Masked Heart

Chapter Thirty

Bret paced up and down the ring like a caged animal as John made his entrance. He was heeling it up and finding it relatively easy as he was so pent up with anger and frustration that his wife was essentially being stalked. John gave him an almost worried look as he entered the ring and Bret squared up, ostensibly to get in his face and trash talk him.

"It's ok, kid. I ain't gonna shoot on you. Ready to put on a show for these good people?" And he gave a small smile before they locked up. It was a fantastic match and Bret did a good job of selling John as a hero, enough to get the crowd behind him as he wrapped a figure four round his legs on the ring post and got in a few cheap shots which made the crowd boo him loudly. When they got back to the gorilla, John put his arm round Bret.

"Thanks Bret," he said. "That was a brilliant match."

"Thanks to you as well. That was great," Bret said. They talked on the way down to the locker room and then he grabbed his phone, calling Rain before he did anything else. She was back at the hotel with Eva and sounded sleepy when she answered. "Did I wake you?" he asked softly.

"No," she said, but then yawned. He chuckled.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah. Eva has just had her bottle and we are cuddling on the bed still. She's kinda halfway there. Oh, spoke too soon."

"Dada!" He heard and laughed.

"Hey baby," said Bret, hearing her. "You should be asleep."

"Eva sleep," she replied solemnly and he laughed again.

"Daddy be home soon and he's gonna find you asleep in your cot? Yes?"

"No Dada. Eva Dada."

"Erm yes Eva, sleep for little girls." He wasn't always sure how much of what she said his girl understood but she was definitely his daughter with a mischievous streak that reminded him of himself as a boy.

"She's back on her bottle," Rain said, coming back to the phone. "Nothing in it now, she's just chewing the teat. I'm not sure she'll be awake when you come in whatever she says; she's almost out of it now!"

"She just loves the Hitman," Bret boasted with a chuckle.

"She loves her daddy," Rain countered. "We'll see you soon."

She was more relaxed now they were on tour which was understandable. He doubted Joe would turn up while they were in a different hotel every night because of the cost if nothing else. Stripping from his ring gear he had a quick shower and dressed then hung around catering until it was time to leave talking with some of the other talent, including John who had kind of latched on to him. He didn't mind though; he had a lot of time for the kid who he saw as a major talent in the making. Bret quite liked the idea of mentoring the next generation of superstars and was quite vocal on talent who didn't.

By the time he reached the hotel room later that night Rain and Eva were fast asleep on the bed, Eva still cuddled in Rain's arms. The sight of them always caused a shock of love to rush through him, particularly moments like this. Rain stirred and opened her eyes sleepily. He leaned down to kiss her lips tenderly and then lifted Eva from her, placing the sleeping baby in her cot. Eva didn't even stir as he climbed into the bed beside Rain.

"You hungry?" Rain asked. He shook his head.

"I had something in catering. It wasn't bad tonight. There was cold chicken and ham and salad and stuff."

"That's good. How was the match with John?"

"It was great. It's sometimes fun to play the heel."

"Well you have a lot of bad boy in there to tap into," Rain replied, giggling as she tapped his chest. Bret raised an eyebrow and then pulled her into a loose headlock, kissing the top of her head. To his surprise she grabbed his arm and vaulted it off of her.