him in seconds. Lita was now paler than a ghost and she was having trouble breathing, Chyna saw this and rushed over. She drew the frightened woman into her arms and comforted her, totally in contrast to the attitude she usually displayed. Jeff stood back and watched this, worried about Lita. It wasn�t normal the way she was behaving towards Essa, He must�ve done some really bad shit to her� he thought. Satisfied that she was safe, he walked over to where Triple H, Scotty, Edge, Christian, Grand Master Sexay, and Matt were beating the shit out of Essa. They saw him and stood aside, Matt and Scotty moving to hold Essa up. Jeff got in Essa�s face and sneered at him, disgusted by the smell of alcohol on his breath.
�Listen you sonofabitch, you stay away from Lita, she told you it�s over and so IT�S OVER!!! If I catch you anywhere near her and she doesn�t want you there, God help you then!�
Jeff turned and walked away from him, ignoring the remarks of Scotty and Edge. He stood back by the car and watched as Triple H �stepped up to bat�. Scotty let out a whoop of joy.
�YES! I knew it! Hunter man, really lay it in there!� Edge groaned and muttered something about having to pay Scotty now for losing the bet. Jeff smiled inwardly and then walked back over to where Chyna and Lita were standing. Lita had calmed down somewhat but she was still pale as hell and Jeff didn�t like the way she was grimacing in pain. Jeff leaned against the car and told Chyna to go finish taking care of Essa, she happily did so. Lita limped over to Jeff and stood shyly in front of him.
�Um, I just wanted to apologize for what all this has caused. I�m sorry th-� Jeff cut her off by placing a finger against her lips.
�Don�t apologize sweetheart, what he did was wrong and he deserves what he�s getting right now.�
Lita smiled at him and Jeff felt his heart jump. Even with her tear-streaked face and bruised cheek she was still the most beautiful woman he�d ever seen.
Lita was drowning in his eyes. She wasn�t aware of anything except him, not the pain in her body, the other people standing around�not even the mixed cheers and boos as Chyna kicked Essa in the nuts...
�Jeff�� She started hesitantly, �I want to get out of here, can we leave now?� Jeff smiled and took her in his arms, holding her close.
�Of course sweetheart, let me just call Matt.� Jeff settled Lita once more into the backseat and then yelled for his brother. Matt signaled and then walked over, calling over his shoulder as he went.
�See you guys in a few days, make sure whatever-his-name gets back to his hotel and if Vince asks, he got into a fight at a bar. Oh, and Chyna? Thanks for coming when you did, me and Jeff probably would�ve hurt him a lot worse.�
Matt hopped into the front seat and started the car, waiting as Jeff settled in the backseat with Lita cradled in his arms like a baby. Pulling out of the arena parking lot, they made their way to the hotel he and Jeff were staying at. In the backseat, Jeff was worried. Lita had fallen asleep and although it was a warm night, Lita was ice cold. Jeff supposed it was from the shock of it all, but still he was worried. He tightened his hold on her and leaned his head back, falling asleep within minutes. Matt watched them through the rear view mirror, smiling to himself as he saw his brother stroke her hair in his sleep. Yes, he thought, my baby brother truly is in love�
CHAPTER 8
Lita woke up to the sound of soft snoring. Stretching cautiously, she realized that she was in a bed and upon further realization, that she wasn�t wearing anything except an oversized T-shirt that smell suspiciously like Jeff�
Lita shot up in the bed, Jeff!! Where is he? Lita thought frantically as she looked over and saw that she was alone in the bed. She turned her head and looked around the room, searching desperately for the man who�d come to her rescue earlier. Another snore penetrated the darkness and Lita�s head snapped around to the direction from which it was coming. In the darkness, she could just barely make out the outline of another bed that lay in the corner of the room. Lita sighed in relief and reached over to the nightstand to turn on the small reading lamp that sat on it. A dim yellow glow filled the room and Lita could now have a proper look around. She glanced over to the other bed and was disappointed to see that Matt, not Jeff, occupied it. Lita bit her lip in thought, well where the hell is Jeff? Taking a better look at her surroundings, she saw that there was a small couch at the far end of the room and there was someone curled up on it, asleep. Smiling, Lita slid out of bed and quietly padded over to the couch, being careful not to wake Matt or Jeff up.
Jeff looked so peaceful, his long hair lay fanned out around his face and his lips were slightly open in a pout. Lita kneeled down beside him and gently kissed his cheek, making him sigh with pleasure in his sleep. She pressed her lips against his jaw, shivering when his beard rubbed up against her smooth cheek.
�Do you plan on waking Matt this way too?� Lita jumped, losing her balance and falling backwards onto her ass. A pair of clear green eyes peeked at her from the couch, warm and smiling. Lita blushed, embarrassed that she�d been caught. Jeff chuckled and sat up, stretching out his arms and back.
�What time is it?� he asked her. Lita looked past him to the curtained window, seeing that it was still dark outside.
�I don�t know, maybe two or three.� Jeff smiled and leaned back against the couch, wincing when he felt a knot in his neck. Lita noticed and looked at him questioningly.
�Aww, it�s nothing. Just have a sore neck from sleeping on this damned piece-of-crap couch.�
Lita grinned saucily, winking at him. Getting up, she held out her hand to him. Jeff eyed her, curious as to what she was up to.
�Well what are you doing sleeping on the couch when there�s a perfectly good bed over there?� She said, nodding her head in the direction of the bed. Jeff grinned and took her hand, happy for the invitation yet reluctant.
�A-are you sure? I mean, I don�t want you to be uncomfortable or anything�� Jeff faltered in his sentence, seeing Lita shake her head at him.
�Jeff, when I woke up and you weren�t with me I got scared. I thought that you�d left me and that I was alone. Now I don�t know why, but I feel safer with you than I�ve ever felt in my life. Please, just lay down with me�please?�
Jeff didn�t answer, instead, he leaned down and swept Lita up in his arms, smiling at her tiny gasp. He carried her over to the bed and set her down gently, kissing her forehead as he did so. Lita sighed happily and reached out her arms for him. Jeff stood back and looked down at her, feeling his heart pound against his ribs. He crawled onto the bed and gathered her in his arms, holding her tightly. She purred in contentment and leaned into him, savoring the feeling of his hard chest pressed up against her back. They lay in silence for a long while, just listening to each other breathe. After a while, Lita snuggled closer and closed her eyes sleepily.
�Do you know how happy I am right now?� Lita smiled and squeezed his arms against her.
�Probably as happy as I am right now.� She answered in a whisper. She felt Jeff�s heart beating against her back and his body heat was making her drowsy.
�Lita?� Lita sighed and pressed her face into the pillow.
�Hmmm?� She said sleepily.
�I won�t let him hurt you anymore.� Lita�s eyes snapped open and she felt her heart jump, realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. I love him. She thought. Lita rolled over in his arms so that they were facing each other. She looked deeply into his eyes and smiled at him, making his heart flutter.
�I know Jeff�, she whispered softly, �Jeff?� Jeff smiled and stroked her cheek with his knuckle.
�What baby?� What happened next took Jeff completely by surprise, she leaned closer and kissed him softly on the mouth, her lips feeling like butterfly wings. Jeff groaned and wrapped his arms tighter around her, his lips moving against hers almost reverently. Lita sighed and deepened the kiss, running her hands through his beautiful thick hair. He responded in kind, his fingers gently burying themselves in her long red hair. She broke the kiss suddenly and leaned back.
�Jeff?� She whispered softly, her breathing uneven. Jeff was equally affected and he was having a hard time keeping his hands to himself. He kissed his way down her jaw and gently bit her neck, making her breath catch.
�Hmmm?� He said in a muffled voice. Lita pulled his face up to hers and looked him in the eye.
�Promise me something.� Jeff blinked and stared at her, afraid she was going to reject him. His heart was beating rapidly against his ribs and he wasn�t sure if he wanted to hear what she had to say. He closed his eyes and put his forehead against hers, slightly relieved when she wrapped her arms around his neck.
�What is it?� He whispered. He felt her slowly stroking her way down his back and he was unable to concentrate.
�Promise me that if we do this�� Her voice faltered and Jeff was concerned to hear tears in her voice.
�That if we do this, that you�ll stay with me and you won�t leave me alone.� Jeff smiled at her, his soul feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted from it.
�Never sweetheart. I could never do that to you, I�ll be with you as long as you want me.� Lita held him close and kissed him deeply, telling him without words that she trusted him. Suddenly pulling away completely, she got up onto her knees and pushed him back when he moved to sit up. Smiling sweetly, she shook her finger at him and moved to straddle his hips, her smile widening when she heard his breath catch.
�I will always want you Jeff, I knew it from the second you touched me in the ring tonight and I looked in your eyes.� Jeff gazed at her adoringly, his love for her written all over his face.
�And what did you see in my eyes?� He asked her softly, his hands moving to grasp her hips. Lita leaned down on top of him and whispered into his ear.
�Look into mine and you�ll see.� Jeff groaned slightly and cupped her face in his hands, his lips brushing over hers ever so softly. Lita ran her hands up and down his arms, enjoying the way the muscles rippled just under the skin. Jeff leaned over and switched off the lamp, plunging them into darkness. He felt Lita tense up and he gently massaged her neck, soothing her instantly.
�Why�d you turn off the light? Am I too ugly to look at or something?� She asked him teasingly. Jeff chuckled deep in his throat and pressed a kiss onto her smiling lips.
�You�re the most beautiful woman I�ve ever seen. Actually, I was more concerned that if Matt woke up, he�d see that we were uh�occupied.�
Lita laughed softly and kissed him deeply, drawing his tongue into her mouth and sucking gently on it. Jeff shuddered and grasped her hips, grinding her into his obvious arousal. Lita moaned and pushed against him, sending shocks of sensation through both their bodies. Jeff�s hands were now skimming up her sides, his thumbs just barely touching the sides of her T-shirt covered breasts. Bringing his hands down, he slowly lifted the shirt up over her head, leaving her completely naked. Rolling over so that Lita was under him, he moved to one side and stretched out along her body.
Lita was on fire. He was touching her again, but now his touch was so light that she almost arched up off the bed to feel it more. His palm grazed over her, over her tight stomach, her hip, in a slow stroking motion. His hand came up and cupped her breast, his thumb slowly rubbing over her taut nipple. She made a little sound, a broken gasp of longing and he added more pressure to her breast, making her moan. Suddenly impatient, Lita rolled on top of him and slid down his hard body, pressing kisses to his heated skin as she did so. Jeff raised his head and looked down at her curiously, his breath coming out in uneven gasps. Lita smiled in the darkness and kissed his flat stomach, laughing softly when the muscles contracted involuntarily. Jeff squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip, trying to stay quiet as she swirled her tongue around his navel and then into it, playing gently with his bellybutton ring. Jeff�s heart almost stopped when he felt her breath at the edge of his boxers, tormenting him. He wrapped his fingers around her hair and groaned when he felt her fingers pulling down the thin material, baring him to her eyes and lips. Lita was staggered by the size of him, no wonder he has to wear those loose pants! She thought wickedly. Tentatively, she licked the length of him, pleased when she felt his fingers tighten in her hair and his muscles tense. She licked him again and then gently blew on him, making him shiver with desire.
Jeff couldn�t wait anymore, grasping her by her waist, he hauled her up so that she was straddling his hips again. He scooted back so that his back was against the headboard and so that he was in a sitting position. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers in a passionate dance. Lita moaned into his mouth and pushed against him, causing him to tighten his hold on her. His kiss slid down her throat and to her shoulder, then after a brief hesitation, to her breasts. Throwing back her head Lita whimpered, the sensations almost too much to take. Suddenly, he rolled so that she lay looking up at him. Bringing her arms up beside her head, he entwined their fingers together and pressed his lips against hers.
�I love you.� He whispered against her mouth, his eyes looking deeply into hers. He moved his lips down to her neck, nibbling gently and making her gasp.
�I love you.� He whispered again at her throat. Lita closed her eyes and felt his words flowing into her soul, healing her completely. Freeing her hands, she grasped his head and brought him up so that he was looking straight into her eyes, into her soul.
�Baby?� She whispered. Jeff smiled and kissed her, his tongue wrapping around hers. Lita broke the kiss and stared deeply into his eyes, her heart so full of joy she thought she would burst.
�I love you more than I�ve ever loved anyone in my life, I need you Jeff.� Jeff felt his heart leap at her words, more happy than he had ever been in his life. He brought his mouth down on hers, putting all his love and passion for her in his kiss. She responded instantly, her tongue licking and sucking at his, making him shake with his need for her. As if sensing his urgency, Lita smiled against his lips and parted her legs, licking his lips as she did so. Jeff groaned and moved between her thighs, his blunt hardness coming into contact with her wet heat. Lita gasped slightly when she felt him entering her, stretching her with the size of him. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back into the pillow, her heart pounding in her breast. Jeff paused for a second and took both her hands in his, bringing them up over her head and wrapping them around the rails of the headboard.
�Whatever you do, don�t let go. Okay baby?� He whispered to her. Lita nodded silently, unsure of what he was up to. She found out a few seconds later when he started moving inside her, filling her completely. Lita bit her lip to keep from crying out, the pleasure was so intense that she was sure she was going to pass out. Never had she felt like this! Essa had always been brutal with his lovemaking, never doing anything to please her and only taking pleasure for himself. Jeff groaned as he thrust deeply, the pleasure overwhelming his body and fogging his senses to the point where nothing else mattered to him besides the woman who lay under him, crying out his name softly with each motion of his hips.
�Jeff�I�love�you�oh God Jeff!!!� She cried as her muscles tightened, her release washing over her in waves. Jeff squeezed his eyes shut and shuddered, the combination of her words and the feeling of her muscles clenching around him sending him over the edge. He let out a loud groan and arched his back as he came, pouring himself into her. Bright colors danced before his eyes, the intensity of his orgasm making his toes curl.
Now exhausted, he collapsed onto her, almost crushing her with his weight. Rolling to
one side, Jeff pulled her into his arms and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, telling her without words how much he loved her. Suddenly, Matt�s strangled voice reached them from across the room.
�Guys�we are DEFINITELY getting separate rooms tomorrow��
CHAPTER 9
�Yes�I think separate rooms would be in order, wouldn�t you Jeff?� Matt continued. Across the room, Jeff was finding it extremely difficult to keep from laughing, Matt sounded so damned tortured! Jeff didn�t speak until he was sure he wasn�t going to start laughing halfway through�he failed miserably.
�Separate rooms? But why Matty? Ohhhhh, were we too loud?� Lita lost it when Jeff started talking innocently, her laughter filling the dark room.
�It�s not funny you guys! That was mean!� Matt�s voice now held a hint of amusement in it and it was obvious he too was trying not to laugh. Jeff decided to help him lose his battle.
�You know, if THAT�S the way you�re going to be, I�m sure Edge and Christian won�t mind an extra roommate. Just think about it, you could listen to them bitching about who�s prettier all night long!�
Matt started laughing at that, a mental image of Edge and Christian sleeping with their facemasks and their hair in curlers too much to take.
�On second thought, maybe I�ll just stay here!� Lita giggled softly at that and snuggled closer to Jeff, their bodies pressed tightly together. Jeff sighed in contentment then yawned a few seconds later. Matt heard this and gave a yawn of his own.
�Maybe we should talk about this later, get some sleep you two!� Jeff grinned evilly at this and squeezed Lita.
�Don�t worry, we will�eventually.� Lita giggled and Matt groaned in mock exasperation.
�Let me rephrase that. Let ME get some sleep!� All three of them laughed at this but settled down moments later, all tired to the bone. Matt was asleep in five minutes and his snores could be heard clearly across the room.
�Sheesh, and he said WE were loud!� Jeff whispered to Lita. Lita smiled and reached for his hand, entwining their fingers. Leaning her head against his smooth chest, she sighed and closed her eyes.
�I love you.� She whispered softly. Jeff grinned and wrapped his free arm around her slim waist, thinking how good it felt to have her there with him.
�I love you too babe.� He answered a few seconds later, stroking her side lovingly. They fell asleep a few moments later, lulled by the sound of each other�s heartbeats and soothed by their love for each other�
The next morning�
�Rise and shine sleepyheads!� The sound of Matt�s voice and the smell of breakfast awakened Lita. Opening her eyes slowly, she raised her head and saw Matt standing at the end of their bed, a huge grin on his face. Beside her, Jeff mumbled something in his sleep and buried his head under the pillow, apparently not ready to get up yet. Lita smiled and sat up, holding the sheet against her naked body so that Matt wouldn�t see anything he didn�t�well, anything SHE didn�t want him to see.
�Morning.� She smiled and said to him. Matt smiled back and went into the bathroom, whistling. As soon as the door had shut behind him, Lita jumped out of bed and pulled on Jeff�s T-shirt, looking around for her bag. Finding it, she dug through it until she found what she was looking for, her hairbrush, shampoo, makeup, and a clean set of clothes. Lita frowned and bit her lip as she looked at the clothes in her hands, tight red hip-huggers and a black tube top. Is this all I have? She thought to herself before remembering that the rest of her things were in the trunk of hers and Essa�s car. Damn! I�m going to have to get them back before Essa burns them or something�
�What�s wrong babe?� Jeff�s voice shook Lita out of her reverie and she looked over to see him watching her over the edge of the bed. Lita smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
�It�s nothing important.� Jeff looked at her, then down to the clothes she had in her hands and then back up to her face. It was obvious that something was wrong and that she wasn�t telling him.
�I can see that something�s bothering you, tell me and I�ll see if there�s anything I can do about it.� Lita smiled tenderly at him, her heart melting at his words. Still, she didn�t want to bother him unnecessarily.
�Really, it�s nothing important. I just realized that I have to go get the rest of my stuff from Essa, that�s all.� At the mention of Essa, Jeff�s eyes turned dark and his Jaw clenched. He still wanted to kill the bastard.
�Lita honey, I don�t want you to be alone with him again. Not after what he pulled yesterday. I�ll go get your stuff for you later, okay babe?� Before Lita could answer, the bathroom door opened and Matt stepped out, a towel wrapped around his hips and water dripping from his muscular chest.
�Bathroom�s yours.� He mumbled, walking over to where his stuff was. Lita stood up and gave Jeff a quick kiss on the lips before turning and disappearing into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. A few seconds later, the sound of the water running and the shower door being closed could be heard. Jeff squeezed his eyes shut and folded his arms under his head, a mental picture of his Lita in the shower making him hard with need. Suddenly feeling Matt staring at him, he groaned.
�Stop that.� He said as he opened his eyes and sat up, looking over to where Matt was standing with a strange look on his face.
�I�m happy for you Jeffy, she�s a great girl.� Jeff chuckled and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
�Jesus, you�re not going to hug me again, are you Matt?� He said teasingly as he grabbed his boxers off the floor and slipped them on. Matt laughed and shook his head in the negative.
�Nah, but I�m serious Jeff. You�re lucky to have a woman that good, don�t fuck it up.� Jeff turned and looked at his older brother, seeing that he really was serious. Wanting to reassure him, he grinned and sat down at the small table where breakfast trays were laid out.
�Don�t worry bro, I love her. I�m not letting her go�ever.� Matt smiled and was about to say something when the sound of Lita singing in the shower reached their ears. Jeff recognized the song to be Shania Twain�s �From this moment on� and both brothers were silent as they listened.
�Right beside you is
where I belong
From this moment on
From this moment I
I have been blessed
I live only for your
Happiness
And for your love I�d
Give my last breath
From this moment on
I give my hand to you
With all my heart
Can�t wait to live my life with you,
Can�t wait to start
You and I will never be apart
My dreams came true because of you�
From this moment as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this
There is nothing, I wouldn�t give
From this moment on�
They were silent until the song ended and they heard the shower being turned off. Jeff smiled to himself and then at Matt, who was still enchanted by the sound of Lita�s voice.
�Eh-hem! Hellooo Matt? If you could roll your tongue back up for just a second I have something I need to speak with you about before Lita comes out.� Matt snapped out of it and grinned sheepishly.
�Sorry bro, didn�t mean to do that. What do you need to talk to me about?� Jeff explained the situation with Essa having Lita�s stuff and Matt was quick to agree with him.
�I agree with you man, don�t let her anywhere near that asshole. If you want, I could go get her stuff, that way you could have some uh�private time.� Jeff thanked him for offering and was just about to say something more when the phone rang. Jeff got up and answered it.
�Oh hey Edge�yeah she�s staying here from now on�No shit�Did you get Rios back to his hotel room okay�uh huh�Any trouble with Vince�no�what are you talking about�HE DID WHAT!!!�That sonofabitch�what? Oh nothing, I�ll figure something out�Thanks for calling bud�yeah, see you on Monday�bye.� Jeff hung up the phone and sat back down at the table, fury evident in his face. Matt knew instantly that something was wrong and that it somehow involved Lita.
�What�d Edge have to say?� Jeff didn�t answer right away, he was too busy trying to calm himself down. After a few seconds, he was able to answer his brother.
�After they took Rios to his hotel room, they stayed and made sure that there was no alcohol left in the room. Rios flipped and started tearing the place apart, throwing stuff around and shit like that. Anyway, to make a long story short, the bastard got all of Lita�s things together and threw them out, ALL of her things. Edge said that Rios made sure there was nothing left of Lita�s and that when Christian tried to stop him, he punched him out cold.� Matt stared at him in disbelief, his mouth hanging open in shock.
�I hope they stomped a fuckin mudhole in his ass after that!� Jeff smiled evilly and nodded his head.
�Oh they did. Apparently Chyna and Hunter went with them and Chyna got a little over-zealous on the nut-shots. Edge said it took him and Hunter to pull her off Rios before she made him a freakin eunuch!� Matt winced at this, visions of Chyna beating Essa into a bloody pulp were vivid in his mind.
�So what are we going to do about her things? It�s obvious that we�re not going to get them from Rios now.� Jeff stroked his chin thoughtfully, thinking about how they were going to get Lita the things she needed. Finally, Jeff sighed and shook his head.
�Guess me and her will be going shopping after breakfast.� Lita had just opened the bathroom door and was stepping out when she heard Jeff�s comment. Smiling, she came up behind Jeff and wrapped her arms around his neck.
�Who�s going shopping?� She asked as she pressed a kiss into his neck. Jeff smiled and motioned for her to have a seat at the table beside him. Obliging him, Lita sat down and started peeling an orange, its fragrance filling the air.
�So when are we going to get my stuff from Essa? I kinda need my clothes and my ring gear.� Matt coughed and suddenly became very interested in the pancakes that lay on the table before him. Lita raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Jeff cleared his throat nervously, not meeting her eyes.
�Um, yeah. About your stuff, babe, there�s something I have to tell you��