Lass Ride: Changing Gears

Chapter 7

Becky didn't need to look at the pictures. She had been there for each of those moments and had done her best to commit them to memory, hoping they would fuel her through the upcoming weeks and months she would have to spend apart from her dearest friends. She still looked, though, feeling indignation burn in her stomach like bile. She was allowed to have friends outside the company; there was no provision in the contract about that. If the McMahons were worried that she was leaking spoilers or giving away internal information, they were looking at the wrong person, because Becky barely knew anything about her upcoming storylines, let alone anything considered more important. It wasn't like she was spending every free minute with her friends, nor were they affecting her ability to work. How was it the McMahons' business who she associated with outside of a WWE ring? If they had any gripes, Becky could concede that they had a reason to be concerned about her showing up to her friends' indie shows, but she always went in disguise, never stayed long, and never made a scene.

Stephanie closed the screen with the surveillance pictures so suddenly that it almost made Becky dizzy. The other open window showed the old real estate listing for the hotel Roman's family had bought. When she was certain Becky had got a good look at that, Stephanie shut the laptop and turned it back around. "Like I said, my father doesn't know about these yet, and neither does Hunter. He's in Japan right now, by the way," Stephanie added with a cruel edge to her smile. "So don't bother trying to call him." Once again she motioned to the chair on Becky's side of the desk. "So have a seat and we'll talk."

Lowering herself into the chair slowly, Becky glanced over at Randy. "Does he need to be here? Are you really that worried that I'm going to launch myself over the desk and attack you?" When neither of them replied, Becky huffed out a breath. "I have a provision in my contract. . . ."

Nose wrinkling slightly in distaste, Stephanie nodded. "I'm aware. I'm not entirely sure why," she added, looking at Randy and then Becky. "I can't remember you two ever having a run-in, but. . . ." After a few moments, she dismissed Randy with a wave. "Go on. I'll be fine. Becky might do something stupid if it only came back to haunt her, but she knows her friends will suffer if she does anything to me, so she's going to behave. Aren't you?"

Becky wanted to take Stephanie's patronizing tone and shove it down her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm. Stephanie had just voiced one of her biggest fears, and Becky knew that Stephanie was a lot smarter than most people gave her credit for. Stephanie McMahon might have been the boss's daughter, but that would only ever get her so far; the keen mind and business acumen were all hers. "I won't start swinging fists if you don't," she said simply, folding her hands in her lap.

"Good." Stephanie nodded and motioned again to Randy. "Stay close to the door, just in case. Not close enough to eavesdrop," she added as a concession to Becky. "If anyone asks what you're doing, just tell them I'm on a call." Randy looked dubious, but he did as he was told, closing the door firmly behind him on his way out.

Becky highly doubted she would have any privacy. Randy might not be in the room, but Stephanie wasn't stupid; she would have a recording device somewhere, and there was probably a security camera that Becky couldn't see. "You've seen what I've brought to the women's division in a matter of months," Becky said flatly. She wasn't trying to brag, but if she could appeal to Stephanie's love of profit, maybe they could come to terms. "People are taking it seriously again. Women have had the main-event match on RAW three times in the past two months, and four times over on SmackDown. People are asking for more women's matches, more specials on the network. When Lawler says sexist shit, Twitter is taking him to task. The fans care, Stephanie. I didn't do it all, not by a long shot, but I helped it happen. Do you really want to fire me and lose some of that momentum over a few photos?"