In the next few days, Isis was booked for promotional photoshoots and spent time with her new friend Candy, Cyrus, or Wraith. The least amount of time with Gage the better, or at least she thought. He hadn’t protested her being with Wraith in text messages. Maybe he had forgotten some of what he said on his night of drunken stupor. She felt she found her place of solitude with her cousins.

When they reached the next town for a house show, she was starting to feel a little better. Wraith took her to the arena on his bike. Riding with him always made her feel better about things. He could tell there was something she was hiding from him but she wasn't open to talking. He knew when she was ready she would.

Isis thought maybe Gage was just trying to show off with the new girl around on this first day. Push his authority around a little. But, he hurt her deeply. She didn’t even want to see him again. She managed a short meeting with Davis Preston begging him to let her out of Justice. Davis told her that in order for her to be there at all Gage had all say of her career until he decided to change things. It was the agreement he had made to get Gage to agree at all.

Isis got in her gym gear and went down to the ring to run the ropes. She thought a little practice with new moves would get out some aggression. After about an hour she felt someone watching her. Isis looked around the empty stadium trying to catch her breath from her heavy workout.

At the top of the stage there he was. Gage stood in a t-shirt, jeans, and his long hair loose around his face. Arms crossed over his chest she could see the veins protruding over the bulge of his biceps. As he headed to the ring her heart pounded in her chest. They were alone and she didn’t like it one bit.

“You need to tuck your head a little more on those bumps. You’ll break your neck that way.”

He jumped up on the ring mat seemingly calmer than she had last seen him. Still a little aggression to his tone. Isis said nothing and just continued working on bumps.

“Good that’s better. Hit a little harder. Show some intensity.”

She stopped and got up from the mat looking at him not saying a word. Gage could see Isis was not interested in his advice or his presence. She started to jump out of the ring and he caught her arm.

“I’m sorry about the night at the club. I drank a little too much. I was a jerk.”

“That was not a normal club. It was a strip club and it made me very uncomfortable. I’m not a stripper. I’m scared of those places. I’m a professionally trained dancer. There is a difference.”

She looked down picking at her fingertips yet not pulling from his grip. She knew it would do no good anyway. He was stronger and he already made her see he would make her pay for defying him.

"Well then, prove it. Dance." He jumped down from the mat at motioned for her to go ahead.

“I can’t.”

“Then you’re full of shit and your a glorified stripper. You say you’re a dancer. Prove it,” he said smugly.

She let out a breath of frustration. Shaking her head Isis went to the center of the ring and took off her shoes throwing them to the side of the ring while pulling her dance shoes from her bag. One tennis shoe she purposefully chucked toward his head and he ducked.

Gage just chuckled knowing he was annoying her. It gave him a little sick joy.

Isis took a deep breath and closed her eyes while going to the center of the ring. Isis went into her hardest ballet dance poses. She stood on ballet pointe for what seemed like forever then changing the position to an arabesque. In ballet pointe, she stood holding the pose as long as she could tolerate. She had to prove to him she really was a dancer.

She went to do a ballerina spin starting at one side of the ring post. She took a second at the ring post and leaped into a grand jete. Leaping from one side to the other with great height and poise. She stopped and grabbed the ring belt catty-corner from where she started with her back turned to Gage.

Her head dropped down feeling as much as the weight as her heart. She felt so broken.

He nodded his head in approval. “Wow, Isis. That was so beautiful. That’s amazing. How did you learn to do that?”

“It sure as hell wasn’t in a strip club shaking my ass for money. I started dancing not long after Cyrus started at IWX. He paid for my lessons. He tried to help me out of my depression and shyness. I was bullied a lot as a kid. He helped me get some of my self-esteem back. You ruined that in one night.” She stood with her arms around her waist and her head held down.

Gage jumped up on the mat and got in the ring behind her. “You really shouldn’t hold your head down so much. You’re beautiful. Hold your head up.”

He turned her to face him and took his hand lifting her head so he could see her big sad eyes. A pang of guilt hit him as he looked into her eyes. With a sigh, he wiped away a tear that had escaped from the corner of her eye, rolling down her rosy cheeks.

Her porcelain skin and the way she danced reminded him of an antique jewelry box with the dancing ballerina inside. He wished he could put her in his own box and tuck her away. Keeping her for just himself. Only taking her out in private to view her beauty like the finest piece art only meant for him.

“Why should I? I don’t have anything to hold my head up for. Do I? Rookie and all. I have to learn my place, right?” She pushed away his hand and started gathering up her things. “Is there anything else? Or am I dismissed... sir?”

Gage shook his head. Sir. The word sent a shiver down his spine. How he longed to have her at his command.

”Go.”

She started up the ramp and he stopped her.

“Oh! Hey, Isis. Don’t hide behind Wraith. I told you to be by my side at all times. He’s a good friend. But, this is not about him.”

She stopped and walked back to the ring.

”Why do you hate me so much? From the start, you haven’t even given me a chance. Why don’t you just let me go? Fire me. Something. But, stop torturing me.”

Gage jumped down fast pulling her to him. The heat radiating between them seemed different at that moment. Isis held her breath as his lips moved closer to her earlobe as he spoke.

"This isn’t torture sweetheart. I can show you torture. Sweet torture you would beg for. You know, there is a fine line between pleasure and pain.”

His lips almost grazing hers when he pulled his head back to look her in the eyes made the energy between them almost electric.

“What you did to me in that club. Why?” She tried to break free from him his grip tightened.

“You have to learn how to submit. Stop trying to be in charge all the time. I had to show you who is in charge here.”

He wrapped his arms around her holding her tight against him. Gage shuttered realizing he was becoming aroused being so close to her. He backed up with his hands on his hips. Looking away he took a deep breath to compose himself.

“Go... now.”

She walked up the ramp afraid to look back. At the top of the ramp, she stopped closing her eyes. His arms. Why did that feel so good when she wanted to hate him so much?

“Don’t hear footsteps up that ramp, Isis. GO!”

His gruff voice rumbled over the empty arena. The intensity of his voice made her shiver. Isis pulled her gym bag close to her and rushed away.

***

Later than night Isis sat in her hotel room video chatting with her cousin Holly. Holly was the polar opposite of Isis. Why Isis was shy and demure, Holly was a bundle of energy and loved to fight. Had it been Holly dealing with Gage she would have already fought him and ended up in jail.

Holly, who was cat sitting Cello, heald up the kitten using its little paw to wave while talking in a baby cat voice.

“Mommy, I peed in cousin Holly’s shoe today and I might be skinned by morning.”

“My baby wouldn't do that. Cello is a sweet little baby. Isn't that right my little fur baby?”

“The cat is a terror. Good thing it’s cute or I would have already made a fur coat out of the little monster. So, little cousin, how's IWX?”

“A nightmare. It's nothing like I expected. But, I have become friends with Candy. She’s a lot like you. She has no filter and says whatever she thinks.” Isis picked at her fingertips.

“You’re playing with your fingers. Something’s wrong. Who do I need to kick there asses? Wraith giving you shit?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Holly scrunched up her face. “I call bullshit. Fess up. What’s wrong?”

“It’s Gage. We haven’t been getting along.”

“Ohhh. Loverboy problems,” Holly laughed.

“Holly. He's not my loverboy."

“Whatever. It’s not like it isn't obvious to everyone but Cyrus that you have a thing for the guy. Cyrus still thinks you should be wearing pink tutus prancing around the living room with your dolls. So, what’s wrong? Why are you talking to me instead of in bed with that fine ass man?”

“Holly, he hates me.”

“I doubt that. You’re too sweet to have anyone hate you.”

“Well, he does. We have been fighting nonstop.”

“Fuck him. Take a cue from me and punch him in the face one good time. Show him who’s boss.”

“That doesn’t work with him. It’s like he has to be in control all the time.”

“Are you telling me he’s some sort of Alpha male? Girl, he’s a wrestler. It’s ingrained in his DNA to be an asshole.”

“Is it bad that I still sort of like him? He’s so handsome and when he’s near me I melt. Until he opens his big mouth and pisses me off. He said something about me submitting to him more and…”

Holly chuckled, “Is he into S&M? Maybe he’s a dom.”

“A what?”

“A dom. A dominate. Like 50 Shades shit. I can see you being a submissive. You like people to be in charge of you. Miss always follows the rules.”

Isis gave her cousin an annoyed look. “I do not follow the rules.”

“Isis, if there was a manual for people to follow for life, you would have it highlighted with notes in the margins. Other than a few years when you got a little crazy, you have always been a follower. Nothing wrong with it. It’s just who you are.”

“Holly, stuff it. I am not a follower. I take charge when I have to.”

Holly smirked knowing that was a lie. “Name one time.”

“Umm... I... okay, fine. I’m a follower. I just feel more comfortable when I have rules to follow. When I don’t, I end up getting in trouble.”

Holly saw that look. The one that showed Isis blaming herself past mistakes.

“You know you can forgive yourself at some point. It’s not healthy for you to carry that baggage. You made mistakes and are making up for them now. Look at you. You're a big IWX star now. At least you didn’t get put in jail for a bar fight... fights.”

“One day you are going to end up in prison. Wraith told me he bailed you out again.”

“Hey, those jackasses deserved it.”

Isis giggled, “Sure they did. Anyway, thanks for the chat. Love ya.”

“You too. Isis, you’ll figure something out. If he doesn’t like you for who you are, that’s his problem. Any guy would be glad to have you. You're pretty, smart, and talented. You’re a triple threat.”

“Thanks, Holly. Stay out of trouble. I don’t want to have the jail on my speed dial to talk to you.”

"Just send me smokes and cookies. I'll be good."

"You don't smoke."

"I need to have something to give my cellmate to keep the ladies off me. I'm a hot commodity."

Isis laughed and hung up the call. Holly was a tough girl who didn't show much emotion, but she always made Isis feel better no matter what the problem.