Lass Ride: Crossroads

Chapter 2

Having Randy Orton on your tail was bad enough. He hadn't picked a nickname like The Viper just because it looked good on a t-shirt, and he was noted for his relentless nature. When Seth had tried to ask the Four Horsewomen about their interactions with Randy, they were all resolutely silent. Of everything they wanted to leave behind at WWE, he had apparently been high on the list. Hunter had been even higher, so if Charlotte and Sasha were right, things had gone from bad, sped past worse, and were veering towards deadly.

Once Charlotte and Sasha had arrived at the rental house, Roman told everyone to park their bikes in the attached garage. It was a tight fit, but they managed; with so many people to transport, Seth often wondered if they should have just caved and got a van, but they all seemed to love cruising on their bikes. Bayley had confided that she had never been on a motorcycle before joining WWE, and now she wouldn't be without one.

Now they were all clustered together in the living room, the television off, the first batch of pizzas already devoured and the second ones were almost finished. "I'm sure it was him, Roman. That nose is pretty distinctive, you know? And there aren't exactly a ton of guys with his build," Sasha pointed out. She had dyed her hair a deep pink, but somehow it made her look sharper rather than softer.

Charlotte nodded in agreement. "It was him. I was just coming out of the bathroom by the front desk and I didn't catch any distinct words, but I know that tone. I remember Dad bringing him around in the Evolution days." With a slight wrinkling of her nose, she added, "I think he was kind of trying to get us together."

Bayley's face scrunched up in a mixture of disgust and confusion. "But Hunter's like . . . almost twenty years older than you! He could be your dad!"

Sasha just raised an eyebrow. "You think that matters to guys like Ric? Hell, Jerry Lawler's dated women younger than his own damn kids."

Roman waved his hands. "Back on topic, y'all. If this has escalated from Randy to Hunter, that's not good." Meeting Charlotte's gaze, he added, "I'm guessing it can't just be about your dad's condition. He wouldn't try tracking you down at a spa."

"Plus Ric's famous. If something really happened," Dean pointed out, "it'd be in the news, or someone would mention it at one of the events." Renee gave him a gentle nudge, flicking her gaze in Charlotte's direction. "Oh. Sorry, Char. I didn't mean anything by it."

Charlotte had tensed up the whole time Dean was talking, but she nodded slowly. "You're right. If . . . if my dad did pass away, it would hit the news eventually. Even if WWE is trying to keep his medical status under wraps, someone in the hospital would cave and sell the story. That's just how people are."

Seth tried to imagine what it would be like to find out that a relative had died through news media, not a call from the hospital or another family member. Still, even that prospect didn't seem to be enough to make Charlotte go back. Hunter really underestimated these girls, Seth thought, and not without pride. He was still on shaky terms with Becky and he didn't know the others well enough to consider them friends, but his respect for them all grew by the day. Wrestling was a hard business even for the top guys; he imagined it was a hundred times more difficult for women. "Could you ask anyone in your family to send you updates quietly?" he suggested. He wasn't sure what Charlotte's situation was like with the rest of the Flair family, but he doubted Hunter could sway all of them.

"My stepmother will do whatever Dad says is best, so she'll trust Hunter." Charlotte dropped her gaze. "And after Reid . . . well, my siblings won't want to rock the boat. I can try reaching out to some cousins, but I don't want to make things awkward for them. I chose this." She motioned at their small cluster, and Seth found himself strangely happy to be included in the sweep of her arm. "I chose it knowing what I would be giving up at the same time. If I can find out some updates on my dad without jeopardizing anything, I will, but if not. . . ." She squared her shoulders, looking every inch the queen. "Then at least I got to see him that one last time."