Riptide | Rhea Ripley | Enemies to Lovers | Possessive and Spicy

33 - Side Piece?

As I walked into the gorilla, Rhea was no where to be found. I couldn't even find Damien or Finn in the crowd of people.

They obviously don't agree with what I'd done either...

Shit. I was so stupid.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned with hope in my face, but was met with the ugly face of Austin Theory.

"I liked that." He immediately spoke.

Fuckkkkk. I couldn't even care. Literally don't even care. "Whatever." I attempt to brush past him towards the changerooms.

But he stood me with a hard hand. "I'm dedicating this match to you." He says. "I win, you come out with me tonight."

I looked over to his opponent, bobby lashley... he was a huge guy. A strong and brute like man.

I don't know what came over me. I was stupid enough to even reply, and say "Okay, whatever." I just wanted to get past him.

I eventually got past him and that stupid grin he had all over his face.

Checking the changroome, Rhea was no where to be seen. She wasn't showering or anything. I stood around the men's changerooms for Damien or Finn but I couldn't see them anywhere.

Where the hell was she.

She wouldn't have just left straight away.

I was just checking catering when I caught sight of her walking out the storage hall, still in her gear she was stressed. Her face was puffed and she was breathing heavy.

She saw me through the door and turned down the hall quickly.

Was it a good idea to follow her right now? She obviously wanted to be left alone.

But I was staying at her house, all my things were there I had to speak to her eventually tonight.

I quietly went through the door, and saw Rhea at the end of the hall on her phone. She was quiet, standing and not moving while talking.

Who in the hell was she talking to?

Tell me she didn't already have a real girlfriend... boyfriend or something and I was a side piece.

Damien or Finn would have told me. Someone would have.

I pulled my own phone out, and called Damien.

He answered on the second ring and spoke deep, "hey, you right?"

"Um, yeah. Look I don't know what happened just then but Rhea doesn't want to talk to me. Can you just tell me if I was her side piece."

"Side piece?" Damien questioned. "That's not it, Mia. Look, you need to talk to her. She's upset and angry, but she'll talk."

I cleared my throat. "Alright, where did you and Finn go? I think I still need to let her breathe. She won't get off the phone."

"Just outside." Damien relied. "See you."

And I hung up, walked the opposite way and outside to find Damien and Finn.

I found them sharing a smoke, something I was surprised the two fit guys were doing. Maybe it's what I needed to clear the pain in my head.

"Please." I asked for the smoke. Damien hesitated to give it to me, but finally did.

I inhaled deep and puffed the smoke out. I gave it back and lent against the wall. That was when I realised I still had to deal with Austin... he'd be fighting right now.

I listened and hear the commentators faintly chatting about their fight.

"You right, Mia?" Finn asked.

"Mmm." I mumbled, and slid down the wall.

"Where's Rhea?" Damien asked me.

"Storage hall, on the phone." I answered.

He nodded and puffed smoke into the air.

As we sat in the night silence, I was listening to the commentators as best as I could. After some time I heard the pin count

1! 2! 3!

"Austin Theory wins!" The stadium rung out.

"Fuck me!" I punched my hand into the wall. "Can't he fuck off."

A soft hand touched me on the shoulder. "What are you talking about?" It was Damien's familiar voice. "Austin?" He questioned.

"Yep." I said. "Austin won't fuck off."

"What's he doing?" Finn asked, coming beside Damien.

I growled. "Liv and Raquel told him I'm interested in him. He won't leave me alone."

Damien's brows furrowed. "Is that why you kissed Rhea? So he would leave you alone?"

"Not entirely." I say. "I - I was confused with what Rhea wanted. She told you guys about us, but never really told anyone else. I just wanted to see if she wanted to be with me..." I shake my head. "I don't know. It was stupid."

Damien paused a moment, thinking. "You should have just asked her." He said. I knew that now. It would have been so much easier.

After the week we had I was so nervous. So tense around her.

Fuckkkk meeeee.

"What did Austin do tonight?" Finn asked.

"If he won, I had to go out with him tonight." I stumbled over the foul words. The foul deal I made. "I think he's been following me. A car followed me for like an hour last week, so Rhea helped me."

"A black one with tinted windows?" Damien asked, anger in his voice.

"Yeah." I whisper. So it really was him? Stalking me, harassing me...

"What a dead asshole." Damien rose high and left outside, stomping inside.

My heart picked up, as I watched Finn. His eyes strayed to the back door a second and then he said "I'm going to go back him up, Mia." And he walked away.

I turned around to where he left to go back inside and Rhea stood there, looking at me, still with no smile. No twinkle in her eyes.