Falling for the Perfect 10

Chapter 4: A Debut and Desperation

It was a week later and we were filming for my NXT on screen debut. We filmed a couple NXT tapings at a time so while I wouldn't be in the ring this week, I'd be in a backstage segment with Tye that would go on as an exclusive on the WWE network following NXT. Then we'd all change for the next round of tapings.

Earlier I had watched the interview begin with Tye talking about how he wasn't joining SAnitY and saw the attack that took place during the interview, Jose and Roderick making the save. The main event was set for later, Tye, Jose and Roderick v. SAnitY. I kissed Tye's cheek before he went out for the match and he winked down at me. "Soon the world will know about us," he said. "You ready for that?"

I shrugged. "As long as you're all mine, I don't care if everyone knows."

He smirked and stole a quick kiss. "Just yours," he promised.

I smiled and watched Tye's entrance, loving how the fans reacted to him. I know it gave Tye an adrenaline rush. Jose's entrance was next and it was, as always fun. Roderick Strong went out next and the crowd cheered for him too and I smiled, seeing the three guys prep in their corner for their opponents.

SAnitY's music hit and I watched the entrance from my place backstage, Liv standing beside me as we watched. The guys held their own, doing a good job of tagging in and out. However, when Killian Dain tagged in I winced, seeing him go directly for Tye, hitting him hard. The match continued and when it looked like Roderick might get the pin on Young things broke down. Wolfe broke up the pin and Jose took him to the outside. Roderick hit the ropes to go after Eric Young again but was tripped up by Killian Dain. Tye slid in while the ref focused on Dain and hit the Tyebreaker on Eric Young but then I saw it happen. Nikki climbed to the top rope and launched onto Tye, delivering a hurricarana over the top rope and knocking Tye over. She was back on the apron quickly, drawing the ref's attention and Dain hit Roderick with a cross body, knocking the wind from Roderick. Eric Young picked up the win. SAnitY left the ring area and that was my cue to meet Tye and the guys once backstage.

My concern for Tye and the guys was genuine and as Hunter had always said, genuine emotions make it easy to put it on screen. As the trio came back stage the cameras got on them as they checked each other, Roderick holding his ribs from the hit and Tye and Jose nursing other bumps. Tye looked at me and gave me a look, telling me it was time. I walked into the shot and wrapped my arms carefully around him, taking some of his weight.

"You guys okay?" I asked, my eyes on Tye for a moment before looking at Jose and Roderick. I reached a hand out to Roderick, carefully placing my hand on his shoulder. "Roddy?" I asked.

He nodded slowly, carefully and took a deep breath. Jose waved me off and I turned to Tye, as we'd planned. "Tye?" I asked, my right hand sliding up to go around the back of his neck, getting him to focus on me.

"I told you I should've been out there," I said, letting a little annoyance lace my voice.

Tye sighed. "And I told you, I don't want you out there. Young is insane, who knows what could happen to you?"

"And looked what happened to you guys cause I wasn't out there to stop Nikki," I replied.

Tye sighed. "I'm not going to make you a target for them," he replied. I clenched my jaw.

"Fine, I'll make Nikki a target," I said. Tye sighed, implying we'd had this conversation hundreds of times before taking my cheek in his hands and pulling me close to him, our foreheads touching.

"You're not gonna stop, are you?" He asked, the camera close-up on us now, catching his words.

"Not until they do," I responded, Tye let out a breath and gently kissed my lips, so light it barely counted as an actual kiss. It reminded me of the almost kiss from outside the dance club, the night we first started seeing each other.