Cornered: On the Ropes

Chapter 2

Job interviews were always a bit unnerving, but when it was for a job you had already held—held and willingly left—there were even more layers to the anxiety. It's not EXACTLY the same, Liv told herself as she waited backstage in a quiet office away from most of the action. Hunter hadn't wanted the dirt sheets to hear of her presence at the event, so she had worn a wig and sunglasses and been admitted with a press pass issued to 'Jamie Murray'. It was close enough to Marley that it made her smile, at least.

When she had first arrived at the Performance Center all those years ago, Liv had been desperate to impress the coaches. She was still eager now, but she had experience on her side—and common sense. She knew the world wouldn't screech to a halt if Hunter didn't hire her back. She had options. She had a life. She would be able to move on. It would definitely sting, but she didn't need wrestling anymore. She still wanted it, though, wanted it in a way she hadn't really fully realized until Rhea had told her about Hunter's proposition.

A gentle knock made Liv almost fall off her chair, and she scrambled over to the door. Becky was waiting on the other side with a cup of coffee and a doughnut. "Hunter's running a bit late," she explained, "but he hasn't forgotten about you. And yes, Rhea wanted to bring this, but her match is in ten minutes and she didn't want to get distracted."

Liv blushed as she took the treats from Becky and ushered her inside. "Thank you for understanding. About the club and... and about Rhea," she added, cringing as her blush deepened. "And why this wasn't an easy choice for me."

"I get it. Well, maybe not the Rhea thing," Becky clarified with a laugh. "I don't think I'd want to date someone who terrified me, but otherwise, I see the appeal. But I know why it's a hard choice. I loved wrestling since I was a kid, and having to give it up gutted me. Getting a second chance should have been the easiest choice in the world, but it also came with the prospect of losing it all over again. It was hard enough to walk away once. The idea of possibly having to do it a second time was almost enough to make me not try. But my dad reminded me of how much I loved it and I knew I had to try. And now I'm so glad I did."

Seeing Rhea right before her meeting with Hunter would have been lovely—weirdly, there was nothing quite as grounding as Rhea's off-your-feet hugs—but hearing from Becky helped tremendously too. It was such a relief to know someone else understood her conflicted feelings. "If you were in my position, would you have come back? Or at least tried to?" She had to keep reminding herself that nothing was decided yet. It all felt so familiar—the backstage labyrinths, the bustle of activity, the wrestlers' themes blaring in the background—that it almost felt like she hadn't left.

Becky leaned against the wall and thought for a moment. "I don't think I'd ever have the confidence to be a stripper," she began slowly, "so I obviously would have been in a different line of work, but—yeah, I like to think I'd try. I mean, the worst Hunter can do is say no, right? You know you still have options. Even if your heart is set on wrestling again, there are other promotions; you could join Ruby or find somewhere else. The important thing is that you know your worth now, and you're willing to fight for what you deserve. That makes a big difference."

Liv set the coffee down so she could hug Becky. "Thanks, Becks. It means a lot that you and Rhea and Bianca all stood up for me. I'm... I'm sure I wasn't the easiest name to sell to Hunter."

Becky squeezed her and ruffled her hair before stepping back. "You've got a ton of potential, Liv. You're going to be a champion someday, I know it. Whether that's here or in another company or doing something else entirely, I don't know. Maybe you'll be the world's best stripper, if that's what you have your heart set on. But I know there's a fire in you. Whatever Hunter says, don't let that spark go out."