I made my way toward the ring, wanting to take a look around as I have since being in the business. The calm before the storm, I loved it. Regardless of how I was viewed, loved or hated, I loved every minute I had to entertain. I lived for it, I was born into it, and I carried on my father's legacy the best I could. I always wanted to make my family proud, no matter what the circumstances.
I nodded, smiled, and made conversation with some of the crew and my fellow co-workers as I made my way down the ramp. The seats were completely empty, the only noises from the crew fast at work since the doors would open in 2 hours. Then it was on, my favorite time.
When my eyes fell on Kaiser, I took a deep breath, calming the slight bit of anger that rose in me. He wasn't a bad guy to work with. I had worked with him since I ventured into NXT then came to the WWE. He was a chill guy and I had even hung out with him back in the day because he was close friends with Corey Graves. My issue with him was hidden way beneath the skin and in the corner of my heart. He had something that I longed to have, something that I missed everyday for over 3 years, and that made me dislike him to a point. I know he didn't know, like most of the people in this company because I kept my shit private. But, if push came to shove, I can't say I wouldn't knock his ass out.
"Hey big guy." Kaiser smiled, fist bumping me.
"What's up Brooks." I put on one of my smiles, nodding toward some of the other production guys I had worked with through the years.
"I've been trying to link up with you, Paul and Shane want us to cut a promo about your upcoming run with Strowman." Kaiser continued talking, walking beside me towards the ring. "I know you did something with Curtis and Dustin already."
"Yeah, we cut it a couple weeks ago in California." I took a sip of my water, turning toward the red headed man before me.
"I watched it, it was great. We are gonna run that tonight, but we where wanting to add a bit more to it. I've got a few ideas, and I haven't gotten with the writing team yet, but I'm sure Vince and Amy have caught you up on somethings."
"Yeah, Yeah. Well I'm down for whatever brother. Just let me know when you want to link up and we can make it happen." I smiled, shaking his extended hand .
"Awesome, thanks Roman. I'm looking forward to working with you again." He replied, smiling.
"Same here, and please, call me Joe."
"Will do. Have a good match tonight man." He patted me on the shoulder before walking off.
My eyes scanned the ring before I walked up the steps, stepping inside. I had so much on my mind but I knew once I stepped into this ring I had to leave it all backstage and give the fans the show they paid for. It hadn't been easy the past couple weeks, since big news had been announced that all my closest friends were over the moon about. I was excited but I was also somber, because I knew I couldn't be excited about it.
My thoughts stopped as my eyes wondered up in the seats, butterflies instantly forming in my stomach. There she stood with my best friend Jon, smiling and laughing, holding onto the little girl I had come to find out was her daughter. She was still the most beautiful woman I had laid my eyes on, even though her blonde hair had been changed to a dark brown, and her pale skin was now a slight tan. She wasn't built like the divas, or my wife for that matter, but she was perfect in my eyes. I had surprised myself all those years ago when I had fallen in love with someone other than my wife, but she was so very different, and she changed me. She shared her life with me and taught me things I never took the time to enjoy before. I spent two years with her, and I was so close to divorcing Galina and making it public with her because I was tired of hiding her from the world when I ended up getting injured and needing emergency surgery. I never thought she would come to Florida, but she did and I was caught, breaking her heart which broke me. She cut off all contact with me, which I couldn't blame her and when I finally came back to action I saw she had moved on with Kaiser Brooks. She was working on her life and she didn't want me to be apart of it no matter how many times I tried to redeem myself, and I couldn't blame her. After one last night together in a North Carolina hotel room, she disappeared. Changing her numbers, deleting her social medias, and cutting all contact off with anything from this world....including our friends. She wanted nothing to do with anything remotely reminding her of me. So I knew she had battled with the decision of coming back after all these years.
I watched as she carried her daughter toward Brooks. He was a lucky son of a bitch to have her. I watched as they interacted as a family, but something about her body language caught me off guard. I could tell in the way she reacted to his touch, his kisses, and in her smile that she wasn't really in love with him. That had me smiling, but it also had me pissed. Why was she letting him touch her, kiss her, wearing his last name, hell, she even let him give her a baby. My smile left my face as I watched his lips on her. My Wynonna. I didn't look away, even when her eyes met mine, I kept eye contact. I wanted her to know I was here, I wanted her to see that I would be around and I wouldn't be going anywhere. I raised a brow, wondering why she suddenly wanted to hide her daughter from me, as I slide out the ring, smiling as she took off.
"Oh, baby girl." I chuckled to myself. "I do love a chase."
I watched her make her way to Jon and Renee, letting them know I had caught site of her as I hopped the barricade.
"Ambrose!" I called out, her eyes turning to me one more time before she and Renee made a quick exit.
"Reigns!" Jon called back out, walking down in front of me, blocking my path. "What's up brotha?"
"You never were a good blocker Jon." I smiled at him.
"That's why I never played college ball." He chuckled, giving me a bro hug.
"She's running already huh?" I smiled at him.
"Joe, c'mon brotha." He sighed, running his hands over his hair. "Things are different now, we had this conversation a shit ton of times in the past and last night."
"I can't just walk on egg shells around here, and she does know she will have to see me eventually." I replied.
"Why?" He asked quickly.
"Um, appearances and promo's. What else for?" My brow raised. "What's she told you?"
"Huh? I don't know- look just keep it professional alright big dog?"
"I'm not gonna force myself on her. We ain't kids no more, I get it." I sighed, defeated.
"You weren't kids when you were together before. Bunch of sinners." Jon replied making me chuckle. "I'm serious, I hang out with a bunch of sinners. Your all the reason I'm going to hell."
I laughed out, walking backstage with my best friend. I knew he knew more about Wynonna then he would be willing to tell, and that was fine for now. But I did know that I would eventually get her in the right place and make her talk to me. I needed her to forgive me for what I had done. If that meant we would never be friends, or even on speaking terms afterwards I would have to learn to leave with it. I couldn't change the past, all I could do is hope for a better future, and pray that someway, somehow, Wynonna would be apart of it.
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