They say “You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger” anger and punishment it’s a double edged sword, in which side do you think I will stand with? The side where I will receive no punishment for being angry? Or the side where I will punish myself for being angry? I know where I’ll stand, so believe me when I say this… being punished for something as little as pushing three girls out of my way, is a walk in the park compared to what my mind would do to me if I didn’t lash out.
My mother always warned me that my anger would get the better of me and that the rage that’s deep inside me - no don’t get excited Rage or get your hopes up that’s not a pun directed at you, being inside me because let’s honest it wouldn’t be much of a “deep penetration” – would be the ultimate reason why I will fail in life. Well look at me now mum, I mean… if you weren’t 6ft under pushing up blades of grass, you would be able to see that you were wrong. Everything I have done in my life that has gotten me to this point has been worth it, every spark of “anger” every near break of my sanity and every push and shove when it came to making decisions has been worth it because I now have answers. The answers to every single question I have ever asked myself in life… I’m complete and for once I can finally tell you, that you were wrong.
I have punished myself long enough begging for your approval and now I know that all that time was wasted, do you really think that I will repeat the same process over and over again? You’re sadly mistaken, just like Mark Ward, who thinks he can control me by simply removing something that holds no value to me – Money. News flash you cannot control someone who has lost all their will to be directed, you cannot give directions to someone who refuses to be guided. So realistically let’s ask ourselves what is punishment?
Punishment: noun - a penalty inflicted as retribution for an offence. My offence; attacking three stage hands during High Stakes, my punishment the rest of the year I go without getting paid by Sin City Wrestling. My Bosses reaction to the event; justified, my reaction to the punishment, amused.
Hot Stuff, do you really think I’m driven by money? Do you really think that will stop me? You’re a fool if you do and I have no doubts in my mind that you know I will break the conditions of your proposal. If I so happen to lay a hand on someone else, stage hand, backstage worker, wrestler alike whilst not in the ring you will target my “friends” News flash, my friends no longer work for you. You cannot take a single penny from Gabriel and Odette Stevens, so I’m assuming you mean Ben? Drowning in money Ben Jordan? Consider your threat taken on board and yet consider it to be greatly ignored.
Punishments are rarely fair they are rarely justified but mine from Sin City Wrestling is just a flat line joke. It’s not going to stop me, if anything it’s going to encourage me to do more… I mean how far can I go before I’m begging Mark Ward to stop? Or how long can I continue on this path before Mark Ward is pleading with me to stop? Welcome to my frame of mind, welcome to how I operate, everything is a code, everything is a challenge and everything is set out for me to take on a knock down. They say don’t ever bite the hand that feeds you, but when the hand stops feeding you… what’s stopping you from biting back?
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
My Father always told me there are two different sets of people in life there are people who are gifted with nourishment and there are people who are dealt with punishment. You see I could wish for nourishment, but in reality we all know what God is dishing out for me purely for my life choices. My Father used to always say “at my age you want nourishment not punishment” and yet he was the most crippling, god awful man I have ever meet in my entire life and still I find myself following his footsteps following his path more and more as time continues. Clearly I’m just a sucker for pain.
So I guess this leads me to the next step on the road of my journey when I finally get to reclaim my ways of domination and destruction. This Sunday night I can right my wrongs from losing at High Stakes to Kate Steele when I get to go one on one with Amy Marshall. I mean let’s be honest, that’s what mixed tag team matches are right? Just two one on one matches combined into one, like a combo deal. You’ll get to see Amy Marshall and myself, tear the house down and maybe just maybe if I’M lucky I’ll get to see Ben Jordan teach Jamie Dean a lesson that he should have been taught a long, long, long time ago in - Respect. Apart of me wants to see a side of Ben that no one has ever seen before while a massive part of me knows that only the privileged get to see Ben Jordan in the raw. Come on, you didn’t think I was going to miss the chance to fantasize over my tag team partner did you? Never…
Regardless of the fun and games that I have in my head planned for Ben Jordan and myself this week in Cuba is strictly business, I can assure you. You see I let Gabriel down in my last match and if you for one second think that a strong minded, firm arsed, muscled up Englishman who if by chance just so happens to say the word commando to me platonically, it would probably (most definitely) make my knees spilt is going to distract me from my task at hand? You have another thing coming…
And no Steve Ramone, that’s not what she said.
##
Monday was here and gone and the two not so compatible forced tag team partners managed to make their way to Cuba, Ben got resettled back into his home while Evie just questioned herself every second she got as to what she was doing here. She felt bad in the pit of her stomach she knew it wasn’t right of her to be here, I mean what would her Mundo think? On Second thoughts she hadn’t exactly heard from him in a while so the distance between them and now her staying with Ben Jordan for the week was enough to send her mind into a meltdown. The distressing thing is; Evie didn’t have a moment to spare to break down because the souls of her past where always about reminding her that even if she wanted to she could never have a normal life. A normal life, wouldn’t that be beautiful?
If you would like a more in detailed run down of Team Ben and Evie’s Monday head over to Ben Jordan’s promo and you’ll soak it all in from there
Anyways speaking of being beautiful, the scene opens up well into Tuesday morning as the sounds of a buzzing busy street comes to life. People were talking away in Spanish, chatting about their days, singing, laughing and enjoying this pleasant day that their God had provided them. The sun way about and the rays were burning but the sun kissed tanned Cuban’s didn’t mind as they just carried on wearing basically the same outfits of tanned cargo pants with white wife-beater singlets covering their torsos. While the females were wearing tight shorts and tight shirts or beautiful handmade dresses that screamed vintage designer but were authentic to the local seamstresses that words tirelessly to accommodate the tourist that flocked to this area. This area of town of course was Old Havana, the second most populated city inside Havana it was a beautiful part of Havana with busy cafes and shops on every corner of the bright and beautiful buildings. While the cobbled streets were a beautiful step back in time, old yet pristine vintage American cars ruled the streets making Evie feel as if she was in some sort of alternative universe. The sounds of loud music pouring into the streets and even though she had never heard any of the songs before they all seemed strangely familiar to the songs her mother used to listen to while growing up.
Ben Jordan had decided to take Evie Baang on a tour of his new home, to show her some of the tourist hot spots they had spent the morning walking the streets of Old Havana before he took her to Old Square to snap the ridiculous selfie in front of the infamous water fountain that stood proudly in the middle of it. Evie couldn’t help but notice how at peace Ben was here, as he walked around in a pair of double plugged thongs, a pair of short bone coloured cargo pants and just a white t-shirt he wasn’t the suit wearing classy guy that she knew from back in the states he was this chilled out fun loving guy who loved the easy life. Evie had typically overdressed for the occasion as she wore a pair of thick chucky Dr Martens, with a grey trench coat, that looked as if she raided her partner’s wardrobe to obtain it, while she had a cute black wide brimmed hat sitting on the top of her head. Her long blackish-brown hair was down and curled while her face was perfectly made up in a natural blend of makeup. Ben had told her not overdo it but she had ignored him wholly and solely because she was a guest in his new home town and she didn’t want to put out any bad vibes to his new friendly neighbours or friends.
They were now sitting outside on a balcony of a café that looked towards the Plaza De La Cathedral, yet they also had small views of the Port of Havana. The two had ordered their lunch and were waiting on their meals while the sun beamed down on their skin, kissing it softy before a slight breeze caught them off guard. Evie’s hat was caught in the wind and it blew from the top of her head, directly towards Ben who managed to catch it and hand it back to her with a cheeky smile.
“I forgot to warn you, the sea breeze can be a little surprising at times.”
He was being short but polite in his conversation attempts. Most of the times they had spoken after work hours it was under a heavy influence of alcohol and they were a lot less concerned about what they were talking about as well you know what they say, alcohol makes the tongue dance. Wait I don’t actually think that is what they mean by it, after all. Evie just took her hat back from Ben and placed it on the chair beside her before she placed her black Hermes Birkin handbag on top of it to weigh it down. As Evie moved her hand away from her bag Ben’s eyes caught the name brand of it, before he looked back up at her in shock.
“I didn’t steal it if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I just used stolen money to buy it” is what she was going to follow that sentence up with but she bit her tongue and held it before faking a slight laugh to cover to the awkwardness of this all. Before Ben could reply the waiter had returned to place a bottle of Corona in front of Ben with a lime in it, Ben smiled up at him and nodded his head to thank him. While Evie eyed the waiter as he placed two drinks down in front of her one Lemon Lime and Bitters looking drink the other was her standard Whiskey and Coke.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Lo siento, parece que hay un error ... No he pedido esto.”
Her Spanish was flawless as the waiter just smiled at her before pointing over to a gentlemen sitting at the bar of the Café. Evie’s eyes followed in the direction of the waiter hands as did Ben’s to see an older male tipping his hat at the Young Australian. With a soft smile Evie brushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ears; somewhat embarrassed by it all before she lifted the glass of Lemon Lime and Bitters towards him, toasted him and faked a sip. As she brought the glass back down to the table Ben had a smirk from ear to ear just dancing on his face, he was just busting to say something.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Problem?”
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Not at all, do you often have strangers buying your drinks?”
Ben was joking with her, trying to get Evie to open up to him after all they were going to be partners this Sunday night and he didn’t want there to be the hindrance of awkwardness around them. Evie just rolled her hazel eyes at him and bit back with her response.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Weren’t you a stranger to me once and if my memory serves me correctly, didn’t you buy our first drink? So let’s not throw stones at glass walls that don’t need to be broken. I get what you’re doing… just relax Ben. I’ve got your back this Sunday night, I’d have your back any night… so don’t make this weird with small talk. Sure we don’t know each other that well, but trust me… small talk just isn’t our thing.”
Ben raised his right eyebrow at Evie unsure on what she was hinting at.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “And what exactly is our thing?”
Evie dragged her bottom lip into her mouth not because she was shying away from him but because she was playing with him. She placed right hand under the table but Ben didn’t notice it as he was too focused on her eyes that were enticing him into the conversation he wanted to know how she saw their friendship so he knew what he had left to work with when it came to building them into a functioning tag team by Sunday night. Right now he had his work cut out for him.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Oh you know, I always thought our thing was exchanging pleasantries under the table in busy cafés.”
As she spoke her right hand found his leg and gave it a tight squeeze holding his thigh firmly for a few seconds, from the shock of it Ben’s knee slammed into the table causing a noise to erupt from their cutlery bouncing off their dinnerware on the table. A few people around them turned to look at the both but Ben was too busy looking at Evie who had the look of the devil in her eye as she finally dragged her hand away from his leg. She had a brazen smile on her face as Ben rubbed the top of his knee cap soothing the sting.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “That’s not our thing, that’s so not our thing.”
Evie just shrugged it off as she brought her cold whiskey and coke to her lips to take a sip; she looked at him with a side eye as he fixed his posture. Ben was trying to regain composure from her messing with his mind. As Evie pulled her glass away from her lips, she swallowed her drink before licking her lips savouring the flavours that were sitting on her lips. All the time her eyes never left Ben’s as she teased him.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Relax Pistol Pete… so much pent up frustration Benny, it can’t be good for the soul and when I say soul I mean your balls. We need to find you a girl, I’m sure there are some nice Cuban girls around here somewhere.”
As Evie started to look around the café, she couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched and she wasn’t talking about the guy at the bar or the fact that Ben was glaring at her. She just had an uneasy feeling in her stomach that she wasn’t alone with Ben Jordan and that someone else she knew was nearby. Her eyes scanned her surroundings looking for something – someone - anything so she could put this feeling to rest but she came up empty handed, it wasn’t paranoia if there was anything her previous line of work taught her was to always trust her gut feeling and her gut was telling that right now they were being watched.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Thanks for the offer Eves, but I’m fine the dating scene isn’t really in my sights at the moment.”
Evie heard Ben’s English accent and it brought her back to him as she curled her lip up at him confused, she didn’t understand why he wouldn’t be four girls deep by lunch time with the way he looked but she quickly remembered that not all men who look like gods act like dicks.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Suit yourself, more for me.”
A sigh left Ben’s lips he was going to have to tell Evie the painful truth and even though he enjoyed her banter he needed to set her straight.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Eves you’re a nice girl, beautiful, funny amazing and hardworking, but this thing you keep hinting at between us isn’t going to happen.”
Evie let out a small laugh as she watched Ben painfully tell her that he wasn’t interested in her in that way. However she wasn’t hurt she wasn’t upset and she sure as hell wasn’t going to stop tormenting him. Nevertheless she did need to let me know that she already knew that things between them were never going to happen. She was just being Evie when it came to him over flowing him with banter that only Ben Jordan got to enjoy.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “I wasn’t talking about you Ben; I was referring to the Cuban girls.”
She winked at him and at first Ben was all smiles, until what she had just said sunk in and all of a sudden his expression changed to one that was questioning her and everything he knew about her.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Oh… wait don’t you have a boyfriend?”
As soon as he asked that question Ben wanted to back pedal it wasn’t any of his business and he didn’t want to step over any lines. Her relationship status was like the one thing he thought he knew about her and the fact that it might have been something completely different was making him believe they were going to have to start all over again. Evie just watched as the waiter started to walk out from the kitchen with two plates in his hands that was carrying the same meals that Ben and herself had ordered, in just a few moments she was going to be saved from this weird feeling that was stinging her chest.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “He’s been away for an awful long time, plus I kinda don’t really know what we are I mean we have never actually had the talk.”
And on cue the waiter had arrived and served them up their lunches and Evie was saved by the bell. The conversation went dead quiet before Ben Jordan picked it up and soon they were lost in deep conversation about life, food and goals. Yet even though she was sharing a meal with her tag team partner she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were both being watched, so her eyes were always peeled and were always scanning their perimeters after all if something or someone from her past was around she would just have to save herself she would have to protect the mountain of muscles that was sitting directly across from her as well.
##
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Wednesday! Oh Wednesday was a good day I mean I didn’t do anything but relax all day then I overheard Mark Ward talking to Ben Jordan trying to convince the Cockney King to stay. Hopefully with a bit of luck he will get his way and finally Ben Jordan can take his spot in the singles division, you know at the top! Oh if you have NO idea what I’m talking about, you might need to switch to Ben Jordan’s promotional to catch up to speed. Go on I’ll wait, I’ve even give you an extra forty-five minute to rub one out when you see my little cameo in my tiny… tiny… tiny… white bikini.”
Cue waiting music.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Oh good you’re back… now let’s get back to business. Let’s show you what happened on Thursday shall we?”
Thursday was another beautiful day in Havana Cuba, the sun was out the birds were chirping and the beach was calling their names. The advantage of Ben Jordan living right on the beach front was the unlimited trips to the beach that Evie had taken since she had first arrived here in Cuba. Even when she was here for his big beach bash, Evie spent most of her time on the beach the saltiness in the air reminded her of home. The sound of the waves rolling in and crashing on the shoreline was enough to calm her and free her mind for a moment something that was rare to her, Evie never had an empty mind it was always racing. Always chasing something always after something and always ripping her apart from real life the past and the present.
Ben was waist deep in the ocean in front of her; the water was crystal clear as he was looking at the bottom of the white sandy ocean floor looking at something he had found. Evie was leaning up against a rock that was up on the beach, with a half drunk Corona bottle in her hands. Evie was standing with her backside resting against the rock while she was wearing a black bikini that made the white one from yesterday look like a nun’s outfit. It’s not that Evie wanted to show off her body to Ben, it was just her normal swimwear she was proud of her body, proud of her flat, toned waistline, her abs she why cover something up that took forever to build? She was even proud of the unexplainable scars – well she could explain them but probably not to you. Her scars littered her body and of course her large and bold tattoos we something else she didn’t mind having on display. However let’s be honest no one had to stress about Ben giving Evie a second look, he had a type – red heads and clearly she wasn’t a ranger so not to worry.
Evie’s long brown hair was wet and pulled back to one side, meaning she had been in the water but now she was taking her time out to enjoy the coolness of the Corona as the afternoon sun beamed down onto them still hot and still sticky. She looked peaceful; well that’s how Ben would have described it from his position in the ocean as he looked up towards her for a moment before returning back to his swimming. Evie took another sip of her Corona that was in her right hand while her left hand came down to rest against her waist, covering her belly for a second. The last thing she remembers about being in the now was watching a Englishmen swim and reminding herself to asking him who taught him how to, later of course it was light hearted Aussie VS British banter that would result in another hour long debate about which countries sporting teams were better. However the vision of perfection before her of Ben’s half naked body floating around the water swimming, turned from his ripped muscles, to the water until it faded to the bottle in her hand. Evie rested the bottle against her face, thinking that the heat was getting to her and within a single blink the bottle had changed in her mind to a loaded gun and she could hear a voice, an old familiar voice.
“Evie how many times have I told you, you need to check the safety is off first?”
In her mind she was eight again and her father way standing right beside her, as she stood there with a 9mm in both of her tiny little hands shaking them as she held the gun out in front of her. Evie was looking at the laser scope on the top barrel of the gun, while trying to line up a tin can that was sitting alone the back wall of her basement. She turned to look up at her father seeing the mixture of being proud of his little girl but disappointed at her as well. It was a frightening look because Evie had witnessed what her father did to people who had let him down; she didn’t want to be one of those people. At the tender age of eight she already had the concept in her mind that she needed to please people to keep them happy. By pleasing people she didn’t mean sexually she just meant by doing what she was told when it came to certain people in her life. Her list was short because the list of people she could trust was dictated by her father and every now and then the list would change as her father removed people from the list or Evie would just figure out for herself who was a snake before the grass was mowed.
“You need to learn how to handle a gun Poppy, or you’ll never amount to anything… sure you can use a knight but when I was your age, I could defend myself with both… it’s not rocket science Poppy. Aim, balance, settle yourself, squeeze, shoot, kill.”
Little Evie turned to look up at her father her gun still pointed down the home made range as she spoke to him.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Why can’t I just be normal? Why do I have to learn all this stuff, no one else learns this stuff.”
That’s when she remembered her father’s hand resting on her shoulder squeezing it tightly as he shook her. She could picture his hardened face now level with hers as his piercing blue eyes glared into hers. He had a presence about him that made you feel cold, making the hairs on your spine rise up and Goosebumps flood your body. Evie was convinced that her father would never actually physically hurt her; she just never wanted to push him to the point where he would snap and have no other option. She could handle the abandonment of him locking her in her room for days as punishment, but she couldn’t and wouldn’t know how to deal with herself if she thought her father saw her as a failure and lumped her with the rest of the disappointments that had ventured into his life.
“Because I’m your father and I’m telling you, you fucking need to learn this skill… now stop wasting my fucking time and shoot the fucking can. I won’t be around forever and who is going to defend you huh? Who is going to protect everything I have obtained for you and your mother? Who is going to protect the safes filled with cash, the weapons and the jewellery huh? Fucking think Poppy, think before you ask such stupid fucking questions. Now for the love of God, shoot the fucking can… if you can’t shoot the can by the time I count to ten… you’re dead to me.”
She had made him mad and now he was using that against her, Evie remembered as the gun trembled in her hands as she turned away from her father fighting the urge to cry. She lifted the gun up and that’s when she heard her father’s voice once again bellowing in her ears. “Ten” He was seriously counting down and she had to try and figure out what she was meant to do, her father had stepped her through the process and now she had nine seconds to fulfil his demand. “Nine” Evie remembered as her finger slide across the trigger as she lined up the can just sitting their innocently, before she brought her finger across to the safety she switch it off before her wobbly hands that felt like jelly raised back up looking for the target. “Eight” he was getting louder and louder as he shouted at her, before she finally took a shot. The bullet powered out of the gun spinning as it edged closer to its destination. “Seven” The bullet made impact with the cement wall behind the can she was so close, so very close. Evie quickly held the gun back up and poised herself before she took another attempt this time the bullet pierced the can and the contains inside it splattered against the wall and fell to the ground. Evie turned to look at her father sliding the safety back on the gun, so she didn’t get in trouble she was quivering as her father just looked down at her laughing, proudly laughing. Her father’s laughter was haunting, so plaguing that it had stayed with her every single day of her life and played with her mind.
The sound of him laughing at her was abruptly cut off from the feeling of the “gun” being removed her hands and her name being spoken to her.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Eves… Eves… Hello earth to Evie.”
Ben took the half-finished bottle of Corona out of Evie’s hand as he could see that something was troubling her, with three blinks she turned to look at Ben with a fake smile on her face.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Hey, sorry what?”
Ben just let out a slight chuckle before realised that Evie was shaky slightly, as a cool breeze blew up from the ocean. Ben found it weird that she was cold considering she spent a fair chunk of her time in Russia but it kicked in that she might have been in shock about something. He quickly removed the towel that was wrapped around his waist and moved it up towards her. Wrapping it around her shoulders before pulling her towards him, Evie didn’t know what to do or say but she felt Ben’s hands slip away from her body once he had made sure the towel was firmly cocooned around her body shielding her.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “You okay Eves?”
Evie just looked at Ben with an uneasy smile, she had never had anyone witness her in the middle of a flashback to her past and that was troubling her. She was weakening something that would get her shot in her line of work or maybe she was just over reacting? She couldn’t put her finger on it right now.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “I’m fine… I must be sunburnt or something?”
She tried to play if off but she knew Ben was smarter than that and she knew that he would have figured out by now that she was lying to him, purely to save herself from having to explain what had happened. It wasn’t a story for him to know as she knew the more people that knew about her past the more people she would have to protect and she knew that if he even knew a glimmer of what she was really like, this whole friend’s thing would be off the table.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Hey… nick off that’s my drink.”
Ben had by accident brought Evie’s drink to his lips and finished the contents off the bottle in one swig, it was hot out and he was thirsty and well it was in his hand so he just assumed it was his. He looked down at the now empty bottle in his hand and smirked.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Was your drink, you were taking too long to finish it. It would have spoiled if you took any longer.”
He was shaking the empty bottle in her face as if to rub it in, but was met with a serious over kill eye roll.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “So this is what being a partner is all about, sharing drinks?”
Evie was smirking up at Ben, her body returning back to normal as she looked him up and down trying to see if she had gotten this tag team partner idea down pat. However she was messing with him as she knew there was a lot more in being a successful tag team partner she just wanted to the deflect Ben’s attention from the fact that was just moments away from losing herself before. She was meant to be fearless, ruthless an image of strength. A spooky goddess if you will but she was just literally moments away from losing it all on the beach in front of a guy she barely knows, all because her mind was playing tricks on her. She was pissed, she wasn’t mad at Ben she was mad at herself and that was driving her crazy.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “I don’t think you’re the type of girl who could share anything.”
He tried to soften the mood and the look on her face as she looked as if she was going to strangle the closest stranger on the beach just to free herself from the mind games she was currently unleashing on herself. He didn’t know what was going on in there but he could tell it wasn’t anything good by the way she was so mysterious, she was so outspoken yet she remained in the shadows and he could tell by the soft scars on her body that Evie had been through hell. He just couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t open up to anyone; he was almost tempted to call Gabriel or Odette to see if they would shed some light on her secrets. He didn’t know why he needed to know something, anything from her past but he was interested plus he thought it would help her move on and be free. He also thought it would help him build some solid ground when it came to trusting her. Evie could see that that Ben was analysing something in his mind and that bothered her so she quickly reached out and grabs onto his hand gently pulling him back into the now.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “I normally don’t play well with others, but trust me… I’ll show you at Climax Control that I can be that picture perfect Bombshell that Mark Ward wants me to be… for one week only. I know you can’t trust me because you’re not dumb, you have seen things that no one else has, all week little signs and now I know you’re trying to join the dots, my only request is that you stop. Stop trying to get to know my past, it’s not a good place to be… but believe me when I say this, I’m fully focused on our match this weekend and I will if I have to step in and take the heat off you… I will be the best female tag team partner you could ask for… but after that all bets are off, so maybe work out in your contract something that unbinds us so you don’t have to fork out money for me unleashing hell on the Bombshell division… one nauseating mole at a time. I can’t do placid, calmness fucks with me but I can assure you this week I’ll restrain myself.”
That was a lot for Ben to take in so he just stored it in the back of his mind for now and figured he would deal with it later. As of right now the sun was starting to set and they had dinner plans to get ready for.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Alrighty, let’s go take a shower and we can discuss Sunday night over dinner.”
Ben had walked right into a trap a trap that he knew as soon as he said it but he hoped that Evie would leave it alone and not go there. She was silent for a moment toying with the idea of just surprising Ben and going the less obvious way but nah that wasn’t her style when it came to him.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “A team building shower exercise… why wasn’t that written in the welcome to Cuba Team Building Week brochure? Now that sounds like a team building exercise I could wrap my hands around.”
She didn’t give him a moment to reply as she just took her leave walking past him, giving his firm arse a hardened slap as she walked past him. Ben just closed his eyes and shook his head from side to side, he had his hands full this week and the contents of his hands was Evie Luna Baang. Turning away from the water he followed her up the sandy beach, watching her like a hawk as she made her way towards his house.
##
Friday was another fun filled day with more beach goings, more midday naps followed with a quiet afternoon of dragging Ben Jordan away from his reading to have him venture out into the bustling nightlife that Cuba has to offer. Evie had heard wonderful stories about the nightlife in Cuba and seeing as it’s one of the only places on earth she hadn’t spent much time in she was desperate to sink her teeth into it. Now if you have been following the rules by now you would know to check Ben Jordan’s promotional to see how the first part of the night turned out for the Team of Ben and Evie. A few drinks and an attempted Salsa dance at a Cuban bar. However now the night had taking a twist and now Evie was on control of what was happening.
Hours onwards the two had managed to hit the town on a pub crawl something that both Brits and Aussies were famous for. Taking a detour from the main party strip Evie and Ben made their way down to the beach; they both had a drink in hand as they sat side by side on the beach looking out into the ocean. There was a distance between them as even though they had gotten someone what closure to each other this week they were still strangers and far from being best friends. Ben had taken his coat off and had offered it to Evie to cover her shoulders as the cool sea breeze blew at them from time to time reminding them of where they were as the two looked to be deep in conversation.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Okay, I’ve think we have put more than enough of these away for us to do this game correctly… we ask each other three questions about anything and we have to answer them honestly.”
Evie’s turned to look towards Ben to show him her eyes so he knew she was being serious. The main ingredient to a successful tag team was trust and well they didn’t really have anything there at the moment so she was trying to open up to him to allow him to see what she was truly like – well within reason. Ben smiled at the idea and just nodded his head in agreeance.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Alright, ladies first.”
He moved his right hand towards her opening his palm as if to motion for her to take the floor and start this team building exercises off.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Okay… So who is the real Ben Jordan?”
Evie was watching Ben as he ran his thumb down his beer bottle pushing the condensation down it before his beautiful bright white smile was seen.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “You don’t even need to ask that Eves, what you see is what you get. The real Ben Jordan is the same guy on camera and the same guy off camera.”
He flashed his smile showing her that he was being legit before he took a swig of his drink; his first question wasn’t that bad so he thought he was going to breeze through the rest of them. Evie took a moment to process his answer before she thought of a follow up question.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Rightyo question two what’s holding you back, work wise, relationship wise what’s your ball and chain?”
Hard hitting question Evie thought as she watched the Cockney King fumble with his thoughts at first. She had always wanted to ask him why he wasn’t aiming for the moon, he had the talent the looks and the money to be whatever he wanted to be but for some reason she felt like he was holding himself back and now he had to answer her honestly. Ben just took another mouthful of his beer before turning to look at the young Australian beside him.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Nothing is holding me back, I know what I’m capable of I just believe in being a part of something, working together in a team or a collective unit more so than leading something… If that makes any sense? Relationship wise… well… I’m just not interested that’s it plain and simple.”
Evie narrowed her eyes she didn’t believe him, in fact she felt like there was something there that he wasn’t sharing with her but hey they barely knew each other and she didn’t ask for details so it’s not like he was holding it back from her on purpose. She took a mouthful of her whiskey before she rolled her tongue across her lips savouring the taste of the Crown Royal.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Observation if I may?”
She was being cautious as she didn’t want to spook him but she knew that she couldn’t just give him a piece of her mind without clearance.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Go on.”
With a simple nod Ben was curious to see what Evie was going to say, he didn’t really have anyone that told him how they thought it was and now he was going to get an outsiders view into his life.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “I can tell you have been burnt, it’s written all over your face. I’ve also noticed a lot of your co-workers try and use it against you I’ve heard the chatter but I’m not one to believe in rumours… but from what I can read on your face, in your eyes is well unknowing. I could find her you know, I have my ways and well you could have answers?”
She finished her words and watched as Ben just shook his head from side to side before dropping it to the ground for a moment. He was thinking but Evie had thought she had taken it too far and was about to apologise but Ben lifted his head back up to reassure her that he was fine.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Nah Eves, believe me it aint for me, I’m happier just kicking back and doing what I want. I don’t want to rehash that part of my life.”
The glimmer in his eyes was the truth he didn’t want to open old wounds even if they never fully healed, Evie took that as sign to just move on with her last question so Ben didn’t have time to dwell on the past that she had just brought up.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Okay, final question… Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Ben looked at Evie and smiled she was taking it easy on him, he knew why she was observant and everything she wanted to know about him she probably already knew she was just doing this for his benefit and he was okay with that. It made him feel like she was welcoming him into a part of her life that not many people get to live in and that was a great reward for him. Ben Saint Ben was a sucker for helping others and right now he felt like he was making a break through with young Eves.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “That’s easy, retired sitting on this very beach.”
Ben turned back to look at the beach they were sitting on as he looked at the ocean rolling towards them with an honest smile on his face, he was happy here truly happy and that was a wonderful thing. Evie just nudged him slightly as he was looking a little lost as he looked out into the sea, bringing him back to her.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Cuban boy for life now huh? Alrighty partner hit me with your best questions.”
Evie took a massive swig of her whiskey she knew Ben was going to hit her with all he had, after all he didn’t know a damn thing about her and she was unreadable. He wanted to know more because she was interesting and she was different and also because he wanted to help her. He had lost puppy dog syndrome and Evie just screamed stray puppy.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Easy, why do you keep yourself so closed off from the world?”
She took a big inhale before a massive exhale clearing her thoughts; she knew something like this was coming her way it was obvious everyone wanted to know what she was holding back from the world. She dragged her tongue across her top row of white teeth and just clicked it off them before she bit the bullet and just started to spill her answer.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Well you’re not mucking around. To be honest, the world is a fucked up place with fucked up people in it. Not going to lie, I wish I was different at times, I wish I was less like this and more like them.”
Evie tipped her whisky bottle in her right hand towards a group of beautiful girls all singing and dancing on the beach being carefree and loving. For years she had wished for that life but she knew it was one of lives missions that had escaped her. Turning back to look at Ben she still had her somewhat smile on her face as she looked up at him, into his striking blue eyes.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “However life has a funny way of teaching us lessons and right now I’m repenting for my sins. So the less I include people into my life the less stress I have, the less people I have to protect and the less I have to watch people walk out of my life. People like me aren’t accepted Ben… that’s why we block everything and everyone out. It’s a cold lonely world at times, but it’s in the best interest of others.”
It was a cryptic answer but it was the truth, she didn’t need to give him all the details because well they would be there for days not hours talking about her life. Ben just simply nodded and continued.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “I have so many follow up questions to that, but I hope you will let me ask them at another time. Hmm let’s see if you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?”
He was staring at her as she smirked at him, he knew something was coming.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Bigger tits and a rounder arse.”
She winked at him with a white smirk on her face as her red lips parted teasingly.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “I’m being serious Evie.”
He had a point now wasn’t the place or time for jokes now was the time for honest answers and well she was going to give him one. Evie brought the lip of the bottle to her mouth once again and took a swig of the contents letting the whiskey sit in her mouth for a few moments before she swallowed it. She loved the way it burned as it slide down her throat reminding her that everything in life comes with a price and everything in life that brings pleasure also brings a little pain.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “If I could change something about myself what would it be? To be honest I probably wouldn’t change a whole lot, I mean my life is the reason I am who I am today. I can’t stop that, I can’t fix that… my life is pretty much mapped out… if I could go back in time and alter something? Well I know for sure I wouldn’t keep the man who means the most to me as a secret. I would tell everyone who he is and show the world who he is, but it’s not worth risking him to ridicule it’s not worth having him being mocked because of me… or worst in danger. That eats me alive.”
She was being raw with him and he could tell from the passionate tone of her usually dry Australian accent. There was more to that story as well but Ben knew now was the right time or place to ask about Evie’s love life - especially after she had just said, that people would see her as an embarrassment for her Mundo. He didn’t want to peel back those levels of emotional warfare when they were just starting to finally click and get to know one another.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Once again I have several follow up questions, but those aren’t the rules… I guess my final question is the hard hitting one. What would you like for Christmas?”
He let out a slight chuckle as he wanted to return the light to this conversation and drag it back out of the dark where it was headed. Ben gave her a little nudge before he waited for her reply.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Like in general or from you?”
Evie had her eyes narrowed up at him as she was searching for what level he was aiming this question at her. Truth be told Evie hated Christmas so this wasn’t going to end well.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Let’s go with both?”
He was keeping his options open you know in case he felt the need to buy her something if their friendship started to take off.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Simple, you buy me nothing. I don’t believe in Christmas I’ve have never celebrated Christmas… I don’t even know the words to any Christmas songs, I fucking hate Santa especially the ones who dress up as him in the malls. So my ideal December twenty-fifth would be to wake up in my home in Washington see the beautiful snow falling outside my windows I want to roll over and see Mi Mundo beside me. His initials throbbing and bruised into my chest from love bites and my nail marks scored down his back, smiles on our faces and a day filled with each other and not one single shitty Mariah Carey Christmas song playing… not a single expectation of giving each other material gifts, just us being us and us giving each other to one another.”
She didn’t turn to look at him she turned away from Ben to look out into the ocean, that was as real as she gets. Evie brought the bottle to her lips once more and she downed the last mouthful of her drink before she rested the empty glass in her lap. Ben didn’t know what to stay at first but he though a light hearted joke would ease the tension.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “I didn’t picture you as a romantic?!”
He was smirking at her and she could tell that and she wasn’t even looking at him. Ben was impressed that she had been so open and honest with him something that he wouldn’t over look and that he would keep to himself.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Just keep my secret and I won’t have to use you for shark bait.”
She turned back to look at him the truth blazing in her eyes and Ben just took a swig of his beer, she was kidding right? No sadly she wasn’t and Ben just nervously laughed it off before letting silence fill the air around them. Tonight wasn’t such a bad night after all. After a few more minutes of chatting he finally helped Evie up to her feet and the two set off on a walk down town back towards his home.
##
Now would be a good time to be familiar with Ben Jordan’s focus part of his promotional video or what is about to happen isn’t going to make much sense.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Watch me.”
Ben did in fact watch Evie as she took her spot from behind him and stepped around him taking the lead in their joint match focus. Mr Jordan had a worried look on his face as he knew what Evie was like when it came to her promos and he knew what she was like with her tongue. Her acid like tongue that she used to spit venom out when she spoke about her opponents, he watched as Evie looked back at him over her shoulder with a sinful look in her eyes something he knew wasn’t going to end up well for his friends Jamie and Amy.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “You see while my tag team partner for Sunday night tries to hold back and keep his composure when it comes to facing his best mate Jamie Dean… I’ll take great pleasure in giving him a well needed wake up call.”
Evie looks away from Ben and towards the camera with a devilish smile on her face, she knew this was going to cause some tension but she didn’t care after all she was getting paid – well not anymore – to do her job and she wasn’t going to back down just because of the heart breaking situation that Christian Underwood had put team BJ in.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “The way I see it everything that Ben just said might to true to him, it might be how he really feels but the way I see it is… thank fuck for Christian Underwood and thank fuck that he stuck his nose into this. No I don’t think it’s right that he has turned into a little bitch but I do think it’s right that he is freeing this guy from the ball and chain Jamie Dean. I mean Ben can’t see it now and he probably will never see it as he’s got his friendly rose tinted glasses on, but it’s clear as day that Jamie Dean was the soul crushing, leech in team BJ. I mean… it makes sense that he would be a leech considering well… join the dots… or if you don’t understand get a new vantage point and get on your knees.”
Evie was stopped in mid-sentence as Ben spoke to her.
<FONT COLOR=#B6B6B4> “Eves.”
Turning back to look at Ben, she just smirked placing her right index finger over her lips telling him to be quiet. She watched his eyes widen as she just spun back around and continued where she left off.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Let’s look at the facts guys Ben Jordan carried your team week in and week out regardless of whom was the puppet and who was the puppet master pulling the strings. Case and point, the night you both lost your tag team championships a match that MY Partner Ben Jordan had to carry on his own, because where was Jamie? Where was he? I mean he wasn’t anywhere to be found when Ben needed a friendly assist I mean the Elders had you guys pinned up into a corner but where was Jamie while Ben was getting battered and bruised? Why didn’t Mr Dean slide on into the ring, like he slides into everyone’s timelines with cheap nasty little pick up attempts? You know the saddest thing of all is after they lost the tag team championships in the worst way and weirdest way ever… this guy behind me felt as if he had let down Jamie Dean… when in reality… where was Jamie when he needed him the most? In the middle of somewhere and nowhere.”
Evie felt Ben move up behind her and she could sense he was going to place his hand on her shoulder to give it a shake to stop her from talking about Jamie but she just took a step forward and dodged it.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Jamie, Jamie, Jamie… Sin City Wrestling’s powderpuff boy... Jamie Dean the man who cries out for attention and basically crawls on his hands and knees to be accepted and loved by all but who is the most judgemental douchebag on the whole entire roster. Jamie Dean the man willing to let Christian Underwood get inside his head and compare his break up from his last five minute boyfriend to Ben Jordan stating that he was thinking of folding in his Sin City Wrestling career. Jamie Dean the man who was willing to WALK away from Ben at Climax Control and sulk like a little boy who had dropped his ice cream cone on a hot summers day instead of being a man and facing his best friend, facing his tag team partner and talking to him. Jamie Dean the same man who took on Shipman and when he was in a time of need Ben Jordan sprang into action to make sure you weren’t another one of Shipman’s toys that he could just play with… The actor the pretender the one who wants everyone to love him but is too busy judging the likes of others when he begs out to be accepted… that’s the real Jamie Dean. He’s a rat… and I would love it so much if Ben was willing to see you for what you are, but mate it’s your lucky day on Sunday night because I know he won’t come down on your hard... I know he will hold himself back once he gets in that ring to face you one on one… because you’re the stray puppy that Ben Jordan needs to save over and over and over again… and realistically sometimes stray puppies need to be put down… but you and I know both know that Ben Jordan won’t do that.”
Evie felt Ben’s hand on her shoulder as he pulled her back, pulling her attention away from the audience and back towards him the look in his eyes said it all he was begging for her to stop talking about his tag team partner. The Aussie on the other hand wasn’t done yet.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Don’t even think about telling me to stop, or please Evie don’t talk about Jamie like that anymore he’s my friend. He’s the puppet master and he made you dance on those strings so hard and that’s sickens me. Jamie clicked his glitter shoes together three times, he wiggled his nose and”
Evie clicked her fingers startling Ben.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Just like that whatever he wanted to do you was doing it. I’m not saying you don’t have a mind of your own Ben, I would never doubt your intelligence I’m just saying that when it comes to seeing Jamie for who he really is… you’ve got hands covering your eyes.”
Ben was quick to stop Evie as he tried to steal her attention away from what she was saying with a frown on his face.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Don’t look so sad Ben I’m sure Jamie Dean has used plenty of men before to get further ahead in life… everyone sees him as this cute little party boy with a big heart who is willing to do whatever it takes to have everyone eating out of the palm of his hands that they are missing the evidence that is right in front of their faces… he’s a spiteful mess of man who is willing to step on anyone and anything to get what he wants. Ask yourself Ben how many times did you get to do what you wanted while you were trapped in that God awful tag team?”
She could see the look in his eyes changing from happy go lucky Ben to a sterner Ben, she wasn’t shocked after all she was trying to open his eyes but sometimes Friendships were too tight to see the truth even if it was Evie’s take on the truth. She held her hands up towards Ben and whispered something towards him before she turned around back to the camera.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Okay… I’ll stop but Jamie I have a suggestion for you to think about. You and Ben don’t even have to step foot in this match, you two don’t even have to go head to head, toe to toe… you don’t even have to fight each other… Amy and I will do all the work… but I will drag Amy through hell, I will make an example out of her and I will use her as the stepping stone that she is all you have to do in stand on the ring apron and watch me drag Amy around that ring using her like a rag doll, I mean you should be used to doing that… it’s what you did while you tagged with Ben so really it’s a motion that should be second nature to you… So on Sunday night my words of advice to you are simple… don’t tag in. You could save your friendship with Ben anymore harm; you could possibly even be the reason why he decides to stay in Sin City Wrestling if you just pulled you head out of your arse and see the difference between Ben and an ex-boyfriend… but are you willing to sacrifice Amy? I hope for your sakes you read my lips very, very carefully because I might not think much about your two faced personality… but I care for the Cockney that is standing beside me… so do us both a favour and STAY OUT of this match… don’t tag in… don’t get involved and don’t mess things up more than what you already have.”
Evie turned to Ben who was standing beside her and flashed him a smile, a smile that wasn’t returned because Ben was too busy processing what she had just said. He didn’t know what to do or say because he needed to support Jamie but Ben also needed to have her back leading into her first ever tag team match up this Sunday night. Ben gave her that look as if to say “are you done” in which Evie nodded towards him before reassuring him that she would stop talking about his best friend that way. While Evie is still looking at Ben she rolls her tongue over her teeth before licking her lips to moisten them before she starts to speak once again.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Those rules apply to you to dream boat, I’m willing to stay in this match and carry it for our team to save you from having to lay a single finger on Jamie Dean… just do me a solid and don’t hot tag yourself in, when you witness the hell I will put your friend Amy in… but if you do feel the need to play white knight and hot tag in make sure you spank my arse and make my anger at you worthwhile.”
Ben just throw his hands up in the air about to give up with Evie and her sexual reference when it came to him but he did however have a cheeky smirk on his face as she had made him forget about this drama with Jamie for a single moment in time. Seeing that her tag team partner was smiling Evie winked at him before she turned back to the camera.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Now Amy… Amelia Marshall or should I call you wide eyes with big holes? Ah come on you knew I had to take a dig at your porn star past I mean it wouldn’t be much of a promo against Amy Marshall if we didn’t take jabs at you in places that you probably can’t even feel any penetration in anymore. Now tell me when Joey sticks his dick in does it even hit the sides or does it just sway around and hope that one day your g-spot resurfaces from all the cocks it’s been hit on since your days back in the red light films? Whatever it does, it’s not doing a good job because damn… I’ve never seen a more miserable excuse for a human being in my life until my eyes wandered across you. You’re a Sin City Wrestling Hall of Famer? Fuck me… I didn’t realise the hallways of the SCW headquarters, were lined with pictures of legends and cumpies.”
Ben cleared his throat stealing Evie’s attention for a second and she mouthed “what” at him as he tried to get her to simmer down. Evie just rolled her eyes and continued.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Jesus can a girl not have any fun around here? I feel like it’s Evie vs Ben, Jamie and Amy… I mean let’s face it I’m the outsider in this match and yet everyone is banging on about poor Jamie having to face his best friend and poor Ben for being treated like a dick from his best friend and poor Amy she has to face Evie Baang… what about me? What about Evie… well I’ll have you know I’ll be just fine because regardless of me not having anything to do with the SCW drinking crew… I mean I’m shocked that Sammi Marlowe wasn’t added into this match as Ben’s partner… I mean all it needs is some sexual tension between her and Ben and this match right here is a poster child of a Jerry Springer episode.”
Evie turned to look at Ben who was just shaking his head at her but the cocky smile on her face said it all, she wasn’t finished.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “Instead the crowd will get to witness me take down the accidental Hall of Famer Amy Marshall in a match she no doubt believes she has in the bag, the unfortunate thing is that the last thing Amy Marshall had in her bag was failure. I mean look at Punk and Metal Connection… failure… look at her singles career since she returned in Japan… boring what a complete utter failure. I wonder if Mark Ward and Christian Underwood ever sit back and just think that maybe just maybe they jumped the gun in awarding her a Hall of Fame honour. I mean she didn’t really earn it; she just fumbled her way into matches that she didn’t deserve and managed to pull out a few big wins… I guess we should call her lucky… I mean she’s been blessed when it comes to her Sin City Wrestling careers while people like Melody Grace have to scratch and claw their way to be noticed, people like Alexis Edwards have to beg for chances, while people like Odette Stevens sit at home with people doubting her stance towards being coming a SCW great… while Amelia Marshall was just given chances and the HOF nod effortlessly like how rim jobs are handed out at Spring break.”
She licked her dry red lips and continued rolling her head on her neck letting her bones crack as she looked as if she was just warming up.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “It saddens me that people like you get held up on pedestals and get worshipped when in reality you’re just the fucking scum of Sin City wrestling… I’d place you in the same jar as Mikah who can’t make her mind up if she is serious about wrestling or if she is serious about just flirting with everyone backstage and fobbing it off as her brand new friendly attitude. It makes me sick that people like you and Jessie Salco walk around pretending to be the greats of Sin City Wrestling when believe me, if there was ever a tournament in SCW to crown the true number one Bombshell in Sin City Wrestling you would both be knocked out in the first round. Don’t be mad Amelia it’s just facts… cold hard facts.”
The Australian looked at Ben waiting for him to say something but he had just wandered off and taken a seat on a bench near the board walk they were walking along. He could still hear her but he was choosing to give up on trying to stop her because he knew it wasn’t going to work she was wound up and he couldn’t stop her.
<FONT COLOR=#E56717> “So this Sunday I finally get to step inside the six sided ring with a SCW great and it’s you… I’m fucking flat out disappointed last week at Climax Control I called out everyone I issued a challenge to anyone from the past, from the future and the now and you’re my competition? You’re the one that Christian has decided to put in front of me? You’re a chew toy… you’re a pathetic excuse of a wrestler and trust me I will take great pleasure in dragging you across that canvas and making an example out of you. I’ll make your history with Polly fucking Pocket look like a field trip to the park because I don’t muck around, I don’t mess around and once I have my eyes focused on something I make sure I obtain it. I wasn’t focused when I faced Kate at High Stakes but trust me when I say this I’m more alert and more alive this time around and nothing is holding me back from ripping you apart… not even Ben Jordan. You see I just have to hold up my end of the deal and be the best tag team partner that I can be to him, but I don’t have to spare you just because you’re his buddy… I use that term loosely because let’s be honest if you had to pick a side you’d crawl up Jamie’s arse so fast… we could nick name you anal beads because people with two faces always stick together with
