After Climax Control;
Normally this would be the time where Evie Baang and Ben Jordan hit one of the local pubs or clubs with their fellow Sin City Wrestling co-workers, in bid to celebrate the success of another Climax Control. Yet, this week was different, this week Ben wasn’t rushing off to any bars or clubs, he wasn’t sending out his weekly tweet of “Pub?” no this week he was dressed to the nines in a custom tailor black suit, with a navy under shirt and a black tie. While his wife Evie, was dressed in a floor length navy silk cowlick style dress, her hair was wrapped up in a bun that sat proudly at the top of her hair. Only a few strands were free and flowing around her face. it had been a minute since the two of them could spend time alone, with the constant bickering lately, Ben’s treatment, the Halloween party and Climax Control they hadn’t had a moment to stop and appreciate each other. It was showing, although not to anyone that was around them it was more showing to each other. Even with their wild morning of trashing their kitchen in Maine they still hadn’t actually spoken to each other, like one on one, like husband and wife.
That brings them here tonight to Tarbell’s, an upscale bar and restaurant that was known to serve all the American favourites pairing them with imported wines and beers. The place was normally packed with people filling the dining space, laughter pouring from the building but tonight was different, it was more secluded and isolated with only a few tables being worked. The lights were dimmed, yet candles lit the room as the sweet scent of vanilla drifted in the cool air. It was a by invitation only night, that Ben was lucky enough to secure a golden ticket to the evening. It was so the owners could launch some of their new menu items and get the feedback they required to see if their latest chef’s inventions were good enough to be placed on the menu full time.
Ben and Evie had been seated by one of the large floor length windows, so they could over see the city lights, while they dined. Yet, Truth be told Evie couldn’t keep her eyes off her husband. It had been a minute since they could just be the two of them, without having the cut the tension in the air with a knife. It was refreshing, relaxing and finally she felt at home once more. Ben just smiled across the table at her, his right hand coming up and across it as he asked for hers. Evie didn’t waste a single second, letting her finger intertwine with his as the looked across the table at one another. The table was small, meaning there wasn’t a huge gap between them, allowing them to talk to one another softly without the fear of anyone over hearing their conversation, because the lord only knows what those two waffled on about.
“I’ve missed this.” Evie wasn’t shy to admit it either, yet she could feel her cheeks rush with red after she spoke.
Ben just coyly smiled at his wife, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand as his blue eyes locked with her green ones.
“I know.” A cheeky smirk crawled across his face before he quickly backed it up. “I’ve missed this too.” He winked, after all Ben was a smart man to know not to be too cheeky with his wife, in a room surrounded with weapons.
The two didn’t say another word for a moment, just letting it all sink in. Their life had been a whirlwind lately and regardless of how much Ben craved for a quiet simple life, it just wasn’t happening at the moment. The two had been booked back to back, if it wasn’t for Sin City Wrestling, it was for other avenues they turned to for work. The business world was screaming for Ben to make a comeback into, but he refused to step foot back into that stress bubble until he was healthy enough to deal with it. While Evie, even though the spy business had died down and she was finally free to be a woman of leisure, she couldn’t help herself in wanting to expand her brand.
The two watched as the waiter filled up their glasses with a white wine, Evie couldn’t help but smirk at the look of disappointment on Ben’s face. Wine wasn’t his cup of tea, yet tonight while they were serving their new menu items, he had no control over the alcohol that that accompanied the many small dishes they were about to devour. Their hands finally let go, as Evie wrapped her slender fingers around the steam of her wine glass, before she tilted it towards her husbands.
“Don’t be so miserable.” Her thick Australian accent rolled out. “You’ll get a fosters before the night is out.” She shuttered at the thought of that, yet she knew it was what Ben wanted.
Across the table Ben was looking at the clear liquid in his glass, his shoulders deflating as he watched the bubbles rise to the top. “I hate this crap.” He just shook his head from side to side to back up his displeasure. “It’s like fancy overpriced soda water.”
Evie just laughed, she had to give it to him, he wasn’t wrong. Yet the two still clicked glasses in a cheers before they took their first sips. It wasn’t as bad as what Evie thought it was going to be a smooth taste of white grapes, with a slight undertone of peach. While, Ben just put the glass back down on the table, his tongue licking his lips not in feverish appetite, but as if he was trying to clear the taste from his palette.
Truth be told, Ben wanted to regift his invitation to this evenings event, but Evie had begged him to take up Tarbell’s offer and in true happy life, happy wife fashion Ben allowed Evie this pass. It wasn’t a tug of war in their household of who got the final say on things, but Ben knew something was pressing at the back of Evie’s mind and that’s why she was pleading for them to spend tonight alone, instead of in the company of the work-mates. It didn’t take long for Ben to distract himself from the god-awful wine, when he looked to see his wife smiling.
“What’s going on?” He questioned, as his right eyebrow arched. “Why such the big smile?” his blue eyes searched hers for answers.
“Am I not allowed to be happy?” Evie just lifted her glass to her lips before she took another sip of her wine.
Just a roll of the eyes followed as Ben rested his hands on the table in front of him. “You know what I mean.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t like it when Evie smiled, it just meant that she was up to something and that something normally cost him. Yet Evie just shrugged her slender shoulders, playing innocent to this interrogation.
“I have no idea, what you’re implying.” That hard to get smile was now gleaming on her face. “A girl can just be happy, to be with her husband, right?” her accent made that seem more sassy than it should have.
“Yeah… right.” Was all Ben could offer as he watched his wife move in her chair.
Evie had stood up in her spot, before she moved herself and her chair to sit at the end of the table, so now she was closer to her husband. Ben didn’t say a thing, as he just felt Evie’s right hand rest on the back of his neck, as she slowly started to rolled her thumb across his skin to massage the knots that were housed there. All the while Evie’s left hand rested on top of Ben’s hand that was on the table. Ben just looked across at Evie, giving her a side eye that only he could muster as he couldn’t tell what he was being buttered up for.
“So, tense.” She teased as she continued to rub her thumb over the knots in his neck.
Ben just held back a chuckle before he replied. “They pop up, now and again… when I can’t sweat bullets over what my wife might be up to.” His hand grabbed onto hers, gently before he gave it a little squeeze. Leaning forward, so his nose was practically pressed against hers, he whispered. “So, spill, your guts love.” He demanded with a smile.
Evie just continued to roll her thumb over his neck. “I need to go back to Russia.” She had quietly, just above a whisper.
As soon as her intentions were known, Ben managed to shrug her hand off the back of his neck. His cool smile had dropped into a harden glare. “Why?” Was all he could get out.
It was such a strange request for Evie to want to go back to the place that had haunted her for so long, but she had come prepared as she reached across the table to grab her black IPhone. It didn’t take long for her to punch in his passcode, before she brought up some pictures and videos. She rested the phone down on the table, before she huddled into her husband so that no other eyes could see the footage of what was happening.
“So, I think I have a sister.” Her tone was dripping with poison at that thought.
Ben’s eyes just watched the footage, before his eyes he couldn’t doubt what he was seeing the woman looked exactly like Evie. And while she was at “work” she moved exactly like his wife as well. Evie just let the last video roll over, before Ben cringed in his seat as he watched the woman on the phone execute her crime with such passion and ease, it made him feel nauseous.
Turning to look at his wife, he sighed. “Fuck me.” Shaking his head from side to side he quickly followed that statement up. “Where did you get this from?” it was an important question.
“Calista.” Evie was honest when she answered because she knew this is what their relationship was based on.
Evie had always been open and honest with Ben when it came to her past, she wasn’t going to start trying to cover it up now. As the video came to the end, Evie quickly locked her phone screen so that lingering eyes couldn’t spot what was on there.
“What if this is a set up to get you back over there?” Ben looked towards Evie his eyes couldn’t bare to look into hers, as he knew what this meant. “Last time you went to Russia, it cost me an awful lot of money to get you home.”
Evie was a little taken back by that statement as Ben rehashed the time that he had to pay for her ransom to free her.
“I mean it was pennies well spent.” He quickly defended himself. “I just meant, these people are dangerous Eves, they’ll do anything to get you back there.” His words stung with the truth as he looked up at his wife. His hand now clutching at hers.
“I’ll be in and out, they won’t even know I’m there.” She said trying to convince him to let her go. “I have to know if I have a sister out there somewhere.” Evie didn’t give much reason as to why. “I mean, she is clearly in need of some assistance?”
Not even Ben was buying what Evie was selling, he knew she had an ulterior motive for wanting to find her potential “sister” Leaning across the table Ben looked into his wife’s eyes looking for answers, but she wasn’t giving him anything.
Just a sigh left his lips, as he felt defeated. “Fine.” Another long pause followed. “You can go.” He watched as his wife’s eyes lit up, like a tree at Christmas. “But… I’m going with you.”
Evie almost choked on nothing once those words left his lips, “I’m going with you” those words stung in her chest. Russia was no place for Ben to be in, not the parts that she was going to be in anyways. It was too dangerous and one wrong move would be enough to potentially end them in prison or worse dead. Yet Evie could tell by the distressed look in her husband’s eyes that this wasn’t negotiable. He was coming with her, even if she liked it or not.
“Ben, I can’t let you...” Evie started to say before she was cut off.
“It’s not up for discussion, if your going back there… I’m coming with you.” His eyes locked on hers as he watched Evie shuffle in her seat.
“Okay… okay…” was all she could reply with. “Calista and I are just working on some more details, but we should be good to go in about two weeks.” She was giving him all the details she honestly knew at this point. “But, while were over there… you need to do as I say… or well.”
Evie was stopped in her tracks, as Ben placed his thumb over her blood red lips. “I know… I know… You have the lead Mrs Smith.” He said with a smirk.
“This isn’t a joke Ben.” Evie retorted as she couldn’t believe her husband was now being so placid about the idea.
Leaning forward he pressed his lips to her for a soft kiss, before he backed away to look into her eyes.
“I know, my love… but we can stress about it when we are there, can we not?” Ben watched as the waiter made his way over towards them with an assortment of foods. “Tonight, is about us, no stress… no outside distractions, just us… so please.” He didn’t need to say a single word for Evie to understand what he was requesting.
Evie just smiled, before she mouthed the words “Thank you” towards him before her lips were on his once more. She has zero regard for the waiter who was putting their meals on their table, as she wrapped her right hand around Ben’s tie, pulling him closer towards her. As he let the kiss deepen, his hand reached up to cup each side of her face, just holding her. Outside he was being cool and collected, but inside he was tearing himself apart, he didn’t wan anything to happen to his wife in Russia and that’s why he demanded he go with her. Yet Evie knew, that even behind his Mr and Mrs Smith joke, there was a little bit of fear behind it. As she let their embrace deepen, she hoped that for a moment in time he could read her body langue and know that she was letting him know that nothing was going to happen to him. She wouldn’t allow it.
##
High stakes; its as if the name of this cycles supercard was just chosen for Evie Baang. Well not chosen, as it’s a yearly event where Sin City Wrestling celebrates everything it has accomplished and honours the greats that have built this company from the ground up. It the night of nights, where new stars enter the Hall of Fame an where careers catapult into greatness. It’s that big night vibe that has each and every Sin City Wrestling superstar and bombshell, extra nervous, more on edge and more willing to put everything on the line, because High Stakes is the night of nights, the big show, the grandfather of them all that peaks just before the Christmas wind down. It’s the night where anything and anything can happen… the show many fans crave for all year long.
This year, the lead up to High Stakes hasn’t been a clear cut as Evie could have hoped. Sure, has had made her way through her competition as if they were standing still, but now she was staring down the barrel at her next opponent and the thought of whom it is, is enough to make her sick.
Sam Marlowe.
Good girl Sam Marlowe. Ben’s best friend Sam Marlowe… the one and only Sam Marlowe… the same girl that has built the roulette division on her own, each and every time she had held the championship. The same girl who has carried the title over the period of 245 days. The girl who stands up and takes charge whenever she is in the building and people just fall into line behind her. That’s the woman Evie was facing at High Stakes and well, truth be told it wasn’t going to be easy.
This wasn’t going to be the usual walk in the park for the Australian Bombshell, because unlike all her other opponents, she harbours new feelings towards her challenger. Yet the same could possibly be said for Sam Marlowe, as both women have never seen eye to eye… they have been forced into an off-balance friendship circle that forces them to be at least civil towards one another. It not easy for Evie to play nice, it’s not something that come second nature to her but there is one thing that can’t be ignored, a wild card if you will, her husband Ben Jordan. He is the only reason these two ladies share the same air at times and well at High Stakes, everything he has worked on, every bit of inner peace that he has been searching for could all be torn apart once Evie and Sam step into that six-sided ring to battle it out for the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Championship.
It’s not going to be an easy fight, in no way imaginable, even with Evie’s mean streak there is one thing that could very well play as a weakness and that’s new-found remorse that has seen her lower her guard in attempts to come across more human. It’s not easy, trying to change your stripes and yet, once her personal life was made public she has done her best to come across, more worthy of Ben than she should have. It’s hard to be married to someone who is so well liked, when in reality… the world couldn’t care if you Evie was on fire, as they would just watch her burn.
The whole world is begging for the day they hear the announcement of Ben and Evie go their separate ways, it’s a given that that whole world was against them… Sam Marlowe was very much at the forefront of that parade at times. She didn’t have to say a single word, it was just a given by her actions and next Sunday night at High Stakes Sam was going to have her opening. Finally, she will get to step into the ring with Evie one more time and try and take what is wrapped around the Australian’s waist… it’s the perfect show, the perfect setting and the picture-perfect moment for Sammi to claim back her title. All while rubbing the salt in the wound that is this whole situation.
Only a fool wouldn’t think that Sami Marlowe was coming into this match with a point to prove. That she is the dominate woman when it comes to herself and Evie. This is her moment to beat her own chest and prove to the world that she has what it takes to topple the woman who many claim is the poison in Ben’s life. This is Sam’s moment to show the world that she is mistress of roulette, the champion of champions when it comes to the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Championship all she has to do is get past Evie Luna Baang.
Only time will tell who will have enough in their tanks to walk out of High Stakes with the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Championship. Only time will tell who the top woman in the roulette scene will be, will it be the former Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Champion, or will it be the current?
50/50 odds an even split, it will all boil down to whom wants it more and who is willing to put hard feelings aside, so they can step into the ring and put on the show the Super Card deserves. If you ask me, this shouldn’t be about the connections to Jordan… it should be an opportunity that both women take in attempts to show the world that the Roulette Division isn’t the division to be slept on. It’s the division to strive to be in, it’s not the back and forth division that is the World Bombshell division. It’s the league that carries many women into 100-day title reigns and catapults their careers as they bust their arses week in and week out in unpredictable match types, juts to give these fans something to cheer for. This isn’t about who the top woman is in Ben’s life.
This isn’t about two women who barely like each other being stuck in a match both probably don’t want. It about them being woman enough to out aside their feelings and walking into High Stakes with one thing on their mind and that’s the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Championship. Sam is desperate to win back what many believe is her championship, while Evie refuses to give up in the title that has slowly but surely started to define her whole wrestling career.
The roulette division is unpredictable, uncalculated and that right there plays into Evie’s hands with such ease. It’s almost graceful. It’s as if Evie had finally found the home she was looking for in Sin City Wrestling, as she is now on the platform that won’t judge but encourage her ruthless, sinister behaviour. She has found the fan base that crave for her violence, her evil ways and they applaud her for it. She had finally found the one thing she was looking for since returning to Sin City Wrestling and that was her place. Who knew that all it would take is a snot nose little brat like Brittany Williams, to rattle her cage to bring the demon that was sleeping dormmate inside Evie out to play. In a playground that was very much built for what she was made of.
Come High Stakes, it won’t matter what match spins up on the wheel because Evie’s plans remain the same. Regardless of whom she is facing, she is going to walk into High Stakes the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Champion and she is going to walk out the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Champion. It’s not because she doesn’t think Sammi isn’t good enough to reclaim her gold, it’s just Evie isn’t ready to let her title slip through her finger tips just right now. As for right now she is on top of the world, looking down and well, things are finally working in her favour and regardless of the heat that still arises when you say her name, she was still doing what she did best… that was getting under people’s skin and winning wrestling matches.
Her name still carried some weight, when it came to inciting drama, just look at Trinity Jones who Evie had all hot and bothered for no reason at all. Evie Baang was still that bitch, that had women reaching far to digs at her, who had women trying to play mind games with her… and yet not a bead of sweat gathered, not a single feather was ruffled because who was she to play into the hands of mindless sheep?
Right now, it was Evie’s time to show the world just exactly what she could do with the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Championship and she wasn’t going to let someone, like Sam Marlowe think that she could just win a fatal four-way and think that she was basically a shoo in. Next week at High Stakes, Sammi was going to learn that winning the fatal four-way was just the beginning of the climb and she was still miles away from reaching the summit. It all good and well to wish for your Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Championship back, yet it was going to take more than just some late-night prayers to the lord above to think that you’re capable of beating Evie in that ring.
A place that fast become the Australian’s home a place that fast become somewhere she could wreak havoc and not have to worry about the fall out. Next Sunday at High Stakes will be very much the same, Evie will enter that ring and she will look across it and she won’t be seeing Ben’s best friend. She won’t be seeing the good girl Sammi Marlowe, she’ll be looking across at a meek little lamb who has lost her way… and well trust me when I say this… the hunger inside the wolf is very much alive.
And regardless of what Fenris believes, Evie will always be the original and best.
It’s time for the alpha to return to the pack and show the world that she will do anything… to keep the gold where it is, she’ll do anything to keep the gold at home and where is home you might ask? Well that’s wrapped around her waist… not Trinity Jones, not Mercedes Vargas… not even Samantha Marlowe’s…
There will be no fairy tale ending at High Stakes for Sam Marlowe, there will be no shining light. No beacon of hope, she will fall to the feet of Evie Baang and she will be shoved to the back of the line once more. The whole world will be forced to watch the fall of one of the greatest when it comes to Sam Marlowe, but they will almost get to stand back and marvel at the continuous rise of Evie Luna Baang. She can’t and won’t be stopped with comes to defending what is hers, after all she is just a few months away from the taste of history. Do you really think she is just going to let that go, without a fight?
With the sweet taste of history being made on the horizon, just months away… you’d be a fool to think that Evie was going to give up without a fight, just because who she had to stand across the ring at High Stakes. Sam will be a pillar, a trophy that Evie will hold high above her head when she beats her for the second time, last time it was to be crowned the Sin City Wrestling Blast from the Past Champion… this time it will be announced as AND STILL, your Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Roulette Champion.
Get ready to have your boos rain down upon your champion, because like fuel to the fire… you’ll just be driving her to do the best at what she does… and that’s beat your favourites.
Good luck at High Stakes Sammi Marlowe, because honestly, you’re going to need it.
##
The camera had stopped rolling from Ben’s promotional video at The Golden Ring Casino and the Roulette Champion had stepped outside to gather his thoughts and get some air. The casino wasn’t overly littered with smoke like others were, but still the Cockney King thought it would be best to get some fresh air into his lungs. After his words of wisdom to some of Sin City Wrestling’s notorious fans he needed a moment to gather his thoughts, as he had brought up a lot of his past, some of it good, some not so good. However, he knew he wasn’t alone as a set of hands snaked around his waist to hug onto him tightly.
“You okay?” Evie looked up at him, as she snaked herself into his side. Still holding on to him for dear life.
Ben just wrapped his arms around his wife, drawing her into him as close as he could as he looked down at her, a warm smile on his face.
“Never been better.” His words were truthful as his rested his chin on top of her head.
Evie’s left hand skated from around Ben’s side, to find is chest that she playfully patted. “You ready to go soon, we have a long flight a head of us.” She was referring to Russia, a though that hadn’t left either of their minds since Evie brought it up well over a week ago.
Ben just gave Evie a little squeeze to show her that he was ready before he placed his lips on to her forehead. “Let’s go be super spies.” He said sarcastically.
A sigh was all Evie could offer as she just shook her head from side to side. To be honest, she didn’t want him coming alone for the ride it was far to dangerous but what sort of husband would he be to left his wife run off in search of something that may or may not have been a myth? Either way they were both nervous and neither one of them wanted to admit it. Evie just unwrapped her arms from him, but her right hand didn’t stay free for long as her fingers intertwined with her husbands and he pulled her back from taking a few steps away.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Was all he could offer that brought a smile to his wife’s face.
Evie bit back with a dose of sarcasm before she looked back at him. “I’ll do my best to keep you alive.” She followed that up with a wink.
As the two played it cool, Ben pulled his wife into his chest for a hug before his lips desperately found hers. What they were about to do next, could be dangerous and he didn’t want anything left unsaid.
TBC…
