Right Side Up

~Sequel to Upside Down~

Chapter 1

Painted amber tipped nails dug into short soft auburn hair as her body moved in time with his, meeting him for every single thrust he produced. Her thighs tightened around his waist, knees bent to press on either side of his masculine body, moans pouring out of her mouth that quickly turned to cries of pure ecstasy. Lavani still had her two inch black Stiletto heels on that she wore for the show earlier that night as his large strong hands gripped her outer thighs, driving himself full force inside of her.

The hot coil deep within her stomach threatened to spring free the closer he pushed to that fine razor edge, but Lavani fought it because she wanted this to last as much as possible. Even after three years, no other man even crossed her mind or sent her the heights her boyfriend did, completely losing herself every time. Tonight was no different.

She was fighting it, and that simply made him want her to give into the ecstasy that was looming just ahead. “Cum for me, Vani.” Taker urged, feeling her trying to control her already out of control movements in time with his powerful thrusts while attempting to keep herself from cumming.

If she didn't...well, then he'd just fuck her until one of them passed out and it would be her. He was always up for any challenge Lavani tossed at him and tonight was no exception. Taker guaranteed it, his lust darkened eyes narrowing at the thought of the challenge.

“Cum for me, darlin', all over me...” He whispered huskily against her lips.

“N-No!” She gritted out, teeth clamped together and felt another wave of warmth crash over her, the intensity almost too much to handle.

Lavani had to be strong though, her nails digging into his shoulders and groaned when Taker decided to play dirty. Grabbing both of her wrists in one of his hands, Lavani was powerless against him as he held them above her head while his other hand fingered her swollen bud with his thumb. His thrusts never ceased and only increased, the combination making her entire body shudder against him.

“Oh fuck, not fair!!” She moaned out uncontrollably, her toffee eyes flying open when his teeth sang deep into her soft succulent skin, not hard enough to leave a mark. How Lavani kept fighting her release was beyond her, but somehow she managed to do it, the sounds of flesh smacking flesh echoed off the walls of the hotel room. “You first!”

Taker shook his head, not bothering wasting his air on words when he was too busy trying to breathe properly. Trying to work her body into such a frenzy that it would no longer listen to her at all, Taker was determined. Lavani had an iron will that matched his own and, in the bedroom, that made things interesting. He used his lips and goatee against her sensitive skin, his teeth nipping at her, tongue soothing those spots. His mouth occasionally dipped down her collarbone before back up to her throat, teasing her mercilessly.

“Cum with me...” Since neither were giving in, Taker decided to go for compromise before his legs completely gave out on him.

That's exactly what Lavani wanted to hear and nodded, feeling his hands release her wrists as their lips met an explosive kiss, each of their bodies begging for release. Lavani loved cumming with Taker because it made the impact of the orgasm that much more intense and powerful. They had excellent chemistry in the bedroom, though there were times when Lavani just couldn't hold out as long as Taker.

That didn't mean she didn't try as often as she could, like tonight, determined not to give in no matter what he did. As soon as he erupted inside of her, Lavani couldn't hold back any longer and whipped her head back, arching her body into him as she coated him completely, wrapping his thick shaft in her hot recesses. The feeling of him spilling his seed inside of her was enough to make any woman release a second time.

That's exactly what happened as another wave crashed over Lavani and his name echoed out of her mouth in a ecstasy-filled shriek. Her screaming out his name was enough to bring a bit more life back to Taker. This was surprising as hell considering Taker had just came and was damn sure his body had pulled excess fluids out of reserves he didn't know he had. Enough life to see her through one more orgasm that left him unable to breathe and her mouth open in a silent scream, while he came again as her walls contracted violently around him.

Lavani could only lay there as Taker collapsed halfway on top of her because he didn't want to crush her, which she appreciated. His head rested right above her heart and Lavani was pretty convinced it would leap out to smack against his cheek at any given moment. Her fingers ran through his short cropped hair, trying to get her breathing back to normal and closed her eyes, not wanting to pass out.

She could hear Taker's heavy breathing and a twinge of pride flowed over her as Lavani tried calming him down along with herself. She could feel his heart as it thumped against her stomach, managing a weak kiss on his forehead before collapsing back on the pillow again. Lavani couldn't remember the last time they'd had a sexual bout quite so...intense and mind-blowing. Something had triggered inside of Taker, though Lavani definitely wasn't complaining and would take another session like that with him any day of the week.

His world had officially been rocked and was currently spinning slowly back into its proper orbit. Dear God could the woman do things to him that no other woman had, or ever could. Such as, technically, make him cum first, even if it was by maybe a fraction of a second.

Though Taker would deny it if she ever brought it up. He bent down to brush his lips against hers before moving so he was laying on his own back. His hand flopped down on the bed while the other reached for hers, trying to calm his racing heart.

After taking a good twenty minutes or so to calm down, Lavani finally moved to snuggle against Taker. Her head rested on his warm chest while his arm curled around her. Her raven hair was currently streaked with amber gold that brought out the color of her eyes beautifully, which were slowly returning back to their normal color.

“I'm not complaining about what just happened, but I have to know. What the hell got into you tonight?” Her voice was filled with amusement and moved to prop her elbow against the pillow, staring at his rugged handsome face.

Currently, he had his goatee trimmed really short to almost a scruff and Lavani found incredibly sexy, not caring if it left burn marks on her skin. Nothing a little makeup couldn't cover up after all. Taker shrugged one shoulder, smirking as she arched an eyebrow down at him and folded his hands beneath his head, lacing his fingers together.

“No idea. You.”

The smirked widened. Actually, Taker had gotten into her...deep. He automatically caught Lavani's hand when it came down at his chest, bringing it to his hand and kissed the top of it. Apparently those evil thoughts had been showing in his eyes, though she did look amused.

“Didn't hurt you, did I?”

“Of course not. I was just wondering what got into you because you were...animalistic I guess is the word I want to use.” Lavani wasn't even sure if that was the correct term, but it was the best she could come up with at the moment. “Not that I'm complaining, it was definitely something I'll never forget.” She slapped him again when he got the Cheshire grin on his face, snorting. “I should stop before your head blows up to the size of Jupiter.”

“Shit darlin', a bit late for that, don't you think?”

Taker snorted, already aware he had quite the ego, but as far as he was concerned, he had every reason to possess that ego. His career, who his was, the woman laying beside him. Yes, definitely cause for an ego the size of 'Jupiter'. Suddenly, Taker rolled, pinning her on the bed again.

“So...ready for round two?”

At first Lavani just giggled at him thinking he was joking with her...that was until he started gliding his finger up and down her already wet slit, those giggles instantly turning to moans. “Evil man.” She murmured before bringing his lips down to hers, refusing to push him away.

Hell, even if she wanted to, Lavani couldn't deny this man anything and surrendered to him. This time, she couldn't hold out as long as he did, which made her cum twice as much. By the time they were finished, it was nearing four AM in the morning, both completely spent and fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. It was a good thing they were already in the town Smackdown! was being filmed so they could sleep late.

~!~

“Wake up!”

Lavani was woken up with a sharp slap to her bare ass. She had been laying face down on her belly and Taker left her there, uncovered, when he had gotten up. A shower and cup of strong, black coffee later and her not so pert ass still wasn't awake. He must've worn her out, but considering the hour, it was time to get up.

“Darlin', I'll make the other cheek just as rosy.” He cautioned, crouching down by the head of the bed, waving a mug of coffee under her nose before pulling it back.

Very slowly, Lavani began stirring and fluttered her toffee eyes open, the smell of coffee being what roused her from the deep slumber. “Mmm...” She growled when he proceeded to slap her other ass cheek, glaring at him over her shoulder. “I'm up, you ass.” She grunted, rolling over on her back and slowly sat up, stretching her arms in the air, not minding she was naked as a jaybird. “Somebody is sure chipper this...afternoon.”

Lavani was going to say morning, but there was no way it wasn't past noon, glancing at the clock and read four PM. Yes, yes he was. Probably because Taker had slept like a baby so to speak and then woken up to a very luscious sight. He had been sorely tempted to take advantage while she was asleep and wake her HIS way, but...he hadn't. He needed his energy for the taping. Taker dropped down in the chair, leaning back and stretched his legs out before him, sipping his coffee as he surveyed her with a slight smile.

“Beautiful day darlin', what's not to be...chipper...about?” Taker drawled huskily.

“Right.” Lavani yawned and stood up, slipping her white terry cloth robe on before walking past him to grab a cup of coffee herself. She fixed the way she liked before heading back over to the bed, stopping long enough to drop a quick kiss on his lips. “Thank you.” Taker proceeded to pull her to sit on his lap sideways and they drank their java like that, her head resting gently on his shoulder, contentment washing over her. “So what are you doing tonight besides beating more Lesnar ass?” Smirking when he did, Lavani snuggled against him and frowned when he mentioned he would be in an upcoming Hell in a Cell match at No Mercy against Brock Lesnar, who was currently the Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion. “You'll destroy him.” Lavani was confident and looked down at his cast covered arm, surprised that he'd had that much power, even with his injury, to perform the way he had the previous night.

“Course I will.” He agreed, following her gaze downwards to his arm, scowling slightly. Lesnar was going to be taking a flying leap very soon, he was envisioning a Mick Foley like fall occurring...a thoroughly evil smile flickering across his lips at the thought. “Short promo, I think.” Taker then added, frowning slightly. “Creative was still working on it, nothing too major.”

“Good, should be an easy night and then we can go home for a few days.”

For some reason, Taker never took Lavani to his place in Dallas -he had moved shortly after returning to the company back in 2000- and she was dying to see it. Every time Lavani brought it up though, Taker always came up with some excuse and it was starting to get old. She decided to try again, staring into his green eyes and ran the pad of her thumb across his soft red lips.

“You know, I wouldn't mind if we went to Dallas this time instead of Houston. I'm sure you miss your own house,” Pausing, Lavani kissed the side of his mouth, moving to straddle his lap with her arms draped around his neck. “Your own food,” She paused again, kissing the other side of his mouth. “Your own bed...It could be fun having me in it, don't you think?”

“I like yours better darlin, I got it broke in properly.” Taker said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, gently nudging her off of his lap. “Vani, as much as I would love to sit here and...” His eyes raked over her before returning to her face. “Just be with you, we're going to have to get going. It's past four now.” He ran his hand -the one that wasn't broken, obviously- through his short hair, standing up and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

Frowning, Lavani sighed heavily and just went to get ready, grabbing her bag on the way to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Chapter 2

In the past two years, Lavani had completely devoted herself to Taker and nobody else, giving him everything inside of her. He had her heart and, even though he said she had his, Lavani couldn't help questioning that. He’d acted very shady as of late whenever she mentioned going to his place and Lavani couldn’t help thinking he was hiding something from her.

Why wouldn't he take her to his house in Dallas? Was he hiding something? Did he have someone else on the side he kept at his house whenever they parted ways?

Lavani hated having doubts about their relationship, but after two years of devotion, she wanted to move to the next level. She felt like they were still back in two thousand when he first came back to the company and she found out about what his real motives with the Ministry had been. Taker wanted her and Vince had done everything in his power to make sure he didn't get what he wanted.  In the end, Taker ended up getting his way and that was Lavani's contract along with her body, mind heart and soul. 

Everything.

“Just stop it, Lavani.” She whispered, chastising herself.

Slipping into a simple black leather mini skirt with a matching tank top, the front of it had 'Big Evil' in gold lettering.  She had all of her outfits handmade by the gals in the back since she was still his valet and had been for the past two years.  Slipping her black Stilettos back on, Lavani quickly did her makeup, making her eyes glitter gold with black eyeliner, really making her eyes pop. 

Tiffany and Janet would take care of her hair, but Lavani had gotten used to doing her own makeup. Applying clear gloss, Lavani finally emerged, a gold choker around her neck.  With that was also the necklace Taker bought for her that had an amber stone currently attached to it, gold bangles on her wrists.

“You about ready Deadman?  Don't wanna be late.”

Taker nodded, fixing the bandana about his head before sliding a black leather vest over his blue denim, sleeveless top, wearing a pair of jeans. He turned to survey her, arching an eyebrow and shook his head, hiding a smile. One thing that hadn't changed was the woman's obsession with her color thing.

Damn good thing Taker had ensured she had a fair assortment of pendants for her necklace. Though, when he realized the six month thing would never change and the odds of her wearing all the colors within the next five years were slim, he had begun buying her pendants in her current color of various shapes and sizes. He loved that she always wore the necklace and wanted her to wear it always. It was a part of him that was always with her and, in a way, Taker’s claim on his woman.

“Ready as I'll ever be, darlin'.”

The matching colors with her hair would never change, her OCD quality as Taker put it. Clasping her hand in his, they headed out to the arena and slid into the rented Chevy Silverado.  Taker hadn't brought his bike because it was currently on one of the company's trucks.  The WWF no longer existed, not it was known as the World Wrestling Entertainment all because of the World Wildlife Foundation. 

Vince didn't want to get sued by them, even though he had every right to fight considering the company started using the abbreviations first and had been around longer.  Apparently, the boss didn't feel like fighting and simply changed it, which wasn't a huge deal, but it did take some getting used to.  The ride to the arena was made in silence, Lavani deep in thought about several things, hating her brain right now. 

She didn't want to have any doubts about Taker, the last two years had been amazing with him.  Lavani loved him unconditionally, no matter what, but Lavani couldn't help wanting more out of this relationship than what he currently gave her.  Maybe he was scared of commitment or maybe he was comfortable with the way things were between them now. 

She didn't know.  Sex with him was incredible, but there was more to a relationship than just physicality.  Lavani wanted it all.

As far as Taker was concerned, their relationship was based on more than just sex. They spoke, had actual conversations, and went out. He knew things about her -he would admit only to himself that he knew more about her than she did him-, stuff she had both told him and things he had learned from his 'snooping' a few years back. Once they were at the arena, Taker didn't bother breaking the silence, simply waited until she opened her door before getting out himself and walked around the truck to help her down.

Lavani smiled at him as they headed inside the arena, once again holding hands, everyone on the roster knowing they were together.  She waved at Adam and Jay, who had finally stopped questioning her relationship with Taker after the first solid year.  They were convinced he would've hurt her within the first six months and so far, it was a little past two years. 

Once inside Taker's dressing room, Lavani got started on his schedule while he started shadowboxing, getting ready for his promo segment that night against Lesnar.  She would be out there with him and if Paul Heyman gave her one more lewd stare, she was going to slap him silly.  That man downright gave her the creeps.  She watched him for a little while, managing to get her work done since she was still his personal assistant. They didn't have to talk, she knew he was focused and gearing up for Hell In A Cell at No Mercy in a few short weeks. 

The cast on his arm said in big black lettering 'NO PAIN', his way of telling Lesnar nothing was going to stop him from reclaiming what was rightfully his.  When the stage tech knocked on the door and told them five minutes, Lavani stood up and walked out with Taker. Heading for gorilla position, both of them had watched on the monitor as Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar were standing in the ring with a woman.  A very familiar woman...Lavani's eyes nearly shot open when she realized exactly who it was, her mouth dropping open.

“Oh my god...”

Taker's green eyes were emotionless, revealing nothing as he stepped away from the monitor. He heard Lavani falling into step beside him, her 'oh my god' almost making him stop to ask her what that had been about. Then decided he didn't really need to know at this exact moment. Taker had every intention of going out into that ring and killing two idiots before possibly strangling the third for even being there.

Before the woman could even utter a word, Taker's music hit as Lavani followed him out to the ring, trying to keep up with him since he was stalking with a purpose.  She decided to stay outside of the ring while he confronted the woman, both Lesnar and Heyman making themselves scarce as always.  She still couldn't believe who was standing in the middle of the ring, moving around to where she stood on the side of it away from Lesnar and Heyman, toffee eyes narrowed slightly.

“What are you gonna hit me now?” The woman, Tracy, demanded with cold eyes when he actually raised his hand to her. “How could you?!  How could you Taker?  For THREE MONTHS, you have LIED to me and SLEPT with me!!  Now I find out that you're with someone else and have been for TWO YEARS?!” She suddenly shoved the Undertaker, anger flaring in her eyes. “You're a bastard!!”

“W-What?!” The cameras zoomed in on Lavani's face, her eyes ready to fall out of their sockets and immediately moved to climb the steel ring steps, slipping into the ring. “Tracy, what the hell are you doing here?” She demanded after grabbing a microphone, anger evident in her voice. “What do you mean you slept with...Taker?” She'd never used his real name, Taker absolutely hated it and Lavani respected that. “How the hell do you even know him?”

“I see he hasn't told you.  Shouldn't be surprised.” Tracy snorted, turning her attention to her once best friend. “I'm sorry to tell you this, Lavani, but for the past three months I've been sleeping with your man.  I didn't even know you were with him, he kept me in the dark about everything!  I met him back before you started the company and we just recently got back together...or so I THOUGHT!!” Her cold eyes moved to Taker again, snarling. “I guess he's been playing with you too huh?  God knows how many other women he's slept with!!”

All Taker could do was pace back and forth, staring at Tracy out of eyes that were constantly widening and then narrowing, finally looking at Lavani. She looked like she was in shock and he knew that wouldn't last long. When he finally had calmed himself enough to where he wasn't going to snap this bitch's scrawny neck, Taker reached for the microphone.

Taker never got a word out as Tracy slapped him before he could even open his mouth. Lavani definitely didn't expect Tracy to do that and furrowed her brows, slowly looking at Tracy as she went to exit the ring.  Grabbing her arm, Lavani pulled her back and stared into her eyes, tears forming in her own.

“Is it true?” Tracy wouldn't lie to her, they'd been roommates for two years before Lavani took this job with the WWE -WWF at the time- and she trusted her. “Tell me it's not true, Trace.”

“I swear, I didn't know Lavani.  You know me, I don't watch wrestling.” They were talking amongst themselves in the ring without the microphones, the segment cutting to a commercial for the taping. “I'm sorry, if I would've known he was yours...”

Blinking, huge tears slid down Lavani's cheeks as she released her former friend and roommate, watching her walk away up the ramp with Lesnar and Heyman.  As soon as Taker touched her arm, Lavani reacted and slapped the taste out of his mouth the same way Tracy did, only harder. After everything Taker had done to her, this was the absolute last straw and Lavani knew Tracy was telling her the truth because Taker wasn’t even defending himself.

“Don't touch me.” She hissed angrily, not giving him a chance to recover and slipped out of the ring, running up the ramp to the back.

Taker watched as she ran backstage, not even feeling the stinging in his cheek but not one slap, but two, and both those women were heavy hitters. His eyes narrowed to venomous slits of acid green aimed directly at Heyman, Lesnar and Tracy. Someone was going to wind up six feet under for this, specifically three people. He was not a woman beater anymore -he had knocked around a woman a time or two back in the day-, but he was about to change all that. Growling, Taker slid through the ropes, pissed beyond belief.

Both Adam and Jay could only watch with heavy hearts and shocked expressions as Lavani stormed past them in tears, not knowing what to say to console her. Completely heartbroken, Lavani grabbed her bag from Taker's locker room and left the arena, having the keys to the Chevy Silverado.  She was going back to the hotel, packing her things and heading straight for the airport to go home. 

Lavani didn't want to see Taker right now, maybe ever, and shakily slid the key into the ignition of the rental.  He could take his bike or walk for all she cared, not able to stop the tears from falling.  Tracy had slept with Taker...Lavani still couldn't wrap her mind around it and felt her heart shatter every time she thought about it. 

Crying turned to sobbing as Lavani raced back to the hotel, breaking speed limits, needing to put as much distance between her and Taker as possible.  Unbeknownst to him, Lavani had found a place in Mississippi and was in the process of having her things moved there.  She was going to surprise Taker with the news, but not anymore, not after finding out what a cheating lying prick he was.  Once her things were packed, Lavani checked out of the room and headed straight for the airport, not caring that black streaks were now staining her cheeks.

Lavani was gone and she had the keys to his rental...Taker ordered the ring crew to get his motorcycle out of the truck ready to go. Knowing that would take them a bit of time, Taker began pacing back and forth impatiently. He was tempted to go hunt down Lesnar and Heyman, but knowing those chicken shit, low handed bastards, they were probably long gone as well or hiding.

Lavani was more important right now. Taker could handle them later. When his motorcycle was ready, he roared out of the parking lot, hoping he wasn't too late to stop Lavani from leaving.

Lavani went straight to Mississippi, already having the keys to her two bedroom house and locked the door behind her.  It was quiet, too quiet, she was used to noise.  It was so quiet she could hear her own heart breaking, the shards resting in the pit of her stomach. 

She stopped on the way to the airport to fax her resignation late to WWE headquarters, flat out refusing to work in the same company and breathe the same air as Taker.  Trudging upstairs, Lavani collapsed on her new king sized four poster bed and buried her face in the fresh pillow, instantly staining it with her tears.  What was she going to do now?

Taker had blown her cell phone up, remembering doing this to her two years ago when she had left him. He had hunted her down and wound up...well, not in a very good way and Taker could all too well remember the feeling of sheer desolation Lavani's manipulative plan had left him with. Probably what she was feeling right now and she didn't even know the entire damn story! He headed for Houston, to her home, planning on making her hear him out one way or another.

Chapter 3

Driving home from yet another day at a mediocre job, Lavani wanted a bath, glass of wine and bed, not even remotely hungry.  She hated this job, but it paid the bills and kept a roof over her head.  She wasn't passionate about it the way she'd been when she worked for the World Wrestling Entertainment. 

It'd been two years since she left that part of her life behind and started a new journey, a journey that so far was very disappointing.  Raising brow at a white limousine parked in her driveway, Lavani pulled over on the side of the road, her heart rate increasing a little. Lavani frowned, tempted to drive off, but knew if it was who she thought he would he merely hunt her down.  

What if it was him?  Had he finally found her?  Sighing with great resignation, Lavani cut the ignition of her car and stepped out, walking up her driveway just as the door to the limousine opened, her eyes widening at who stepped out of it. 

What the HELL?

“Well hey there sweetheart!”

It was John Bradshaw Layfield emerging from the white limo, wearing a tailor-made cream colored suit with a tan undershirt and a pale blue tie, a white Stetson on his head. He looked a lot different from his Acolyte days. His hair was now its natural color, short, neatly trimmed and combed beneath the hat. His face was clean shaven and he was also looking a little leaner if he did say so himself.

“Lava, honey, you remember me, now don't ya?”

No she didn't actually. 

Lavani frowned, knowing just by the height alone, he worked for the WWE.  Lavani wore a simple black skirt suit with a white buttoned up dress shirt, black pumps on her feet, her cardigan dangling over her shoulder while carrying her purse.  Her hair was no longer black, instead beautiful auburn tresses that looked splashed with honey cascaded down her back in waves, having just taken it out of the bun it'd been in on her ride home from work.

“Should I remember you?” She asked hesitantly, walking closer until she was mere inches away from him.  As soon as she looked up beneath the Stetson cowboy hat, Lavani's hand immediately flew to her open mouth, toffee eyes widening. “Oh my god, Bradshaw?!”

His broad grin was her answer, knowing without the long black hair, facial fuzz and 'blue collar' clothing, he looked like an entirely different man, which he was. “Glad you remembered!” He boomed, laughing as he swept off his hat with a half bow, his eyes glimmering as he looked at her. John took her in, noting the differences in her appearance, as well as the professional attire, which he wholeheartedly approved of. “I hope you don't mind that I just showed up out of the blue like this.”

The last time Lavani saw this man, he had long black hair, a black goatee and was raising hell all over the place with his tag-team partner Farooq, his real name being Ron Simmons.  Now standing before her, Bradshaw had...completely changed and had short dishwater blonde hair, clean shaven -he looked better with the goatee and black hair, Lavani thought anyway- and the smile on his face as almost too cheerful.  What was he doing here?

“No, you're fine.  Come on in, my feet are killing me I have to get these heels off.”

Lavani walked past him and up to the front door of her two story house, stepping inside and waited for him to enter before shutting it behind him.  Guiding him to the kitchen, Lavani finally took her heels off and kicked them to the side. Grabbing a bottle of wine out of the fridge, Lavani placed it on her island that was in the middle of her kitchen.

“Do you want something to drink or anything?  I have beer...I think...”

John was taking note of her house as he followed her to the kitchen, and then of the kitchen itself. “A beer would be great.” He said, the smile never leaving his face. He watched her speculatively as she retrieved him one, accepting it with a grateful nod of his head. “You, Lava dear, are not an easy woman to track down.” John commented after the first swallow, forgiving her for her poor taste in beer because one, he needed her and two, she was a woman who probably didn't know any better.

Blue Moon was the only kind of beer Lavani drank because it had a sweet flavor to it, especially with an orange slice shoved to the bottom.  It was citrus-flavored, she enjoyed it.  It was either Blue Moon or Arbor Mist wine, though she preferred the wine over beer any day.

“That's what happens when a person doesn't want to be found.” Lavani retorted, slipping on a stool seat after pouring herself a glass of wine, slowly sipping it while eyeballing him speculatively. “Speaking of that, how exactly did you find me, Bradshaw?” It must've taken great resources because Lavani wasn't listed, making sure of it.

“I go by just John now, Lavani.” He corrected, sitting opposite of her, and took another slow sip of the beer. He might've cleaned up and changed his ways, to an extent, but John still preferred a Bud or Miller Light over whatever this chick drink she was passing off as beer was. “And anyone with the time, money and resources could have found you. If they were so...inclined.” He said slowly, watching her carefully to gauge her reaction.

“And I was worth all that trouble to you?” Lavani set her wine glass down and leaned back against her seat, folding her arms in front of her chest. “Something tells me you're not here for a leisurely visit.” There was a reason for it, she could tell just the look that came over his eyes, her own narrowing ever so slightly. “So cut to the chase, why would you waste time, money and resources in order to track little ol' me down, John?”

She nearly called him Bradshaw, but caught herself at the last minute, taking another sip of wine. Lavani had never been an idiot, he would always give her credit for that. Perhaps a bit blind when it came to certain individuals, but overall not a stupid woman by any means. She wouldn't have survived working directly with Vince McMahon and then later the Corporation –she left the Corporation to valet Undertaker- if she hadn't been intelligent. Because of this fact, John decided to 'cut to the chase’ as she so eloquently put it.

“Because of the Undertaker.” John said honestly, this time really monitoring her for her reaction.

Just the mention of him sent Lavani's heart racing and she hated it, even after two years. Lowering her toffee eyes to the glass, Lavani began swirling the wine around absentmindedly, refusing to meet John's eyes.  Something told her John's visit had to do with her ex and Lavani had no idea what she had to do with it.

“What about him?” She demanded in a clipped voice, suddenly draining her glass before refilling it, the wound from what Undertaker did to her very fresh. “I haven't seen him in two years, so there's nothing I can do for you, John.”

Two years, John already knew that, and he figured that was plenty of time between the pair. Taker had apparently searched for her rather extensively, but even the Undertaker hadn't been able to find her. Now that would definitely be a blow to Taker’s ego that John had found her and he hadn’t as well as a fine way to begin the new game John had planned for his current rival.

“There is a lot you can do for me, Lavani. And in return, I could help you.”

She wanted money? He could give her money. She wanted revenge on Taker for breaking her heart? Well, he could help her get that as well.

“Help me with what?” She shot back, tears stinging the back of her eyes and instantly stood up, raking a hand through her hair hastily, gritting her teeth. 

No, she wouldn't shed tears for Undertaker. 

Lavani had done enough of that the first six months away from him and she'd built a wall around her heart that was almost impossible to penetrate.  The mention of his name still hurt, but she had to be strong and fight off any feelings she still had.  It was the only way she could fully move on, if she ever could.

“I don't need help with anything and what can I possibly do for you?” Finally turning to face him, Lavani's eyes were guarded and wondered why the hell John had come all this way just to bring her ex up. “I think you tracked me down for nothing, to be quite honest.”

“Do you really think that, Lavani?” John asked politely, draining what was left of his beer before standing up as well. John walked over to the sink to rinse out the bottle before turning and holding it up quizzically. “Where do you put them, honey?”

He didn't want to be rude, not when she was obviously having an issue with him at the moment. When she simply took it from him, he stepped out of her way. Afterwards, John gently took her by the arms, turning her to face him and stared down at her.

“I'm not trying to hurt you by bringing him up, Lava. Just hear what I have to say, my business proposition and then, afterwards, if you want me to go and never contact you again, I will. Alright?”

Lavani considered him for a few moments, trying to decipher if she should hear what he had to say or even wanted to.  The matter regarded her ex.  It was a sore subject for her, but John had asked so politely that Lavani couldn't just write him off.

“Alright.” She reluctantly agreed, hoping she didn't regret this and guided him from the kitchen into the living room, grabbing her glass of wine on the way. Once they were settled, Lavani turned her full attention on him, folding her arms and watched as he took his Stetson hat off, resting it on his knee. “What can I do for you, John?”

Unlike her, John's body posture was relaxed and open, his hands folded loosely on the table before him as he regarded her. “I doubt you've been watching the programming lately...” He began, not surprised in the least when she shook her head. Definitely not a surprise; if she had been, she would have known instantly why he was there and what he wanted. “Well, I'm currently feuding with your ex.” Who had made some...changes...to his persona or, technically, reverted somewhat.

“I gathered that.” Lavani said in a softer voice, having a sinking feeling she knew what John wanted. 

She wasn't going to jump to conclusions though, not yet anyway.  It was only fair to hear the man out because she could be wrong in her assumptions.  Then again, Lavani was rarely wrong and took another sip of wine while John continued, her eyes widening and then narrowing during the explanation.

“So...what exactly can I do for you as far as being your valet goes?  Besides irritating him?”

“I'm not going to ask you to interfere in the matches, if that's what you're thinking. Not physically at least.” John amended, studying her thoughtfully. “I don't want him hurting you, I'm sure you don't want that either. But your presence alone...that'll be distraction enough. I want you to be my valet in the traditional sense of the word. Come out to the ring with me, cheer me on, that sort of thing.” That would be more than enough to begin the initial mind game he had planned for Taker.

“Your valet.” Lavani reiterated, watching him nod. “That's it?  Nothing else?  You just want me to walk with you to the ring, cheer you on and we don't have to share hotel rooms or anything like that?  Nothing in it for you besides screwing with Undertaker?”

When John just smiled and nodded at her, Lavani went silent for a few minutes, mulling things over in her head, chewing her bottom lip almost nervously.  Valeting another man to the ring, could Lavani do it?  Could Lavani go back to the place where her heart had been ripped out and stomped on?

She had yet to ask what was in it for her and that was just odd. Nobody did anything for free, he knew that very well. “Obviously, I will pay you. More than what a normal valet or wrestler would make, or diva, whichever you prefer to call them. I'm not asking you to wrestle, but you're not just a normal valet either.” Considering her history, -he had done his homework on top of what he had seen during her time in the company- he figured money might help smooth the transition for her if she were to do it. “And of course, there is always the pleasure of satisfying the need for vengeance, or revenge, if you're so inclined for either.” He then added thoughtfully. If he had been in her shoes, he would definitely want to see a few heads on pikes.

Then again, that had also been two years ago and a lot of things had changed.

“I'm not the type of person who looks for revenge or vengeance, John.” Lavani informed him evenly.

Crossing one leg over the other, Lavani held her wine glass as it dangled from her fingers.  It didn't matter that Undertaker nearly destroyed her mentally and emotionally.  What was done was done. There was no point in bringing up the past.

“I'll do this for you under two conditions.” Lavani finally said, standing up from the couch and slowly paced back and forth in front of him. “My first condition is I don't want a contract with you or the WWE.  If I choose to leave, I'm leaving and don't want to breech anything.” She'd breeched her contract with Taker and, surprisingly, he didn't come after her for it.  Probably because he was a cheating bastard. “You pay me weekly with checks, I deposit them, that's how I want this to work out.  I can leave whenever I want if this doesn't work out for me.  My second condition is I don't want what happened two years ago mentioned in your feud with him.  There's no reason for it.  Just having me as your valet will be enough to piss him off, which is what you want.  That's why you're here, to play games with him.  If you can agree to those two stipulations, I'll have no problem quitting my current job and leaving with you tonight.  And I'm open for negotiating if you don't like my two stipulations or feel they're not fair.”

Chapter 4

John considered that, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving hers. “First condition, you got a deal.” He said finally, not overly pleased with the idea of her basically free-lancing for him. John really did not like employees who had the option of quitting without a moment's notice. That could prove to be detrimental to his plans down the road. “I do feel I should warn you though, I'd be a bit more comfortable if you did sign one, mainly because my lawyers will tell me I'm not watching my ass, but also for your own protection. I would have obligations to you and vice versa. We could do it on a short-term basis. A few months at a time or so. And I would provide you with all the benefits that the WWE would not.” Such as medical for one, highly doubtful she would need it though. “Of course, I'm sure we both trust each other enough to not need one and to meet obligations, it was just a thought.” He smiled at her charmingly, then nodded his agreement about the second stipulation. “I agree, there is no need for that to be brought into the feud.”

Considering this feud wasn't about HER being cheated on, but HIM and Taker. Besides...there were ways around things, but John was smart enough not to say that aloud. Lavani considered what he said and had to admit he had a point as far as the contract part went.

“Alright, I'll sign a contract with you for six months starting out.  I can leave when I want though, if things get too hairy.  That way it's not a breech between either parties.  Is that acceptable?” When he nodded, Lavani smiled tentatively back at him, hoping she wasn't getting herself into trouble by working for John Bradshaw Layfield. “You have a new valet then.  We can leave tonight if you want, but I do need to pack some things and make a few phone calls, mainly to my current job informing them I'm quitting.” Now she was just rattling more to herself than him, pacing a little faster and tried getting her mind on track. “What attire do you want me wearing just so I know what to pack up?” There was no way he was going to allow her to wear whatever she wanted to the ring, not a man of his stature.

“Take your time, we don't have to leave until tomorrow afternoon.”

When they would head to the airport and take his private jet…being wealthy definitely had its perks. Six months...that was perfect, he did not see this feud lasting THAT long. Not if he had his way, but John also knew Lavani was a rather good person to have working with him, so...six months definitely worked. Pushing away from the table, John gently caught her so she stopped pacing, smiling slightly.

“Calm down honey, you got plenty of time. And as for clothes, when we're out in the ring...something...” He studied her. “Well, classy. I already know you're not a tramp, so I'm not asking you to dress like one. Just...no jeans or t-shirts, catch my meaning? And only for work, outside of it, I don't care what you wear, you're your own woman.”

“So would what I'm wearing now suffice?”

John nodded, his eyes sweeping over her and Lavani merely smiled, already knowing what to pack.  She was thankful she had one more night in her house, having a feeling she wouldn't see it again for several weeks after leaving with John.  Walking him out to his limousine, Lavani stopped him by grabbing his arm gently, extending her hand.

“Thank you for tracking me down, John.  I look forward to working with you.”

They shook hands and Lavani watched the limousine pull out of her driveway before heading into town where a hotel suite was waiting for him.  Lavani had offered him to stay there, but John politely declined, explaining he'd already had a room set up for him at the local Marriott.  So they agreed to meet up the following day in the hotel lobby, which Lavani didn't mind.  Heading back into her house, Lavani couldn't help wondering what was going to happen once she came face to face with Taker again, frowning. 

She distracted herself from thoughts of her ex by making phone calls, writing out a few bills that were due and then packed two bags with all necessities she would need for the road, toiletries included.  Fingering the necklace around her neck, Lavani wanted to rip it off so many times and destroy it, but couldn't bring herself to do it.  This necklace along with the colored charms were the only thing that reminded her of what she used to have with Taker before he broke her heart. 

It was something Lavani would never part with as long as she lived, planning on being buried with it.

John wasted absolutely no time in getting on the phone with his lawyers, giving them explicit instructions about the contract and the details that were to be included. The six month bit, her 'if things got too hairy, can leave' bit, benefits...other things. His lawyers were the best at what they did, which good since John was making them rich with how much he paid them. Once that was finished, John figured he deserved a nice, relaxing night before tomorrow...because tomorrow was when the fun would really begin.

Of course, nothing was cemented yet, she had to sign first.

~!~

The following day, Lavani sat on John's private jet after reading over her contract during breakfast -John insisted taking her out for coffee and a muffin at least- and had signed on the dotted line.  It was pretty clear cut and he was definitely paying her more than Vince McMahon ever thought about, so that was a plus.  Currently, she wore black dress pants that flared at the ankle slightly with a champagne colored short-sleeved buttoned up top. 

It had little ruffles on the ends of the sleeves to give it style, the rest clean-cut.  She would change into a black skirt once they were at the arena with open-toed heels instead of the current two inch knee high boots she current wore.  It was summer after all, but currently on the private jet John had the AC cranking.  She was thankful for it and leaned back against her comfortable seat, staring out the window while sipping her glass of champagne. 

Tonight was the Smackdown! taping and Lavani needed something to take the edge off. If John would’ve thought it would truly help and that she wouldn't give him a funny look, John would have probably offered her a valium or something. The woman looked calm, composed and collected except for the faint worry lines from her compressed mouth.

She had signed after reviewing the contract and he had felt a surge of relief when she seemed satisfied. As it was, John was feeling pretty relaxed himself, leaning back in his leather seat. Sipping a gin and tonic, John was dressed down compared to his suit and tie look from the day before in tan dress slacks and a white polo shirt, which was tucked in of course.

“Having seconds thoughts, Lava?” John asked gently.

“No, just nervous.”

Rightfully so, she was about to come face to face with the one man she vowed never to set eyes on again.  Of course it didn't help that she was now working for Taker's current enemy.  Downing the rest of her champagne, Lavani set the glass on the tray that was beside her and hoped she could even handle being back in the WWE.  Her contract said she could leave if things got too bad and she would be on the first flight right back to solitude.  Taker had no idea where she lived and Lavani intended on keeping it that way, enjoying being off the radar so to speak.

“That's understandable, you've been away for so long.” John said, deciding to not mention the reason why she had been away.

That would just be rude and tactless. Not exactly a good way to calm her down either. Leaving her to her own thoughts might not be so wise either as she could get herself worked up. John decided calm conversation is what would best suit this current situation, keeping a grin on his face.

“Just what was it you were doing? Your job?” He asked curiously. “The one you just quit?” John knew she had been a personal assistant for Vince, and then for Taker as a valet. Though he highly doubted her now ex-job paid her anything near what he was. “And why Mississippi?” Mississippi could be defined with exactly one word: poor.

“It was a mediocre secretarial job, nine to five shindig.” Lavani muttered, not sounding pleased with it at all and scrubbed a hand down her face, thankful she hadn't done her makeup yet. “It sucked, I would've much rather been a personal assistant because it's what I'm used to.  I thought secretarial would've been enjoyable.  Not so much.” Snorting, she nodded at the waitress when she asked if Lavani wanted another glass of champagne, taking it without hesitation. “And Mississippi wasn't my first choice, but I found that house when we did a show in Jackson when I worked for Undertaker.” His name left a bad taste in her mouth, but it didn't show as Lavani took a sip of champagne. “I fell in love with the house, saw the ad at a local market I stopped at while in town with the company and pretty much bought it outright that same day.  You're probably wondering why Undertaker didn't know about it since we were...together.  Well, I went alone to look at the house and signed the deed, told him I was going shopping.  He didn't think anything of it obviously.”

“Apparently not, what a fool.” John said, shaking his head.

This was rather surprising since he knew for a fact that Taker had a slight interest in real estate and also knew this because he had done some background work on the man. Always best to know where to strike. He fully expected Taker had done the same with him. If not, Taker definitely would after seeing who he was bringing back.

“I bet the market is pretty low right now...” He mused, eyeing her speculatively, not surprised when she nodded and knew she had probably gotten the house for a steal.

He did love a shrewd woman.

“Pretty much, that house was only a little under fifty thousand.” She smirked when he choked on the gin & tonic he took a drink of, toffee eyes sparkling. “Sorry, probably should've waited to say that until you were finished swallowing.”

In truth, that house was worth way more than she paid for it, but Lavani definitely wasn't complaining.  She saw the opportunity and took advantage of it.  She could be shrewd when the situation called for it and had loved the house too much to pass it up.

“I was going to surprise him with it the night I found out what he did...” Trailing off, Lavani finished off her second glass of champagne and decided to cut herself off, not wanting to be buzzed her first night back to the company. 

Closing her eyes, Lavani decided to catch a quick nap before they landed, not getting much sleep the previous night. Her leaning back and closing her eyes was her way of closing the conversation and that was fine. John had a lot to think about anyway.

She had been on planning him with the house and he idly wondered why the hell she would have her own place to begin with. It was no secret that Taker had been notoriously protective and possessive of Lavani. He had figured the pair had moved in together in one of Taker's properties. Or...not. Figuring he'd follow her example, he leaned back and closed his eyes as well.

Tonight was going to be fun.

Once the plane landed, John first took Lavani to the hotel so she could change, which was into a simple black skirt that went two inches above the knee, her legs smooth and tanned enough not to need nylons and two inch open-toed black heels.  She curled the bottom of her honey auburn locks to give it bounce, resting just above her waist.  She grew her hair out, loving her waist length and refused to cut it. 

Trimmed maybe but that was it, Lavani was very vain about her hair.  Outlining her eyes in black eyeliner, lips shimmering in a pink gloss and foundation to hide blemishes, Lavani was finally ready to head to the arena.  She slid inside John's limousine that was used for WWE appearances and smiled when he gave her a once over, crossing one leg over the other. 

She had shaved and geared up the previous night so they looked soft to the touch, which is what she wanted.  Her toes were French pedicured, no polish and matched her fingernails. She’d gotten them done at the last minute before meeting John at the hotel earlier that afternoon.

John loved the long hair and sincerely hoped no one decided to use it as a weapon against her because he would rather upset. She looked gorgeous, the perfect valet for him. He had made an educated guess and matched his tie to her top, wearing a custom made gray suit with his Stetson and tailor-made shoes. He adjusted his tie before glancing down at his Rolex, having timed their arrival at the arena just so.

“You look beautiful.” John said with a grin, knowing that wasn't the best word to describe her, but...it would do.

“Thank you, John.”

Lavani smiled, used to men checking her out and he didn't look so bad himself from the neck down.  He seriously needed to go back to the black hair and goatee though.  Nerves began overtaking her the closer they came to the arena and Lavani knew they were staying in the limousine until it pulled into the arena with John's ring entrance. She clasped her hands in her lap, wearing the necklace Taker got for her as a gift and began fingering it nervously, staring out the window. 

It had a white charm dangling from it tonight. 

Even though she'd given up her OCD quality when she decided to stop with the streaks, Lavani still did like matching her jewelry.  She just didn't wear one specific color for six months straight anymore.  Her head snapped up when the limousine began pulling into the arena and Lavani knew this was it, taking a few deep breaths, hoping she could still pull the valeting off. John looked out the tinted black windows, knowing no one could see them and reached over to take her hands in his and gently squeezed reassuringly.

“You're going to be fine, Lavani. It'll be fine.” He said, knowing that probably didn't help one damn back he had to do something. Should have given her a valium...He heard the typical noise around them, as well as the already creeping limo coming to a creeping halt and inhaled deeply, flashing her a quick smile. “You ready, honey?” She had better be because it was show time.

“Ready as I'll ever be.”

Lavani nodded, taking one last deep breath before John stepped out of the limousine, his patent smile plastered on.  He looked around for an instant and then got a smirk on his face, holding his finger up in a one second gesture before reaching into the limousine, extending his hand.  A few seconds later, a honey auburn haired beauty stepped out while clasping his hand, her toffee eyes almost unmistakable and very memorable as the camera zoomed in on her.

Chapter 5

“Holy cow Cole, do you know who that is?!” Tazz exclaimed, taking his shades off to make sure he wasn't seeing things. “That's LAVANI!!”

Cole blinked, his mouth hanging open, eyes wide. “What in the world is SHE doing here?!”

Smiling at the now buzzing crowd, Lavani looped her arm with John's as they walked to the ring together, John waving his Stetson to the crowd before holding the ropes open for her.  Lavani stepped through them and clapped her hands while John went to retrieve a microphone from one of the stagehands, his music cutting.

Backstage was already buzzing with the news of Lavani's apparent return. Speculation on where she had been, why she was here now, and why with John of all people already being discussed, even as John spoke. Then He walked out of his dressing room and everyone fell silent, all eyes on him. He stared straight ahead, not acknowledging any of them as he headed for the ring entrance, each step carefully measured, every movement controlled.

Nothing was shown on his face or in his acid eyes.

While John ran his mouth about how he was a Wrestling God, Lavani just stared out at the crowd, glancing ever so often at the entrance, waiting for Taker to make his appearance.  She could feel goose bumps forming on her skin, nodding when John asked her if he was the greatest wrestler ever, flashing another smile.  That smile instantly faded as the lights suddenly went out, the arena blanketing in black darkness. 

Lavani instantly felt John wrap one arm around her waist and stayed with him, toffee eyes wide.  The sound of bells tolling reverberated around the arena as the crowd started erupting, making it sound like thunder.  What the hell was this?  Lavani was so used to Taker's entrance on the motorcycle that she hadn't expected THIS to happen. 

When she looked up at the ramp again, he had appeared and felt her breath catch her throat, smoke surrounding and billowing behind him.  He'd gone back to his original persona?  Lavani couldn't believe John hadn't told her and swallowed hard as Taker slowly began making his way down the ramp through the smoke, lights flashing as the sound of thunder along with his theme echoing in her ears.

If she would have watched the show, she would have known. As it was, John didn't really think that was an important detail. The Undertaker was the Undertaker, regardless of how he looked. He was dangerous, sly and it didn't matter if he came roaring out on a Harley or walking down that ramp at a pace so slow Aesop's tortoise could pass him.

His black-rimmed, emerald green eyes slowly moved from John to Lavani as he neared the ring, eyes that were emotionless. He climbed the stairs, staring directly at her as he raised his hands, the lights coming back on slowly. Lavani felt sick to her stomach and moved to stand a little behind John, though Taker could clearly see her still and she could most definitely see him. 

He had completely changed. 

His short auburn hair now was black and brushed his shoulders, his goatee was black as well and he had the most evil green eyes she'd ever seen.  There was no soul in them, no emotion, nothing.  It sent shivers coursing throughout every part of her body and scared the hell out of her because when he had the Ministry, at least he emanated SOME kind of emotion.  This was...surreal to put it mildly as the music died and John stayed right where he was while Taker first removed his long leather trench coat and then his black brimmed hat.

John had no idea if she was acting or genuinely afraid of the Undertaker. If Lavani was acting, the look on her face was definitely award winning worthy. If she was genuinely afraid, then she was a smart girl because this man was deadly.

Lavani no longer wore one color as an accessory, it seemed her OCD habit had finally been broken. He also noted that she was wearing the necklace he had bought for her over two years ago. The pendant was white, contrasting with her colored shirt and her hair was rather normal looking though incredibly long. All these details were noted, acknowledged and then dismissed.

Careful not to present his back to the Undertaker, John guided Lavani towards the ring ropes. “You might want to stand on the apron, honey.”

Taker’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The last time she was in the ring with Taker, he had shattered into pieces because Tracy had informed her of his cheating ways.  Lavani nodded silently and slid through the bottom rope, or started too, but Taker stopped that from happening.  She stumbled away when Taker threw the first blow, nailing John right in the jaw and winced, quickly going to the opposite side of the ring. 

She watched as John instantly began fighting back, her heart nearly stopping when he was tossed through the ring rope, landing on the mats below with a thud.  Lavani swallowed hard when Taker's head suddenly snapped in her direction, his green eyes full of intentions that promised a lot of pain and agony.  All she could do was start backing up away from him, toffee eyes silently pleading with him not to hurt her and hoped John got his ass in gear before Taker reached her.

Taking his time, his face was blank though his eyes were telling the story. He was not a happy Deadman at the moment. In fact, he was feeling rather murderous. After two years, two years, she had shown up out of the blue!

She had run from him, without giving him a chance to say anything, or even caring about him enough to defend himself. She had taken someone else's word at face value, knowing the word came from a woman employed by two people who had hated him. She obviously hadn't loved him enough to afford him the benefit of doubt.

For that...and for her return, Lavani was going to have to suffer his wrath. Especially since she had apparently aligned herself with his current opponent. John was back in the ring, not about to let Lavani try to use that too hairy clause on her first night.

Just before Taker's hand could reach out and grab her by the throat, John had gotten back in the ring, pulling him away from her.  Lavani had seen all the hurt and anger in his green eyes, not believing he had the audacity to try making her feel bad about what happened between them.  It was his fault!! 

He slept with another woman, her ex- room mate and for him to try making her feel guilty for running away was almost more than Lavani could take.  She rolled out of the ring while John and Taker continued brawling, only for John to be thrown out of the ring yet again at her feet.  Lavani didn't look up at Taker and bent down, helping him up as they both began backtracking up the ramp toward his limousine, their eyes never leaving a very irate Deadman.

“Go! Go!” John urged, gently but firmly giving her a shove towards the limo, wanting her to hurry the hell up and get inside before they were caught.

Even in his rage, Taker was not chasing them all that fast, but slowly...methodically. It was more frightening this way, not that he was saying he was frightened, but others would be for sure. It was like Taker knew he had all the time in the world to torment and punish them.

John knew from the fire that was raging in those eyes, he had done what he wanted. He had gotten into Taker's head. Now he was going to worm his way into the man's heart and plant some serious issues there as well.

Cowards, the pair of them, both cowards was all Taker could think!

Lavani did not have to be told twice as she dived into the limousine, grunting as it pulled out of the arena away from Taker.  Both of them were breathing heavily, more John than Lavani, and she could tell that had scared him.  He was scared of Taker.  Hell, who wouldn't be? 

That man was downright terrifying and she could tell just by the look in those green eyes that he was angry she had returned.  Lavani expected that, though she hadn't expected his eyes to devour her whole.  He wanted to hurt her, that's why he had nearly throttled her in the ring.  Lavani touched her neck and swallowed hard, looking out the window while they drive right back out of the arena, heading for the hotel.

“Good night John.” Lavani whispered as soon as the limousine stopped, already checked into her room and headed up the back way, needing to be alone.

He took his time in leaving the arena, somewhat aware that people were avoiding being in his direct path but whispering fervently behind his back. He knew Lavani would be expecting him tonight. It wouldn't be the first time he had shown up at her door unannounced. He had tracked her down before, Lavani would definitely be expecting it.

Well, she could expect him and enjoy her sleepless night because he would not be visiting Lavani tonight. He'd rather let her sit and stew on what would happen next. Let her contemplate what he would do to her, if he would enjoy it...Taker closed his eyes, envisioning how she had looked and then growled, slamming his fist right through his dressing room door.

After a much needed shower, Lavani felt a little better and wore a simple nightgown, looking around her hotel suite, courtesy of John.  She would've been fine with a regular room, but he insisted to give her a suite with a Jacuzzi.  Lavani wasn't in the mood for anything except wine and bed, having cried in the shower.  Her face was still somewhat puffy, but it was turning back to normal since she wasn't crying anymore. 

Taking the necklace from her nightstand, Lavani held it in her hand before instantly clipping it around her neck, looking away from it before she started crying.  Something told her that Taker would come see her whenever he was ready, it definitely wouldn't be the night she returned.  Lavani wasn't that stupid, she knew the man pretty well.  If he knew what was good for him, he would leave her alone and simply let her do her job.

“Open up, LavaBean!”

“We know you're in there, the receptionist told us so after we bribed her with-”

“Dude, don't shout that...And Lava don't need to know how we bribed the woman...”

“Good point.” Adam knocked again, louder this time. “Come on, open up and say hi to OLD friends!”

Adam and Jay...Lavani couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face as she walked to the door and answered it.  Only to be clobbered by two blondes that nearly squeezed the life out of her.  Lavani groaned, managing to pat them each on the back and finally had to croak out that she couldn't breathe, forcing them to release her. It'd been two years since she saw her friends and Lavani had to admit it felt pretty great being back, all things considered.

“Damn, I think my back cracked.” She muttered good-naturedly, closing the door after they walked inside, following them. 

“So, what happened to the um...color thing?” Jay asked, studying her thoughtfully, trying to pretend that Adam wasn't now moving around behind her in order to play with her honey auburn, waist length hair.

“Screw that, why haven't you called us or something? Two years, Lava, so not cool.” Adam griped, stepping back when she whirled around on him after giving her hair a very light tug. “Two years! We hunted everywhere for you! Houston, asked Ryan, bugged everyone...”

“He's trying to say we missed you.” Jay said simply, smiling his sweet smile at her.

“I missed you guys too.” Lavani said quietly, the life and sparkle no longer in her eyes, only replaced with constant sadness she tried hiding desperately. “I had to get away from everyone, from this place.  It was...it butchered me to find out that Taker cheated on me.  I had to be alone to get my life in order.  I didn't even tell Ryan where I went, nobody knew.  John tracked me down after a lot of money and resources, though he still hasn't told me how he found me exactly.” That still bothered her, but Lavani wasn't going to worry about it now, water under the bridge and all of that. “Not a day went by that I wanted to call you, but it just hurt too much.  And I could not risk him finding me.”

“Hmmm...that is a valid point.” Adam finally said, taking her hand and guiding her over to the bed, Jay taking point on her opposite side as they both pulled her down onto the mattress, wedging her between them. “We still missed you.”

She had been right about Him finding her. They had been made aware on occasion during the beginning of those two years that they were suspects in her disappearance, that they may have knowledge of where she was. Jay still had a scar from a 'Q & A' session with Taker. He, himself, had suffered some temporary hair damage...nothing some Rogaine hadn't repaired.

“Speaking of, um, John…why are you with him? You’re not WITH him – with him, right?”

“Are you kidding me?  No, I can't believe you just asked me that, Jay.”

Lavani snorted, running a hand through her hair and chuckled when Adam started playing with it again.  She didn't mind.  He always used to play with her streaks so it wasn't anything new.

“I am working for him.  He tracked me down and made me a business proposition I couldn't refuse.  I'm not here for revenge or vengeance.  I hated being isolated and finally figured it was time to come back.  To face what I ran from for two years.  That and he's paying me a good amount of money, more than the job I did have.”

“Yeah, Layfield likes throwing his money around, that's for damn sure.” Jay snorted, Adam nodding his agreement. “Did you know about him working against uh,” He hesitated, knowing she had already said the T word first. “Taker, before you came on the road?” When she nodded, he wondered if the woman was out of her mind. That was provocation at its finest and he applauded that. “You got balls, LavaBean.”

“Bigger than Jay's at the very least. Can we stay here tonight?” Adam asked, ignoring the 'what the hell' look on her face. “It's been TWO years, Lava. We missed you. And now we have abandonment issues.”

“You want to sleep here with me?  Both of you?” When they both nodded with puppy dog eyes, Lavani couldn't deny them anything, nodding. “Alright, if you insist.” She laughed when they high fived each other before sandwiching her in another hug, snuggling against both of them.  They were her best friends and had been through hell and back with them. “How about a movie and I'll order up some room service?” She suggested, knowing John was paying the bill and smirked when they both nodded. “Go get your stuff and come back here.  We can start traveling together if you want to until your 'abandonment issues' disappear.”

“I'll get our stuff, YOU wait here.” Adam ordered, looking at Jay and then to Lavani pointedly. Without giving either of them time to protest, he darted up off the bed and out of the room.

Chapter 6

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, Jay looked at Lavani and offered her an apologetic smile. “I think he's afraid if one of us isn't here, you'll disappear.” Adam was like a kid sometimes, he was going to have to put him in time out for that.

“I don't blame him for acting this way. I did take off and vanished off the face of the earth.” Lavani sighed and leaned her head back against Jay's shoulder, feeling his arm curl around her waist, closing her eyes. “I am sorry for not contacting you guys.  I promise, I'm not going anywhere and if I do, I'll call this time.” When his arm tightened around her, Lavani looked up into Jay's eyes and caressed his face tenderly with her hand, kissing his nose before extracting herself away from him. “So, what do you want so I can start putting the order in for room service?  I'm thinking something Italian, but you guys can get whatever you want.” Handing over the menu, Lavani went to pour herself a glass of wine, pulling a bottle out of the mini bar that was in the suite.

“Wings and onion rings for Adam, it's his current kick.” Jay commented, rubbing the tip of his nose as he watched her pour herself a drink, not even bothering to flick through the menu, already aware what was on it. “And Italian sounds great.” Anything but wings and onions rings sounded great. Standing up, he walked over to the bar, eyeballing the wine and arched an eyebrow when she offered him a taste. “Is it fruity? Because I don't want to have to turn in my man card.” He teased heartily.

“Just try it.” Lavani thrust the bottle at him, watching as he took a swig of it and smirked when it looked as though he actually liked it. “Might as well turn it in now.”

Chortling, Lavani made the call downstairs to place their order, deciding on the chicken Alfredo with cooked shrimp, ordering Adam's wings and onion rings and Jay decided on a ravioli dish he wanted to try.  Apparently, they had been to this hotel before.  She added cheesecake and a few other items for dessert before hanging up, taking another sip of wine.

“Now we need to pick a movie.  Nothing scary either.”

“So Night of the Living Dead is out, huh?” Jay shook his head with a mock disappointed sigh, then shrugged. “You pick out the movie because if you don't, Adam will put on something extremely retarded.” He wasn't going to torture her by describing the LAST movie he had been made to sit through. Suffice to say, his brain had thankfully not turned to complete mush. “Just uh...nothing too sappy.”

“Open the damn door!” Adam ordered, kicking at the door.

“Speak of the devil...”

“Get the door while I choose the movie.”

Lavani was already going through the available pay-per-view options, finally deciding on Chronicles of Riddick with Vin Diesel.  She wasn't a big fan of his, but this was a great movie that she saw in the theater when it came out earlier that year.  Smiling at her choice, Lavani grunted when Adam actually got on his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist, raising an eyebrow.

“Good, you're still here.”

These two were going to guilt trip her to hell and back.

Jay shook his head, honestly not trying to guilt trip Lavani. He didn't have too, Adam could do it all by himself. Adam needed therapy for his current abandonment issue or something because he was not letting her go.

“Dude, she needs her legs.”

“In a minute...”

“She ordered you wings and rings.” Jay said, not surprised when Adam was vertical a second later. Food always worked.

The food arrived and during the movie, all three caught up with what had been going on in their lives.  Lavani told them about her job prior to this one with John, but she refused to say where she'd been hiding out at.  She might have to go back into hiding and Taker would no doubt grill them about her whereabouts. 

Lavani couldn't take the chance of that happening, Mississippi being her only safe haven.  After vegging out and stuffing themselves almost to the point where all three would explode, Lavani snuggled in the middle of the bed with Jay on her left and Adam on her right. Each of them had their arms around her waist with the comforter pulled up, both refusing to let her leave their sight.

Adam felt absolutely no shame about wedging her between them like this. The woman had taken off without looking back, or even somehow letting them know she was okay. He wasn't letting her out of this bed until morning unless she had to pee.

Jay could already tell Adam was going to be up her ass. He had missed her too, but he had understood her reasons. Jay didn't like the being left in the dark thing, but he did understand it. He just hoped if she bolted again, Taker didn't beat the shit out of him for her location because he had a feeling she was never going to give that up.

“Do you have any idea how many women would give their left ass cheek to be in this position?”

“Go...to...sleep...”

Lavani didn't hear any of that, having passed out almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.  Food combined with wine, not to mention all the laughing they had done together, and her debut back in the WWE...yes she was exhausted.  She didn't mind being sandwiched between Adam and Jay because, honestly, she had missed them too.  Something did tell her though that they were going to be close-by her for awhile, watching her like a hawk.  She would take it with a smile because Lavani knew they both loved her like a sister and didn't want her vanishing out of their lives again.

Jay was up first, knowing Lavani was probably exhausted from the night before. She would have to acclimate herself to the constant travel, hectic hours and probably the emotional aspect she was, or would be, going through. He shook his head after extracting himself from the bed, looking down at Adam who was practically smothering the woman. He went and dealt with his morning business before coming out, debating on whether or not to 'save' Lava.

Feeling Jay move from the bed had woke Lavani and she was currently making a pot of coffee for all of them.  Adam had grumbled something about her not leaving, which made her heart twinge a little, not realizing just how much they missed her.  When Jay emerged from the bathroom, Lavani looked up at him with a small smile, hearing Adam stirring slowly.

“Good morning.” She murmured quietly, pouring a cup of java, her addiction for coffee was one thing that hadn't changed about her at all.  Pretty sure her veins were filled with java instead of blood, Lavani wouldn't doubt if she bled brown instead of red. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah, I slept fine, how about you?” He asked, eyeballing how she made her coffee before noting in satisfaction that that was something familiar.

Then Jay went to make himself a cup, heavy on the creamer, no sugar. He had actually woke up with his face buried in her hair and a very happy realization that she was still asleep because he would never live down the morning wood...against her, even if he had slept his track pants. Adam sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes a few times before smiling sleepily.

“You are a damn sauna.” Was her morning greeting to Adam,

That was followed by Lavani handing over a cup of java that was straight sugar, knowing Adam liked a sugar rush in the morning.  Jay liked just creamer, Adam just sugar.  Some things truly did never change.

“And I slept like a rock, even if I was sweating while doing it.” Her cell rang at that moment and Lavani walked over to answer it, not surprised to hear John's voice on the other land. “Good morning to you too, John.  Yes, I'll be down shortly.  I understand.” She hung up and tossed her phone on the bed, both Adam and Jay looking at her with speculative eyes. “What?  He is my boss and wanted to make sure I was up so we can catch our flight to the next area.”

“Why don't you tell him you'll ride with us? Or we can ride with you! Johnny boy won't mind!”

Jay snorted into his cup of coffee, knowing if Adam just one time called Bradshaw 'Johnny boy', he was going to wind up in a coma. “Something tells me he wouldn't exactly welcome the additional company.”

“Sure he would! He was fun once, he just needs the stick pulled outta his fat ass.”

There was no clause in her contract about traveling with John, just that she had to valet him to the ring.  She even asked him if that was all he wanted from her and he'd said yes.  So, Lavani didn't see the harm in traveling with Adam and Jay, a soft smile spreading across her lips.

“Hold on.” She dialed John's number again, waiting for him to answer and sighed when she got his voicemail. “Hey John, I'm going to travel to the next area with my friends so we can catch up.  I'll be there on time, don't worry.  You know how my work ethic is.  Thanks.” Hanging up, Lavani grunted when Adam clobbered her with another hug and lifted her, spinning her around the air. “Put me down, you Neanderthal!!”

“Nope!” Adam shifted his hands to her waist, lifting her up over his head and began twirling. He quickly lost his balance, and began toppling.

“Whoa!” Jay rushed forward to catch Lavani, falling backwards as he caught her. “Hi.” He grunted when he hit the floor, her on top of him. “Not hurt are you?” Thank GOD he was conditioned for this kind of shit.

Adam went flying head over heels on the bed and off of it, smacking into the wall.

“Hi.” Lavani laughed softly, her hands pressed against his chest gently, having felt her heart nearly leap in her throat when Adam did that. “Thanks for catching me, Jay.”

She kissed his cheek, not minding his hands on her waist because he had broken her fall, winking.  Looking over her shoulder at the sound of Adam's groan, Lavani giggled before turning back to stare into Jay's eyes, her hair hanging over her shoulder. She never realized how unique his light brown eyes were, they honestly looked like hers, only they held a more burnt quality.

“I didn't hurt you did I?”

“Nope. I'm fine.”

He grinned at her to show her he wasn't lying. Compared to the men he worked with on a constant basis, who liked to dive on him, or use him as a trampoline because he wasn't exactly a big guy, this was...well, definitely preferable. Jay would be lying if he said he didn’t always feel something more than friendship for Lavani, but kept his feelings locked up tight.

“Just say the word and I'll smack him for you.” He added, referring to Adam who was now up and rubbing the back of his head, looking a bit scrambled.

“I would, but...I don't want him losing anymore brain cells than he has already.” Lavani stated, toffee eyes sparkling with amusement and slowly removed herself from Jay, watching him stand up after she was on her feet. “Adam, darling, I love you, but you're an idiot. Now if you don't mind, I am going to take a shower ALONE. There are no windows or vents in the bathroom so I can't escape, if that makes you feel any better.”

Jay snickered behind her and Lavani patted Adam's cheek on her way to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her, shaking her head. Traveling with these two was definitely going to be an adventure that Lavani was sure never to forget.  Fingering the charm on her necklace, Lavani closed her eyes and immediately pushed Taker in the far recesses of her mind.

Not wanting to think about him, Lavani knew she couldn't stop from doing so.  Sighing heavily, Lavani started the shower and stripped out of her nightgown before jumping in, letting the water soothe her as much as it could. While Adam opted for the 'traveling bath', which consisted of using the hand wipes almost everyone in this business tended to carry around to wash up followed by too much cologne, Jay went back to their hotel room.

He figured he'd use the shower there as well as make sure that Adam had gotten all of their things, not entirely surprised to find the man's wallet on the nightstand. Adam wasn't a total idiot, but sometimes, he did have his moments, such as this week. Adam figured he didn't overly stink, so after he had dressed and brushed out his hair, he sat down to wait.

Emerging from the bathroom long enough to grab her bag, Lavani had changed into a blue skirt with a black tank top, her clothing very simple.  She had swapped her white stone out for a sapphire one and had white tennis shoes on her feet.  Since she was traveling with Adam and Jay, there was no reason she couldn't dress down a little.  Though she would have to change before going to the arena for the house show that night, refusing to disappoint John.

“You're not going to shower?” She asked, looking over at Adam and snapped her fingers when he began looking at her legs. “Hey, focus and answer my question instead of staring at my legs.”

“Hey, I showered last night at the arena before leaving and I don't reek of anything but awesome.” Adam informed her, raising his arm in order to sniff his pits, nodding. “Nothing but deodorant and some Adidas.” He walked towards her. “Have a whiff, I smell-”

“Bro, what the hell?” Jay demanded, walking into the room, freshly showered and in blue jeans that reached his knees, leather sandals and a white beater, his damp hair pulled loosely back as he took in the scene.

Lavani paled, immediately stepping away from Adam and plugged her nose. “I don't care HOW much cologne you put on, you STILL smell.  Oh my god!  I am NOT sleeping in the same bed as you until you shower!” There was no way he was stinking up her beds, having a feeling they would be sharing one bed for a while and snorted when Adam rolled his eyes. “Disgusting.  Come on, we have to get going since you're not showering.” Grabbing her purse and bag, Lavani smiled when Jay offered to take it, all three of them heading out to Jay's rental car. “You're also sitting in the back, Copeland.  I call shotgun since Jay is driving.”

“How is that fair? I don't even stink!”

“You will. That cologne you decided to bathe in is going to eventually whore itself out and then you'll smell.” Jay predicted, already knowing today was going to be a 'windows down' day and shook his head, reaching out for Lavani's bag, his already over his shoulder as they walked. “I'll carry that for you.” He offered softly.

Adam coughed. “Suck-up.”

“It's called being a gentleman, also under that category falls good hygiene.”

Chapter 7

The drive to the next area was once again full of laughter, mostly at Adam's expense, because they wouldn't stop hounding him about proper hygiene. By the time they arrived at the next hotel, Adam was sick of them and announced he was staying in his own room tonight. Both Lavani and Jay applauded, laughing when Adam flipped them both the bird as he stalked inside the hotel. They checked in and Lavani suddenly realized she was sharing a room with just Jay for the evening, a wave of relief flowing over her. 

She loved Adam, but he was already getting on her nerves and she'd been closer to Jay anyway throughout the friendship.  Lavani instantly took over the bathroom to get ready for the house show, contemplating if she should leave her hair down or put it up. Deciding to do it halfway, Lavani pulled half up and leaving the other half to pool over her shoulders. 

She pulled on a blue pencil skirt that went to her knees along with a short sleeved silk blouse that had a V-shaped neckline and buttoned up.  Tucking it in her skirt to make it look more professional, Lavani then did her makeup the same way she'd done the previous night. Nothing special, though Lavani did swap out her tennis shoes for black pumps.  That was pretty much what her attire was going to be skirts and dress pants with buttoned up blouses and cardigans.

Taker arrived at the hotel a bit later than usual and quietly checked in, accepting the register when it was slid to him. He arched one black eyebrow at the sight of Adam Copeland on one line with his room number, followed by Jay Reso and Lavani...in one room. The desk clerk let out a soft shriek when the giant suddenly snapped the pen in his fist.

Since he had showered earlier in the day, Jay simply changed into his wrestling clothes, planning on using a bottle of water to wet his hair at the arena and then shower AFTER his match. Unlike some people, namely Adam, he was a very clean person. When the bathroom door opened, Jay’s attention immediately moved to the woman stepping out, blinking.

“Wow...You look gorgeous, Lava.”

“Thanks, I try.” Lavani shrugged nonchalantly, pulling the pass out of her purse that John gave her since they weren't traveling together all the time.  She would meet him at the arena, deciding to drive with Jay to the arena. “So you're Captain Charisma now eh?” She asked, smirking when he flushed slightly and chuckled, draping the pass around her neck. “You about ready to go?  I told John I would be there around five and it's already going on four-thirty.”

Luckily, the arena was just down the street.  Jay nodded, grabbing his bag and followed her out of the room, laughing at a joke he made. Neither of them saw the pair of acid eyes surveillance their every move nor felt the anger radiating from the person’s body.

Taker watched out of narrowed green slits as the two walked down the hallway, Lavani laughing at something Reso had said. He did not miss the way Reso looked at her, the way the man smiled. He had always wondered if the idiot had felt more for Lavani than just friendship. However, Taker had never questioned her emotions regarding her...friend until now.

“Ladies first.” Jay said gently, pulling open the door to the stairwell.

Then they both realized the elevator was filled with people, thanks to the laughter and shrieking sounding, before it had even reached their floor. Lavani didn't have any feelings for Jay other than friendship, thinking of him as an older brother. Both Jay and Adam were both like brothers to her, though she'd always been closer to Jay. He was easy to talk to and they never fought.

Never getting into any kind of argument or fight with Jay now that she thought about it, Adam was definitely a different story entirely though.  Jay opened the door for her and Lavani couldn't help thinking what a gentleman he was, both of them jumping slightly at the sound of a motorcycle roaring in the distance.  Her heart ached painfully, Taker instantly coming to mind and fought back a frown as Jay got behind the wheel, both of them heading out to the arena.

Jay knew a lot of people drove motorcycles, but that never stopped him from thinking of one person in particular when it came to the roar of a hog. A brief frown flickered across his face as he glanced over at Lavani, seeing she was pretty much looking like he was. Now that Adam wasn't around to be obnoxious, he could actually start asking questions.

“So,” Jay coughed, easily navigating the traffic. “What do you think of John?”

“He's pompous, arrogant and way too charming for his own good.” Lavani answered bluntly, looking over at Jay and was thankful he'd gotten her mind on something else. “I know exactly why he brought me back on the road to work for him.  I'm not stupid or naive.  But he's also been a complete gentleman and nice to me.  I still don't trust him though; he'll have to gain that.”

Working for the WWE had taught Lavani several things, mainly to watch her back and not trust a lot of people because they could turn within the blink of an eye. Pompous, arrogant and charming...she had Bradshaw's measure, mostly. Jay knew how slick the man was and also knew that the charm was for as long as Bradshaw had a use for Lavani. The moment her use ran out, so would the charm.

“Just...be chary of him.” He said, trying to caution her without offending her for 'questioning' her judgment. “He can be a mean bastard.” Understatement of the day was awarded to him.

“I know what I'm doing, Jay. I promise I will be careful and cautious.” Lavani assured him softly.

Reaching over to grab his free hand since he was only driving with one, Lavani squeezed it gently. Jay was worried about her and she didn't blame him. Lavani knew what a risk she was taking by working for John, but as long as she played nice and just escorted him to the ring for six months, there would be no problems. She hoped anyway.

They made small chatter until Jay pulled into the arena parking lot, both of them stepping out.  Jay had to head inside for a meeting he was late and left Lavani by herself, both of them promising to meet up later.  She whipped her cell out to send a quick text to a friend of hers in Mississippi who was looking after her house while she was on the road.

He stood behind her, still possessing the ability to move as quietly as a mouse, and watched her send off a text, noting the area code of the number. “Lavani.” He hissed, just so he could watch her jump about three feet into the air, his eyes raking over her disinterestedly when she spun around.

She was alone. Jay had gone inside, her other blonde friend was nowhere to be seen and John...well, he would tend to that half-a-man later. It was just the two of them in the parking lot, something Taker had longed for since Lavani’s surprising return to the WWE. As far as Taker knew, he thought Lavani had fallen off the face of the earth because he could not track her down after using months and months of every resource he had. Now here she was, standing before him, looking like a regular fish out of water and that just ticked him off even more.

Lavani could only stare up at him with wide toffee eyes, her mouth going dry, and mentally berated herself for staying out here too long alone.  She knew better.  Taker was always lurking in the shadows and apparently had waited for the perfect opportunity to trap her. 

His smell still made her heady, it was pure intoxication...sandalwood and leather. Though currently, his black hair was wet down and hung loosely, chest bare. Skintight black jeans with black boots were the only articles of clothing he wore, besides the silver chain he still had from back when she worked for and fucked him.

“What do you want?” Lavani somewhat demanded, having closed and locked her cell phone in case he decided to snatch it from her, slipping it in her purse.

The chain was the same one he had bought the day he had gone to meet Monica for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It was the same chain she had picked up for him at the jewelry store, along with the pendants and fine necklace he had especially made for her. Noting her slipping her cell out of his reach, Taker bit back a snort. As if he couldn't rip that purse, along with her arm, right off her body and retrieve it himself if he wished.

“At one time, your heart on a silver platter.” Taker stated flatly, eyes unreadable.

“Well you already had that and devoured it whole.”

Lavani wasn't going to be afraid of him because that's what he wanted.  He wanted her to fear him and that wasn't happening.  Taker was the one who ripped her heart out, not the other way around.  She'd be damned to let him intimidate her just because she decided to come back to the company she once loved working for.

“Anything else?”

“Not at the moment, no.” Taker murmured, his face still expressionless though his tone was dripping with barely hidden wicked intentions.

His eyes glowed demonically, a hint of the old Lord of Darkness flickering through them before they also went blank. He had her heart and devoured it whole, eh? Taker wondered just how she had reached that conclusion. Oh yes, misinformation, information he was not currently inclined to correct.

“See you later…” Taker walked past her, into the building. “Darlin'.”

Even after he was gone, Lavani didn't move from being pressed against the car, silent tears sliding down her cheeks. She figured it was better to lose it out here instead of in the arena with John. Taker didn't care what he did as long as he got what he wanted. She'd fallen for all of his lies, his promises and given her whole heart to him only to be crushed into dust. Lavani didn't know if she would be able to deal with anymore encounters with Taker because it hurt enough just to see him.

To actually talk to him made her heartsick because she still loved him. Somehow, someway, she still loved the cheating bastard who still had every piece of her heart. There had to be a way to get it back though and Lavani would do whatever necessary to do that. Freshening herself a little and waiting for the puffiness in her face to go down, Lavani finally made her way inside the arena, heading straight for John's dressing room.

John was leaning in the open door, already dressed down in his wrestling gear, wearing one of his tee shirts, and as always, his Stetson. He was also on his cell phone, nodding when he seen her and moved so she could get by. After finishing up the call, he snapped the phone shut and turned to face her.

“Sorry honey, stock broker. Thinks he knows the market better than I do.” He chuckled. He was a damn money making genius, he made the man to buy and sell as HE dictated, not the other way around. “You alright? You're looking a bit shaken, Lava.” He walked over to her, concern in his eyes as he studied her face.

“I'm fine.” Lavani assured him with a soft smile, jolting herself out of the encounter with Taker, wanting to focus on her job. “Who are you facing tonight?”

When he said John Cena, Lavani simply nodded and walked over to sit on the couch, feeling her phone vibrate in her purse.  Something told her Taker would be making an appearance during John's match, so Lavani was already preparing herself for anything out there.  While John answered another call, Lavani checked her messages, frowning when she received one from a number she didn't recognize, tilting her head slightly.

M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I.

That’s what the entire text message said. As soon as Lavani had read and then dismissed it, her cell went off again, signaling another text message. From the same number, only this time it was more than just one word spelled out. This one definitely creeped her out and made shivers run down her back, causing her throat to suddenly go dry.

Mississippi. Calloway Hall. Mary's ghost searches for her lost lover. She cries at night. Her heart was devoured.

John looked up at her, still in the middle of his call, and frowned at the sight of the blood draining from her face. “Lavani?”

He had her number, how the hell did he have that already?  All she did was send a damn text message to her neighbor...Mary... “F-Fine...I'm fine.”

She immediately shut her cell phone off and slipped it back in her purse, going into the bathroom to splash water on her face.  This was bad, this was terrible, why was he doing this to her?!  Lavani had taken her purse with her and set it on the tiled floor before splashing some cold water on her face.  Luckily her makeup was water proof or else she'd have to keep redoing it with the crying she did earlier.

“Just leave me alone.” She whispered, shuddering as the text message replayed in her mind. 

Lavani looked up when John tapped at the door, telling her it was time to go to the ring. Taking a deep breath before picking her purse up, Lavani walked out, setting it on the couch on her way out. Something was wrong with her, and John was quietly musing about it.

Was it Taker? Was the Deadman fucking with her already? John wouldn't be surprised in the least if he was, but Lavani wasn't obviously going to say anything and he knew better than to push her, yet.

“Sweetheart?” John said once they were at the stage entrance. It was a house show; he wasn't riding out in his limousine when it wasn’t on national television. “If there's something bothering you...you could talk to me, if you wanted. I know you got your friends and all, but...” He shrugged, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. “I'm here too, alright?”

“I know, I appreciate that.”

She placed her hand over his, flashing a smile and immediately looked toward the curtain when his music sounded.  She followed him out as the crowd instantly starting booing them, her eyes completely focused.  One thing about Lavani was that she had excellent work ethic and refused to let anyone, or anything, stand in the way of doing her job.  Clapping for John as he made his way inside the ring, Lavani opted to stay outside of it, cheering him on and ignoring the fans screaming profanities at her.  They were passionate and she was with the biggest heel in the company right now, of course they didn't like her.

Wallet, cash - minimal amount, bank card, credit card, medical card, driver's license, which he pocketed, small pack of unopened tissues, chap stick and lip gloss, various small slips of paper, two receipts and cell phone. Taker flipped it over, examining the back before opening the case and removing the small memory card. He would pocket that as well. After putting everything back, he dropped the purse back down onto the couch and walked out of JBL’s locker room, disappearing.

Chapter 8

There was no sign of Taker, not even a message sent to John as he won his match against the rookie Cena, who wasn't exactly a pushover in the ring.  Lavani commended him silently, cheering for John on the outside, playing the part perfectly.  She raised his hand in the air after his victory before they exited, heading down the aisle way.  She could tell John was looking for a sign, a hint, anything from Taker, but nothing.  Absolutely nothing happened. 

Once they were backstage, Lavani immediately parted ways with him, as was their agreement, though she stopped at the dressing room first to retrieve her purse.  As she looked down while John went into the bathroom to change, Lavani couldn't help noticing that it was open instead of closed.  Frowning, Lavani pulled her wallet out since she would need her license to stop at the local liquor store to get a bottle of wine.  It was gone.

“I had it...” She whispered, suddenly dumping the items out on the floor and began sifting through them, eyes widening in somewhat of a panic. “Where is it?!”

“Where's what?” John demanded, stepping out in bare feet and his khaki slacks, a towel wrapped around his neck after taking a thirty second shower.

He didn't do arena showers anymore, hell no. John waited until he could have a proper, luxurious shower in his hotel suites. He just rinsed off the sweat in the main shower and changed, hating to be in his sweaty wrestling gear any longer than necessary.

“Honey, what are you doing?” He asked, staring down at her curiously. Then he seen the purse and shut up...women were messed up about their purses.

“My license is gone.” She stated, not even bothering to hide it from him anymore and could feel tears burning the back of her eyes. “It was right here in my wallet.  I NEVER leave without it!  I never take it out and if I do, it goes RIGHT BACK in!” Someone had come into John's dressing room while they were out in the ring and went through her damn purse! “Look, they even ripped part of my wallet just to get my ID OUT.” Showing him, Lavani frowned when he snatched it from her, surveying it closer. “I-I need my license.  I'm gonna have to go home to Mississippi and get another one, John.  I can't be on the road without my driver's license, that's just stupid and irresponsible.”

“Hold on now honey, just calm down.” John soothed gently, kneeling down on the floor in front of her. “Now, we don't know exactly who did this...”

Though he was sure they both knew who probably had. Taker was the only one with the motivation, not to mention the sheer audacity to come in here and rifle through her things. The thought of Taker actually violating his valet’s private property and being in his locker room for that matter pissed him off.

“But now they know where you live. Why don't you let me handle getting you a new license?” John fingered the ripped wallet, noting that everything else seemed to be there. Cash, credit card...this wasn't about money, it was definitely Taker. It had to be. “Anything else missing, Lava?”

Her complexion turned ghostly white as soon as John mentioned her address and Lavani suddenly scrambled to her feet, shaking like a leaf.  No, NO!  He had her license and on her license was... “I have to go.  I have to go NOW!”

She didn't wait for John to say anything and piled what she could in her purse, leaving behind meaningless things before taking off out of the dressing room, swallowing hard.  She whipped her cell phone out and dialed Mary's number, not even realizing her memory card was gone. This was probably the second worst night in Lavani’s life, the first being when she found out Taker had cheated on her with her ex-roommate and friend, Tracy.

“Mary, its Lava.”

“Hey Lava, what's wrong dear?”

“I need you to go over to the house and lock it up completely.  Windows, doors, everything and set the alarm okay?  Can you do that?” She was running while talking, heading straight for the rental and felt sick to her stomach.

“You got it, I'll go right away.”

“Thanks.” Lavani stopped once she arrived at the car and doubled over, holding her side because she hadn't run in years, gasping for air. “You mother fucker...”

This woman believed in text messaging a lot and it was rather amusing to see the contact information for Miss Mary. Lavani was still precise with her details, some things never would change. Taker had been playing around with his new 'toy' since leaving the arena after stealing it. He did not care about missing his match, more interested in the two items he had swiped from Lavani.

“LavaBean? You al-” Jay had followed when he seen Lavani flying through the halls, looking ill and slowed to a halt just behind her. “Lava, what the hell?” He asked, gently wrapping his arms around her and leaned over her, feeling her trembling. “What happened?”

Lavani couldn't hold in her emotions anymore and dropped her purse before turning around, wrapping her arms tightly around Jay's neck, tears streaming down her face.  How did she know this night was only going to get worse the moment Taker walked up to her?  Jay soothed her by rubbing her back up and down, trying to calm her down the best way he could.

“Please get me out of here.” She whispered, breathing in and out unevenly, truly terrified now that Taker knew exactly where she lived and where she'd been for the past two years. “He knows.” She murmured quietly once they were on the road, silent tears falling. “He stole my license tonight, Jay.  He knows where I live now.”

There was no more hiding from Taker.

Jay gripped the steering wheel tightly, completely unaware his knuckles had turned white from the grip. On one hand, it wasn't surprising that Taker had stolen her ID. Then again, the man had seemed somewhat less evil since dropping his Big Evil persona and disappearing for awhile.

He had seemed...actually emotionless. Now apparently Taker was beginning to channel some old-school shit and that was definitely worrisome. He remembered his brief time in the Ministry quite well and reached out to take Lavani's hand, squeezing softly.

Once they arrived at the hotel, Lavani took the back way and was thankful they had checked in to the hotel prior to going to the arena.  She went straight to the bathroom, changing into a nightgown and was tempted to rip the necklace off, but couldn't bring herself to do it.  He knew where she lived now, it was only a matter of time of him finding out.  Walking out, Lavani poured herself a glass of wine and slipped into bed, not even caring who was in the room with her. Downing the whole glass before setting it on the nightstand, Lavani curled up in a ball and snuggling against her pillow.

Jay was there, sitting on the couch with his head buried in his hands, staring down at the floor. When Lavani emerged from the bathroom, he listened as she poured herself a drink, listened to her swallowing it down and then crawled into the bed. Sighing, he began unlacing his boots. He had showered this morning, and then not wrestled, effectively cancelling his match by no-showing it in favor of coming with her.

She was definitely more important at the moment. Once his boots were off, Jay tugged off his elbow pads and dropped them onto the couch. Walking over, he slid in the bed with her, wearing just his tights, chest bare and pulled her gently into his arms. Her back pressed against his chest as Jay began rubbing his palm up and down her arm soothingly.

Lavani didn't push Jay away because honestly it felt nice being comforted, but she didn't speak a word. What was she going to do without her ID now? John said he would get her another one, but that wasn't his responsibility. It was hers. She wasn't taking a purse to the arena anymore and, if she did, it was staying in the damn car.

She tried not to sniffle against him, but the mere thought of Taker knowing where her house was and where she'd lived for the past two years sent shivers coursing through every part of her body.  She could hear Jay whispering soothing words into her ear, but it wasn't helping her.  Lavani quickly fell asleep and could only hope her return got better, having a sinking feeling it was about to get worse.

~!~

Mary stared up at the security installer, taking in his work clothes with an appreciative eye. Torn, obviously worked in before, blue jeans and a white beater with his company jacket over it. His black hair was held back by a bandana and she was now giving serious thought to having her own security upgraded, just as long as he was the one doing the work.

“This way.” She said, unlocking the house. “She must be really paranoid to be doing all this...”

“Single woman on her own, it happens.” Taker said amicably in a deep southern accent, eyes sweeping around the room. “Course, we always hope for the best…”

“Better safe than sorry.” Mary realized she was still holding the work order with all of Lavani's information on it, passing it back. “Sorry.” She had taken it from him when he had shown up after she had just come down the porch steps, explaining who he was, what company he worked for and the request he was out there to handle.

~!~

It was Smackdown! once again and Lavani hadn't seen hide nor hair of Taker anywhere, which unnerved her.  He didn't show up at any of the house shows they did and even John was on edge about it, wondering what his game was.  She left her boss alone to figure it out on his own, answering questions when he asked something regarding Taker. 

She did the best she could, but could only give him information he already knew, which in turn irritated him.  So she kept her mouth shut for the most part.  Lavani continued rooming with Jay, both of them agreeing that Adam would have to have his own room since he didn't know proper hygiene. 

It'd been a week since her return and Lavani had already felt like it was months, exhausted from her body adjusting to the traveling schedule once again.  Being away for two years definitely didn't do her any favors.  She looked up when something flashed in front of her eyes, jolting her out of her thoughts and looked at the freshly acquired driver's license her boss currently held.  John kept his word and had gotten a new one for her since she couldn't go home to Mississippi for another week.

“Thank you, John.” Lavani murmured quietly, taking it from him and felt better now that she would be able to drive again instead of being chauffeured around constantly by Jay.

“You're welcome honey.” John said, glancing at Jay who was now apparently her constant companion, wondering if the man didn't have a life of his own.

He had gotten a bill the other day, and would eventually bring it up to her, concerning security improvements at her house. John figured she had ordered it done and sent the bill to him because he was technically one of the reasons she now had paranoia. Unbeknownst to John, Taker was watching him and found it amusing to bill Layfield for the 'security' installation he had done to Lavani’s house.

Even though Jay was currently on the Raw brand, he was still traveling with Lavani, refusing to leave her alone.  However, the Raw brand was headed to the west while Smackdown! would remain in the east, so there was no way Jay could keep flying back and forth between brands.  His flight was leaving just before the show started and Lavani knew he didn't want to go, but he had to put work first before her. 

She would be fine.  Taker wouldn't hurt her, he was playing mind games that she refused to play.  Though there was no way she was bringing a purse to the arena again, ever.  Luckily enough, her current knee length tan tank dress had pockets and she slipped her new ID in one of them, zipping it up just to make sure it didn't disappear.  She smiled sadly when Jay announced he had to go, both of them stepping out into the hallway while John was once again on his cell phone.

“You really need to stop worrying about me.” Lavani cupped his face in her hand tenderly, toffee eyes pleading with him. “I'm going to be fine, Jay.  Adam already agreed to share a room with me when you're not around, so you have nothing to worry about.  I won't be alone and you can call me anytime, you already know that.”

“Adam is an idiot.” Jay said flatly.

That was his best friend and the man wasn't always a moron, but sometimes...he was. When it came to Lavani definitely with his still somewhat present abandonment issues. Jay pressed his forehead to hers, hands resting on her hips gently.

“You already know I'm going to worry, it's what I do.”

“I know and I wish you wouldn't.  John's match isn't for another hour, I'll walk you out to the parking lot.” Lavani offered, her hands resting on his chest gently.

Wishing there was some way to make him not worry about her, Lavani knew it wasn't happening.  Jay had always been a worrier at heart and he wasn't going to change.  Lavani didn't want him too either. If she didn't walk him out to his car at that moment, Lavani knew Jay wouldn't leave and that couldn't happen.

Grabbing his hand, they began walking down the hallway, Lavani leaning against his side when Jay's arm wrapped around her waist, their fingers entwined together resting on her hip.  To most, people would say they looked like a couple. The truth of the matter was they were just friends who comforted each other the best way they knew how.

They did look like a couple. They acted like a couple. Roomed together, traveled together, constantly together...touching, leaning into each other, holding hands, sharing looks...It was disgusting and it was probably in Jay's best interest to get the hell off HIS show. Adam wasn't going to be a problem, that moron would easily be taken care of. As for Layfield...he was about to be taken care of as well. The bastard had started doing some snooping, which wasn't going over well with the Deadman.

After promising to call him every night and at least three times during the day, Jay finally kissed her cheek and got in his car, heading for the airport.  Lavani frowned sadly, waving at the car until it disappeared around the corner, letting it drop at her side with a heaving sigh.  She didn't want him to go, but knew it was for the best regarding their different travel schedules. 

He'd be gone for two weeks and then they would be close enough to where he could start traveling with her again for a bit.  She would miss his company, he had been her rock since coming back to the WWE and Lavani didn't know what she was going to do without him.  Adam just wasn't the same and drove her crazy to the point where she didn't WANT to room with him.

Chapter 9

John walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder, well aware of what she had been doing and who she had been traveling with since coming back on the road. Everyone assumed she and Jay were together. John didn't care one way or the other, so long as she did her job, mostly.

“Hey honey.” He greeted, offering his usually charming smile when she turned around, seeing the look on her face.

Not bothering to hide her sadness at Jay leaving, Lavani blinked as a few tears slid down her face, not even moving to wipe them away.  John did it for her with the pad of his thumbs before pulling her into his arms.  Lavani couldn't help accepting the comfort, feeling like she'd just lost her best friend even though she knew Jay would be back. 

It still didn't hurt any less.  She loved hanging out with Jay watching movies, vegging on junk food and they had the best conversations.  He also did one thing that nobody else could and that was make her forget about Taker, which is what she needed in order to help her move on.

John was more than a tad surprised at her actually letting him comfort her, knowing she definitely needed it right about now. He ran his hands up and down her back soothingly, feeling her tears beginning to soak the front of his dress shirt and rested his head on top of hers. He didn’t overly mind the fact her tears were ruining a very expensive shirt, not when he could have his hands on her if even for a few brief seconds, smirking against her hair as he inhaled her scent.

“He'll be back, Lava.” John murmured quietly.

Just how many men was she screwing, Taker thought angrily, watching this scene unfold before his acid eyes.

“I know, it just sucks because I just got him back and now he's gone again.”

Lavani had nobody to blame except herself for that because she disappeared out of his life for the past two years. The guilt was going to devour her whole, she simply knew it. Sniffling, Lavani knew she had to get it together and finally stepped out of John's embrace, wiping the rest of her tears away.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to muse your shirt up.” She apologized, smiling when he waved her off and wrapped a friendly arm around her bare shoulders, guiding her back inside.

They had a show to do.

John knew that the Smackdown! GM, Teddy Long, had said he had an announcement to make tonight regarding him and the Undertaker and the upcoming pay-per-view No Mercy. He had already informed Teddy that he better do the right thing because there was no way he was dropping his title, or just plain out losing, to the Undertaker. If Lavani's presence alone wasn't enough to swing things in his favor, then John had absolutely no problem in hiring additional help.

Lavani stood in the middle of the ring with John, nodding in approval at the things he was saying regarding the Undertaker.  Teddy Long still hadn't told him his answer and Lavani knew that didn't sit well with her boss.  When the lights went out, she wasn't as surprised as last week, though stayed close to John.  Both of them looked up the ramp as smoke filtered throughout the arena around the ring and even inside of it.

“Look!”

She pointed at something in the distance, eyes widening when a hearse slowly began backing up into the arena over the ramp.  It made her breathless and not in a good way, fear once again washing over her.  When the hearse stopped, just before hitting the ring, Lavani and John both looked at each other and nearly jumped out of their skin when the back door to the hearse swung open, Taker stepping out of it almost gracefully.

“Oh my god...” Lavani whispered, her stomach tightening when he first looked directly at her before those penetrating acid orbs moved to John.

All John could do was look directly at the Undertaker, his eyes narrowing to slits, the hearse in the back of his vision. A hearse? Instantly a casket match came to mind and that was a match John would prefer not to participate in.

Simply because he had a feeling Taker wouldn't stop at just shutting the lid, he'd probably weld it shut and then throw the thing, including him inside of it, into the ocean. Hell, he might add Lavani to the mix and throw her ass as well, that was how evil he looked right now. Lavani looked afraid and, considering Taker thought he had been behaving rather well, that almost injured what was left of his feelings, the few she hadn't mangled.

It wasn't a casket match, Lavani knew that instantly and felt John grab her by the arms, suddenly placing her in front of him when Taker took a step toward the ring.  What the hell?!  He was using her as a shield!! 

Lavani didn't struggle because she knew there would be consequences once they arrived in the back.  Though she was giving serious thought to kicking John square between his legs for doing this, the fear in her eyes heightening.  When Taker did the cut-throat motion with his hand and gestured to the hearse, she felt John's grip tighten on her arms, hoping he didn't leave bruises.

John knew full well that Taker would simply love to rip off his head and defecate down his throat. Lavani...he was almost sure the Deadman wouldn't harm her, much. Definitely not to the extent he would hurt John. So...yes, John used her as a shield, though he was mindful of his grip, somewhat.

What a coward! Taker didn't understand what she seen in Layfield, or why she would even take his money. It was all tainted with the cowardice that permeated Layfield's very being.

It took a lot for Lavani not to start hyperventilating when Taker first unzipped the sleeves of his long leather trench coat before removing it, dropping it beside him.  He then removed his hat, which sent chills coursing down her spine and she could feel John cursing behind her as he backed up with her still firmly in front of him.  As soon as Taker stepped into the ring, John shoved her right into him, using her as a sacrificial lamb.  Lavani definitely didn't expect THAT to happen, wanting to kill John Bradshaw Layfield for this!

Taker would give John credit for the sheer balls required to pull this stunt, points deducted for the complete lack of courage, half a point returned because it was a smart move. John was assuming that he wouldn't hurt Lavani, wrong assumption. Staring down into her wide, frightened, toffee eyes, Taker wrapped his hand around her throat and raised her until her feet were dangling in the air.

Well that had backfired! Cursing mentally, John began easing his way forward. “Now put her down, Deadman.” He ordered with more bravado than he actually felt.

Not likely, if Lavani even thought about kicking him, he'd break her legs off while she was still conscious.

Christ! Lavani began kicking her legs while clawing at his gloved hand, finally just gripping his wrist while gasping for air. Was John really going to let her get hurt?! Lavani knew if John didn't get back in the ring, she would end up being chokeslammed. Her body had taken bumps, but it'd been two years and this was definitely NOT something she signed up for.

‘Damn it, help me!!’ Her mind screamed, feeling as though her heart might give out with how fast it pounded.

“Put her DOWN!” John ordered, sliding back into the ring, though he did keep his ass on the other side of it. He knew how quick Taker could be and wasn't putting himself anywhere within grabbing distance.

“This will hurt.” Taker warned without overly moving his lips, informing her that he had every intention of chokeslamming her.

The moment Taker moved one hand to her back and began lifting her for the ride, John darted forward, kicking at Taker's weak point, which was the knees and caught Lavani when she was dropped. Lavani squeaked out when Taker released her throat, only for John to cast her aside as well, but was kind enough to set her on her feet.  That didn't stop a dizzy spell from overtaking her because Taker had been slowly cutting off her air supply with that huge hand of his. 

Hands she never thought would harm her in any way.  Hands that used to caress her lovingly and made her feel beautiful.  Now they wanted to snap her in half, wanted to hurt her.  Lavani stumbled back as John went on the attack, pressed back against the farthest turnbuckle while rubbing her throat, thankfully her necklace hadn't been damaged.  Why she even cared was beyond her because it was a gift from her ex that apparently wanted to harm her.

Taker wanted to hurt her as much as she had hurt him with her running away and refusing to even give him a chance to defend himself. Her taking the word over some scandalous bitch over his. He wanted to hurt her for daring to show back up in HIS yard after two years and acting like nothing had happened. He wanted to hurt her for daring to flaunt her multiple lovers in front of him too.

John really hoped Lavani had the common sense to get the hell out of the ring, especially when he just barely managed to avoid a punch aimed directly at his windpipe.

A surge of anger suddenly coursed through her as Lavani took her heels off, acting as though she would run.  Toffee eyes narrowed as she waited until Taker's back was turned to her before running full force toward him.  She jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and hoped John took this opportunity to gain the advantage. 

Lavani held on for dear life, but Taker overpowered her with ease, snapping her over his shoulder and driving her down to the mat.  She instantly saw stars and felt herself being rolled out of the ring to the mats below, hearing booing echoing in her ears and knew John had gotten the upper hand.  Her back felt like it just exploded with that snap suplex, holding her lower back and tried blocking out the pain, but it was no use.

The woman had officially lost her goddamn mind. Who in their right mind, especially a woman her size, jumped a man HIS size -no, scratch that, jumped HIM- and honestly thought it would amount to something besides an ass kicking? John wasted no time in getting Taker as close to down as he could before going to Lavani's side, bending over her.

She was insane...ballsy, but insane. John reached for her, one eye on the Undertaker. It was time to get the hell out of dodge…He straightened when he heard the GM's music playing, watching as Taker rolled out of the ring, checking his nose. This was definitely NOT the proper time or place for Teddy to make his announcement.

“Now, now playas, no need to fight at this moment because I have some news regarding our next pay-per-view event.” Teddy Long stated, standing at the top ramp and smiled at the crowd, hearing their ovation. “Now JBL, since you like to threaten me and you owe Undertaker a rematch for that WWE championship, I decided to set up a match.  It will be JBL versus the Undertaker at No Mercy...” He paused for anticipation, hearing the crowd buzzing. “IN A LAST RIDE MATCH!!”

Lavani looked up at John, seeing all the color drain out of his face and knew that wasn't good, suddenly understanding why Taker brought the hearse out in the first place. “Shit...”

She slowly rolled over on her side, still holding her lower back and watched as John began storming up the ramp toward Teddy Long, leaving her behind. Since John was currently occupied with yet again threatening Long, Taker rolled back into the ring, well aware the cameras were not currently on him. He bent over Lavani, staring down at her, watching as she held her back before her eyes slowly left John and up into his face.

“Try something like that again, darlin',” He began, in a conversational tone of voice. “And I will snap that pretty neck...”

His eyes moved to her red throat and then to the pendant. Why she bothered wearing it anymore was beyond him, unless of course, she liked toying with him. She had done it once before. Taker wouldn't put it past her to do it again. His eyes narrowed at the thought, refusing to allow her to play another mind game on him again, especially since she had brought this all on herself. Since John was a bit preoccupied, he didn't notice Taker picking Lavani up and carting her towards the hearse.

Not until he heard her screaming and then whirled around.

“NO!!” Lavani screamed out, kicking her legs and grunted when she was dropped unceremoniously in the back of the hearse, thankful there was no coffin.  She heard the locks engage and screamed again, beginning to kick at the door while wincing at her lower back, tears stinging her eyes. “LET ME OUT OF HERE!!” She could hear John shouting over the roaring crowd and felt her eyes nearly bug out of her head when the hearse started MOVING.  He was driving her out of the arena in a hearse!! “JOHN!!  SOMEONE HELP ME!!”

Now she was terrified, her back pressed against the side of it while it picked up speed, tears starting to spill from her eyes. No one would be helping her because no one had really noticed she was being taken until it was too late. What did THAT say about her lovers?

Taker ignored her screaming in the back, well aware Lavani couldn't get out nor could she get to him, which was probably a good thing since the woman had decided to be ballsy earlier and jump him. If she had another insane attack, she might've very well killed them both. As it was...Taker eventually turned on the hearse's built in radio, purposefully playing the funeral dirge -she could also hear back there- because the person who actually did own this car had left in the tape deck.

Just to be wicked and drown out her wailing, he cranked it full volume.

Chapter 10

This was NOT something she signed up for!! 

Lavani could barely move because her back was on fire from hitting that mat full force.  With Taker's strength, she would be bruised without a doubt.  Her heart pounded fiercer when she heard the funeral dirge and swallowed hard, wondering where he was taking her.  Managing to look out the side window, Lavani saw they were on a highway and closed her eyes, thankful she at least had her ID on her, which was still tucked safely in the pocket of her dress.

“Why are you doing this to me?!” She screamed, her voice carrying over the radio. “Haven't you done enough to me, you prick?!” He cheated on her and she left, what did he honestly EXPECT her to do?  He couldn't have his cake and eat it too, it didn't work that way! “LET ME OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!!”

His response was to swerve to the next lane over, sharp enough to send her flying across the back of the hearse. She was really asking him that? She had left him because of her old roommate’s lies. She hadn't even waited around long enough to slap him and call him on it, just took the whore's words as fact.

Now, Tracy hadn't been lying about the sleeping with part.

Taker did have a tumble with her before Lavani's time and hadn't even known she knew Lavani, until AFTER everything, and he had done some serious digging and threatening. Stephanie McMahon had gotten involved in that one personally, which was a bit ironic. The lie came at the part about the time and how long. A drunken one night stand back in the day did not constitute three months of sex he did not participate in.

Her head smacked against the other side of the hearse, not hard enough to really do much damage, but it did jostle her a bit.  Though it didn't help her already throbbing back any and more tears fell as she took deep sharp breaths, trembling.  What was he going to do with her?  Where the hell was John?  Jay was going to have a conniption fit and Adam was probably going ballistic right about now.

“FUCK YOU!” Lavani screamed, trying not to topple since he was driving at a fast speed, heading to a destination unknown. “No good cheating bastard...” She muttered, looking down at her bare feet and cursed because she'd forgotten them when she decided to jump on Taker's back to gain John somewhat of an advantage. “Damn it.”

Taker took an exit, pulling off the highway and navigated off the beaten road until they were on an old, dirt stretch. He never slowed down, the bumps jarring the entire hearse as he would swerve to miss holes in the road, finally screeching to a stop. He cut the ignition and slipped the keys into the waistband of his trunks before getting out of the hearse, whistling the funeral dirge loudly as he took his sweet time in walking around to the back of the hearse.

Unlocking the doors slowly, Taker teased her, with what would happen now, what was next, what was he going to do to her, before opening them and stepping back. They were in the middle of nowhere, parked directly before an old, country cemetery. One that hadn't been used in years, an air of neglect about it. This reminded him of the time he’d taken Lavani out to celebrate her first night as his valet, when she revealed to the Faction that she’d jumped ship.

Only this time, Taker had other plans in mind besides a surprising kiss and he snorted at the hurtful memory. Never had Lavani been terrified of Taker, not even in his Lord of Darkness days with the Ministry, though she probably should've been.  She wasn't even afraid of him when he came back in 2000 as the American Badass and basically kidnapped her from the arena the night of Judgment Day, the night of his return. 

Nothing scared her about him...until now.  There was a newfound evilness about him, a deeper darkness that finally scared her.  She immediately scrambled away from the open door, pressing her back against the farthest part of the hearse, kicking out with her bare feet when his arm reached in to grab her.

“Stay away from me!!” She shouted, eyes widening when his hand grabbed her ankle, beginning to pull. “NO!!”

Ignoring her screams and kicks -Also knowing that there was no one around to save them and they were miles from anyone who could help her- Taker began dragging Lavani out of the hearse. She regained some modicum of common sense and began working at keeping herself from hitting the hard, dirt ground full force instead of fighting him. He then began dragging her through the cemetery, heading for the old stone church at the very back of it, one that hadn't been used in years either. It was more of a relic these days that people had left either out of laziness or a testament to the past and how things were once.

Lavani had to practically run with her bad back to keep up with him, trying to watch out for sharp objects since she was barefoot.  Tears kept running down her face as she tried breaking his iron grip from her wrist, but it did no good.  He wasn't going to let her go until he was ready to...unless she didn't make it out of his old cemetery alive.  There was no point in pleading with him to let her go and not kill her, not after he threatened to snap her neck.

“Let me go.” She whimpered, squeaking out when he just tightened his grip on her wrist, looking around while he guided her further into the cemetery. “Where are you taking me?” She demanded finally, deciding she at least deserved to know where her last moments on this earth. 

He was going to kill her, Lavani was almost certain of it.

“We're in a graveyard, darlin'.” Taker snorted, not looking back at her. “Where do you think?” He knew damn well she wasn't blind. His boots thudded one the cracked stone steps of the church as he hauled her up towards the rotting wooden doors, kicking them open and merely watched as they fell apart, dragging her inside. “Do you know, Lavani, old churches like this were also where bodies were sometimes stored? Downstairs, in the crypt.” He explained calmly, almost as if he was talking to her about the weather. “They would form honeycomb like holes in the walls and place their dead there before using lead and glass to form windows. It's like a museum...” Taker was heading for the crypts, halting when she began totally freaking out, turning to stare down at her. “Now Vani, you really think there are bodies down there still?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.

“I-I don't want to go down there...” Lavani shook her head repeatedly, not wanting to know if there were bodies down there.  There was an underlining to his tone, pure evil intentions no doubt on his mind. “I don't care if there's bodies down there, I don't want to find out!” She couldn't fight him off much do to the damage done to her back, but Lavani had to try. “Let go of me!”

There was nobody around to help her out of this predicament and Lavani was scared to death by now, paling as he began dragging her down the stairs.  Getting away from him was pointless because where the hell was she going to go?  Where were the keys to the hearse?  Had he left them in the ignition?  Lavani felt sick the further down they went into the crypts, trembling so hard her teeth began to chatter, but kept her mouth shut.

The stairs leading down to the crypt were dirt, the floor packed with it, as were the walls. This really was a very old church and Taker eyeballed the beams that supported the walls, as well as across the ceiling, knowing about a foot through that dirt would be more beams and then the stones used to build the church. Moving or disturbing one beam might very well bring the entire place down on them.

“Look, see?” Taker held her before one of the honeycomb holes, which was empty, the glass broken. “Empty.” He knew he was scaring her and turned Lavani so she was facing him. “Not for long though.” He had every intention of putting Layfield here and Jay.

“W-What do you mean?”

“What I mean, darlin',...” Taker murmured, pulling her up so her toes dragged in the dirt, bending down so his own face was against hers, brushing his nose against hers. “Is that I'm going to kill someone...” His nose was now trailing down her cheek, to the corner of her trembling mouth. “And put their body here...” Sensual lips now hovered over hers, brushing against them as he spoke.

Her eyes never left his the entire time he spoke, feeling repulsed by the mention of murder, but couldn't help enjoy his lips against hers.  It still didn't stop shivers from rushing down her spine or the trembling of her body.  Why was he torturing her like this?  Taker broke her heart and all she did was leave so they could both move on with their lives!!

“W-Whose?” She stammered again, trying like hell to keep the shakiness out of her voice, but it wasn't happening, talking right against his lips this time, toffee locking with pure acid.

“Now why...” He rumbled, pausing and angled his mouth over hers. “Would I tell you that?”

Taker then kissed her, something he hadn't done in over two years, and hadn't honestly been planning on doing ever again. This bitch had ripped his heart out and waited two years before deciding to come back to stomp all over the pieces by aligning herself with his enemy. The moment he kissed her, every other thought flew out the window as Lavani's broken heart somehow began to mend. 

All the lonely nights, all the sadness and pain he caused her...Lavani couldn't even think about it right now.  It didn't matter what Taker did to her, she missed him and loved him with all of her heart.  The tears poured harder because, no matter the circumstances, she couldn't push him away.  It'd been too long since she felt his lips on hers and Lavani just wanted to stay in this moment, the world somehow vanishing around them. Each poured every ounce of heartache, pain, frustration, anger, passion and love into the kiss, neither holding back.

It took a Herculean effort on his part, but Taker finally pushed himself away from her, his darkened green eyes spitting fire. He hadn't intended for THAT to happen, her reaction to him or his reaction to her. Taker was royally pissed off with himself for everything he had just revealed in that kiss.

“You have destroyed me.” He growled in a low, dark tone, making his hand in a fist and brought it against one of the beams, hearing it splinter.

Even through the slight passion haze her mind clouded with, Lavani jumped when he did that, her lips slightly swollen from the kiss. “H-How did I destroy you?” Lavani was finally freed from his grasp and she knew running was probably in her best interest right now, but...his words stung. “I think it's the other way around.  YOU destroyed ME.  I never did anything to you.” Even if she had aligned herself with his current enemy, Lavani was merely a valet and had only attacked him because he blatantly told her he was going to hurt her. “Why did you bring me here?  If you're going to end me, then do it!!” Lavani was feeling suicidal apparently and slowly took a few steps back away from Taker when those fiery green eyes turned back to her.

His response was to take a step towards her, bringing his fist against the next beam, splintering that one as well. “I wonder how many until it caves in around us.” Taker whispered, his eyes measuring their distance from here to the stairs, gauging their odds of survival. “Poor Lavani, the little victim...she hears lies and runs…like a coward...” Another step forward, another broken beam, and the ones over them were groaning dangerously. “It would be fitting, if we died here together, wouldn't it? Locked in hatred and in love.” Because he did still love this shrew who had ripped his heart out and was now accusing him of being the guilty party.

With every beam he shattered with his fist, Lavani flinched and shot forward when he went to destroy another, shaking her head. “Please don't!” Christ, the seriousness in his eyes nearly took her breath away, but she didn't want to die in this old church with him, more tears falling. “Please don't kill us in here.  I-I don't hate you...and no matter what you say, you don't hate me.  I-” Her words trailed off when she heard more groaning, not releasing his wrist. “Taker, please we have to get out of here before the ceiling caves in.  I don't want to die, please!!”

“Maybe I do, and maybe I'd like to take you screaming to hell with me.” Taker informed her, shaking her off of him and brought his fist against the beam.

When the roof finally gave, he grabbed her about the waist and hauled ass for the stairs. Moment was definitely over. He was not the type of person who would ever kill himself, he was too egomaniacal and arrogant for that. Once they were up the stairs and out the door, he put her down in order to turn and watch the church collapse in on itself.

Lavani's knees buckled beneath her as she too watched the old building collapse, feeling as though her heart was going to give out. She actually thought he was going to kill both of them! He played a big mind game on her and screwed with her emotions.

Lavani stumbled to her feet and with a bad back started running away from him. She felt dirty and disgusting. Her feet were pure black from all the soot and god knows what else she had stepped in. That was too much, Lavani wanted to get as far away from her as possible, tears flying behind her along with her honey auburn hair.

Rolling his eyes, Taker chased after her. He had the benefits of longer legs, not being emotionally challenged at the moment and boots on his feet. Easily, he caught up with Lavani and wrapped his arms around her, dragging her back against him and bent down so his chin rested on her shoulder, just holding her. Taker could feel her body trembling, her heart going a mile a minute, and kissed her pulse point.

“Get away from me!!” Lavani sobbed out, her knees buckling again and his arms were the only thing holding her up. “H-How...Oh GOD!!”

Chapter 11

That had literally scared the hell out of her.  For him to be holding her like this just made the pain within her heart sharper, the knife digging in just a little more. The feeling of his lips against her pulse point was calming her down and she hated him for it, every part of her shaking.

Suddenly, Lavani felt extremely cold even against his warm body, teeth chattering once again. She was calming down except chattering at the same time...this woman still confused him, after all this time, and could still do horrible things to the heart Taker always wished he never had. Frowning, he gently turned Lavani in his arms, staring down at her intently.

“Calm down.” Taker ordered, running his hands up and down her arms briskly, trying to warm her up.

She was apparently still seeing her life flashing before her eyes. That's exactly what was happening and all Lavani could do was stand there, while he tried warming her up, after making her think she was going to die.  Lavani leaned forward and buried her face against him, sobbing as the aftershocks slowly wore off.

“W-Why would you do that to me?” Lavani demanded in a whispered gasp, gripping the straps of his wrestling tights, gritting her teeth. “I-I didn't deserve that!!” Suddenly, she shoved away from him and stumbled back, wiping her tears away with her hands. “Take me back to the hotel RIGHT NOW.  You've put me through enough tonight and nearly gave me a heart attack for NO REASON!!”

Considering he could have very easily killed both of them just moments ago, this wasn't exactly the brightest move on her part. Taker reached up to idly scratch his chin, staring down at the near hysterical Lavani. He was definitely the much calmer of the two, probably because he was in control whereas she was not.

“When I'm damn good and ready.” Taker said finally, then smiled wickedly. “Or when you ask me...nicely.”

“You're an asshole.” She stated heatedly, the hysterics slowly disappearing and being replaced with overwhelming anger, toffee eyes flashing dangerously. “Take. Me. Back. Or. ELSE!!” She prodded his chest with her finger with every word that came out of her mouth, not wincing when he grabbed her wrist tightly, yanking her closer to him. “You broke my heart and now you want me to ask you NICELY?  Go fuck yourself.  I'll walk.  Now let go of me!!”

“I broke YOUR heart? You don't HAVE a heart, you cold-blooded bitch.” He spat, letting her go and watched as she fell backwards, right onto her ass and snorted. “You're the one who walked out on ME, remember? You ran off without giving me the chance to explain anything!” Taker threw his hands up into the air, scowling. “You took the word of a woman who was with two people who HATE me, a woman you hadn't seen in years, and didn't even have the courtesy of giving me a minute of your time!” He whirled back around, facing her again. “SO YES, ASK NICELY!”

“You damn right I did and I believe her because I know what your reputation is!!  She was my roommate for two years, we know everything about each other.  She knew about my job opportunity in WWE -WWF at the time- and also knew what my job was.  You were all about the ladies, always having a different woman in your bed and apparently that didn't change after you came back.” Lavani dusted herself off, not even fazed by being planted on her backside because it wasn't the first bump of the night that she took. “What was the point Taker?  What was the point of you kidnapping me that night?  What was the point of giving me the job offer and fucking me, making me fall in love with you all over again?  I left to make the separation easier for both of us since you obviously didn't want me anymore.  You know I'm a big girl and if you didn't want to be with me, you should've just fucking told me instead of kept the fact you were screwing one of my old friends.  You're just pissed off that Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar called you out on it and revealed your dirty little secret.”

Taker had never been so pissed off and had never wanted to beat a woman the way he now wanted to beat her. He hadn't been an actual woman beater in the technical sense of the word in quite some time. He just wanted to shake her until her damn head snapped off her neck for the shit she was spewing.

“Called me out on what exactly, Lavani?” He hissed, taking a step backwards so he didn't try throttling her. “The fact that I slept with her for three months prior to her showing up? If they wanted to be accurate, they would have used the truth. But then...it doesn't matter anymore because, obviously, you already made your mind up about me.” THAT hurt too. “A different woman every night, all about the ladies...you never gave me the benefit of doubt, nothing. So obviously, I didn't rip out your heart because I never had it to begin with.”

“Yes you did!!  How can you say that?!” That stung her more than words can say, tears falling freely. “You've always had my heart, you son of a bitch!!  You've had it always, you STILL have it and I hate you for it!!” Lavani looked square into his eyes, so much radiating from every part of her and she wanted to strangle him, wanted to find some way to reclaim her heart. “From the moment I saw you, you had my heart.  You slept with countless women and I had to stand by and watch you take whores to your bed.  Then you returned and it was all about me.  Your attention was fully on me and you made me feel things I only dreamt of.  You made me love you...” She trailed off, clenching her fists tightly at her sides. “I hate you so much for making me love you!  YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU!!  Why wouldn't I believe Tracy?  You wouldn't even take me to your house, you wouldn't share any part of you outside of the ring.  I gave you everything, every single thing, and all you did was take.  You never gave me anything back, so yes, I believe you would cheat on me since apparently all you wanted me for was sex.”

She thought that because Taker wouldn't take her to his house...women were such idiots. Outside of the ring? He had spent the majority of his time with her! Inside the ring and out of the damn thing! Lavani was blowing smoke out of her ass and doing a piss poor job of it.

“If you honestly believed that, after everything we went through...then no, you did not love me.” Taker said finally, while her voice rose, his only got quieter and quieter, which was always a bad sign. “If you had, you would have stayed and fought for me, listened to my side of the story. Instead, you ran. Like you always do when you're overwhelmed.”

“I didn't run away.  I left the company to make the separation easier.  I left because I knew if I let you talk to me, I would've been weak and stayed with you.” Lavani's voice also went quiet, though her eyes never left his. “Fought for you?  Why would I fight for someone who was out of my league?  Who didn't want me anymore?  You can think whatever you want because you're right and I'm wrong.  But don't stand there and tell me that I didn't love you when you know damn well I did.” And do, she mentally added, feeling disgusting standing in a cemetery of all places arguing with her ex. “I also know you didn't love me or else you would've let me in completely instead of kept me at arm's reach.”

Considering that he now knew exactly what his love for her had meant, nothing, Taker was pretty damn glad he hadn't been able to take her home. Been able. He had leased out several of his properties and then had had his main residence outside of Houston remodeled. He had been waiting for it to be finished, having had every intention of asking her to move in with him. She was giving him the same bullshit excuses as she had five minutes ago. He reached for the keys to the hearse, tossing them at her feet.

“I did sleep with Tracy…” Taker admitted finally, watching her eyes widen then narrow. “Years ago. It was a one night stand that was never repeated. The only woman I was with when we were together was you. I don't expect you to believe that since you have made your opinion of me and my arrogance quite clear.”

Lavani could run now straight back to her lovers because he was done for the night. She had called him a man-whore and then said she was out of his league, too good for her. Obviously, the woman was mentally imbalanced. Lavani was confused and didn't move to grab the keys, just staring at him with so many emotions flooding her body.

“Wait a minute, you slept with Tracy, but it was before we met?” Her head was pounding like a beating drum along with her back pulsating, knowing she would need to ice it. “Tracy called me after I left and told me all about your...meetings together.  She knew the hotels we stayed at, the hole in the wall places.  How could she possibly know that if you weren't sleeping with her?” Heyman and Lesnar had brought Tracy into the company, but she even told Lavani she wanted him back. “God I'm so confused now...” She sank down on the ground, wrapping one arm around her waist and tried digesting everything he said.

“It sucks to be you, don't it?” He sneered, shaking his head in disgust. “She was working with Paul Heyman...of course she knew about the hotels we stayed in. You've met Heyman.” He was a fat tub of lard and was a total sneaky, sleazy bag of dung. “Would it surprise you to find out that he had had us followed?” No, it wouldn't, at least not to anyone with half a brain. “But of course, she only knew all that because I was fucking her.”

“Well what the hell am I supposed to think when one of my old friends, a woman I shared my life with for two years, comes waltzing out and tells me you slept with her?!” Lavani exclaimed heatedly, standing up along with the keys as they dangled from her hand. “We stayed at hole in the wall places though, why the hell would Heyman waste his time following us?”

Leverage, it was obvious and Lavani suddenly felt sick to her stomach, shame coursing through her.  She ran away from the man she loved all because of an accusation.  That wasn't the only reason though, she was scared to find out the truth of it and figured walking away would just be easier.  She was in shock, heartbroken and thought irrationally, letting her anger make stupid decisions for her.

“I don't know what to think anymore...”

“Here, let me help you, you fool.” Taker knew he sounded snarky, feeling the beginning of a spectacular migraine forming between his temples. “One, she came waltzing in because she did want me as one night is never enough.” There was a healthy dose of arrogance. “Two, she had been paid rather well to cause tension between us. Three, Lesnar and Heyman needed me broken just so they had a shot in hell at putting me away. You out of the picture was that way of breaking me. So, because you shared your life with her for two years and had your doubts, you believed her and that was that. Did I miss anything?”

There was no arguing with him because everything Taker said was the truth, Lavani couldn't deny any of it.  She was exhausted and had no more fight left in her, wishing she knew the truth.  Did she believe what Taker told her or did she continue going on with Tracy's accusations that had haunted for the past two years?  Two years...If that woman had lied to her, she was going to pay because that would mean Tracy had played with her emotions like a toy.

“No, you didn't.” She whispered, wincing when a shot of pain went through her lower back, letting out a soft groan.

“I didn't think so either.” He snorted, bending down to pull her unceremoniously to her feet and then took back the keys. “Get in the hearse, I'll drive you back.”

Knowing his luck, she would sit out here, trying to sort everything out and freeze to death. He was too tired, too drained, to walk all the way back to the city. He ran a hand through his loose hair, looking about the cemetery and then finally the destroyed church, a wicked smirk tugging at his lips.

That was going to shock the locals.

“Taker wait.”

Lavani reached out and grabbed his arm when he went to walk past her, frowning deeply.  What was she supposed to say to him?  She didn't know for a fact he was telling her the truth and there was conflicting emotions in her eyes. 

On one hand, everything he said made perfect sense, but what if it was too perfect?  What if he was lying to her?  She had to find out the truth for herself first.  A visit to Tracy was definitely in the near future.

“Never mind, let's go.”

Walking past him, Lavani wrapped her arms around herself, needing a shower and ice desperately for her back. Mockingly, Taker bowed at her back, one arm against his waist, the other extending in an exaggerated sweep before him. She got to ride in the front on the return trip, minus the pleasure of hearing the funeral dirge music.

He didn't even want to listen to it and it sometimes even cheered him up. He was sick in the head that way. Once they were both inside the hearse, he turned on the heater, not minding the cold himself, but the last thing he actually needed was her freezing to death. The heat quickly washed over her, though her feet were really the one thing that needed heat more than anything at that moment. 

She didn't put them on the seat because this wasn't her vehicle, wondering briefly if Taker actually did travel with a hearse.  She didn't want to know.  Looking out the window, Lavani leaned her head against it and kept her arms wrapped around her waist, buckled up because she did believe in safety.  When they pulled up in the hotel parking lot, Lavani knew this was goodbye and felt every part of her filling with pain again.

“I do love you.  Whether you believe me or not.  If I didn't, I would've gotten rid of this.” She fingered the necklace around her neck, heaving a sigh. “Good night, Taker.” Stepping out before he could say a word, Lavani walked inside the building, letting more tears fall.

Taker just let her go because honestly, right now, he didn't care. He would care tomorrow, or the day after, but not tonight. Simply watching as she disappeared into the building, Taker leaned forward, resting his head against the steering wheel.

Chapter 12

“YOU'RE ALIVE, OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ALIVE!”

Adam caught Lavani, lifted her up off the ground as soon as he spotted her, holding her tightly. Only then did he look around, making sure Taker wasn't in the nearby vicinity. Then he became aware of her dirty state and bare feet, slowly setting her down.

“LavaBean...He didn't...hurt you, did he?” He asked gently, his heart running a mile a minute.

“No he didn't.” Lavani was completely drained and had no more fight at the moment or else she probably would've pushed him away. “I want a shower, wine and bed.” When Adam nodded and guided her up to the room they were sharing, Lavani suddenly stopped and looked at Adam, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I want to be alone tonight.  I'm not running away, but I don't want to see anyone right now.”

Before Adam could protest or even open his mouth, Lavani stepped inside the suite and shut the door behind her, flipping the lock on it.  Adam could get another room, Lavani was heartbroken all over again and needed time alone to reflect on everything she found out tonight...after a shower. Considering Taker had kidnapped her in a HEARSE, she had come back in terrible condition and looked...so broken, Adam wasn't going anywhere.

Retrieving a blanket and a pillow from his room, along with a book, Adam set up shop right outside her door. He was fully prepared to try killing anyone who even thought about getting into this room. He was also very glad he hadn't called Jay. Adam had wanted too, but he hadn't, knowing that would just send his best friend into a frenzy. When Adam tried to trip him as he walked by on his way to his own room, Taker bent down to grab a handful of hair, slamming Adam's head back into Lavani's door before continuing on his way.

Lavani didn't hear that because she was in the shower, currently scrubbing her body from head to toe.  She already missed Taker and wondered if John would be angry at her for deciding to go back to Mississippi.  Coming back to the WWE against Taker, it was a stupid move on her part. 

A foolish decision. 

She stepped out of the shower an hour later, after the water ran cold, and wrapped herself in a terry cloth robe before collapsing in bed.  Screw the wine, she would drink tomorrow.  Her vision blurred as the tears starting soaking her pillow and Lavani ended up crying herself to sleep.

~!~

“What the hell happened to you, boy?” John demanded bright and early the next morning, having heard down in the hotel's restaurant that Taker already left.

This meant he had come back and John had wasted no time in draining his morning coffee, tucking away his Wall Street paper, and hauling his already expensively dressed ass upstairs. What he hadn't been expecting was to find Adam laying in front of her door, with a look on his face like he had a hangover, or a serious headache. But Adam's presence also confirmed that Lavani was indeed behind those doors.

“Nothin'. She hasn't come out yet.” Adam grunted, having slept like...an unconscious person and woke up feeling like a zombie, if zombie's had killer headaches.

The door opened and Lavani stood there, staring down at Adam with a tilted head, wondering what he was doing outside of her door. “Good morning...” She sounded confused, completely dressed for the day in a blue jean skirt with a purple halter top, her hair pulled back in a neat French braid, simple makeup on her face.  Then it dawned on her what Adam had done and Lavani groaned. “That's it, I can't take this overprotective crap anymore.  You are getting your own room and if Jay has a problem with it, he can take it up with me.” Her eyes then moved to John, plastering on a smile. “Hey John.” She greeted, stepping out with luggage rolling behind her, ready to check out and head to the next area.

“Is that anyway to talk to the guy who got his head bashed in for defending your honor?” Adam groused, not amused by her lack of sympathy and pulled himself to his feet, stooping to pick up his pillow and blanket.

John arched an eyebrow at that, gently reaching out to place his palm on Lavani's stomach, halting her. He didn't care about Adam's issues, just hers. “What happened last night?”

There was no way she could tell John the truth and held her hand up, noticing the cut on Adam's forehead. “What happened, Adam?” She demanded, frowning when he muttered something about never tripping Undertaker again, blinking.  He stumbled away and left her with John waiting for his answer, slowly turning around to face him. “I was dropped off on the side of the road and it took me nearly three hours to make it back here.” She lied smoothly, wincing slightly at her back. “I froze my ass off, my back is heavily bruised and I have a headache.”

John did not believe a word that just came out of her mouth, but smiled anyway, his eyes crinkling at the corner. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, John gently took her bag like any gentleman would, carrying it. “Well hell honey, what you need is a day at the spa.” He suggested, looking thoughtful. “I'll get you in today, we can take the jet tonight.” His mind was already racing, thinking ahead and about whatever it was she wasn't telling him.

“Really?”

When he nodded, Lavani smiled from ear to ear because honestly that sounded like heaven on earth.  Sure enough, John scheduled a spa appointment and got her right in, money talked after all.  She was told to strip down and given probably the softest robe she ever felt before being sat in an even more comfortable chair.  Cucumbers were placed over her eyes while they started giving her a manicure and pedicure, her cheeks being massaged and lotioned up along with her legs. 

Her hair was up in towel after it was washed, the scalp massage feeling amazing.  After her manicure and pedicure, it was time for a full body massage as Lavani laid on the bedding on her stomach and closed her eyes while they began kneading the muscles, being mindful of the bruising on her back.  When the masseuse was called away for something, Lavani was surprised they returned so quickly and kept her eyes closed, sighing softly as she completely relaxed.

A massage? A day at the spa? Layfield really was a suck-up. Taker did not understand why he had followed her nor was he bothering to try understanding it. He just had. Maybe to see just how her relationship with John was. Professional? Personal? Mixture of both.

John had also checked himself in for a day at the spa, and was currently choking on the mud Taker had poured down his throat. He warmed his hands up with the oil before taking over the massage, smirking slightly. Nude and alone, really...she was becoming his favorite victim. Now if only he could stop caring about her and then he would definitely enjoy it more.

These hands were different, much bigger and heated.  Lavani knew those hands well, they had touched her on more than one occasion, and they were currently lighting her body on fire.  She was naked under this towel too, oh god!  Lavani knew if she didn't want to possibly feel more wrath and abuse from Taker, she would pretend he was just a regular masseuse. 

Winced slightly when his hands ran over her dark purplish blue back, it was courtesy of Taker snapping her over his shoulder with full force.  It looked worse than it actually hurt.  Her eyes shot open when he moved his hands to her ass, squeezing it firmly and immediately sat up on the table, clinging to the towel.

“What are you doing in here?” She whispered, raking a hand through her still wet hair, breathing a little heavier than normal. 

He was ruining her spa time damn it!

Taker blinked owlishly at her, wearing nothing except a pair of skintight black jeans and his boots, his black leather vest draped on the chair behind him, his hair hanging loose. “Giving you a massage.” He said, the ridicule implied in his tone without him actually saying anything satirical. Then he turned her back around, unwrapping the towel, her back was exposed to him again. “And it's not done...so lie down.” He ordered, tracing a fingertip down her spine.

“You're not supposed to be in here.”

She gave it one final try to protest, but this was the man she loved and he wanted to give her a massage.  Taker seen her naked a million times so being nude in front of him didn't bother her.  Biting her bottom lip, Lavani laid back down as he requested, feeling him move her hair to the side and drifted her eyes shut when he began running those huge hands against her back again. So much desire flooded her body and it was starting to spill over, but Lavani fought it off as much as she possibly could, groaning when he hit a sore spot that needed attention.

“You're torturing me.” She whispered, his touch making her shiver involuntarily and it wasn't from fear. 

He sincerely hoped so, considering that was his main goal. Sparing a quick glance at the clock, Taker was pretty sure he would be hearing a scream soon. Either from John choking to death on the mud or managing to either spit or swallow and getting his wits together enough to stir up some hell. Either way, it was time to end this sooner than he would’ve liked and that just made Taker want to kill John all the more.

“Good.” Taker growled huskily, smirking when he seen her shiver.

Lavani wanted him. He had every intention of torturing her, making her want him until she fell to pieces from being unable to have him. Only then, he might consider ending both of their misery. Lavani maneuvered the towel to where it covered her top half, chewing her bottom lip when he raised a slow brow at her.

“Take me with you.” Lavani requested, toffee eyes pleading with him. “Just...take me again like you did last night.  John won't know the difference.” Lavani really didn't want to spend any more time with her boss than she had to. “He asked me what happened after you took me last night and-” She cringed when a scream sounded, followed by a lot of cussing from John, knowing they didn't have much time to get out of there. “Just take me with you and then drop me off somewhere or...SOMETHING.” She hopped off the bedding, already going behind the curtain to quickly dress, having pulled Taker in there with her. “Please just get me out of here and I'll owe you one, okay?  I'll owe you a favor, whatever you want.” She was really desperate.

He watched in amusement as she began dressing, starting from the bottom up. He could take her with him, but then John would demand to know where she had gone. If he were to disappear as well, the man could put two and two together. Hmmm...Taker heard John coming into the room and Lavani looked ready to freak out, scrambling to put her top on. In one instant, he had pulled Lavani into his arms and was kissing her senseless, her bare chest pressed to his as the screen was ripped away.

Oh he was a bastard, using her like this! 

Lavani was pissed off and did the only thing she could to rectify this, kicking Taker square between the legs as hard as she could.  He roared in pain as she stumbled out of the room right into John's arms, covering her upper half with her hands, toffee eyes shooting fire.  He should've taken her with him instead of used her like a cheap piece of meat.

“John, come on please we have to get out of here.” Lavani pleaded, after he got a few cheap shots of his own in before guiding her out of the room, wrapping a towel around her in the process.

Considering the bitch had shattered his heart and had her realization moment that she’d messed up last night, not to mention allied with his enemy, Taker figured using her instead of giving into her wishes to get her out of there was the logical thing to do. He lay there, cradling his balls, which hurt more than John's attempts at harming him, alternating between growling and laughing. John was still spitting out mud, his eyes flashing fire of their own as he guided her out of the building, having every intention of suing this place for their second-rate security.

“I'm fine.” She whispered once they were inside John's limo, headed for his private jet. 

Shaking from head to toe, Lavani hoped John chalked it up to her being terrified of Taker, but that wasn't the case.  It had hurt her to kick Taker in his balls, but it hurt even more that he used her.  She was tired of being used and wished the trembling would stop, her lips still burning from his passionate kiss.  Lavani managed to pull on a bra and shirt without flashing anything, thankful John was on his phone bitching out the spa company and already had his lawyer on it to sue.

When he was off the phone, they pulled up to the airport and boarded the private jet. John excused himself to go redress because he was in just his pants and shoes since that was all he had pulled on after the mud incident, the pants stained in the gray material. He returned in jeans, sneakers and a shirt over his shoulder, his usually combed hair messy for once. Still cursing under his breath, he poured two drinks and turned, going to press a tumbler into her hand.

“I think we both need one, honey.” He stated, draining his measure quickly.

“Thank you, John.” She murmured softly, downing the tumbler as well and felt some comfort as the liquid burned down her throat on the way to her stomach, wincing slightly.

The next time she crossed paths with Taker, it wasn't going to be pretty. Hell, she did owe him one for first injuring her back and then making her life flash before her eyes. When John continued grumbling, Lavani knew she had to do something because he didn't believe her about being left on the side of the road. 

Chapter 13

“Thank you for saving me today.” Setting her tumbler down and forcing down all of her morals, Lavani walked over to where her boss sat, watching him slowly look up at her and cupped his face tenderly in her hand. “Anything I can do to make it up to you?”

There were instantly at least two dozen ways John could think of off the top of his suddenly mildly confused head. He backtracked, trying to understand how she had gone from her chair, to standing over him. Now, she was perched sideways on his lap, her hand still on his face and he automatically wrapped one arm around her waist.

“I'm sure we can think of something.” John rumbled, attempting to recover himself and flashed a smile up at her.

“I think we can too.” She purred, moving to straddle his lap.

Reaching over to press the 'DO NOT DISTURB' button that made a sign flash over the door, a smile never left her face.  The only way to get John to trust her was to lure him into a false sense of security, which is exactly what Lavani was going to do. This was going against everything Lavani stood for, but she had to survive this somehow.

“You know, seeing you defend me today against that corpse, it got me really hot.” Lavani began unbuttoning his shirt slowly, scooting closer to him on his lap, her jean skirt riding up her thighs. “I honestly fought him off, but little ol' me couldn't do it, not without you.” She slowly pushed the shirt from his shoulders, running her freshly manicured nails down his chest. “You're so strong and masculine…”

The rational part of John's brain was screaming at him to pay attention to how out of character she was now acting. The other, more dominant, part was informing him that she was just reacting to what could have been a very bad situation the way any grateful, hot...attractive...lusty woman would. His eyes dropped down to her lap and the beautiful expanse of thigh that was showing. Her toned legs definitely captured his attention and his hands moved up her sides before moving back down to her hips. When she ran her hands down his chest again, he closed his eyes with a groan, shifting her on his lap so she was a bit closer to him.

Using her assets to her advantage was the ticket, Lavani locked that little nugget of information in her mind whenever dealing with John.  Playing on his ego was also another key.  Lavani smiled at his groan and knew she had him in the palm of her hand as she started massaging his bare chest.

“You deserve a reward, what do you think?” When he nodded, Lavani flipped her hair to hang over her shoulder, running her nail very gently down his strong jaw line before tracing his lips. “Do you forgive me for what happened last night?  I was such a naughty girl not letting a strong, strapping man like you handle the corpse.”

It killed her to talk about Taker like this, but Lavani had to shove him in the far recesses of her mind for the time being.  Slowly, she began grinding against him, smirking when he hardened against her and instantly let Taker flood her mind before pressing her lips to his. The rational part of his brain had completely shut down at this point and John returned the kiss sloppily, his hands roaming her body freely since obviously this was what she wanted.

He was what she wanted.

John had been having some issues, wondering if she was back with Taker, but not anymore. Obviously she couldn't stand the man, especially since she called him a corpse. When Lavani wiggled her hips against his again he groaned, biting gently on her lower lip and arched his hips back, grinding along with her.

By the time the plane landed, Lavani couldn't wait to get away from John so she could take a scalding hot shower and scrub his fingerprints off her body.  She didn't have sex with him, Lavani would never take it that far, but his tongue had definitely tasted what she had for breakfast that day.  He nearly gagged her with it, the man did NOT know how to kiss to save his life. 

She didn't feel ashamed for what she did because she knew now she had John's full trust again, which is what she aimed for.  Once they arrived at the hotel, Lavani was happy that John still let her have her own room and headed up, not before promising to meet his 'strong, strapping self' at the arena later that night.  As soon as she was in her room, Lavani flew to the toilet and vomited, letting the guilt finally consume her.

Lavani didn't know it yet, but she now had a serious problem as John now had every intention of making their relationship more than just a professional one. He would still play the gentleman, but now he knew what she was about. She wanted him.

Not that he blamed her. He was wealthy, handsome, and a wrestling God. Humming under his breath, John hit the shower to deal with the problem she had left him with, not overly minding it TOO much. There would be time for all that later, she was already hot for him.

After scrubbing herself for a solid hour straight, Lavani slipped in another dress, this time a burnt orange that was strapless and went to her knees, though it had a flower embroidery on it.  She curled her hair as it framed her face and changed the stone on her necklace to a burnt orange that matched the dress, black Manolo Blahniks on her feet.  She walked out of her hotel room and headed for the elevator, putting soft pink lip gloss on that shimmered under the lights, ready for the house show that night.

“Well aren't we dressed up?” Taker stepped into the elevator right after her, smirking when she paled, eyeballing her dress and then the pendant. “Now Vani, darlin', kneeing me in the balls earlier wasn't really nice of you.” Taker lewdly adjusted himself at that, then stepped away, just in case before hitting the first floor button. “Especially after you were practically begging for me to rescue you from your…employer. How is Layfield by the way?” He arched an eyebrow when her glossed lips compressed into a thinly pressed line.

“You had it coming.  Like I was really going to let you use me to gain an advantage over him?” Lavani snorted, tossing her hair over her shoulder and refused to look at him, wishing this elevator ride would go faster, scowling when she felt him move to stand behind her. “I'm not apologizing for what I did to you.  First you hurt me physically in the ring, then you make me think I'm going to die and now you're trying to use me against John.  It's not going to work.” The scent of lilacs permeated the air from her body wash, her skin smelling of them and Lavani was trying very hard to control her emotions around Taker from now on.

“All things considered, Vani, after the way you treated me these past two years...consider it a little payback. I'm vindictive, you already knew that.” Taker shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist, bending until his chin was resting on her shoulder. “You smell good.” He rumbled, running his nose up along her throat until his cheek was brushing against hers. “I bet you taste even better...” Lavani had openly challenged him with her 'it's not going to work'.

It was like they were playing a game. He loved her, god help him he did. Taker also loved games and she knew that on some level. Of course, she had also mind fucked him on occasion. A mind fuck of epic proportions...and he had never gone out of his way to do that to someone since, unless it was work-related. However, she knew what he was doing, so it didn't technically count.

“I gave you the option to take me away to do wicked little things to me and you didn't take it.” Lavani looked at him over her shoulder briefly, the smell of sandalwood and leather instantly enveloping her. “Damn it.”

She hit the stop button and whipped around, grabbing the collar of his trench coat, smashing his lips against hers.  Just the same way he did to her earlier on that day.  She felt him quickly take control of the kiss, moving to where her back was pressed against the elevator wall and groaned impatiently against his lips as his hands devoured her body.  He tasted even better than she remembered. When their tongues began dueling for the first time in two long years, she knew Taker was probably thinking the same thing.

“I won't be used.” She breathed when he broke the kiss, his mouth moving down her jaw. “Taker, did you hear what I said?”

Taker kept ignoring her, growling when she pinched his side. “Yes, I heard you woman.” He said, ripping his lips away from her, frustration flaring in his emerald green orbs. “Damn it, Vani!” He stepped away from her, raking his hand through his hair. “I want you, but I'm not about to just throw my ass back under that bus of yours.”

He was suffering two issues: desire and yearning of not getting any part of him ripped out or off by this woman. She had broken him in a way nobody ever had and nobody ever would again. TWICE!

“And you think I'm not scared to make this jump with you?  I thought you broke my heart, I did what I thought was best.  I made a damn mistake, okay?”

She still didn't know if he had lied to her or not, but Lavani had to just follow her heart. Her mind screamed at her, reminding her of Tracy's accusations and the phone call that cemented her belief that Taker actually had cheated on her. Taker had never, to her knowledge, lied to her so honestly she had no reason not to trust him and what he said. If he was lying to her, however, Lavani was going to personally castrate him.

“I want you too, but I won't have my heart broken again either.  I was in just as much pain as you were those two years, you think it was easy for me being away from you and it WASN'T.  Nothing hurt me more than leaving.”

“Well, that was YOUR fault for leaving instead of coming to me and calling me out on my supposed indiscretions, now wasn't it? So, because you're an insecure wench, you fucked us BOTH over.” Taker glowered down at her, leaning back against the elevator wall, folding his arms over his chest in a brooding fashion. “You did what you thought best, like you always do, not even bothering to share your decision with me, like you always do.” He fell silent, eyes moving to the elevator door before slowly turning back to her, hurt flickering through them briefly. “Why'd you come back, Vani?”

He would never let her live her mistake down and Lavani didn't know what else she could say to make things right. “Honestly?  I missed the business.  I missed being in front of the fans and John offered me a lot more money than what my other job was paying.  It had nothing to do with you.  He told me he was feuding with you and I figured you wanted nothing to do with me, so I didn't see a problem with coming back.  I signed a six month contract with John, so you only have to put up with me for a short period of time.  Then I'll be gone, I'm not resigning with the company.” Looking away from him, Lavani blinked tears away from her eyes, wiping a straw one from her cheek.

“You came for the money, huh? Missed the fans and the business?” Taker snorted at that, obviously not buying those sole reasons for her return. “I suppose when he informed you he was feuding with me that played nothing to do with your decision? He only wants you to fuck with me.” So far, that was working out only slightly. “Don't cry.” He ordered gruffly when he realized what she was doing, pulling a navy blue bandana out of his back pocket and passed it to her.

Why...why did she have to cry?

“Believe it or not, my decision didn't revolve around you.  Not everything revolves the almighty Undertaker.” She sniffled, no malice in her voice even though she tried injecting some, failing miserably.  She took the bandana he extended and dabbed at her eyes, trying not to smear her makeup and folded her arms in front of her chest. “I made it clear to him that I was JUST his valet and nothing more.  He agreed.  What you want me to stand here and say I couldn't live without you, I wanted closure, I missed you?  I'm not gonna do that, Taker.” Even those three reasons were the cold truth.

“I would actually love to hear you say those things.” Taker informed her, knowing she would never say them. “You know you can't live without me and that IS why you're back, because whether you want to admit it or not, I am IT for you.”

Pretty much the same way she was IT for him. He just refused to say it out loud, not yet. Maybe not ever. Hell, Taker was confusing himself at this point, slamming his fist against the go button of the elevator and almost let out a sigh of relief when the doors opened a few seconds later.

Adam's eyes widened when the doors opened, needing to go back up and grab his boots since he had apparently forgotten them. He took one look at Lavani, her face red from crying and then at Taker. Not thinking twice about it, he speared the bigger man as hard as he could, putting all of his strength into it. Toffee eyes widened at what Adam did and Lavani immediately sandwiched herself between the two, shoving Adam away.

“Have you lost your ever loving MIND?” Luckily, Adam had stumbled right back out of the elevator just as the doors closed again, Lavani's back pressed against Taker.  She could feel the anger radiating off of him and didn't blame him for wanting to kill Adam. “He means well, he's worried about me.”

Jay was too and she knew she would have explaining to do once he finally did join her back on the road.  Her mind went back to what Taker said and Lavani just let more tears fall, the harsh realization crashing over her.  He was right.  They were IT for each other, whether they liked it or not.

“I did miss you...” Lavani admitted openly, sniffling a little. “And I did want some kind of closure.”

Chapter 14

There was no way she was saying she couldn't live without him though, refusing to put her heart on the line again. He stared down at her, more pissed off with Adam at the moment for that ballsy little stunt of his than anything. Though her words did register and Taker finally nodded, his nostrils flared, mouth a thinly compressed grim line.

He knew the next question one of them needed to ask was what happened next because, obviously, they couldn't go back to how things were before. They couldn't just pick up the pieces as if nothing had ever happened. He was thinking like a woman now...He scrubbed a hand down his face, sighing heavily.

Lavani wanted to ask him what he wanted, if he still even wanted to be with her or if he wanted to walk away to save himself more heartache.  She hadn't meant to hurt him by leaving, but she'd been manipulated into thinking he had cheated on her.  The feeling that she wasn't enough for him had ripped her to shreds and she cried for months.

He wasn't saying anything, not a damn thing, and Lavani completely defeated just as the doors opened, willing herself to step off.  When he followed, Lavani raised a brow and knew she couldn't be seen with him, not after screwing with John earlier on that day on the plane. Lavani was regretting doing that now, but at the same time, what’s done was done and she couldn’t change it.

“He owns my contract.” Lavani informed him in a whisper, taking a shaky breath.

“So break the damn thing.” He said, his own voice low, walking faster when she did. She wasn't running off again, damn it. “It wouldn't be the first time.”

She had broken her contract with Vince for him, broken another contract in running and leaving...the woman wasn't going soft on him now. If they were ever going to find some kind of peace, or reconcile, then she had to break her ties to Layfield. No two ways about it. Of course, there was always the option of him just breaking Layfield...Taker liked that option better.

“No.” They arrived in the stairwell and Lavani stopped to face him, looking up into his eyes, every part of her filled with conflict on what to do. “I can't break another contract, Taker.” Leaning back against the wall, Lavani folded her arms in front of her chest, looking troubled. “Look I'm going to be completely honest with you about something and you can still walk away from me if you want to.  I sorta...I had to...” She felt sick at the memory of having John's tongue shoved down her throat. “I kissed him, okay?  I had to find some way to make him think I was still loyal to him and that I hated you so...Look I'm not a saint, I didn't fuck him.” Now she was rambling and shuddered at the thought of having sex with John. “I just...I made out with him on the plane.  Touching and kissing, that's all that happened.  And I have a feeling he enjoyed it a little TOO much, if you get my drift.”

Oh he caught her drift all right, and Taker had to fight down several conflicting emotions, aimed at both her and Layfield. She had...made out with John Bradshaw Layfield...he could not keep the disgust from rolling through him, all too easily able to picture them together. On the other hand, he understood the motives because it was something he might have done himself, if he were ever in her position, which he never had been and never would be. Finally, he simply nodded, staring down at her intently. She looked ill, as ill as he felt, and that was a bit of a cheering thought.

“He's dead.”

“You can't just go killing him.” She stopped him before he could start walking away from her, forcing him to listen to her. “Taker, he HAS to believe that I am fully on his side and not yours.” She stood on the step a few above him, having stopped him from walking down, eye level with him. “I want to get away from him and I will, I just have to figure out how to do it.”

He couldn't just go attacking John because of her, that wasn't the way to handle this.  Lavani was the one who practically threw herself at John just to get him to fully trust her.  If Taker went out and tried killing him, her plan would blow up in smoke, which couldn't happen.

“If you would've just listened and did what I asked, none of this would be happening right now and I wouldn't have had to...do what I did.  If you screw this up for me, I will make you regret it.  You'll do more damage if you go after him the way I know you want to.  And he'll hurt me if he finds out I was screwing with him, do you really want that?”

“He doesn't have to believe anything, not if I'm going to kill him. Corpses don't have thoughts.” Taker said calmly, figuring he was being the more rational of the two. If she hadn't decided to get up close and personal with Layfield, then he wouldn't have to kill the man. He wasn't saying that aloud however, frowning down at her. “You're threatening me? Really Vani?” He snorted, folding his arms over his chest. “Woman, right now, short of trying to run again, I am the only option you have for getting out of this fucked up situation. Mind your manners.”

“No, I can get out of this fucked up situation in about five months or so.  And in the meantime, I can simply continue playing the part of John's assistant.”

Shrugging, Lavani walked past him down the stairs, refusing to 'mind her manners' when her neck was on the line.  If she ended up having to have sex with John in order to keep the man from hurting her, she would do it.  The thought of having to sleep with John sickened her, but if Taker wanted to get an attitude about helping her, then she would do this on her own.  She barely got down the first flight of stairs before he stopped her again, grabbing her by the arm and forcefully whipped her around to face him.

“What?  I have to go or I'm going to be late getting to the arena, Taker.”

“You are a cold-hearted bitch, Vani, you know that? You ask my help, then throw it in my face that you wouldn't be in your situation if I hadn't refused you. Guess what, you wouldn't be in ANY of this if you hadn't run out on me two years ago.” He gave her a shake, his teeth gnashing. “So quit with your high 'n mighty attitude and get over it. You. Fucked. Up.” Then Taker tossed her over his shoulder. “Layfield is going to fuck you, you know that, right?” He said, heading down the steps with her hitting his back. “Or he'll try. And then when he doesn't get his way, he'll show you what a damn snake he really is.”

“Put me down!  What are you doing, you damn mongrel?!” Lavani demanded, hitting his back as hard as she could with closed fists, kicking her legs. “You don't want to help me and I'm sick of you throwing the fact that I ran away in my face!!  I did what I had to do at the time, I'm not apologizing for it anymore!!” Hell, she still didn't know if he was telling her the truth.  Beating the truth out of Tracy was going to solve that one though, which she already planned on doing on her next days off. “Where the hell are you taking me?  Another cemetery so you can play more mind games with me?  I'm not the only one who fucked up, you did too!!”

“You only wish I had.”

Taker snorted derisively, pushing open the door with one hand and stepped out into the side parking lot, feeling the night air cooling him down a bit more. Not enough to stop him from palming her ass with one large hand when she insisted on wiggling. Taker had to give her this much credit, she definitely took care of herself because her ass still felt as firm as it had two years ago.

“Then you would feel morally superior to me again instead of right down in the dirt at my level.” He shifted, feeling her sliding down along his body, arms going around her waist as her feet touched the pavement. “And no, not another cemetery...glad you're still thinking about it though.” Taker licked his lips, staring down into her toffee eyes, and then bent to brush his lips against hers. “Done fighting me yet?” He murmured huskily.

“What do you want from me?  I'm not perfect, I made a damn mistake and I can't keep feeling guilty about it.” Lavani whispered, tears shimmering in her eyes. 

Lavani hated crying in front of Taker.  She never cried this much the last time they were together, hardly ever.  When had she grown into such a damn crybaby?

“Are you going to help me or not?”

It was a simple yes or no question, he either wanted to try working things out or he didn't.  There was no grey area, no two ways about it.  She wasn't apologizing for going with her gut instinct.  If he didn't help her, she would deal with John on her own, it was pretty simple.

“I have to if I don't want you fucking him, or vice versa, now don't I?” Taker shot back, with less irritation or starkness then he would have liked.

Tears in those eyes...this woman was going to be his undoing, yet again. What was it about Lavani that kept him coming back? Offering his heart all the while knowing she could and would destroy it? She was his drug, he couldn't live without her. Sighing, he reached out to brush away a tear that slid down her cheek, tracing the pad of his thumb along her cheekbone.

“Got a plan?” He asked softly.

“Somewhat.” Lavani had thought about this long and hard while scrubbing herself down in the shower, wondering if Taker would even go along with it. “We have to make him think I'm being forced to do it though.” When Taker raised an eyebrow at her, Lavani began pacing back and forth slowly in front of him, getting her mind on track. “The reason I wanted you to take me out of the spa earlier today was because I wanted him to think you had kidnapped me, taken me against my will.  If he thinks it's against my will, he won't be able to fault me for it.  I need him to think that I'm on his side, so kidnapping me is the only solution I can think of.  It'll get me away from him and give us time to...do whatever.  You bring me back against my will and tell him you want my contract on the line in a match.  You win, you gain my contract and I once again work for you instead of him.” She finally stopped pacing and simply looked up at him, chewing her bottom lip.

He could only stare down at her, wondering why on earth she had to make this so damn complicated. “It'd be easier all the way around if you'd just let me kill him.” Taker ignored her exasperated sigh and then shrugged. “We'll do it your way.” A wicked smirk curved his lips, eyes glimmering in the street lamps that lit the parking lot. “Any specific way you want to do this or can I...improvise?”

“Just don't hurt me again.”

That was all Lavani could request from him, her back still incredibly sore and the bruising wouldn't go away for at least a week.  He wanted to make her feel guilty about leaving, she could make him feel a little guilt for hurting her in the ring.  If he even felt bad for doing it to begin with.  Lavani knew it was getting late and John was probably wondering where she was.  She had to wrap this up quickly before John started growing suspicious.

“And you have to take me some place he won't know about.  Because knowing him, he's already done a background check on you and knows all of your current locations.”

“First off, John's about to find all his associates are no longer keen to work for him and snoop around my business. Secondly, stay the hell out of my way and I won't have to hurt you.” Taker was being serious, arching an eyebrow when Lavani glowered up at him and shrugged. “Darlin, if you attack me again or try hitching a ride on my back like the other night and I DON'T slam your ass down, it's going to look suspicious.”

“Whatever, just do what you want.  Because if I don't fight you off and not try to distract you, he will grow suspicious as well.  Next Tuesday on Smackdown! we'll do it.  It'll give you time to prepare and figure out how you want to do it.”

Before she could walk away, Taker stopped her and slipped something into her hand. Lavani blinked and headed to her rental car, really needing to get to the arena.  John was going to have a conniption fit and she'd probably have to calm him down with another kiss. 

Lavani was not looking forward to doing that and groaned, knowing this was a dangerous game she was playing.  Once she was in the car, Lavani opened her hand and saw a key card, looking out the window and could see Taker was already leaving on his motorcycle.  Going to his room was definitely risky, she would have to think on it and slipped it into her glove compartment before heading to the arena.

She'd be there, Taker was sure of it, his confidence already rather high. His gear was stored in the saddlebags of his Titan, he was ready to roll. Already his mind was spinning with ideas on just how to 'kidnap' her, snorting at the thought. Layfield really was an idiot when it came to a fine looking woman, but then again, he probably was too since the fine looking in question also had him wrapped. She just didn't fully know it yet and if he was lucky, she never would or else he'd never have another moment's peace.

Chapter 15

It took every ounce of willpower for Lavani not to go to Taker's room after the show that night.  She wanted to in the worst way, but couldn't risk John finding out.  He was watching her like a hawk, she knew it, even though she kissed him again prior to his match.  That required a full hour of teeth brushing and mouthwash gargling. 

When she was sure the taste of John was out of her mouth, Lavani changed into a light pink negligee that went to mid-thigh, spaghetti strapped and dipped low.  She didn't realize there was a connecting room to hers as she slid into bed and turned the light off, Taker's key card sitting on the nightstand beside her.  If she would've looked at it for more than two seconds, Lavani would've realized that his room a lot closer than she thought.

She really wasn't going to come.

Taker was not amused. He stared broodingly at the door that connected them, only a single door, and she wasn't coming. He waited well into the night, sitting in a high backed chair, wearing nothing except a pair of black pajama pants that hung indecently low on his hips, a tumbler of whiskey in his hand.

His acid eyes were mere slits. Her kissing John hadn't gone over well with him, but Taker had let it slide. However, he wasn't going to let this slide. Draining the rest of the whiskey, Taker tossed the glass over his shoulder, standing up.

Halfway through the night, Lavani had to get up to use the bathroom, half-asleep and exhausted because of all the traveling she'd done.  She still wasn't used to it after two weeks, but hopefully it would get easier as the days went by.  After doing her business and washing her hands, Lavani walked out and shut the bathroom light off, ready to go back to sleep.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when the lamp on her nightstand flicked on, temporarily blinding her.  Once her vision cleared, Lavani became FULLY awake at the person sitting on her bed, toffee eyes widened.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” Lavani demanded, holding her chest because it felt like her heart had leapt out of it.

“What the hell do you think I'm doing in here?” Taker shot back, folding his hands behind his head as he reclined back against her pillows, which he had stacked behind him. He was resting on her bed, his long legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles, completely relaxed. “Why didn't you come, Vani?” He asked, already knowing 'John' was going to be in her answer somewhere. John wasn't valid by his way of thinking since their rooms were connected and, if John wanted to be nosy, he'd find that out.

“Why do you think?  He's having me wat-” That word died on her lips as Lavani looked away from him to stare at the open connecting door, blinking. “What the-” It was too late to deal with this as Lavani grabbed the key card from her nightstand and looked at the number, slowly closing her eyes.  Now she felt like a complete asshole. “I really have to start paying attention to things.”

That was the best she could do and trudged over to the bed, slowly sitting down on it.  He wasn't going to believe her if she said she hadn’t looked at the number on the key card or that she wanted to come.  Lavani had screwed up again and simply buried her head in her hands, wanting to crawl into a hole and never come out.

“I'm hurt, you didn't even look at the key...” He sighed sadly, pressing a hand over his heart and let his head drop.

A moment later he snorted and shot forward, grabbing hold of Lavani and dragging her back, spreading his legs so she could sit between them. Taker wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her leaning back into him, and rested his chin on her head.

“It's not like you to not pay attention to detail.” He said musingly, remembering how brilliant and anal she had been about being meticulous, always on top of every last little thing.

“I know.”

She changed a lot over the past two years, though her work ethic didn't. The key card had nothing to do with her work and honestly Lavani hadn't had time to glance at it for more than a few seconds in her rental. At least he wasn't upset with her, it was an honest mistake and miscommunication on her part.

“I'm sorry.” Lavani whispered, moving from his arms only to straddle him, resting her head once again on his chest, his arms instantly going around her again. “When we disappear together once you 'kidnap' me, there is one thing I want to do.” Slowly, she looked up into his green eyes, her lips a few inches from his. “I want to track that bitch Tracy down and make her tell me the truth about everything.  Even if I have to beat the truth out of her.” Her voice had dropped to a deadly tone of a voice, an evil smirk crossing her lips. “And I want you there to witness it because I think the mere presence of you will make her spill faster.  You can even kill the lying whore if you want, I'd enjoy watching it.”

Taker blinked at that request. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait....” He backtracked, all aboard about hunting Tracy down so Lavani could get the closure and pure truth she obviously needed. What had thrown him for a loop was the killing her part. “I can kill her, but not Layfield?” He arched an eyebrow, wondering if this was her idea of a very horrible joke.

If he was killing anyone, it would be Layfield for daring to touch what was his.

“You can kill John...”

Lavani sat up a little to run her nail gently down his chest, smiling innocently.  Her horns were holding up her halo, Lavani was definitely a devil.  Leaning further up, Lavani planted her hands on his broad shoulders, giving him quite the view of her cleavage if he looked down and hovered her lips over his.

“I don't have a problem with that...” She kissed him, slow and sensual, a soft moan escaping her and pulled back before it could get too heated, her forehead resting against his. “AFTER you have my contract and I'm away from him for good.”

He promptly pushed her right off his lap and back on the mattress, careful not to hurt her. It was with enough force to remind her of who the hell he was. He rolled off the bed, pushing his hair out of his face with his hand, shooting her a dark look over his shoulder.

“I am not Bradshaw, so don't bother trying to use your...” His eyes dropped to the cleavage she had been displaying a moment ago. “Assets to manipulate me, Lavani.”

“I wasn't manipulating you, dickhead!  I was telling you to kill him AFTER you have my contract!” Lavani couldn't believe he actually pushed her away, that hurt more than she was willing to admit. “Get out.  Just go away.” All she had done was kiss him and tried getting close, but he kept pushing her away.  She was tired of it, glaring at him when he didn't move. “I said get the fuck out of my room.  Yours is through THAT door.  Don't make me make a scene and get John in here.” She would do it too, knowing John was across the hallway, toffee eyes narrowed to slits as she headed for the bathroom. “Don't let the door hit you on the ass either, asshole.”

Slamming the door shut, Lavani finally let a few tears slide down her cheeks that had stung her eyes, sliding down the door and buried her face in her hands. Considering what the woman had just pulled, teasing him, getting him hot, tormenting him with glimpses of her body and those slow sensual kisses, before pulling back and making the 'after my contract' statement...She was damn lucky he had left her to her pouting at all. He should have tested her damn theory and gotten Layfield in there. No...it was John...John.

Lavani waited a solid hour before coming out of the bathroom, her eyes red, puffy and swollen from all the crying she'd done, her nose a little red as well.  She was pleased to find that Taker vacated like she ordered, not wanting to see him right now.  She wasn't manipulating him. 

It was obvious he trusted her about as far as he could throw at her, what kind of future could they possibly have together?  Just because she had followed her instincts and left him because she thought he cheated on her?  Snorting, Lavani pushed it out of her mind and slipped into bed, laying on her stomach as her burning eyes closed, hoping to at least get a few hours of sleep.

~!~

“Wake up honey!” John ordered the following morning, bright and early, banging on the door with one fist, the other hand holding two cups of coffee from Starbucks. “We got a photo shoot today!”

Something for the company’s monthly magazine, John couldn’t fully remember, but it’d been discussed in his latest meeting with Stephanie McMahon-Levesque. She was the boss’s daughter and the new leader of the creative writing team. They were doing a piece on him and then one on the Undertaker. Who the Hell would want to read about that old stiff anyway?

Even in HIS room, Taker could hear Layfield's big mouth and growled, pulling a pillow over his face and gnashed his teeth. He had only fallen asleep...He glanced at the digital clock, groaning. It’d been only an hour ago.

“I'm coming!!” She called out, looking in the mirror one final time, having gotten up after three hours of sleep. 

Lavani wore a glittery knee length chiffon dress that was silver and had a halter, strapless of course.  Her hair was swept up on top of her head in a ton of spiral curls that took her an hour to do, a few tendrils framing her face.  She had silver shimmering eye shadow, eyes rimmed with black eyeliner to bring them out.  Glancing at the connecting door, Lavani wondered if Taker had gotten any sleep, hoping he didn't.  She rushed over barefoot and opened the door, plastering on a smile at the sight of John.

“Hi, I'm so sorry.  I'm almost ready.” She rushed back to the mirror and pulled some gloss out of her purse, going to apply it, only to stop when John's reflection stared back at her in the mirror. “Thanks.” Taking the coffee, Lavani set it down, blinking when he turned her around, staring down at her with hungry dark eyes. “Is this okay to wear for the photo shoot?”

Dear god in heaven it was more than okay and the photo shoot was now the last thing on John's mind. All he wanted to do was throw her down on the bed and fuck her senseless. He ran his fingertips along her bare shoulder, up to the strap around her throat and then cupped the back of her head, bending down to ravish her glossed lips hungrily. The photo shoot could definitely wait.

Lavani didn't push him away and returned the kiss just as hungrily, wrapping her arms around his neck.  His hands ran down her sides and around her waist, yanking her closer to him.  She nearly gagged in his mouth at the feeling of his erection through the white dress pants he wore.  Lavani moved her hands from around his neck down to grip the collar of his suit jacket, pulling out of the kiss, smiling.

“Glad you approve and, as much as I want to continue this,” She paused, wiping some gloss from his lips, the smile never leaving her face. “We really can't miss this photo shoot.  Vince would kill us and you don't want to disappoint the boss now do you?  Let me finish getting ready and then we can leave.”

Lavani really hoped Taker was sound asleep and hadn't heard the dress hitting the wall when John had attacked her, turning to reapply her gloss. But Taker had. Currently, he was sitting upright in bed, as naked as the day he had been born, head cocked to the side as he listened intently. His face had gone blank, eyes expressionless.

While the furnishings and decor were on the 'high class' side, the fact was this was a hotel with thin walls. John had to turn his back to her, coaxing down the raging hard-on she had caused him to have. Lavani was a delicious little tease, but that was going to have to come to an end soon because as much fun as these little brief encounters were...he was ready for the main course.

Once her heels were on, Lavani grabbed her purse since all they had was the photo shoot today, no house show, and walked out of the room with John.  She didn't push John away when his arm wrapped around her waist, guiding her to the elevator.  All she could think about was Taker and hoped Tuesday came sooner rather than later. 

John was growing impatient and if this kidnapping didn't happen soon, all hell was going to break loose.  There was no way in hell she was sleeping with John, she would sew her vagina shut before that happened.  They drove away from the hotel and Lavani sat snuggled against John, his hand on her leg, chewing her lip when it tried moving up her thigh.

“Not now, I don't want to be mused up for the shoot.” Lavani said softly, holding his hand on her knee, their fingers lacing together while she stared out the window.

“Lava, honey, I've been doing some thinking lately.” John said after a long silence, shifting in his seat in order to stare down at her, smiling his charming smile when she gave him her full attention. “Our relationship has been changing.” Definitely for the better as she nodded once, his smile widening. “I don't want you to think I'm just trying to get up under that beautiful dress of yours.” He was. “I'd like to take you out tonight, honey. Dinner, dancing, the works.”

Her smile widened, toffee eyes sparkling up at him and reached up to caress his face with her hand. “I'd really like that.”

Of course he was trying to get under her dress and that wasn't happening.  Lavani hoped Taker hadn't left the hotel when they returned because she did not have any way of contacting him.  He had to get her out of this or else she would have to figure out on her own, her mind already racing on how to do it without angering John.

“Are you sure I'm worth taking out?  I'm not expecting anything big, John.  I'm just a small town country girl and it's been such a long time since I've been taken out.” She had to suffer through another deep kiss from him, though it didn't smear her gloss like the first time. This time it was soft and tender, a mere brush of her lips. “What time and what would you like me to wear?”

“Six, and something dressy, but you also got to be able to dance in it, honey.” There was a time when he would have taken a woman out to a country bar, plied her with beer, twirled her around on a wooden floor to some southern rock and country music, but...not anymore. “A long time eh?” He brushed his lips against hers again. “When a woman’s as beautiful and charming as you, that's just a damn crying shame, Lava.”

Lavani blushed, her cheeks tingeing red and acted shy, though her eyes never left his. “Well now you can rectify that and show me what a good time is.” Not in this lifetime, she added in thought, feeling his arm snake around her waist to pull her closer to him. “I'll be ready.” They arrived at the place where the photo shoot was taking place and John stepped out, extending his hand to help Lavani out of the limousine, guiding her inside once more with a hand on the small of her back. 

Chapter 16

Throughout the photo shoot, all Lavani could think about was how the hell was she going to get out of this date with John.  She couldn't cancel on him, something had to happen to effectively cancel it.  It had to happen out of her hands in other words.  The photo shoot took three hours and then John took her out to lunch afterwards, which was another two hours. 

Five hours with this man was way too much for Lavani, though she handled it like a pro, giggling and acting flirtatious toward him, playing the part flawlessly.  He walked her up to her room, kissed her again and promised to see her at six o'clock in the lobby.  Lavani closed the door behind her and immediately started cussing up a storm, pacing back and forth, knowing she had five hours before the date. 

What the hell was she going to do?

Deciding that he needed to work off the rather expensive large lunch, John changed into his workout clothes upon returning to his hotel room and then headed down to the hotel's gym. He had a kick in his step and a smirk that just wouldn't go away. Whistling 'Yellow Rose of Texas' as obnoxiously as he could, John swept through the gym doors.

Taker's eyes narrowed from his place in the corner of the room where he had been bench pressing, wearing nothing except a pair of black workout pants and shoes. Sweat glistened on his bare chest, down his arms and he snorted when Layfield went for the cardio exercises. Then...he smirked, eyes suddenly flashing wickedly.

After three hours of doing nothing except brainstorming, coming up with virtually nothing, Lavani knew she would have to go through with this date and pretend to enjoy -herself.  Taker wasn't in his room, she had already tried knocking on the connecting door, not receiving an answer.  Leaving her hair the way it was, Lavani decided tonight she would be wearing black,

The dress went two inches above the knee with a shimmering material over it. It was one shouldered, the sleeve sheer and flowed down her arm while her other arm remained bare along with her shoulder.  Lavani redid her makeup in simple black eyeliner with clear gloss. Changing her pendant to a black onyx stone, Lavani swapped her silver heels to black ones as well. 

This was going to be the worst night of her life.

When Lavani opened her door to head down to the lobby, five minutes until six, he was standing there. Taker was dressed in black slacks and a long sleeved black, silk shirt that was completely unbuttoned, his hair brushed behind his ears. Layfield was currently at the local hospital, having both his ankles x-rayed after a rather unfortunate accident involving a treadmill, outstretched foot and a strategically placed barbell.

“Your date has been canceled.” He said with an appreciative rake of the eye over her attire. “However...I'm here to take his place.”

Not even thinking about it, Lavani jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him breathlessly, wave after wave of relief crashing over her. “Thank you.  Oh god thank you.”

Lavani hugged him tightly around the neck after breaking the kiss, feeling him hold her up with ease.  Taker had saved her from being forced to go on a date with John, she really owed him for this.  Their fight from last night was completely forgotten, Lavani just wanted to stay in his arms for the rest of her life. 

She would die a happy woman having just that.

“I thought you left...” She pulled back to stare into his eyes, pressing her forehead to his. “I'm so glad you didn't.”

“Considering what your alternative would have been...I don't doubt it.” He rumbled, sounding amused.

She had gone and landed herself a date with Layfield. He had heard John gushing all about it to one of the rookies and that had been the deciding factor in his debate on whether or not to injure the man. Of course, 'rescuing' Lavani had just been a side effect of that decision, completely irrelevant. Taker set her down and then twirled her around, arching an eyebrow.

“You sure as hell never dressed up like this for me.” Taker said, not sounding jealous, mostly just amused and then took her hand, dragging her out into the hallway. “Come on, darlin', we're going out.”

“I hate dressing up like this, but it was 'required'.” She did the finger quotes, letting him know this was definitely not her style, though he already knew that. “Where are we going?”

When he just shrugged, Lavani sighed, closing the door behind her and knew he had a key card, the connecting door between their rooms unlocked.  She did have her purse with her though with her own key card, just in case this date turned out disastrous.  When they arrived outside in front of a Titan motorcycle, Lavani slowly looked up at Taker and watched as he buttoned the silk black shirt, leaving the top three undone.

“You know, I've never seen you dressed up like that.  What's the occasion?”

“Apparently you were on your way to dinner at the most expensive, worst tasting hellhole in this town and then ballroom dancing.” Taker informed her coolly.

He had no intention of taking her out to any place Layfield had even considered. He sure as hell did not do ballroom dancing. Performing a courtly bow from the waist, Taker grinned up at her. Still bowed, his hair fell over his eyes, a devilish gleam in his green eyes.

“And since your date is currently...incapacitated...I decided to be a gentleman and make sure your night wasn't spoiled.” It would have been if Lavani actually had to go out with Layfield, he was definitely the better choice.

“Well apparently we're seeing a side of each other that we didn't know existed.” She said softly and took his hand he extended, letting him help her on his Titan. 

Hiking the dress up a little, Lavani was glad it was stretch material, immediately wrapping her arms around his waist as soon as he mounted in front of her. “I love you.” She said just before he revved the ignition.

Smiling when he patted her hand to let her know he heard her, Taker roared out of there.  It'd been so long since Lavani was on the back of a motorcycle and it felt amazing, especially snuggling up against Taker again.  She never thought this would happen again and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling and drinking in every second of this ride.

This was definitely the first time he had ever driven a motorcycle with a woman in that kind of flashy, high class attire sitting behind him. Hell, he wasn't usually a silk shirt and dress pants kind of guy anyway, definitely a first for them. He wasn't about to take her to the low end bars like he had back in the day, not tonight.

She would simply be a diamond in the rough there, glittering like a jewel, and he wasn't sharing the gorgeous vision she presented with anyone. Definitely no cemeteries, she would probably try burying him if he did. No, he wanted somewhere quiet, where they could be alone that wasn't a hotel room.

The vibrations from the motorcycle made her thighs tremble, making her slightly heady from the sensation.  The wind whipped through her hair, some of the curls falling out that were piled on top of her head.  With how fast Taker was going, there was no way not all the bobby pins could stay in place, not even with the world's strongest hairspray. Lavani clung to him for dear life, inhaling his scent, combined with the gasoline from the Titan, and ran her hands up and down his silk covered chest.  When he stopped sometime later, Lavani reluctantly released him and looked around, eyebrows drawing together as Taker helped her off the bike.

Earlier in the night, after Taker had taken out Bradshaw, he had done the mental layout of the territory and surrounding areas. Immediately, an old cabin set away from the city on a small lake had come to mind. It was usually a seasonal place, available for rent, and was off-season at the moment.

He had rented the place for the night.

Also, Taker paid extra to have a meal waiting for them and everything needed for to build a fire, not that they would really need it. However, instead of heading inside right away, Taker took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers, and led her around the small structure along a beaten path towards the lake. It was a beautiful crisp Indian summer night, a billion stars glistening in the sky above them with a quarter moon and all Lavani could do was let Taker guide her wherever he wanted.

“Hold on.” Lavani stopped when he did and reached down to take her heels off, sighing in contentment as the cool grass squished between her toes, smiling. “Much better.”

Heels killed her feet and she couldn't wear them for a long period of time without taking them off.  Once they were full around the back of the cabin, Lavani stared out at the calm water, a wave of tranquility washing over her. To her knowledge, Taker had never done anything like this for her before. The most romantic thing he’d ever done was getting her the necklace and charms that currently hung around her neck and changed with whatever she chose to wear on a daily basis.

“It's gorgeous out here.” She commented in a soft voice, toffee eyes reflecting off the calm water.

Slowly pulling her gaze from the water to stare up into his eyes, every part of her completely relaxed with him.  The fear she'd felt at the cemetery had long diminished and was replaced with simple love.  Even though their love was anything but simple. A beautifully tragic, complicated mess is how best Taker would have described their relationship with each other, if anyone ever asked him.

“It is indeed.” He said, eyes on the water and then looked down at her.

The corner of his mouth rose in a slight smile when he realized she was staring up at him. He kicked off his own shoes and led her down until they were standing with their toes in the water. It was somewhat cool, the lingering summer days keeping the water from chilling to what it normally would have been this time of year.

“You look beautiful tonight, Vani.” Taker complimented softly, knowing to anyone else, out in this setting, dressed as she was, it would just seem odd and out of place.

To him, it wasn’t.

“You don't clean up so bad yourself, Taker.” She replied in a softer voice, almost whispering, and felt him pull her into his arms, her head resting on his chest. 

Why had she screwed up by leaving?  Lavani knew why, she was scared to find out the truth that Taker really had cheated on her with Tracy.  She didn't want to hear anything he had to say.  When Tracy had called her a week later -she had no idea how the woman got her number now that she thought about it-, Lavani was forced to hear what she had to say regarding Taker and ended up hanging up on her. 

Now she knew the reason why Tracy had driven the knife deeper into her heart, it was to ensure she wouldn't run back to Taker.  Boy had she been played with and Lavani was going to get her revenge, starting with possibly cutting out the lying bitch's tongue.  She finally pulled back to stare up at Taker, opening her mouth to say something and was silence with a kiss, whatever was on her mind vanishing instantly.

He had watched the play of emotions running across her beautiful face, knowing she was probably having some sort of confusing inner monologue with herself. Deciding she really just needed to relax and clear her mind of everything but him, Taker came up with the perfect distraction. His arms tightened around her, molding her soft body against his, a hand moving down to splay against the small of her back. Her stomach rumbling broke the kiss between them as Lavani giggled, flushing red and buried her face in his chest while he chuckled.

“It's not funny.” Lavani mumbled, which made him laugh harder at her and Lavani slapped his chest lightly, trying to get her cheeks to stop flaming. “I must be hungry. I'm surprised you're not.” Then his stomach decided to protest that, growling louder than hers. “Then again, I could be wrong...”

“Starving.” He rumbled in a low husky voice.

His teeth flashed as he grinned broadly at the thought of what he was hungry for and it wasn’t food. In more ways than one, but...if the night progressed the way they both obviously wanted it too, they were definitely going to need their strength. Especially her, they had over two year’s worth of time to make up for.

“Come on darlin'.” He threaded his fingers through hers again, leading the way inside.

The cabin held a sense of tradition to it, the floors wooden and the entire place was made of logs.  It was breathtaking, the smell of trees combined with Taker's made her slightly light-headed.  She smiled softly as he guided her over to a table, raising a slow brow at the two candlesticks on it, which weren't lit yet.  There were two plates, silverware and wine glasses, everything right by a fireplace.

“I didn't know you could be so romantic.” Lavani commented, toffee eyes sparkling up at him and gently set her heels against the wall out of the way, sitting down after he pulled her chair out. “Is this place yours?”

Taker cocked an arched eyebrow at her 'romantic' comment, shaking his head slightly. “I have my moments. And no, this isn't mine.” At least not past tonight.

He pushed in her chair before walking around to open the small oven, smiling at the sight of the covered dish and knew it would be warm. What it would be was beyond him, but Taker knew the older couple who leased this place out and it was bound to be something homemade and delicious. Setting the rather large, covered dish down in the middle of the table, Taker glanced at the candles almost thoughtfully. A moment later, he had procured a lighter and they were lit.

It was a delicious beef and chicken stir-fry that already had the rice mixed in with it, something that was definitely not traditional because of the setting them were in.  They each had their fill and Lavani remembered how Taker liked eating quietly, which hadn't change.  The food was too delicious to really have a conversation and, honestly, eating wasn't the time to talk. 

Chapter 17

Once they finished eating, Lavani stopped Taker from clearing the table and kissed him softly while he was still seated. “Let me clean up.  Why don't you get the fire going?” She suggested, gesturing to the fireplace and picked the dishes up to bring them into the kitchen.

Listening to the sound of her shuffling about the 'kitchen', which was part of the open cabin, Taker shook his head. The only room that was private was the bathroom, even the rustic old bed in the corner of the room was out in the open, though there were partitions for privacy, if one required them. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and completely unbuttoned it before kneeling down to get the fire going.

After washing the dishes and putting the leftovers in the fridge, Lavani finally padded out to the living room part of the cabin, stopping to stare at Taker. He looked so beautiful as the firelight washed over him in an luminescent glow, his long black hair hanging loosely over his shoulders. He had one knee bent up with his elbow resting on it, the other stretched out, his eyes staring deep in thought into the fire.

He had removed his shirt, which made him even sexier and breathtaking.  Lavani always loved him shirtless.  She smiled when he finally looked over at her, those green eyes penetrating her like they always did and slowly moved toward him.

He extended a hand towards her, silently pulling her down onto the thick plush rug that adorned the otherwise bare wooden floor, just in front of the fireplace. Shifting, Taker settled her so her back was to his chest, draping an arm loosely around her waist. He bent down and kissed her shoulder, the one the dress had left bare before pressing his cheek to hers.

“If I would've known you were taking me here, I would've brought a change of clothes with me.” She murmured, snuggling against him and rolled her eyes when he said she wouldn't need clothes. 

It also made her shiver.  Lavani hadn't had sex in two years, her last time being with Taker.  Men turned an eye to her, but none of them compared.  Taker was definitely one of a kind and there would never be anyone like him in the world.  He was her world and had been even while she was away in Mississippi, hurting both of them.

“What are you thinking about, Taker?”

Taker didn't answer her for a moment, his gaze fixed firmly on the burning flames that danced before them. “I'm thinking...” He said finally, quietly, not looking away though he did rest his head on top of hers, sighing contentedly. “That I do not want to leave this cabin.”

Taker could happily retire and remain here, with her, for years to come without ever wanting to venture out into the world. Of course, that wasn't exactly practical, nor an open option at this current time. Lavani couldn't help agreeing with him because she knew after tonight, things would become more hectic. 

Tuesday would only be the beginning, though slowly but surely she was getting back to where she used to be.  Moving away from him to straddle his lap, Lavani cupped his face in her hands. Searching his eyes for something even she wasn't sure she was looking for, Lavani chalked it up to any sign that he wasn’t happy with her. Pressing her forehead to his, Lavani sucked in a shaky breath and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“I just want things to be the way they used to be.  I want to be with you, nobody else.”

He didn't know if things could, or would, ever go back to how they had been before. Too much time had passed and they had walked separate paths for two years. Not to mention the way things were now, what was being thrown their way. He knew everything right now was dependant on getting Lavani out of Bradshaw's greedy clutches and her hearing the real truth from Tracy's lying lips.

Two obstacles they had to hurdle yet.

Taker wrapped his arms around her, resting his head against hers. Sighing softly, Lavani pulled out of the embrace after awhile and could feel the apprehension from Taker. It hurt her, but what did she expect?  She had ran away from him for two years.  He wasn't going to just jump back into this with her again and she didn't blame him.

“It's getting late.” Lavani extracted herself from his arms and stood up, fingering the charm around her neck. “I don't want to leave here, but I also can't chance John finding out.”

If he thought she was staying here with him tonight, then Taker had officially lost his mind.  John would be back from the hospital eventually and, in case he decided to pay her a late visit, Lavani had to be there. John was very likely already going to question her whereabouts.

The man was a complete narcissist, and would undoubtedly want to know where she had been. John's logic would be she didn't show up for their date and she should have tracked him down. He would not be surprised if Layfield hadn't already tried ringing her at the hotel to convince her to come visit with him or something.

Taker stood up as well, staring down at her out of narrowed eyes before pulling Lavani against him, crushing his lips to hers. He would take her back, but she'd be thinking about him for the rest of the night. All she could do was kiss him back, returning it with an equal amount of passion, their lips dancing across each others. 

Lavani fingers buried in his hair and felt her feet leave the floor as he swept her up into his arms.  He wasn't heading for the front door to go outside though, heading for the big four poster king sized bed.  Thoughts of going back to the hotel flew out of her mind as Lavani's back hit soft silk sheets, Taker hovering over her. 

He was not making this easy for her, knowing the kind of effect he had on her.  When Taker finally broke the kiss and started pulling her from the bed, Lavani snatched away from him, her lips very swollen. She pulled him back on top of her, this time crushing her lips to his, running her nails up his back to his shoulders.

“If you think I'm leaving now, you got another thing coming.”

Lavani would figure out an excuse to come up with for John.

For her sake, Taker hoped it was a very well thought out excuse, preferably with she was with another man, namely him in there somewhere, smirking against her lips at the thought. He pulled away enough until he was sitting astride her, darkened eyes taking in the dress. She was going to have to remove it herself because he was already fighting back the urge to just rip it off her delectable body.

“Take it off.”

“That's kind of hard to do when you're on top of me.” Lavani pointed out, smirking when he growled and waited for him to reluctantly let her sit up. 

Was this really wise for both of them?  Having sex would just further complicate things and Lavani didn't know how Taker felt or if he was just toying with her like she toyed with him.  Suddenly, she became irrationally angry and stood up from the bed, shaking her head.

“We can't do this, not tonight and not when we have so much against us right now.” Lavani had to be strong and keep Taker at arm's length as much as she could at least until after the kidnapping and visiting Tracy. “Having sex right now isn't a good idea.  As much as I want to, it's not going to happen.  So if that's the only reason you brought me here tonight, then you can take me back to the hotel.” She stepped away when he came toward her, holding her hands up. “You're not changing my mind, no matter how many mind-blowing kisses you give me.  No sex, Taker.”

“Aren't you the one who said only moments ago that if I thought you were leaving now, I had another thing coming?” Taker demanded, completely blindsided that she had gone from ready and willing to effectively cock blocking him. “And no,” He added with a frustrated growl, raking a hand through his tousled hair. “That's not the only reason I brought you out here.”

“That doesn't mean I am going to just rip my clothes off and have sex with you, Taker.  God you make me fucking crazy!” Lavani growled irritably.

Beginning to remove the pins from her hair, Lavani began chucking them at him, still angry, not understanding why. She was insane passing this opportunity up.  Lavani officially had gone off the deep-end and just kept chucking the bobby pins, the sexual frustration very evident.  Going over 730 days with NO sex definitely had changed her and it was all because of HIM.

“I need some air.” She announced, her curly honey auburn hair now hanging around her, all of the bobby pins out and it had a wild look about it. “No, I think I need a shrink instead.”

“Actually, I think you need to cool your pert ass down.” Taker said, brushing the bobby pins that had actually wound up in his hair out. With a devious gleam in his eyes, he snatched her up and planted her over his shoulder, lightly slapping her ass. “And I know just how to do it...”

Heading outside, his long legs carried him towards the lake. When Lavani realized what he was going to do, she began struggling like the hellcat she was and he just tightened his grip. He strode right out into the water, not minding the cold since it was doing great things for his overheated body. When he was about waist deep, Taker dropped her down into the water, catching her under the arms so she wasn't dunked.

“You prick!!” Lavani shrieked, hitting him on the chest repeatedly, not believing he just DESTROYED her dress! “I have no other clothes here!  You-”

She was promptly dunked at that point. Taker lifting her up after a few seconds and Lavani sputtered water, coughing and blinking water out of her eyes.  Apparently, Taker had dunked himself as well because he was soaked as well, having dunked under the water with her.

“I really don't like you right now.” She grumbled tetchily.

Feeling him release her, Lavani then proceeded to jump up to dunk him again, catching him off guard. She then began swimming away from him toward the shore, cursing. He had the longer stronger limbs and caught up with her in seconds, pulling her right back out into the water.

“You can dry the damn dress out in front of the fire, darlin'.” Taker chuckled, not believing she had managed to dunk HIM, rather pleased with her for it actually. Risking another dunking, he reclined back until he was floating, holding her still on him, her legs dangling off his sides. “Come on, Vani, this is fun. You need to relax.”

“You are crazy.  I want to at least take my dress off if we're going for a midnight dip.”

When he reluctantly nodded, Lavani swam to the shore and stripped out of her dress, clad in just a pair of black lace boy cut panties.  She couldn't wear a bra with that dress, not even a strapless one.  Lavani knew they were completely alone and Taker had seen her naked countless times.

He would have to deal with seeing her topless since he decided to take her for an impromptu midnight swim.  Heading back out to where Taker was, Lavani felt his hands grip her sides and took her place right back on top of him again. Her hands splayed on top of his chest while they floated on the water under the moon and stars.

Considering her dress was already ruined, Lavani could have had the decency to leave it on since she had already informed him that sex was off the menu tonight. Then, her words about 'just for sex' came to mind and that was encouragement to prove her wrong. Taker loved her, for some seriously messed up reason he still couldn't fathom, and didn't want her just for sex.

Alternating between looking at her and the stars, his gaze always returned to her. Lavani was kind enough to hold her arms over her bare breasts, her arms crossed, staring up at the sky along with him.  She just wanted to throw caution to the wind and give herself completely to him. 

To hell with consequences! 

That's what her heart was screaming at her, but her mind couldn't get rid of the doubts, the fear...She absolutely hated how they kept battling each other for supremacy.  A breeze picked up and Lavani instantly laid out on his chest, her bare chest against his, and knew this was probably killing him as much as it was her.  It was pure torture.

At this point, Taker had pretty much gotten that aspect of himself under control. Chilly water, on top of a woman with the idea of him just wanting her for sex planted in her head, worked well enough together to keep him thinking with the head on top of his shoulders. Taker did however, want to wrap his arms around her because he could see goose bumps raising on her arms. There was just the whole balancing in water thing preventing that.

“Want to go inside and get warmed up, darlin'?”

Nodding, Lavani slowly slid off of him and they headed back inside, her dress draped over her shoulder.  Taker handed over a robe and Lavani instantly tied it closed, sitting down on the plush carpet in front of the fire, after spreading her dress out near it to dry it out.  It was probably going to smell like lake water in the morning, but...it was worth it.  The whole night was worth it.  She smiled when Taker laid down, after taking his pants off with his own robe on, his arm wrapped around her waist with her head resting on his shoulder.

“I love you.” Lavani whispered, lovingly.

Staring into the fire, Lavani eventually let her eyes drift shut, the night exhausting her. That was the second time she had said those three little words to him tonight and Taker smiled, bending down to brush his lips against the top of her head. Once Lavani fell asleep, and he knew she was out for the night, Taker closed his eyes. He wouldn't fall asleep, he knew he had to have her back to her hotel room before Layfield came hunting her up. Right now, he was going to enjoy this moment and the feeling of her lying in his arms again.

Chapter 18

Taker ended up dropping Lavani off at a car rental place, having rode with him to the next area since she knew John was already on the move.  She walked inside the hotel, rolling her luggage behind her and blinked when John hobbled up at her, eyes widening. She wore a simple pair of blue jeans with a pink tank top, having changed before riding with Taker.  Lavani couldn't wait to be with him permanently.

“What happened to you?” She knew Taker had done something, but wasn't sure what, frowning at the sight of her boss. “I didn't know you were injured.  I thought you stood me up for our date.  Are you okay?”

“Sprained ankle.” John answered flatly, not amused.

Knowing his accident hadn't been an accident at all, John wasn’t in the greatest mood and it clearly showed in his stony expression. He just couldn't prove it yet and nobody had seen anything apparently. That was complete horseshit. They were just afraid of telling the damn truth!

“Where were you last night?” He then demanded, staring down at her intently. “I called you and stopped by your room when I was released.” John had also been on pain killers and may have said some very forward things to her door.

Her frowned deepened, looking hurt and confused. “When I thought you stood me up, I decided to go out for a drink by myself.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, sighing heavily. “I turned my phone off because I wanted to be alone.  I was...a little hurt that you hadn't shown up in the lobby.  I waited for over an hour.” A guilt trip was definitely her ticket out of this, Lavani had it planned perfectly and inwardly jumped for joy when John got a sympathetic look on his face. “Maybe it just wasn't meant to be between us.  I have to check in, excuse me.” Walking past him, Lavani made sure to lower her head just to drive the guilt home a little more.

John waited while she checked in, already done doing so when he arrived and, when she turned back around, he was right there. “No, things are meant to be, it's just the timing that is off.” He announced, refusing to let her just slip through his fingers and bent down to kiss her, not caring who was in the lobby or watching.

Now THAT was disturbing and Jay had seen some seriously disturbing situations in his day. “Is this...uh, a bad time?”

Lavani ripped her lips away from John, toffee eyes shot open at the sight of her friend. “Jay!” She ran past John and flew into Jay's arms, hugging him tightly around the neck. “No it's not, trust me.” She whispered quickly in his ear. “Get that look off your face too.” She added, still whispering and felt him hug her back, the biggest smile on her face. Pulling back to stare into his eyes, Lavani felt bad that she had been so engrossed with Taker that she forgot about him. “What are you doing here?” She could feel John walk, or hobble, up to stand behind her, taking Jay's hands in hers. “Are you traveling with the Smackdown! brand again?”

“Just for a few house shows and one live, something about scheduling conflicts on RAW.”

Jay shrugged, his eyes narrowing slightly when John placed a possessive hand on Lavani's shoulder, obviously marking his territory like she was some dog. Lavani had said something that made him curious. Jay really hoped there was more to this story because what he was seeing was beginning to make him feel like he needed a dip in bleach.

Jay would definitely be able to help her with this, though Lavani wouldn't be able to tell him about the kidnapping.  She couldn't risk it, not when it was days away from happening.  Though she would be telling him she was leaving for a week or two, not wanting to give him another heart attack by just disappearing.

“We can share a room together again and catch up.  I missed you!” Ignoring John, Lavani hugged him again, finally turning to face John, who didn't look happy upon hearing that. “We can talk later about what happened, but I need to head up to my room to get ready for the house show.  Come on Jay.” Looping her arm through his, Lavani walked away from John to the elevators, keeping the smile on her face.

She was like a bitch in heat that was after whatever man who could give her the slightest bit of attention! It wasn't HIS fault he had missed their date, John knew ALL about Lavani and her blonde boys. The three had shared a room. Then, her and Jay had done the room sharing and traveling thing until he was forced to go his own way, due to the brand extension and different scheduling. His eyes darkening, John went to his own room, steamed.

As soon as they were in the elevator, alone, Jay rounded on her. “What...the...HELL?”

“Relax, breathe a little.  I will explain everything to you when we get upstairs.” For the most part anyway. “Jay, stop looking at me like that right now.”

Lavani folding her arms in front of her chest, Lavani waited for the elevator to arrive at her floor.  She knew blowing John off just now would have some consequences, but Lavani would handle them when the time came.  Stepping off the elevator, she guided Jay to her room, unlocked it and shut the door behind her, placing her luggage against the wall.

“Before you even ask, no, I am not with John.  I'm not explaining why he was kissing me because it's too complicated.  Just know that I have everything handled and I DON'T need you or Adam interfering.” She meant that, toffee eyes growing serious. “I'm not kidding, Jay.  You two need to keep your noses out of this because, if you don't, my safety will be in jeopardy.  Do you understand?”

Jay stepped back away from her, hands up in the air. “If I would've known coming to see you was going to turn you into bitch mode, I might've stayed away.” He said flatly.

Apparently while he had been away, everything had definitely changed and he was no longer allowed to be in on the loop. That hurt, especially considering after her two year absence and then how close they had grown when she returned. They had booted Adam away, which was definitely a plus because the man got on both of their nerves.

The hurt in his eyes was nearly crushing because Lavani honestly hadn't meant to sound so stern. She knew how these boys operated though and had to squash their overprotective attitudes before they ended up destroying her and Taker’s upcoming plan.  Could Jay keep her secret about the kidnapping?

“If I tell you, you have to promise me that you will act shocked like everyone else.  You also have to promise me not to flip out because, what I'm about to tell you, you won't like.  Do you promise me?” Lavani cupped his face in her hands tenderly, toffee eyes filled with inner turmoil. “Jay, this is really important and I need you to support me with this.  I will let you in on everything, but you have to promise me you won't tell anyone, ESPECIALLY Adam.” He'd already attacked Taker twice.

“I stopped telling Adam anything relatively important about a year ago, Lava.” Jay admitted bluntly, reaching up to place his hands over hers, guiding them down until they were clasped together between their bodies. “What is going on?” He asked quietly, searching her eyes intently.

Really hoping whatever she was about to tell him explained Layfield's new attitude and that kiss, Jay braced himself for whatever Lavani was about to reveal to him. Carefully, Lavani explained everything that had happened since Jay left.  How she'd basically proved her loyalty to John, leaving out the make-out session on the plane.

There were some things he just DIDN'T need to know.  When the name Taker spilled from her lips, Jay's eyes nearly shot out of their sockets, his mouth dropping open. Lavani instantly covered his mouth before he could start ranting, her eyes pleading with him to understand.

“I love him, Jay.  I know he didn't cheat on me.  We're going to find out the truth once he 'kidnaps' me.  We're paying that bitch Tracy a visit to find out the truth once and for all.  I can't help how I feel, I want to be with him, but if John finds out that I've been playing with him all along, he'll hurt me.  So you can't say ANYTHING to ANYONE about this.  And you have to act shocked when I'm taken on Tuesday by Taker as well.”

Beyond confused, Jay listened to her.

None of this was really making much sense and he raked a hand through his blonde hair, stepping away from her in order to process everything. Jay was almost certain he wished she hadn't told him and had left him in the dark instead. She had somehow proved her loyalty to Layfield, who now wanted a piece of her ass.

She and Taker were...her and Taker again. Now they were going to see Tracy to learn the truth about what happened those two years ago. That meant Lavani was going to go see Tracy to learn the truth because he was pretty certain Taker already knew it.

“I wasn't gone THAT long!!”

Lavani couldn't help laughing, but there was no humor in it, instead tears began sliding down her cheeks. “I know.” She whispered, sinking down on the bed and buried her face in her hands, everything coming into full perspective for her. “I had to prove my loyalty somehow to John because he didn't believe me when I told him I was dropped off on the side of the road.” She also left out the cemetery, deciding she was taking that night to the grave. “I had to make him believe that I'm fully on his side.  I panicked and really wasn't thinking about anything other than surviving.”

That made Jay hesitate.

Maybe he had a dirty mind that needed pulled out of the gutter and hosed down with bleach, but the way Lavani was talking was really worrying him on several different levels. Slowly, Jay sat down besides her on the bed, easing an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. He ran a hand soothingly up and down her arm, resting his head on top of hers.

“Why don't you just quit, Lava?” He asked quietly.

“Because Taker isn't the only reason I came back.  I love this company, I love the business and what I do...I just don't like who I have to valet to the ring.  I want to be with Taker.” Lavani pulled back to stare into Jay's confused eyes and he could tell she was holding something back from him, sighing. “The reason why Taker is 'kidnapping' me is because John has to think I'm still on his side.  So it has to be done by 'force'.  When Taker brings me back, he's going to demand to have a match with John...with my contract on the line.” She waited with bated breath for Jay to either explode, faint or simply walk out.

Jay did none of those things, he just stared at her curiously. “Why don't you just walk out on him like you did with Taker? In terms of the contract, I mean.” He asked, wondering what the hell was holding her back.

There was no way Lavani could honestly think Layfield would drag her through the courts because, if he tried, Taker would probably kill him. Hell, Taker was probably going to kill the guy anyway. He smiled at the thought, things would be MUCH better on the Smackdown! brand without the self-proclaimed wrestling god.

“So...a fake kidnapping and then a match for your contract? Can anyone get in on this?” Jay couldn’t help asking jokingly. “I wouldn't mind having a valet...”

Lavani smiled softly back at him, slowly shaking her head. “I've broken enough contracts, Jay.  I ran away like a coward instead of faced Taker after Tracy's accusations and I broke my contract with Vince to defect to Taker.  I don't want to break anymore contracts and, like I said, I do love my job.  I want to work with Taker and I want him to have my contract like he did two years ago.  If things don't work out with Taker, you'll be at the top of my list to come to.”

Kissing his cheek, Lavani stood up to retrieve some tissues, wiping her tears away. If things didn't work out with Taker…that would never happen and Jay sighed, watching as she fixed her face from the small crying jag she had just went on. After giving her what he thought was ample time, he got up and walked over to her, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jean shorts. He obviously wasn't a great friend or she would have called him with her- His thoughts instantly stopped going in that direction because Lavani didn’t work that way.

“If there's anything I can do to help LavaBean...” Jay trailed off, knowing Taker probably already had all the details worked out and wondered just what he was good for.

“You already are helping by doing what I ask, being my friend and supporting me no matter what.” Lavani said, turning to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “You're a great friend, Jay.” She whispered in his ear, jumping slightly when a knock sounded at the connecting door that went into the room next door. 

Lavani pulled away from Jay to unlock it, smiling when Taker came into view as soon as the door opened.  Before she could tell him Jay was in the room, Taker pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless.  The kiss broke when banging sounded at Lavani's hotel room door, feeling her toffee eyes widen and looked over at Jay, John's voice filtering through it.

“Shit!”

Taker set her down, briefly glancing at Jay who was looking like a fish out of water with the way his mouth was flapping wordlessly and then down at Lavani, arching an eyebrow. She looked like she was about to have a total panic attack and her eyes were threatening to roll out of their sockets any moment now. He idly wondered what Jay and Lavani would do if he were to go open that door and just plow his fist right through Layfield's obnoxious face.

“Lavani, open up!”

Jay let out a slow breath, finally closing his mouth.

“Hold on!” Lavani called back.

Toffee eyes pleaded with Taker not to do anything rash.  A sigh of relief escaped her lips when Taker simply stepped back into the room and shut the door silently so John didn't hear it.  She looked over at Jay and did the cut throat motion, telling him silently not to say anything.

“Get that look off of your face.” She ordered in a whisper, already having an idea in mind.

Rushing over to the door, after taking her top off, Lavani wrapped a towel around her upper body.  It looked like she was getting ready to take a shower, though she left her jeans on. Taking in a deep breath, Lavani finally opened the door and swallowed hard, staring up into the angry dark eyes of John Bradshaw Layfield.

This definitely wasn't good.

Chapter 19

“Sorry, I was getting ready to hop in the shower.” Lavani apologized softly, looking a little uneasy. “What's up?”

John stared at her, his eyes narrowing. He had seen Lavani go off with Jay, had heard their 'let’s catch up' talk, and knew that little blond prick was probably in there as well. “Can I come in for a moment?” He asked with forced politeness.

Jay had two options. Divest his clothes, grab a towel and let Bradshaw think what he would or hide his ass to maintain her current facade she had going with the man. When Taker's door cracked open and a pale hand gestured at him, Jay took the available third option and vacated the room.

“Can you hear-” He shut up when Taker simply nodded.

That wasn’t creepy at all…NOT!

“Sure, just let me-”

Lavani blinked when John gently pushed her aside to walk past her inside the room, tightening the towel around her just a little and reluctantly shut the door behind her.  If he tried kissing her, she wasn't going to let it happen, not after tasting Taker's sweet lips.  She wanted to let that feeling and taste linger, John wasn't ruining it. Lavani kept her distance from him as well, knowing if Taker had to, he would come in here to save her if John took things too far.  Where Jay was, Lavani had no clue and had a feeling Taker had pulled him into the connecting room out of sight.

“What did you want?  I have to get in the shower and get ready for the show or I won't be ready in time.”

John's eyes raked over her, noting the jeans she was still wearing. Either she really was just about to get in the shower or she had...he didn't even want know at this point. All John knew was that she had definitely come up here with another man...who he didn't see anywhere.

“Where's Reso?” He asked, in a less casual tone than what he would have preferred.

Taker arched an eyebrow, shaking his head slightly at the obvious jealousy in Layfield's voice. He could actually relate to that. Lavani had a way of totally warping men. If he didn't hate JBL, Taker would have felt sympathy for the guy.

“He left to go meet Adam somewhere.” Lavani answered without hesitation and smiled, the jealousy in John's voice actually amusing her. 

He was actually jealous of her hanging out with another man!  Her plan was working flawlessly and Lavani knew she could pretty much manipulate him in any way she wanted.  This was amazing and soon he would find out that she was one hell of an actress. 

Hell, look what she did to Taker after finding out what he did to Ryan!  Did John really think he stood a chance with her?  Apparently so, Lavani bit back a smirk, deciding to keep the act up, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Why do you ask?  You know I'm just friends with him...right?”

“No, honey, I don't think I do.”

One thing Lavani had apparently yet to learn about men was that the ability to be 'wrapped' tended to fade in the background when two factors were combined. Jealousy and an already somewhat unstable temperament. Or in John's case, his always getting what he wanted or bad things happened temperament. He folded his arms over his chest, staring down at her intently.

“Seems to me, it's always a 'bad time' for us, but you just made time for him.”

That was John's warning want tone and Jay grit his teeth, watching as Taker's fingers splayed against the door and noted just how sharp those fingernails looked up close.

“Excuse me?  No, I think you have that backwards, John.  YOU'RE the one who didn't show up for our date.” Lavani couldn't believe he was trying to turn this around to make it her fault. “I waited for you.  I was all dressed up and everything.  Do you have ANY idea how hurt I was?  I really wanted to go out with you, I was looking forward to being treated like a woman since I haven't been out in so long.  But no, I was stood up and made to look like a fool.” Snorting, Lavani walked over to grab her tank top, quickly pulling it back on before discarding the towel. “You've really upset me so you need to leave.  I will see you at the arena.” That was her way of clearly dismissing him and, if John was smart, he wouldn't push this issue with her.

John had absolutely no intention of leaving and it showed by the way he shifted his weight onto his good leg. “I don't think so, Lavani, honey.” He drawled, his tone dripping with a mixture of amusement, anger and a hint of arrogance, clearly thinking he was better than everyone else. She just needed to shut the hell up and listen for a second or two. “I was at the hospital, remember? I tried calling, it's not my fault you decided to go drown your sorrows by yourself in a bar...” Just what sort of respectable woman did that anyway? He was not allowing her to make him feel bad that he had wound up with a sprained ankle and missed their date.

“It's always something with you.  Maybe the bad timing is on YOUR part, did you ever consider that?” Lavani rolled her eyes, wishing he would just leave and was tempted to completely snap his already injured leg in half. “But of course the almighty John Bradshaw Layfield can do no wrong, right?  You know what, I was wrong to think that we could have something more than just a professional relationship.  I'm not interested in anything more with you than being your valet and doing the job you hired me for.  Or if you prefer, I can simply go back to Mississippi and let you deal with the corpse on your own.” Taker was listening and Lavani hoped he wasn't mad at her for calling him that, but at the same time, she had to play the part. “Now I said get out of my room and I meant it.  I have to get ready for the show, unless you prefer me to show up in this instead of the attire required?”

John considered her, suddenly smiling his old sweet charming smile. “Wouldn't want that, honey.” He started for the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. “By the way, Lavani, we'll be doing a three day tour this week in Japan. If I were you, I'd stay out of the bars and get some sleep because, once there, we'll be extremely busy.”

“Tour in Japan?” Jay whispered, confused.

“Promotional.” One Taker wasn't scheduled for since he was going to be in Europe for those three days, actually wrestling and not posing for pictures or attending events where people sipped champagne and made small talk.

Jay really didn't like the sound of any of this.

That meant during the entire weekend in Japan, Lavani was going to be with John constantly instead of back in the states. “I'll be bright eyed and bushy-tailed.  See you at the arena, John.” When he nodded and closed the door behind him, Lavani sank down on the bed, putting her head in her hands. ‘Shit, shit, SHIT!’ That was all she kept thinking and didn't even move when a hand landed on her shoulder. 

Japan alone for three days with John? 

What the hell was going on?

“You're fucked you know that right?” Jay said flatly, ignoring the dark look Taker shot him.

She had been playing this game with John to wrap him and then totally blew that today. By not remembering that, while John was like any other man in the respect that he liked having his ego buttered up by a beautiful woman, he was different in the terms that he usually got what he wanted, thanks to who he was and his money. If Lavani wasn’t careful, Bradshaw would end up getting what he wanted, consensual or not, which instantly made Jay’s blood boil at the mere thought of that happening.

“Taker will be there though, it's promotional.”

“I'm already booked for Europe, I wasn't aware Layfield was going to Japan.”

“So what now? Can't you change it?”

Taker shook his head, he was headlining the very short European trip. Then he smiled slightly, regarding Jay thoughtfully. Jay swallowed hard and groaned, having a feeling he was going to wind up in Japan.

“No, I can handle this.” Lavani wasn't about to lose confidence in herself from this and stood up, already having a few things in mind to help deter her from John whenever they did have time off while in Japan. “It's three days, not like we're gonna be there for a long period of time.  I got this.” There was no way she could lose her nerve now, not when she was so close to their plan being fulfilled. “Don't worry about me.  Shit, I have to get in the shower!” Snatching her towel from the bed, Lavani shut the door behind her, shed clothing and stepped into the sprays.

Shaking his head, Jay could only watch as she disappeared into the bathroom, wondering why the hell she had felt the need to return to work as John's...valet or whatever it was. She had only dug herself a hole that was going to get deeper, at least until Smackdown!. He swallowed hard when he turned and almost bumped right into Taker's massive chest, taking a few steps backwards automatically.

“You will be on the Japan trip.” Taker ordered, not giving the boy a choice.

“Uh...sure, okay. No problem…” Jay nodded, clearing his throat.

~!~

Leaving Taker to go with John to Japan was one of the hardest things she ever had to do, but Lavani did it with a smile on her face. She wore a simple pair of fleece pajama pants that were hot pink with a matching long sleeved shirt, since it was cold on the plane. She strapped herself in, pulled out some books and her IPOD before slipping the ear buds in her ears, knowing John would be busy making phone calls for business. There was no reason to talk to him and Lavani already knew Jay was coming on the Japan tour because Taker informed her of it.  When her phone buzzed, Lavani opened it and bit back a smile at the text staring back at her, knowing it was from him.

Taker knew she was on John's private jet. The man wasn't about to take the commercial flight along with the rest of the companies superstars. That was a bit problematic because it meant she was stuck in the air with him for extended periods of time without help if she were to need it.

John was indeed in the middle of a call, speaking quietly and across the cabin from her, making their hotel arrangements. An arrangement she probably wouldn't be too pleased with, but he had to get the ball rolling with Lavani somehow and figured this was the best way to do so. His brow rose when a hint of a blush spread across her cheeks, wondering what that was about.

Taker had officially gone from texting to ‘sexting’ with a bit of his customary dark humor.

When John informed Lavani that they had to share a room together, she didn't panic or start screaming.  She simply smiled at him and nodded, accepting it.  Or so John thought.  She waited until John began dozing off, his snores filtering through the air of the plane before texting Jay, letting him know what was going on. 

There was no way in HELL she was sharing a room with John.  Jay texted her back letting her know he had a plan and that calmed Lavani down immensely. Finally deleting the text messages from both Taker and Jay, Lavani decided to doze off herself.

Jay did not have a plan at all. He just needed to keep her pert backside calm so she didn't rouse John's anger and find herself in a position she didn't need to be in since she was alone with the guy. Sighing, he then proceeded to text Taker the news.

Of course, Taker did have a plan. He had two of them. One was to immediately get Lavani out of sharing a room with Layfield and another involved Layfield's death for even assuming sharing a room with HIS woman would be alright.

Arriving in Japan, Lavani wasn't feeling very well and it showed in her face, which was paler than usual.  It wasn't the plane ride and it wasn't even the fact that John was trying to force her to share a room with him.  Lavani legitimately didn't feel good and slipped inside the waiting limousine with John following. 

As soon as the limo started, Lavani's eyes first widened and then she proceeded to vomit right on the floor, tears stinging her eyes.  Her stomach rumbled again, which caused her to vomit a second time, ignoring the disgusted look on John's face.  She felt like she was going to die.

All John could do was stare at her out of large disgusted eyes. He shied as far away from her as he could, pulling a handkerchief out of his breast pocket and held it over his nose and mouth, rapping on the window. When it was rolled down, he cursed, completely annoyed now.

“Hospital, one where they speak English!” He ordered in a shout, not about to have a sick woman on HIS hands.

Hell no!

Chapter 20

“Mr. Layfield?” The doctor called out several hours later, looking somewhat exhausted and watched as a man in a suit walked over to him. “Lavani caught a very bad virus.” The doctor had luckily been in town for a seminar at the hospital and was from Florida, agreeing to check out Lavani because nobody else could speak English in the hospital. “She is going to need to stay here for the next two days under observation. They are going to administer some strong antibiotics and try to get her fever down.  I know you both have to get back to the states by Monday evening, so hopefully she'll be better by then.  I'm very sorry about this, but there's no way she'll be able to leave until she's better.”

“Antibiotics? So, she's contagious? Am I going to get sick? I can't get sick! I don't have time to be sick! Where the hell did she get a virus from? She's been around-” He frowned when he was cut off.

“I'm here for Lavani Malcolm.” Jay had arrived and been alerted since somehow, someway, Taker had updated her medical records to make it so Jay was her emergency contact.

Jay wasn't asking, he was just here.

“Are you Jay Reso?” The doctor asked, turning to the blonde, who nodded and he smiled tentatively. “You are Miss Malcolm's emergency contact, we weren't able to get a hold of you.”

“Yes I know, I was on a plane coming here when you called.” That was a lie, but the best Jay could come up with at the time, worried out of his mind. “Can I see her?”

“Of course, right this way.” Jay was lead straight to Lavani's room, neither of them looking back at John, who didn't look at all thrilled with this sudden turn of events.

Lavani was the luckiest woman on the planet.

John watched them disappear, contemplating if he wanted to pay off a nurse or something to let him back there. Family? If Jay was her 'family', then he was a monkey's uncle. He turned to stare at one of the nurses, smiling charmingly.

When she smiled and began talking, he realized...he didn't understand a thing she was saying. Snorting, he headed for the exit. John didn't want to be around Lavani anyway, she was sick and disgusting. His limo had BETTER be clean and smelling nice again when he returned or there was going to be some SERIOUS hell to pay!

Twelve hours later, Lavani's eyes slowly opened and blinked several times, trying to clear her vision.  Her head felt like a hundred pound weight was on it and her stomach still rumbled slightly.  The plan had worked perfectly, though at a heavy price, which she was paying for now.

“Jay?” Lavani whispered, blinking at the sight of him and instantly felt his hand take hers, swallowing hard. “I told you I knew what I was doing.” She whispered, locking eyes with him and could see the gears in his head turning, a small smile spreading across her lips. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew you would object and Taker too if I told you what I was planning.”

“Taker's pissed, I already texted him.” Jay informed her, shrugging apologetically when she frowned at him. “Sorry LavaBean, but he scares me more than you do.” He sighed, squeezing her hand gently. “I told you I was on it, why'd you- wait, what exactly DID you do? Because now you have to stay here until we go back stateside. That means the room Taker rented for us is going to go to waste, including the waterbed with actual fish in it.”

“I did it when John told me we were sharing a room together. I had no choice. No offense, Jay, but you're not exactly the most...cunning man on the planet.” Lavani smiled when he flipped her off, squeezing his hand gently. “I made a small bottle of water and peroxide mixed and...drank it.”

She cringed when Jay's jaw dropped, looking away from him and closed her eyes, not ashamed for doing it.  Now she would be away from John, no matter what, and she wouldn't have to do the tour with him In her eyes, her actions were completely justifiable and if Taker was pissed at her, Lavani would gladly take any heat he threw at her once she saw him again.

“I did what I had to do.”

Jay really tried to not look so disgusted by that, but yuck! Peroxide was nasty, he had gargled with it for cuts inside his mouth after a TLC match and wound up vomiting the substance up. That made him perk a little bit.

“So THAT explains the very pissed off limo driver I walked by out in the parking lot...you hurled all over the floorboards and the leather seats got splattered, nice aim.” He settled comfortably in the visitor’s chair, having been perching on the edge when she woke up and smiled slightly. “Think they'd let me take you back to the hotel to rest?” Because staying in a hospital sucked and now he had to text Taker to let the guy know she wasn't seriously ill, just demented.

“No, if I can stay in here the entire trip and even fly back to the states on my own, with you of course, that would be a blessing.”

Lavani was planning on swallowing more water and peroxide to make herself sicker if that's what it took for them to keep her.  She doubted they wouldn't release her for at least two of three days, which was what she wanted.  When Jay texted Taker, only for the man to call and demand to speak to Lavani, she physically cringed when Jay handed over the phone to her, looking like he was about to piss himself.  Hesitantly, Lavani took the cell and put it to her ear, closing her eyes.

“I know you're angry...”

“Do you realize...that if you make yourself even sicker, there's a chance they will quarantine you and keep you there until the Embassy can bring in an American doctor?”

Jay had sent some short messages explaining the situation and then followed up with a 'she's drinking more shit', which he took to mean more of that disgusting mix of hers. Considering Taker had probably just ratted him out, Jay figured now would be a good time to go explore the vending machines. Japan had some interesting vending machines to say the least.

“Yes I know, but they already told me I would be here for at least two days.” Lavani could tell Taker was worried beneath the angry voice, causing her to sigh heavily when he started yelling at her again. “Please stop yelling at me.” She held the phone away from her ear and waited until he calmed down or the shouting stopped.  Five minutes later, Lavani finally put her ear back to the phone, hearing silence. “If you're still there, are you calm now?”

“Not really, but I'm getting looks for yelling.” Taker informed her gruffly, gesturing for the maid to finish whatever the hell she was doing.

Apparently, the woman was restocking the bathroom toiletries and replacing the towels. Taker waited until she had left the room before speaking again, really hoping she hadn't understood English because he did not need the authorities up here right now, pretty sure he had said some rather nasty things. None of them aimed at her, but at the reason she had felt the need to get herself violently ill and stuck in a Japanese hospital: John Bradshaw Layfield.

“Alright darlin',” He sighed, much calmer now, the tumbler of whiskey he was sipping probably helping with that. “Bearing in mind that you're already going to be there a few more days, and the tour was set for three, don't be drinking anymore of that shit, you hear me?”

“I won't.”

Unless she absolutely had to, Lavani would do WHATEVER it took not to share a room with John. If that meant drinking more of her mixture, that’s what she was going to do. Jay was a dead man when he came back into the room for texting Taker what she did.  So much for being HER friend!

“I have to go, I'm starting to get a little dizzy and John could come here at any moment to 'check' on me.” She giggled softly when he snorted, closing her eyes, trying not to let the tears start. “I miss you and I'll see you in a few days.  Just...don't do anything rash.  And enjoy Europe.  I love you.”

Lavani hung up the phone and tossed it in Jay's chair, laying back against the pillow. Jay returned ten minutes later, carrying a bouquet of lilies, a cup of macaroni and cheese – he hoped that’s what it was -, soda beneath his arm and a can of Pringles. He could only hope Lavani had calmed down enough to where he wouldn’t get his ass chewed for tattling on her to Taker.

“I love the vending machines here, I really do.” Everything had come from a vending machine and, after setting his goodies down, he presented her with the lilies, frowning when he seen the look in her eyes. Taker had gotten him in trouble. “In my defense, Lava, I was concerned about you. Please be kind.”

“Did you REALLY have to tell him what I did?  You're supposed to be MY friend, not his.” Lavani stated through gritted teeth, snatching the lilies from him and watched as Jay's head lowered. “From now on, when I tell you something in CONFIDENCE, I expect you to be on my side and not tell him.  I didn't kill myself and I wasn't trying to do it.  I just drank enough to make sure I ended up in here so I was away from John.  Do we have an understanding?”

“Yes. However, in my defense, I didn't tell him you were trying to kill yourself, I told him you were likely to drink that...crap again. And also, he's a lot more scarier than you are.” Lavani had never lashed him to within an inch of his life, Taker had and he still bore the scars as a lovely memento of darker times. Mercifully, they were very faint since he did occasionally wrestle without a shirt. “I'm sorry, LavaBean.” He sighed, walking over to perch on the edge of her bed, flashing a slow, hesitant smile. “You going to forgive me and enjoy the flowers? I also brought you food.” He was not above bribing her for forgiveness.

“Trying to suck up to me is the right thing to do.” Lavani informed him coolly.

Taking the bowl of macaroni and cheese, Lavani took a few bites of it before sipping Pepsi.  Probably not the greatest meal considering she was still recovering from her 'sickness', but honestly Lavani was starving. Hospital food was very unappetizing, so Lavani was grateful that Jay was here to be her gopher.

“I forgive you, but this food sucks.” She threw it away, making a face and tossed a few bills his way, grinning. “There's a McDonald's across the street, get your ass moving if you really want forgiveness.  I want a number two with pickle and extra cheese with a large fry.  Oh and thanks for the flowers.  Now get moving, I'm hungry.”

“Yeah, if I come back with squid burgers and fries made out of rice, it's because I don't speak Japanese and there aren't a lot of people who seem to speak good English.” Jay informed her bluntly.

Ignoring her bills since she was probably going to need them to pay this hospital bill, Jay had it covered, owing her for tattling on her. He had no idea how that was going to work out and sincerely hoped that her doctor remained until she was released to cover all that with her. Or he would find someone to explain it to him. He was giving himself a headache, thinking about practicalities.

“I'll be right back...” He headed for the door.

~!~

For the next two days, Lavani was kept in the hospital for observation and was released by her American doctor just in time to catch a flight back to the states for Smackdown! with Jay.  John hadn't visited her once in the hospital, staying away because he didn't want to get sick.  If he only knew that she was never sick and had sacrificed her health in order to stay away from him...Lavani smiled while resting her head against Jay's shoulder, still recovering from Japan.  Lavani couldn't wait for the kidnapping so she was back with Taker for good, knowing he would win his match against John to gain her contract.

Considering she had spent her entire visit to Japan in a hospital, literally ill for only about twenty four hours of that time, thanks to her trip down water/peroxide lane, Jay felt the woman should be running up and down the aisle or something. Layfield hadn't shown his ugly face even once after taking her to the hospital and that was definitely a good thing. It was good to know that Lavani could creatively take care of herself, but it also made him wonder what else she was capable of. If she would ever pulled a stunt on him and Adam to get away from them, besides running off.

“I love you, LavaBean, but I will be glad when you're back with Taker.” Jay murmured, knowing those were words he would have NEVER thought he would utter.

“You and me both, Jay.” Lavani murmured, a soft smile spreading on her lips at the thought of finally being back with Taker for good.

She wouldn't be leaving once the kidnapping happened, not unless it was over his dead body. Granted, he was the Deadman, but Taker was very much alive and had proved it on several occasions.  Their first stop once the kidnapping happened was to track Tracy down, who still hadn't returned Lavani's phone call.

“I need to ask you something and I want an honest answer.” When Jay gave her his undivided attention, Lavani took a deep breath, sitting up a little more in her seat and stared into his eyes. “Do you think he cheated on me with Tracy?  Or do you think she's a lying bitch?”

Jay considered her thoughtfully, knowing that was a loaded question in more ways than one, in ways she probably didn't even understand. He could tell her a lie, and she would probably take it as fact, she trusted him. That would drive her away from Taker, which was definitely something Jay wouldn't mind seeing. However, because she did trust him and he was a good friend, on some level he had feelings for her, Jay inwardly sighed and cursed his morality streak.

“She's a lying bitch, LavaBean. The guy loves you.”

That was another scary thought in of itself. The idea of the Undertaker loving... it just didn't seem right. But Jay had been there during those years back when she had left him, had seen their relationship and how Taker was when he was with her.

“He does, he loves you.”

That was all Lavani needed to hear as she kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Jay, and I love you too.”

She tweaked his nose, causing him to growl and giggled before staring out the window again.  Taker wouldn't be at the airport waiting for her because John had already left her a voicemail directing her on where to go.  She wasn't worried about it, deciding to pretend she was sick a little longer just so he wouldn't touch her. 

Chapter 21

The plane arrived hours later and it was in the early morning, the time difference was definitely not kind to them.  Not surprised at the sight of John as soon as Lavani walked through the terminal, Jay reluctantly parted ways with her as she headed toward her boss. Going slow to milk the fact she was 'recovering' from her illness, Lavani pulled it off perfectly, a gentle smile on her face.

“You're not still sick, are you?” John demanded anxiously when he seen her, taking in the way she was walking, as if she were tired and not feeling well at all. “You're not going to puke, are you?” He then fired off, having had to pay a serious arm and a leg just to get the limo from Japan professionally cleaned and the rental company had been threatening to charge him more because of the lingering 'odor'.

He had a tarp waiting, just in case.

“If I was still sick, they wouldn't have cleared me to come back to the states, John.” Lavani retorted with a roll of her eyes, walking past him to retrieve her bags from the luggage area, starting to roll it behind her. “And no, I'm not going to vomit again, but they did tell me to take it easy for the next few days until the virus is fully gone.” That meant John wouldn't kiss her because he would think she still had the virus inside of her. “They did clear me to do my job though, as long as I don't do anything strenuous, which valeting usually isn't.”

John wasn't worried about catching anything anymore, he knew she had been pumped full of antibiotics and those usually took twenty four to forty eight hours before the person was no longer contagious. He just didn't want her puking around him, or on his stuff, anymore. Eyes full of concern, he approached her, took her rolling case from her, pulling it himself and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“You sure you feel up to working, honey?” Back to the honey tone, as if they hadn't fought before going to Japan, or as if she hadn't thrown up in his limousine, John’s plan was still underway to have her.

“Yes, if it was a house show, I would ask if I could sit out for it, but it's Smackdown! and my appearance is crucial to your domination over the corpse.  Besides,” Lavani stopped and turned to face him, staring up into his dark eyes as a soft smile flitted across her lips. “I've had a lot of time to think the past few days since my unfortunate illness and...I do want to get to know you, John.  I'm sorry for acting the way I did, but I was really hurt because I thought you didn't want me, that you changed your mind.  I was stupid, I'm just scared of getting hurt again and I hope you understand that.” Lavani slowly cupped his face in her hand before letting it run down the side of his neck down his dress shirt covered chest, her eyes never leaving his. “I want to make it up to you tonight, after the show.  You and me, in one of those suites completely alone and I'll make everything up to you.  I'll give you anything you want.  What do you think, hmm?”

“I think that's a fine idea honey, but...”

John caught her hands gently in his, raising them up and pressed a kiss to the back of each hand before letting go. Reaching for the luggage again, Lavani guided his arm around her once more, steering her down the crowded aisle. As much as he hated doing this, it just wouldn't do for her to relapse because of what would definitely be a passionate exhausting night. John would feel a bit bad doing that to her.

“With you still feeling a bit under the weather, I think you ought to be at full health before we...take our relationship up a level.”

“Whatever you think is best, John.”

Lavani let him guide her out of the airport and slipped inside the waiting limousine, this time not vomiting.  She let out a yawn and leaned against John since his arm wrapped around her, closing her eyes.  She was surprised he didn't say anything else to her and figured he wanted her to fully recover from her illness. Her eyes opened when the limousine stopped and Lavani took John's hand, stepping out while the driver got their bags. 

She wasn't surprised that he booked her a room for herself.  John instructed her to get some rest and he'd see her tonight at the arena before leaving the hotel again to go get a workout in.  Apparently, this hotel didn't have a workout gym like the other ones.  Once Lavani was in her room alone, she plopped down on the bed and felt like half a weight was lifted off of her.  When tonight was over and she was back with Taker for good, there would be no more weight left.

Taker was making his own preparations, knowing tonight had and would go off without a hitch. Jay had called him to let him know that Lavani had been met by Bradshaw at the airport, not surprised in the least. He was confident in her abilities to keep the lecher away, though remained a bit dubious when it came to her methods. Sincerely hoping he wasn't going to have her puking peroxide on him after the show tonight, Taker stroked his chin in thought.

Given that he would be 'kidnapping' the personal valet of Layfield, he had to make arrangements for travel and a place to lie low, knowing Bradshaw would probably hunt for her. Considering the man already done one thing Taker hadn't been able to: find Lavani. He wouldn't be finding her this time, not until she was damn good and ready to be found.

This was it. 

Lavani stared back in the mirror and took a deep breath, hoping what she picked out to wear wasn't TOO sexy.  It was a sleek and form fitting dress that had a soft black lace overlay with sleeves and a beige tank dress attached beneath, which created a sexy nude illusion.  It had a round neckline, keyhole back and fit her curves snugly.  It went two inches above the knee and she had black open-toed heels on her feet. 

Lavani straightened her hair, making it look soft and shiny, her bangs angled for style.  Her toffee eyes were outlined black, clear gloss on her lips and big silver hoop earrings dangling from her ears, a simple silver bangle bracelet on her wrist.  When a knock sounded at the door, Lavani knew it was John as she looked in the mirror one final time before walking over to answer it.

John was looking down the corridor when she answered the door, wearing one of his tailored to fit, expensive suits and white Stetson. He was smiling broadly when he turned to look down at her, the smile slipping when he seen what she was wearing. Or what, at first, he thought she wasn't wearing. He hitched the smile firmly back into place, really regretting turning down her offer for later tonight. Reaching out, he took her hand and gave her a gentle twirl, eyes instantly zooming in on her curvy backside.

“You are looking...very healthy.” John said slowly, unable to keep his voice from dropping to a husky drawl.

“I'm feeling a lot better.” Lavani was more than better, she felt as if everything was falling into place, smiling widely. “I am SO ready to get back to work.”

Shutting her hotel room door, Lavani had already texted Taker to let her know which room she was in so he could grab her things before the kidnapping.  They walked toward the elevators and Lavani could still feel John's eyes practically devouring her whole, not able to wipe the smile from her face.  He must've been regretting passing up her offer to spend the night together. Even though it would've never happened anyway, but it was her way of getting back in his good graces.

“You ready for tonight?”

“Yes I am, honey.” John was not, kicking himself mentally in the rear end for passing up her offer, for passing up on her. But she had still looked frail and a bit sick earlier! Now she looked as healthy as a horse and way beyond sultry...women! “How about you?”

He had officially become Taker's bitch and, after tonight, would be returning to his own schedule. As it was, Taker had forwarded him Lavani's text and earlier in the evening had provided him with a 'skeleton' key card. Jay didn't even want to know how the man had gotten it or what he was currently doing, just following orders.

“Born ready.” Lavani assured him, having taken a nice long nap before getting ready and took thought in picking out her outfit.

The dress didn't show anything, she wasn't nude because the material clearly covered all of her. It was sexy, but also still professional as far as she was concerned. Not to mention, she wanted to wear something for Taker on their first official night back together.

Once they arrived at the arena, Lavani started getting a little nervous because she had no idea what Taker had planned as far as the actual kidnapping went.  John was busy looking over the script while pacing back and forth in the locker room, having a simple promo scheduled, no match and Lavani left him alone to do that.  Though, John had a little surprise for her that Lavani wouldn't enjoy.  She looked up when the door opened, feeling her toffee eyes widen at the sight of none other than her ex-friend and roommate, Tracy.

“What is SHE doing here?” Lavani demanded angrily.

Standing up from the couch, fire instantly flashed through her toffee eyes. John was instantly at Lavani's side, gently but firmly taking her by the hand in case she tried attacking the other woman. He knew they had a bit of a history, however, this was strictly business.

“She's here at my invitation. Now, Lava, honey...” He gently turned her to face him when he seen her face turning an even deeper shade of red. “You asked me not to use you and, what happened, to play games with Taker, which I haven't. I'm not even going to say a word about any of that, and neither is Tracy, she's just here.” Because Taker would see her and that would totally screw up his mindset.

Both of his women allied with him…John inwardly smirked.

The audacity of this prick to first track her down to bring her back to the company, all to play a mind game on Taker that backfired, and then to bring back the whore that split them up in the first damn place was unbelievable!  Lavani was livid and it showed in her eyes, wanting to rip Tracy apart.  No wonder the bitch hadn't returned her calls!  Lavani couldn't blow this now, not when she was so close to being back with Taker and took a deep breath, pulling her hand away from John's. Her eyes clearly sent promises to the woman that involved future pain and deadly intentions, though the smile never left her face.

“As long as she doesn't mention a word about what happened, I'm fine.” Lavani said, watching as John smiled down at her appreciatively and turned her cold gaze toward Tracy. 

Tracy read those evil intentions in ice cold toffee eyes quite clearly and all she could think was that it was great John wasn't going to let her get her ass handed to her because Lavani looked ready to murder. She was here for the money. It was an obscene amount of money and she had also been a bit curious about seeing Lavani again. Curiosity was abated.

“Nobody is going to do anything, honey.” John reassured her, totally missing the promising death look Tracy was receiving.

Staying silent until it was time to go out to the ring, Lavani plastered on a sweet smile and looped her arm through Tracy's, winking over her shoulder at a startled John. “No worries, I'm just trying to be nice to her.” She reasoned, looking over at a nervous Tracy and patted her hand three times none too gently. “We're going to be very CLOSE.”

Keep friends close and enemies closer...That's exactly what Lavani was doing as they slipped into John's limousine for his ring entrance. John sat in the middle with Lavani on one side and Tracy on the other, his arms around both of them.  Whatever Taker had planned tonight, Lavani hoped it was good and believable enough...and Tracy didn't ruin it with her mere whore presence.

Tracy was more than grateful that John was sitting in between them because Lavani hadn't gone easy on those pats and she hadn't missed the hidden meaning in the other woman's words. Lavani was obviously nursing a grudge. Tracy struggled briefly to hitch a mega-watt smile onto her face, knowing that’s what John was expecting.

John had two beautiful women on his arms when they emerged from the limo and he hoped Taker was watching. No, he didn't need to mention the 'infidelity' or let Tracy say anything about it, just like he had promised Lavani he wouldn't. Tracy being there, along with Lavani, was SCREAMING it without saying a word.

Even by his standards, this was just dirty, and Taker honestly wished he had thought of it first...he tipped his hat to Layfield, shaking his head.

Lavani looped her arm through Tracy's instantly, walking ahead of John since he ushered for them to do so, smiling at the fans.  Though on the inside, all she wanted to do was kill this bitch.  She could tell just by the look in Tracy's eyes that she had lied about screwing Taker weeks before her appearance with Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman. 

She did not even have to question it anymore, it was a simple fact.  They both slid into the ring through the bottom rope, after Lavani reluctantly released Tracy's arm and stood there while John stepped into the ring after them, walking over to grab a microphone.  All Lavani could do was stand there and wait, clapping for John and hoped Taker hadn't changed his mind about taking her away.

There was something wrong about this and, for the life of her, Tracy could not put her finger on it. Of course, that was also probably her guilt and paranoia talking since it was more than obvious that Lavani no longer believed her lie. She hadn't been lying about sleeping with Mark. She had been lying about how many times she had slept with him and the time frame. Lavani now knew all that and Tracy wanted to know what had changed her mind.

Taker hadn't let them dim the lights or play his music. That was to be expected. What was not expected was him watching on the extremely tiny television he held in his hand as John walked directly over the spot he was resting under. Setting aside the monitor, Taker reached for the knife and discreetly cut a slash in the canvas, just enough for him to work with.

Tracy began screaming her head off when John's promo went from him bragging to yelling and cursing. A leather black gloved hand shot through the canvas and grabbed John by the leg, followed by a heavily tattooed arm emerging. Before they knew it, the rest of the body the arm belonged to was revealed as the Undertaker.

This was DEFINITELY not expected and it actually startled Lavani to say the least, pulling Tracy away from John as he began being dragged down the hole of the canvas.  What the hell was Lavani supposed to do?  She locked eyes with Taker briefly and rushed over to grab John's hands, instantly falling to the canvas while Taker continued to drag him.  John locked eyes with her next and Lavani knew what was coming, her jaw dropping when he grabbed her by the arm and tossed her behind him right into Taker, which made him instantly release John's leg.

“JOHN!!” Lavani screamed as Taker wrapped one arm around her waist, the other hand covering her mouth as he dragged her directly under the ring, the arena being blanketed in darkness.

“OH MY GOD!!  LAVANI WAS JUST DRAGGED TO HELL!!” Michael Cole squealed in his headset, looking over at his partner, Tazz, who looked equally shocked.

“STRAIGHT to hell, Cole.”

Chapter 22

Taker was inwardly laughing his ass off. Why on earth she had ever even agreed to work for a cowardly little bastard like Layfield was beyond him. Though, he had to admit that that cowardice had played right into their hands. Leave it to Layfield to throw a defenseless woman to the wolves when his own backside was in danger. When the lights came back on, Layfield was ordering officials to search under the ring, but they were already gone, backstage and on their way out of the building.

“You looked frightened.” Taker remarked, glancing down at her as he pulled her along.

“I had to play the part didn't I?”

Lavani couldn't believe how easy that all went down, trying not to laugh at the pure fear that shined in John's eyes.  They had taken a back way out of the arena where nobody could see them, which Lavani appreciated.  John had to think she was kidnapped after all. 

She wasn't surprised to see that Taker hadn't brought his motorcycle this time, both of them slipping into a sleek black car that had tinted windows.  Buckling up, Lavani reached over to turn on the heater. Rubbing her legs since it was chilly out, she knew fall was definitely on the way.

“Admit it, I scared the hell out of you when I came up through the mat.” He flashed her a smirk, already pulling out of the parking lot, reaching out to place a hand on her knee. “Your stuff is in the trunk.” He then informed her, along with his.

Jay had retrieved her things, then said he was done performing illegal activities and being 'a bitch'. He was well aware that Jay had only helped out because he harbored feelings for Lavani, feelings he had very wisely not acted upon. Jay had asked where she was going to be taken, only once, and gotten the answer of nowhere he had to know about. Taker didn't trust anyone, not even Lavani's devoted servant.

“I should have kidnapped Tracy too...” Taker murmured thoughtfully. “Then you could have tortured her...”

Groaning longingly, Lavani gritted her teeth at the thought and mere mention of Tracy, tightening her fists so hard, her knuckles turned white. “Oh believe me, I would've THOROUGHLY enjoyed it and even videotaped it.” She stated, ignoring the look that Taker shot her and stared out the window, leaning her head back against the seat. Lavani was still angry over John bringing Tracy on the road with him, eyes flashing. When Taker's hand squeezed her knee a little more, Lavani placed her hand over his, their fingers lacing together.

“It took every ounce of willpower not to beat the shit out of her as soon as she stepped into John's dressing room.  She's lucky I didn't break her in half and will get what's coming to her, I promise.”

Personally, he found her new murderous attitude towards Tracy rather attractive, at least now that she was away from Layfield. “You should tell me all the violent things you want to do to her.” Taker suggested with a wicked lilt to his tone, a thoroughly evil smile gracing his lips when he caught her looking at him from the corner of his eye. “It turns me on.” He said by way of explanation, squeezing her fingers.

“Pull over.” Lavani ordered, already unbuckling her seatbelt because she saw a rest stop up ahead, raising a brow when Taker looked over at her questioningly. 

It turned her on with how he'd kidnapped her and Lavani couldn't wait to have him, having held herself back long enough.  Taker surprisingly did what she asked, knowing John wouldn't be heading in the direction they were, and Lavani crawled over after he shut the ignition off.  She reached down to bring his seat back as far as it would go before straddling him, her lips mere inches away from his, toffee eyes a dark molten gold.

“Do you remember the dagger you used to use for your sacrifice rituals?” She asked almost conversationally, all the while slipping the straps of his wrestling gear from his shoulders down his powerful arms and watched as Mark nodded. “I would first strap her down and cut her lying tongue right out of her mouth.” She ran her fingernail along his beautiful red lips, down his neck to his now bare chest, drinking every inch of him in. “Then, I would cut out her heart and burn it right in front of her along with her tongue.  I would make sure she never told another lie or hurt another living soul again...if I had my way.”

A bit short and a relatively merciful death to pass along to someone like Tracy, but since Lavani wasn't a natural born killer -She was by nature a kind caring person- it was still extremely hot. Taker could envision her doing it too, dressed in something black and sheer without the nude colored garment beneath it. His eyes had darkened to a deep forest green as she ran her fingernail down his chest, his hands settling on her waist. Slowly bunching the material of her dress, -He had noted hugged her curves beautifully- in his fists, Taker slid it even higher than it had gone when she straddled him.

“Though before cutting her heart out, I would let you have some fun since you've got experience in torturing people.  You could teach me a few things...” Lavani murmured, feeling his hand reach behind to slide the zipper down on her dress. Pushing it down to her hips, Lavani revealed her beige lace bra that was see-through and showed off her hardened nipples. “I missed you.”

Lulling her head back, toffee eyes closed, feeling his hands grip her breasts to mold them through the thin material of her bra.  Lavani couldn't hold back anymore and pressed her lips to his, her panty covered crotch brushing against his suddenly rock hard bulge through his wrestling tights. She was torturing HIM, out to murder HIM, and it was the most delicious way to die that Taker could ever imagine.

There was not enough room in the car for what he wanted to do to her, but after all this time, all this waiting, he would suffer. Within seconds her bra was off, tossed into the backseat and he was kissing the swell of her breasts, finally tugging a pert nipple in his lips. Taker pulled away, giving her other breast attention with his mouth, one hand moving between their bodies, caressing her through her already soaked panties.

Gripping his shoulders, Lavani could only moan against his hot mouth. Practically crying out, as he stroked her repeatedly, Taker was making her sodden than she had ever been before.  Lavani grabbed his wrist, stopping him from doing so and leaned up to kiss him deeply, passion oozing out of every pore of her body.

“Lift up.”

She needed him now and knew Taker craved the same thing.  It was their pre-celebration for screwing John Bradshaw Layfield over.  She managed to somehow pull his tights down enough to free his throbbing cock and began stroking him with her hand, feeling it harden even more if that was possible.

A hiss escaped his clenched teeth as his eyes rolled into the back of his head at the feel of her soft hand wrapped around him. Reluctantly, and with a groan of pure want and need, Taker reached down to stop her before he exploded. The only place he was cumming tonight was inside of her.

“Keep that up darlin',” He rumbled huskily, nipping at her pulse point a bit harshly in his desire. “And it'll be over before we can even get started.” He hadn't touched or even looked at another woman since her, and for him, it had been a very long two years in all departments.

“Then please end the agony for us.”

Lavani wasn’t above pleading by this point, her panties being ripped from her body moments later.  The lace material of her panties giving easily by his strength.  This probably wasn't the best way to reunite with him, but Lavani and Taker had never done anything 'traditionally'. Why would they start now?

“I love you, I love you so much.  Please just take me, Taker...” She begged, his growl sending shivers throughout her body.

Gasping when his cock suddenly penetrated her, Taker filled her up without warning. Two years without sex had definitely tightened her up, but the pleasure far outweighed the pain. She had always been tight, but he could not believe how much two years difference had made, knowing she hadn't slept with anyone since him.

Taker knew it with everything in him. Lavani was his, just as she had always been, and just as he was hers and would always be. Once he was sheathed fully inside of her, he froze, needing a moment to regain his already fragile control and to give her a moment to adjust. He pressed his forehead to hers, staring into her eyes, getting lost in those delicious toffee orbs. When he felt they were both ready, Taker began moving inside of her, his hands on her hips, guiding her body in time with his.

Lacing their fingers together, Lavani rolled her hips against his with every thrust he produced inside of her body, giving herself completely to him in every way.  Taker had let the seat back to where he was somewhat lying down, not stopping the pace for a second.  She ground against him, intensifying the bout and began kissing his neck while their hands remained locked together.  She couldn't let him go and felt her heart speed up as the hot coil in her stomach threatened to spring free at any given moment.

She was dangerously close, he could feel it in the way her movements became less controlled, more jerky as her body instinctively sought its release. Her walls were convulsing around him, drawing him deeper it seemed, refusing to let go and it was bringing him to his own climax. Pressing his thumb firmly against her clit, stimulating her further, her moans and breathy pants fueled the flames even more.

“Cum for me, Vani!” Taker ordered, bringing her down just as he arched upwards. “Cum with me, darlin'...”

Because he needed to release, Taker wanted to empty himself inside of her receptive body, claim her as his own in all ways once more, and to feel her come to pieces in his arms. His pleading was all it took for Lavani as she felt her walls tighten around his thick shaft. Practically suffocating his hard cock in her sweet juices, Lavani screamed out his name, shattering against him into pieces, just like he wanted. 

When Taker exploded inside of her, Lavani couldn't help climaxing again a second time. Every part of her trembled almost violently against him because of the sheer intensity between them.  Lavani collapsed on top of him in a heap, her head resting right over his heart, just trying to calm down while he did the same.

Taker wrapped his arms around her after rolling down his window a bit to cool down the now steamy, hot inside of the sports car. Letting out a ragged breath, he rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes, feeling himself softening inside of her, but didn't move. Over two years without her, in all aspects, and Taker knew they still had a little ways to go yet before they could be together completely again.

“I love you, darlin'.” He murmured when he could finally speaking without sounding too out of breath.

The second he said that, every part of Lavani's heart began mending back into place because it was the first time he'd said those words since her return.  He already knew how she felt about him, but Taker wanted to hear it, that she was certain of. Blinking tears away, Lavani slowly pulled her head from his chest to stare up into his green eyes and kissed his lips softly.

“I love you too, Taker.  I swear I'll never leave you again. I'm sorry.” Her forehead met his and they just stayed that way for awhile, letting silence surround them and it was comforting, each just enjoying being with the other again. 

It was a long time coming.

She had better not leave him ever again. Taker already knew if she did, there would be no coming back from the darkness that he had emerged himself in. He had always been dark, but she had been his life preserver in that sea of blackness; a light.

When Lavani had left, the light had gone with her. After what had seemed like an eternity and yet only seconds, Taker gently lifted her. He eventually wanted a bed, so he could hold her properly, vowing to never let her go again.

“We should get going.”

“I agree, this car is way too small for you.”

Lavani giggled when he growled, kissing the tip of his nose before reluctantly going back to her own seat, after pulling her dress down.  She readjusted the top of it before buckling up, smiling when Taker instantly took her hand as they drove off a few minutes later.  Lavani fell asleep almost instantly, feeling at peace for the first time in two years. 

Even with all the problems that were going to fire their way with John and Tracy, Lavani was still at peace and completely happy now that she was back with Taker again.  The charm around her neck was proof that part of him was always with her, even if they were apart. Taker let her sleep, never letting going of her hand as he drove.

They stopped once to change cars and she had slept through that. Taker carried her from one vehicle to the other, refusing to wake her. She was tired, probably still jet lagged after a long flight to Japan, a stay in the hospital and then another long flight back to the States.

Not to mention everything else going on, she had every right to be tired. When they finally stopped again, it was at an old bed and breakfast. It was their last stop before catching a private, chartered flight to where they would be hiding. Or at least where she would hide, Taker would eventually have to go challenge Layfield for her contract.

Chapter 23

Twelve hours later, Lavani slowly opened her eyes, finally catching up on some much needed rest.  She hadn't slept well in the hospital in Japan, not knowing what they did to their patients.  It unnerved her.  Then she'd barely slept on the plane ride heading back to the states because of Smackdown! and the fact she still had to play the roll with John. 

Now that it was all over with, besides the contract match, Lavani could rest without worrying too much.  She stretched her body out completely on the bed, letting out a loud yawn and finally sat up, looking down at her sleeping attire.  A black nightgown, how cliché of him. 

Lavani laughed softly, sliding from the bed, seeing Taker was nowhere to be found and headed into the bathroom, knowing he would return eventually.  After doing her business and showering, Lavani stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body, brushing her teeth and hair. Heading out to find some clothes to wear, Lavani felt fully refreshed and recharged.

“Ma'am, you didn't have to go through all this trouble...” Came his voice, only it was a low smooth southern drawl, a moment later as he opened the door to their rooms. “We would've managed just fine fendin' for ourselves.”

“It was no trouble at all. Besides, you're our only guests at the moment and this is what we were having.” That was an older woman's voice, cheerful and firm. “All I had to do was make extra.”

“Yes ma'am. Here, let me-”

“I got it, boy, you just clear off that table for me.”

Taker glanced towards the bathroom when he didn't spot Lavani in the bed. He wore a pair of light blue jeans, light brown generic working man steel toed boots and a green, black and white checked flannel with the sleeves cut off. It was unbuttoned to reveal his white beater, in a full 'country boy' mode today.

When Lavani overheard Taker and an older woman talking and heading into the room, she immediately fled back into the bathroom with her bag.  Lavani pulled on a pair of blue jean shorts, along with a lime green tank top, swapping her onyx stone or a green one.  She left her feet bare, her hair down and decided to go all natural today with no makeup.  Stepping out of the bathroom, Lavani padded out into the bigger area of the room and saw a table set up with mouthwatering food, her stomach rumbling in approval.

“So is this where you've been?” She asked from behind lightheartedly, a smirk curving her lips. “Afternoon, by the way.”

“Afternoon, darlin'.” Taker greeted, turning to take in her dress and blinked.

It was...bright, though Taker was used to his woman’s color quirk. Lime green was a color he had never overly cared for, but...she could pull it off. Of course, he was openly biased and his opinion was definitely tainted because he loved her.

“Lavani, honey, this is Mrs. O'Hearn. Mrs. O'Hearn, this is my, ah...”

“You can go ahead and say it, your woman.” Mrs. O'Hearn said with an impish sparkle in her pale blue eyes, peering at Lavani over her wire rimmed glasses. “What a lovely necklace, dear.” She was setting out the food, a tray balanced easily on her hip, one hand holding it there, while the other moved plates, bowls and everything else to the table. “Mark, would you mind lifting the coffee urn, please?”

Taker ignored the look Lavani shot him, doing what the old lady wanted.

“Thank you, Mrs. O'Hearn. Do you need some help?”

Lavani smiled when the elder woman waved her off dismissively, walking over instead to start setting the table with the plates and silverware. She hadn't missed the fact the woman called him Mark, which was something Lavani NEVER did. Taker hated his real name and Lavani wasn't about to tick him off by calling him something he despised. 

Of course, with an elder woman like Mrs. O'Hearn, Taker bit his tongue and acted like a complete gentleman.  When her chair was pulled out by Taker, Lavani sat down and felt him drop a kiss on top of her head. Instantly, Lavani pulled her hair back into a low tail so it didn't get in her food.

“This looks and smells fantastic.”

“What a gentleman...” Mrs. O’Hearn clucked her tongue, staring at Mark over the rims of her glasses shrewdly, her eyes taking in his arms and then Lavani. “Well, I will leave you two youngsters-”

Youngster?

“To your breakfast, or late lunch, shall we call it? And I hope you enjoy it.”

“I'm sure we will, ma'am.” Taker replied with a smile, walking her over to the door like a gentleman.

“Something tells me you're not always this sweet and polite, boy.”

Now his smile was truly genuine. “No ma'am, just with those I like.”

“I would hate to see how you treat those you don't.” She said, patting his forearm before waving a wand towards Lavani. “Nice meeting you, deary.”

He shut the door behind her when she walked out, turning to look at Lavani.

“Oh my god, these biscuits are to DIE for!” Lavani had immediately dug in, starving after sleeping for twelve hours straight, slathering some honey butter on it. “These are homemade, you can really tell.  Come have a bite...” Tempted to finish that statement with his birth name, Lavani decided against it as she started piling her plate of food while he ventured over to join her. “You're giving me this look like you expect something from me.” Lavani stated, after swallowing another bite of delicious biscuit followed by a strip of bacon. “So where are we anyway?  Is this where I'm staying until the contract match?”

“No, hell no.” He snorted, dropping down in his chair and then froze, waiting for it to do the creaking thing. When it didn't, Taker relaxed, beginning to help himself to the food. “We're catching a chartered flight this afternoon. I like the O'Hearns’ from what I know of them, but when we came in Mr. O'Hearn was gossiping.” Not that she would remember it, she had been out cold. “If you were to stay, and I'd be in and out, I'd hate to think of what that old man might wag his tongue about.” He tried a biscuit after smothering it with the honey and butter, automatically tempted to stay on just to eat these and grow fat. “And as for the 'expecting something from you', I was waiting on you to call me out about my name.” Taker flashed her an easy grin.

“What about it?  I like it, it's simple yet fits you.  But I know you don't like when other people use it.” Lavani stated simply, grabbing the coffee pot.

Pouring herself a cup of java with some cream and sugar in it, Lavani felt like a shot of caffeine is what she needed to be fully awake.  At this rate, she would be in food comatose with all this delicious food Mrs. O’Hearn had prepared. That made Lavani somewhat thankful she was not staying here until after the contract match because, with Taker gone, she would probably gain five hundred pounds.

“Why?  Did you want me to start calling you that instead of Taker?  Because I can, if you want.”

It didn't matter to her. Lavani was in love with the man in every way and that included the character he portrayed in the WWE. Now that made Taker pause. He had never taken into consideration how she felt about the name issue. It had always simply been common knowledge that he preferred Taker over his birth name.

That and when people remembered he was actually a Mark and not a Deadman, they also tended to remember he wasn't totally inhuman. Her asking if he preferred being called Mark over Taker almost made him snort and he covered it with a cough, reaching for the pitcher of orange juice. Taker had already inhaled several cups of black coffee earlier in the day.

“I will...answer to either.” He said finally, sounding indifferent.

“Fair enough...Mark.”

Lavani smirked in her cup of coffee, hiding it by taking a long swallow, testing the waters to see how he reacted to that.  She watched as he tensed for a brief second before relaxing, trying not to laugh.  He was adorable with his reactions, he didn't even realize it either, that's what made it funny.

“Eat, you must be hungry.” She ordered softly, gesturing to his food.

Continuing to devour her own plate, Lavani did not really care either way as far as his name went.  Eventually, she would have to start calling him by his birth name, especially if they decided to get married.  Lavani dropped her fork when that thought crossed her mind and blinked, immediately picking it back up, mentally shaking herself. 

Where the hell had THAT thought come from?

“So what time are we leaving tonight?” Since it was already past noon.

“Later this afternoon and what the hell?” Taker demanded, raising a slow brow.

While not sentient that he had reacted to her saying his name, Taker had been aware of the sudden look of shock that crossed her face. That was followed by the nearly instant dropping of her fork. When she shook her head, he reached over to stop her from loading said fork up with what looked like hominy and grits.

“No, spill. Why did you drop the fork? And what was that look on your face for?”

“I-” What the hell was she supposed to say?  There was no way Lavani could tell him the truth! “Do you have to know everything I'm thinking ALL the time?” Lavani finally demanded irritably, yanking her hand out of his grasp and proceeded to take another bite.  There were just some things he did not need to know and that thought about marriage was definitely not one of them. It was way too soon to have THAT conversation, especially since they’d just recently got back together.

“I'm sure you don't tell me everything you think about, it's nothing bad, just one of those random thoughts that kinda...well...shocked me I guess.” She muttered, stabbing some grits like they had personally done her wrong. “Where's our next stop?”

See, now Taker would have let it go if she hadn't gotten defensive and bitchy and attacked the grits like they had told her she was fat. Lavani couldn't pull the period excuse, he knew better. Since she had done both those things, his bullshit detector went off and his curiosity was peaked.

“At the end of our flight.” Taker deadpanned, shrugging when she shot him a look. “Sorry darlin', but it's just one of those things...do you need to know everything I plan all the time?” He smiled sweetly, which looked totally wrong on him and pulled his hand out of stabbing range, just in case. “Smile, Vani, scowling don't suit your pretty face and it'll give you wrinkles.”

“Oh just hush up and eat your damn food!”

Lavani was NOT amused that he had basically thrown what she said to him right back in her face. In fact, she was kind of angry and very irritated.  It ticked her off to the point where she stood up from the table, took the honey butter and poured it right over his head, smiling sweetly while she did it.

“Since you wanted to know so damn badly, I'll tell you.  I was thinking that eventually I am going to have to call you Mark because of marriage.  There, you satisfied?  Have fun washing that out, sweetheart.  I'm going for a walk.”

Snorting, Lavani grabbed her shoes, having pulled socks on, while Mrs. O'Hearn had set the rest of the table and headed out, slamming the door so hard behind her, the hinges nearly broke off. Taker took off after her, the honey butter was not going to come out of his hair easily. That was simply not acceptable! He had beautiful hair and was trying to grow it out...was the wench insane?

“Oh no you don't!” Lunging forward, Taker wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her back towards their room after she had decided to try running. “Well, my darling future wife, I think you best come help me with my shower since you insisted on getting me...sticky...”

Actually, Lavani could give him a tongue bath…that would work well too. Marriage had always been in the cards. She was his, he was hers, making it official eventually was the obvious logical step. They had to take care of this Layfield nuisance first before doing anything permanent though.

“Wait...” Taker let her go, suddenly frowning. “Thinking of marriage, to me, made you look shocked and drop a fork? I am not that damn bad!”

“I didn't drop the damn thing on purpose!!  And I don't think marriage to you is a bad thing!!  I just didn't expect it to pop in my head out of the blue like that!!” This was not funny, Lavani knew she had some of the honey butter on her now and planted her hands on her hips, glaring light brown daggers at him. “You've lost your mind if you think I'm helping you get that out of your hair.” He lifted her over his shoulder at that point, which got her even more sticky. “I just took a shower, MARK!!”

Her shoes dropped to the floor as Taker carted her to the bathroom, trying to grab anything to make him stop. He was too strong for her and simply yanked her until she let go, not hard enough to hurt her though. With his strength, it didn’t take long for her to let go. Taker kicked the bathroom door shut and held her firmly while he got the shower sprays started while Lavani did everything she could to escape him.

“I'm all sticky now, how fucking NICE!!”

“I know, right? I was thinking the same thing.” Taker replied in a cheerfully sarcastic manner.

He was in a mood, a strange but good mood, and also knew he was annoying the hell out of her. That was kind of what Lavani got for pouring this sticky crap into his HAIR. His hair was right up there with his motorcycles, people could look, but did not, for any reason, TOUCH.

“You're the one who decided to be immature and pour it all over me, it's only fitting that you get to deal with my immaturity in sharing it with you.” He smirked as he looked down at the front of her dress, seeing the honey butter all over it, including her upper chest. “Mmm.”

“Oh don't even give me that look, it's not happening. I'm not-”

Lavani was silenced by Taker's lips crashing against hers, groaning when her body instantly reacted to him.  She was angry at him for acting like a jerk just because she wouldn't tell him what she was thinking.  But the feeling of his lips against hers...that romp in the car hadn't been nearly enough to satisfy her.  Lavani hated that she'd slept twelve straight hours because that could've been time used for making up, for screwing each other senseless. 

When he unsnapped the button of her jean shorts, Lavani instinctively lifted up as he slid them off her body along with her panties, the kiss never breaking.  Her hands clamped on his upper arms, especially when he yanked her against him. Lavani finally broke the kiss long enough to remove her top and bra before kissing him again. 

She reached down with her hand and unsnapped his jeans, shoving them down with her feet and then pulled back again to take the green and black checkered flannel off with the white beater. Their lips found each other again as Taker made both of them stumble right into the shower. Her back instantly pressed against the wall as the sprays cascaded over them and Lavani could only cling to her future husband for dear life, moans and groans filling the small space moments later.

Chapter 24

“What in the Sam hell happened to my carpets?!”

Mrs. O'Hearn had heard the thudding upstairs in the hallway and gone to make sure everything was all right. Definitely not used to seeing her antique ceiling rattling the way it had, or the walls vibrating, for a moment Mrs. O’Hearn thought they were having an earthquake. They mostly got older couples or antique hunters out this way, not men built like tractors.

“Is that...that's honey butter...”

Her eyes narrowed at the bathroom door. Now, she liked Mark, but if he were a few feet shorter, and in her presence, she would have dragged him down to her broom cupboards by the ear and made him get the cleaning supplies. Taker snorted, burying his face in Lavani's neck at Mrs. O’Hearn’s discovery of their food involved lovemaking.

Lavani couldn't help laughing along with Taker. Her arms wrapped around him, both of them were trying to calm down from their intense shower sex.  Mrs. O'Hearn had come up just as they both climaxed, which was a good thing because Lavani would hate to murder the old broad if she hadn't gotten her release.

“We should have angry sex more often.” Lavani stated, giggling when he growled and hugged him closer to her, just enjoying being back in his arms like this. “Alright Deadman, time to wash that crap out of your hair before you end up having to go bald.” Try as she might, Lavani started laughing at the incredulous look he shot her, pecking him on the lips. “I love you?”

“If I go bald, I will shave your head to match.” Taker informed her in a deadly voice, completely serious though the corner of his lip twitched into the barest hint of a smirk when her hands flew to her own hair. “Yeah, now you know how I feel...”

He bent down, allowing her to shampoo his hair, growling when her fingers automatically got stuck in the honey. It wasn't so good anymore and he would never eat honey butter ever again. Taker wouldn't allow it near him, she wasn't allowed to have it...in fact, she wasn't allowed to have anything thick and sticky again, unless it came directly from him.

“Christ on the CROSS, WOMAN!”

“Just shut up and stop being a baby!” Lavani ignored his warning growl, popping him in the head and kissed him before he could get too angry. “I'm trying to fix it and you're not helping.  Now shut up and deal with it.  You're the Deadman, you're not supposed to feel pain remember?”

Smirking when that got him to just grumble, Lavani proceeded to wash his hair and rinse, getting some of it out.  By the time she finished, Lavani had washed his hair five really good times and she felt as though her hands would never be the same again.  She let Taker finish up his shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body and wiped the steam off the mirror.  Using a comb had also helped get the honey butter out as well, which Lavani had to grab from her bag, which was thankfully still in the bathroom.

“We need to start getting ready if we're gonna make our flight since we've been showering for...” Her eyes bugged out at the time, jaw dropping. “THREE HOURS?!”

“THREE HOURS?” He echoed, causing her to jump because he had literally shouted. “Woman, get your ass dressed.” Taker ordered, stepping out of the shower and began speed drying himself. “Hell...”

He stormed out into the bedroom, mindful of the still damp areas of carpet that Mrs. O'Hearn had obviously cleaned. Taker was just glad she wasn't still there or else she'd of gotten a full frontal view. Using the phone to call the private pilot he had hired, Taker informed the man know they were running a bit late, but on their way.

If she hadn't gotten cheeky with the damn honey butter, they would’ve left on time.

That clearly told her they were very late and Lavani had never dressed so fast in her life.  She didn't even bother changing her lime green stone on her necklace, not having time.  She pulled on a fresh pair of panties and blue jean shorts with a bra and hot pink tank top, sweeping her hair up on top of her head in a messy bun. 

She tossed the honey buttered clothes in a separate bag and slid them into her main duffel before zipping it up.  They were out the door ten minutes later, Mrs. O'Hearn not even having time to stop them because of how fast they moved.  Taker had thrown the old woman a few extra bills on his way out the door, shouting a promise to come back over his shoulder. They both hopped in the Chevy Silverado that would take them to the airport.

“Remind me...not to pour honey butter on your head again.” Lavani had to take a breath because of how fast they had rushed out of there, buckling up.

“Lavani, do not ever pour honey butter on my hair again.” Taker said flatly shooting her a look across the seat and mentally added in thought, ‘Or I will paddle your ass so you can't sit down for a week.’

The airport they were going too was nothing but a field with a small Propeller or 'Prop' airplane. The range was about fifteen hundred miles, which was more than what they were actually going to need, but not by much. It would fit them, their things, and the pilot comfortably. He had gone this route because cash was king with private individuals and no security checks, cameras, or any of the fun stuff that came with a traditional airport. Without that stuff there to leave a trail, Layfield was going to have a hell of a time trying to find them.

This plane looked very rickety and not safe at all as Lavani slowly walked behind Taker, her bags already being loaded on the small...thing.  Taker's weight alone would probably make them fly into some kind of mountain or the ocean.  Lavani had to duck to get inside of the dinky plane and nearly fell flat on her face tripping to get to her seat. 

She looked over at Taker, who seemed perfectly comfortable and wanted to smack him.  Instead, she plastered on a smile and placed her folded hands in her lap while silently praying to the heavens that they survived this.  As soon as the plane took off and was in the sky, Lavani relaxed only a little because she was still certain they wouldn't make it to their destination.

“So, where are we headed now?” She asked curiously, glancing over at Taker and wondered if he would tell her or simply keep her in suspense.

“If I told you, I would have to kill you.” He drawled, ignoring her scowl.

Reaching forward, Taker pulled one of the maps the pilot and him had charted off a small folding tray that attached to the pilot's seat. He unfolded it and passed it over to her. If Lavani could read it, she'd know where they were going. He leaned back comfortably in his seat, not worried at all. Taker had actually been on worse planes than this one. That and he figured if he died, at least the company was good.

After reading over the map for a bit, Lavani just gave up and tossed it to the side, snorting. She never could read a map to save her life. Lavani ignored Taker when he looked over at her and leaned her own seat back, letting out a loud yawn. Wherever he was taking her, it was definitely across a body of water and far away from John.

She just wanted to be completely alone with Taker and never go back to the WWE, but knew that couldn't happen.  He loved his job far too much and, honestly, so did she...when it was with him and not John Bradshaw Layfield.  Closing her eyes, Lavani drifted off to sleep, exhausted from the events that happened at the bed and breakfast.

Just like the night before, Lavani slept through the entire trip, which was probably a good thing since they did encounter some choppy weather and the pilot had to fly low over the rough waters. When they landed, Taker didn't bother waking her, knowing a prearranged vehicle was waiting and she would sleep through the short drive. He had already laid out plenty of other false trails for Layfield to follow, providing the man even bothered looking for her, so he wasn't overly worried about being found.

On the ride from the airport, Lavani slowly opened her eyes, blinking several times to adjust her eyesight and slowly looked up at Taker.  They were in a limousine, which was definitely out of character for Taker, but Lavani wasn't questioning it.  How she slept through Taker carrying her from the plane to the limousine was beyond her, Lavani was more tired than she thought apparently.

“We almost there?” Lavani asked quietly, snuggling against his side and wrapped an arm around his waist.

Nodding, rather enjoying the view out the window, Taker looked down at her. “If we were running, where do you think everyone would look first?” He asked with a slight smile. “Texas...Florida...Mississippi.”

Why on earth she had moved there? He still couldn't fathom. Taker hadn't done any southern or southeast states, instead opting for the boring as hell Midwest, glad they weren't making a permanent residence. Taker planted a kiss on the top of her head, knowing all this travelling was exhausting for her as she had probably never recovered properly from her Japan trip.

“You'll see it once we clear these trees.”

When they pulled up to a two story small house that was surrounded by what looked like woods -A deer in the front yard confirmed that-, Lavani knew Taker had given this a lot of thought.  The body of water they had been crossing before she fell asleep was one of the four lakes of Michigan.  They were currently in Wisconsin, on the border of Canada, so it was chilly.  She stepped out of the limousine, looking up at the house and had a feeling this was one of Taker's many places he owned throughout the country.

“This is...interesting.” Lavani finally commented, looking back at him and felt him take her hand before guiding her toward the front door, both of them stepping inside.

“This is not what you expected from me, you can say it.” Taker said with a shrug, looking around.

He had bought this property on a whim, never intending to actually use it. At least, not the house. He had been considering tearing the building down and using the land for something, perhaps establishing some sort of hunting lodge or hunting resort. Taker might still do that eventually, once he retired from the WWE. Taking Lavani by the hand, he led her towards the house, knowing the driver would place their bags on the porch.

“It's temporary.”

Living room, kitchen, dining room, a bathroom and then the bedrooms were upstairs.  She didn't mind that too much.  For a kidnapping, Taker didn't take any chances and Lavani admired him for it, releasing his hand to look around while he paid the driver.  The front door shutting signaled they were completely alone with no Mrs. O'Hearn, no pilots and no drivers. 

Just them.

“I commend you.” Lavani turned around to look at him and smiled when Taker took her into his arms, wrapping her arms around his muscular neck, their foreheads pressed together. “So...me being captive by you, what do you have planned, my captor?”

“I'm going to lock you in the basement and then demand a ransom.” He deadpanned, maintaining the stoic expression for only a few seconds before smiling, his teeth flashing at her in pure amusement. “I will admit, tying you up doesn't sound half bad...”

Taker could very easily see Lavani tied up with silk scarves, completely at his mercy...Taker had to think about other things before he inadvertently started teasing himself. Lavani snorted, pulling away from him and headed straight for the kitchen, her stomach rumbling.  She learned how to cook while living in Mississippi, thanks to her reliable neighbor, Mary.

“I bet it doesn't. I hope you have this place stocked up with food.” Lavani said over her shoulder while sifting through the cabinets, fridge and freezer, thankful he did. 

This wasn't the ideal kidnapping. Though Lavani knew if Taker wanted to, he could make it real in a heartbeat.  He loved her, yes, but that didn't mean he wouldn't gain revenge for what she did to him two years ago by leaving without hearing him out first regarding Tracy.

“What do you want to eat?”

“You.” He rumbled, having followed her, completely unaware of the thoughts flickering through her mind.

Truth be told, he had considered tormenting her a bit for leaving him. She would definitely deserve it all things considered. Leaving him because she had believed a lying cunt that had been paid off by two people Lavani had known were out to fuck with him.

She hadn't even given him the benefit of doubt, but he wasn't going to do that. One, he loved her, for some reason he couldn't even begin to fathom. Two, she had her manipulative moments and Taker wasn't about to play a game with her. Now, if she left him again over something so incredibly stupid...all bets were off.

“When did you learn how to cook?”

“Living in Mississippi changed a lot of things about me and enhanced my cooking ability.  My neighbor actually taught me.” Lavani stated while pulling out a package of pork chops from the freezer, tossing them on the counter and knew Taker was right behind her. 

Lavani could feel him and smiled when his arms wrapped around her waist, his face burying in her neck.  If he didn't want her to cook until later, that was fine, but Lavani was incredibly hungry considering she had slept most of the way here.  Turning around, Lavani pushed herself up to sit on the kitchen counter, Taker standing between her legs.

“You know, I was thinking that we should give John a call, just to make him believe even more that the kidnapping is legit.  He's going to expect mind games from you and what better way than letting him hear me screaming over the phone?  What do you think, too much?”

Green eyes glimmered cruelly as Taker looked up at the kitchen clock over the sink, a wicked smile curving his lips, before he looked back down at her. “About ten minutes ago, he got a voicemail...I'm sure he'll be returning the call.”

On a disposable cell phone that was sitting besides the scrambler he had purchased just for this. The cell phone had been bought in Layfield's hometown, which Taker had found an amusing little touch, and he knew when Layfield tried tracing it through the sales channel, which he would, it would only lead him right back to himself. Jay had definitely had his uses and was probably expecting to go to jail any day now as an accomplice.

“Of course you would.” Lavani chortled, reaching up to cup his face in her hands, smiling widely. “No wonder I love you so much.”

Taker brushed his lips against hers and Lavani stopped him from pulling away, gently gliding her lips over his, deepening it just a little.  They both groaned when the phone did indeed ring, effectively destroying this moment between them.  Lavani wanted John Bradshaw Layfield dead and knew Taker would get the job done, nodding when he held his finger up, telling her to be silent before answering the phone in his wicked voice.  It sent a full body shiver coursing through her and Lavani couldn't hold it back even if she tried.

Chapter 25

“Where the hell is she?!”

Taker had put the call on speaker, letting Lavani hear just how pissed off Layfield was, mentally rolling his eyes. Pissed off, yet, had the man done anything to try to save her? No, he hadn't. Taker tried not sounding amused, raising an eyebrow when Lavani did the cut throat motion to him, smirking.

“She's a bit...busy, at the moment.” He said in a deep, dark baritone.

“If you've harmed one hair on her-”

“What happens if I've harmed every hair, hmm?”

“You son of a bitch!”

John was not starting this negotiation thing off on the right foot.

Lavani didn't move from the counter and couldn't help finding all of this amusing, especially the anger in John's voice.  The amusement glimmered in her toffee eyes.  Did the man honestly think he had a chance with her?  Poor fool, karma was about to bite John right on his ass and this was just step one of it happening.  When Taker held out the phone to her, Lavani knew this was her moment and smirked at Taker, crooking her finger at him.

“John!!  J-John, help me please!!” Undoing the belt on his jeans, Lavani yanked it through the hoops smoothly before folding it once, snapping it together. “STOP IT!!  PLEASE STOP IT!!” She then whacked the counter as hard as she could with the belt, the smacks echoing into the phone clearly. “JOHN!!”

Oh this was too much fun, Lavani was going to thoroughly enjoy screwing with her 'boss' for the duration of this kidnapping. On the other end of the line, Bradshaw was suddenly having a flashback to the Ministry days. He could quite clearly remember Taker lashing the hell out of Jay’s back with a whip, on camera live, that had been just how little disregard he had for other people. Given his and Lavani's complicated history and the fact that she had finally emerged with his enemy, she was in trouble.

“What do you want?!”

“I've got what I want. It's bleeding right before my eyes.” Taker watched in amusement as she snapped the belt again, letting out another piercing scream. She had his vote for best actress.

“Anything, you can have anything!” John shouted in a panic.

“Anything?”

Lavani stopped in midair, ready to hit the belt against the counter again, when Taker held his hand up.  The negotiations were underway officially.  When John began stuttering, Lavani decided to pressure him a little bit, eyes narrowing. One way or another, she was going to make him agree to anything Taker wanted, come hell or high water.

“John, please...” Lavani gasped out, sounding out of breath and in excruciating pain. “H-He's g-going to hit me again...if you don't...no...NO!!”

When John bellowed out over the phone, Lavani brushed her lips against Taker's before jumping off the counter, knowing they had bent John to anything they wanted.  What they wanted was the title and Lavani's contract. Taker made himself sound just a hint out of breath, as if he had put all his considerable strength in 'beating' Lavani, letting Layfield's imagination run wild with the minute details of that. When Layfield repeated anything, Taker curled his upper lip, turning to lean back against the counter and took the cell off speaker.

It was time to get what they wanted.

At this point, John was willing to give up anything, though he hesitated when Taker said Lavani's contract. That was a bit counterproductive to him trying to get her back and away from Taker. Now the idiot sprouted a brain stem, Taker pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on already.

“Let me put it this way, Bradshaw, if you don't put it on the line, then any chance of getting her back is gone. This is your one and only opportunity.”

John hesitated again, knowing Taker wasn't about to give him a second alternative. “Fine, damn it.”

“Your title will also be on the line.”

“What?!”

Lavani had to leave the kitchen in order to stifle giggles, having heard John even off of speaker phone and knew he wasn't happy with those stipulations.  She didn't care, it was time for that strap to be around Taker's waist anyway.  Grabbing her bag, Lavani headed down the hallway toward the bathroom to change into something more comfortable.

Trusting Taker wholeheartedly without having to be in the room to overhear the entire conversation, Lavani left him with the negotiating.  Even if Taker did betray her, Lavani would deserve it and decided to enjoy the time she had with him now. Hoping they could go back to the way things were before Tracy entered their lives and screwed everything up, Lavani gritted her teeth, wanting to kill her.

“Stupid bitch.” She muttered, knowing she was probably hopping on John's dick and snorted in disgust.

Even after John swore up and down to both his stipulations, Taker had feigned hesitance, finally saying draw everything up and gave the cretin an address he could mail everything too. Lavani's Mississippi address, which Layfield would eventually catch when he wasn't so desperate and not thinking irrationally.

Mary would receive the paperwork since she was the one who kept watch of Lavani's home and all that. He would have Lavani give Mary a forwarding address, it sounded so simple. All this backtracking and circles would have been annoying if Taker wasn't enjoying this game so much with Layfield.

Stepping out, Lavani decided to tease Taker a little, wearing the 'Embrace the Darkness' t-shirt he'd given her to wear the night he abducted her from the Faction.  She remembered that night well and decided to wear just panties underneath, no bra, since the shirt swam on her and went to her knees.  She padded back into the kitchen and saw Taker was off the phone, not bothering to ask him if everything was settled. 

He would handle the business while she relaxed, it was definitely not something Lavani was used to.  Opening the fridge, Lavani took out the milk and butter before pulling out two boxes of Velveeta macaroni & cheese to go with the pork chops, something quick and easy. Arching an eyebrow, Taker watched as she started dinner, taking in what she wore.

More importantly, what she wasn't wearing...no pants and no bra...Taker could definitely tell she was not wearing a bra. Teasing wench...Stifling back a growl, he got in the fridge and retrieved himself a beer, setting down at the table to watch her. After a few drinks, he removed his shirt, which wasn't anything unusual since he didn't like anything constraining his chest or neck.

That’s why his preference usually was open vests or button up shirts, they weren’t constricting. When Lavani walked by him, he lifted the shirt, his curiosity getting the better of him and sighed with relief. She was wearing panties, so she wasn’t a total tease then.

“Mmm.” Taker rumbled, lightly slapping her ass before letting her continue cooking.

Lavani squealed out softly when he did that and smacked his arm lightly, only for him to pull her so she straddled his lap. Wrapping one arm around her waist, their foreheads pressed together.  He still made her breathless and Lavani was thankful the water wasn't boiling yet and the pork chops were already in the oven. 

She had a few minutes to play, running her hands up and down his chest before beginning to massage his tense shoulders, their eyes locking. She gestured to the t-shirt she wore, thoroughly enjoying touching his bare flesh. Lavani knew she would need a fresh change of panties before the night was out.

“I was wondering if you'd remember this.”

“I remember when I gave it to you.” Taker murmured, relaxing under her touch and rested his hands on her hips, kneading slow circles with his thumbs.

Also, a bit cunningly, Taker pushed the material up higher and higher, smirking when she finally looked down to find he had gotten it up around her waist. That was quite a bit of material. He slid his hands under the shirt and up over her flat stomach until he was cupping her breasts in his palms, leaning forward to kiss her. When he felt her melting into him, Taker withdrew his hands and glanced at the stove, arching an eyebrow.

“Shouldn't you be cooking, woman?” She wasn't the only one who could tease.

“You're a putz.” Lavani growled, smacking him on the chest and slid off his lap teasingly, pulling the t-shirt down to go back to cooking. 

He would be lucky if she let him get underneath her panties tonight after that stunt.  Stirring the noodles into the boiling water, Lavani checked the pork chops before pulling out a bottle of wine she found in the fridge.  Sangria.  This man had one hell of a memory and it made Lavani love him even more, even though he could be a teasing jerk at times.

Smirking, Taker finished his beer, discarding the can with a well aimed throw before getting up to get another, knowing a few weren't going to have any effect on him. He was a large guy, it took quite a bit to get him drunk and beer was not usually the best way to go about that. He halted behind Lavani and slid the can up under her shirt, feeling her moving away from him, even though he hadn't touched it against her bare skin yet.

“What was that darlin'?” Taker murmured, bending down to kiss the side of her throat. “A putz?”

“If you don't want a burnt dinner, I suggest you remove that can from my back immediately.” It was a half-assed threat, but the best Lavani could come up with at the time. “And yes, you're a putz for teasing me like that.” Reaching up, Lavani tried reaching a wine class out of the cabinet, sighing when Taker did it for her, dangling it in her face. “Thanks.” She muttered, setting it down and cracked open the bottle of wine, pouring herself a healthy dose, still not turning to face him.

Considering she had been teasing him since getting here, Taker considered this some payback. However, he was hungry for actual food so he retreated. There were two filled ice trays in the freezer, he would get her later and show her just how pleasurable a little cold could be.

Backing off, Taker let Lavani have her wine and began setting the table, suddenly hesitating. This was...domesticated and her comment about getting married came flooding back to him in a rush, causing Taker to lose himself in thought. Thinking about the same thing, Lavani wondered what it would be like to marry Taker -Mark- and be his wife. Downing half the wine, Lavani went back to fixing the macaroni & cheese, draining the noodles since they were done just as the oven went off.

She slowly sipped her wine while fingering her necklace, hating that she told him what she was thinking.  What if it scared him off?  Granted, Taker didn't scare easily, but that didn't mean he wouldn't leave her.

‘Damn it, I screwed up AGAIN.’ She thought miserably.

“When we get married, I want a bigger kitchen.” He announced out of the blue, whirling around when he heard Lavani cursing and stepped forward, frowning at the sight of the macaroni noodles all over the bottom of the sink. “I thought we already had the shock out of the way?” Taker leaned against the counter, turning on the cold water in the other basin and pulled her hand beneath it, spotting a burn on the side of her hand. “Sorry, Vani, didn't mean to startle you.”

“You haven't even proposed to me and you're already talking about getting married.  Forgive me if it shocks me every time you bring it up.” Lavani stated, hissing out when the cold water came in contact with the small burn and used her free hand to spoon the noodles back into the strainer. “A bigger kitchen would be nice.” She added softly, slowly pulling her hand from the water and poured the strained noodles back in the pot before walking over to set it on the stove again.

“Hey now darlin', you're the one who brought up the marriage bit.” Taker reminded her.

Moving out of her way so she didn't drop anything else or throw something at him, Taker knew he’d thrown Lavani for a loop and didn’t mean to. Taker's eyes narrowed as he considered the marriage thing. He wondered if she would honestly expect him to get down on one knee and do the whole romantic proposal gesture.

“You're going to marry me, Lavani.” He announced finally, making it known he wasn't asking.

She stopped stirring the cheese into the pot and stood there, finally stopping before slowly turning to face him.  The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know and more.  She had no choice in the matter, marriage was his way of locking her down beside him for the rest of their lives so she couldn't escape him again.

“Is that your subtle way of proposing to me then?” Lavani retorted, folding her arms in front of her chest and tilted her head slightly, regarding him for a few seconds. “Well?”

Dear god in heaven the woman was going to make him propose properly!

Growling in exasperation, Taker reached out to grab her by the upper arms, pulling her against him. “If that's how you wish to look at it, then yes.” He said gruffly, staring down at her. “You won't get a one knee proposal from me, Lavani. Nor will you get a ‘I can't live without you’ speech. You already know I refuse to live without you.”

She wasn't running from him again, Taker wouldn't allow it and he also knew she was it for him. Lavani had ruined him for other women completely. Taker knew he had ruined her for other men, he rather liked that. The fact neither of them hadn’t had sex with anybody else in the two years they were apart just proved to him further that they truly belonged together.

“I didn't expect you to get on one knee.  We've never done anything in the traditional sense.  I just didn't...I had to know if this was it.  Me standing here in the t-shirt you gave me two years ago, cooking a half-assed dinner after being 'kidnapped'.” She did the quotes with her fingers, staring deep into his eyes. “You already know what my answer is, Mark.  I just wanted to know if we were engaged and didn't want to push you into something you might not be ready for.”

Lavani was both worried about the timing and making him feel coerced as well as location. He supposed he could have been a bit better on the timing. No woman was keen on being told she was getting married rather she liked it or not. Alright, so he had a jackass moment, but Lavani knew he was a very volatile man.

“Since when do I allow myself to be pushed into anything?” Taker snorted, bending down until his forehead was gently pressed against hers. “I want you, Lavani, in all ways. When everything is settled and we're both ready...” He'd be sliding a ring on her finger, looking down at her hand and immediately began mentally designing her ring.

Taker had a secret hobby...he enjoyed designing jewelry.

“Just call it we're engaged and be done with it.” Lavani stated almost exasperatedly, fingering his goatee and kissed him softly before lightly smacking his cheek a few times. “Now stop distracting me so we can eat before I starve to death.”

When he chuckled and smacked her ass, Lavani shook her head and turned around to continue stirring the macaroni & cheese before taking the breaded pork chops out.  Shake-N-Bake was definitely her friend tonight.  She set the table, piling the plates with food and both of them took their seats at the table to eat.

Chapter 26

Women, Taker would never understand them.

It was obvious they were, for all wants and purposes, engaged, she just had to hear him say it. He hadn't and wouldn't, he didn't see the need to state the obvious. If he could have put a semi-permanent tattoo on her forehead that said 'in a committed relationship', he might've considered having it done. Once she had started eating, Taker did too, smirking slightly to himself. Just wait...he eventually was going to inform her he wanted enough sons to start his own basketball team.

If Taker thought he was having a basketball team full of sons, he was out of his mind.  Lavani was not good with kids, never had been.  She would have two at the most and it wouldn't be for quite awhile.  They definitely had to talk about everything before getting married and making this huge commitment to each other. 

Once dinner was finished, Lavani cleaned up while Taker went to the bedroom, both of them exhausted from the trip.  She did the dishes, cleared off the table, counter and stove before shutting the lights off, padding toward the bedroom to join him.  They were completely alone, just the two of them, and Lavani didn't want it any other way.

While she had been downstairs cleaning his kitchen, Taker had been drawing her a bath. He did have romantic moments and, as far as being a kidnapper went, he was undoubtedly the worst one in history. When she padded into the bedroom, he walked over to take Lavani by the hands, gently guiding her into the bathroom.

They were both tired from the trip and Taker knew love making could wait until they were better rested. Right now, he wanted to relax her and himself. He had used her favorite bubble bath, scattered a few candles about the room and kept the lights off. It wasn't anything overly fancy, but it would do.

It was a rather large tub with jets in it, which were already going, building the bubbles and aroma of lilacs throughout the bathroom.  It was so beautiful.  Lavani felt Taker's hands push her t-shirt up until his hands came in contact with the smooth skin of her sides, leaning back against him. 

His touch felt amazing.

Lavani couldn't help melting against him every time his hands came in contact with her.  Once her shirt was off, Taker turned her around to brush his lips against hers and Lavani reached out to unsnap his jeans, the belt already off from earlier.  She pushed them down and then allowed him to remove her panties before taking his hand.

Walking up the few steps, Lavani stepped into the tub with him following, bubbles instantly engulfing her. Taker sank down behind her, inwardly wincing at how hot the water was, but she enjoyed rather hot baths, so he'd suffer in silence. He reached out to pull Lavani back against his chest, running his wet hands down her arms until he could lace his fingers with hers, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

“If kidnapping is the way to get a vacation like this...I'm going to be doing it more often.” Taker murmured, knowing no 'kidnapping' would be required once he had beaten John Layfield into a vegetative state.

“I look forward to it.”

Lavani moaned, snuggling against him and reached up to turn the faucet off once the tub was filled, leaving the jets on though.  She moved to straddle his lap, running water up his muscular chest and shoulders, sighing when he captured her lips in a passionate kiss.  Lavani broke it and pressed her finger to his lips, toffee eyes darkening to a chocolate brown swirling with desire.

“As your prisoner, I think I'm required to give you anything you want,” She paused, brushing against him and could feel how hard he was beneath the water. “So tell me what you want from me and I'll do it.”

Talking was overrated and he showed her what he wanted, his hands disappearing beneath the water. Taker raised her ever so slightly, one hand guiding himself until he was pressing against her. He stared down at her, seeing her lips curved into a little pout and then leaned back, draping his arms along the edge of the tub. Hmm, maybe talking wasn't overrated because she did look like she wanted to be told a few things.

“Ride me, Vani.” Taker ordered, feeling her hands pressing against his chest.

Whatever he wanted, Lavani gave him with a smile on her face, both of them using the tub to their advantage.  Two hours later, they lay in the huge king sized bed wrapped in each other's arms completely naked.  Her head rested against his chest over his heart, an arm draped over his waist while his hand ran up and down her spine, his cheek pressed against the top of her wet head.

“This is perfect.” She whispered, snuggling further against him and never wanted to move as Taker pulled the comforter up over both of them. “Mark, I don't want to wait to marry you.” Slowly looking up to meet his eyes, Lavani smiled as she ran the pad of her thumb across his lips. “I want to be your wife as soon as possible.”

Well that wasn't exactly what he had been expecting to hear so soon, not after them both stating the need to wait earlier. However, Taker wasn't going to deny he wasn't pleased to hear it. He held her tightly against him, catching her thumb between his lips and then let go, bending down to kiss her forehead.

“Before we go back to work, we will be married.” He promised quietly. “If that's what you truly want.” Taker was giving her the option of changing her mind, not about marrying him, but the time.

~!~

Over the next few weeks, so many things had happened and that included getting married to Taker.  It was a small ceremony, they had found a chapel in the town they were currently in and were wedded.  She wore a long sleeved white dress that went to her knees while Taker wore black jeans with a black thermal long sleeved shirt.  It was simple, sweet and to the point. 

Taker had gotten a beautiful ring made for her and it actually matched the necklace she wore.  The stone was all different colors, pure diamond and set on a silver band.  It was a multicolored stone that was in the shape of a teardrop, everything about it related to her. 

She was now Mrs. Mark Calaway/Mrs. Undertaker and it felt amazing.  It was the night before they were supposed to go back on the road and Lavani was in the bedroom packing up their things, deep in thought about what was to come.  She just hoped everything went according to plan because, if John found out she was married to Taker before the right time, the whole plan would go up in smoke.

If John found out she was married to him before the plan went through, he would do one of three things. He would either walk away, knowing he had been played and count himself fortunate that he was still breathing. He would seek revenge and try to harm Lavani as a way to both punish her and get to Taker. Or, he would point blank refuse to budge on the contract/title match and continue being a pain in Taker's ass.

The second two options were sure fire ways to wind up dead. He walked into the bedroom, freezing in the door to stare at her. His wife. Lavani was his wife. Taker folded his arms over his chest, just watching her, hoping this wasn’t a dream. Lavani had stopped to stare down at the ring, hardly believing it was true. 

She didn't feel any marriage remorse setting in, Taker was her soul mate and always had been.  Even with Vince trying to keep her away from him during his Ministry Days and barely succeeding to do so, going so far as to toss his daughter at Taker for storyline purposes instead of her, they still wound up together.  Everything about the ring on her finger felt right and Lavani couldn't help smiling. Admiring how it glittered on her finger under the bedroom light, Lavani moved it back and forth to see the different colors reflecting.

When Taker realized what she was doing, he felt himself beginning to smile. He wore a simple wedding band, not about to sport anything overly gaudy like he had seen other married men do. Married men, he was married and he glanced down at his own plain ring, on the inside her name etched along with the date of their marriage in the metal. He walked up behind her, encircling her waist with his arms and watched her continue to admire her ring.

“Like it?” Taker chuckled, knowing she did.

“Of course I do, like I wouldn't?” Lavani retorted, not able to wipe the smile from her face. She was Taker's wife.

It was crazy, wonderful and surreal all at the same time. 

Leaning back against him, Lavani felt his lips and nose brush against her neck, letting her eyes drift shut at the incredible sensation of the little hairs from his goatee tickling her soft flesh.  Nobody ever made her feel the way Taker did and nobody ever would. One of the many reasons why she wanted to marry him, to be bound to him, even after death.

“If you don't stop distracting me, I'm never going to get this packing done.” Not that she wanted to because Lavani really did not want to go back on the road, just wanting to stay nestled here with her husband for the rest of their days. “I love you honey, but you're a distraction and we have a very early flight.”

Hell, her ring was also a distraction, but Lavani wasn't about to say that aloud, smirking when Taker merely pointed to the ring on her finger before continuing his assault on her neck. That ring was the distraction, how dare she insinuate that he could be the reason she wasn't thinking or operating on her full mental capacity. Taker smirked slightly against her skin, hearing her exasperated sigh and finally pulled away.

“Fine, finish what you were doing.” He mock sighed, shaking his head dejectedly. “Not even married a week and already you're telling me no.” He couldn't resist the jibe, laughing outright when Lavani whirled around to stare up at him, her mouth open. Chuckling, he tapped her chin lightly. “Flies will get in, darlin'.”

Raising a slow brow, Lavani suddenly pushed the suitcase full of neatly folded clothes off the bed to the floor and reached up to bring her husband's lips crashing down on hers.  Her husband.  Lavani still couldn't get over it, giggling against his lips when Taker instantly took over the kiss, her back landing on the bed moments later. 

There was no way she could deny him anything and the packing could definitely wait until later.  She wouldn't get any sleep and neither would he, but sleep was overrated quite frankly.  Lavani felt her shirt being removed and blinked when Taker suddenly pulled back, leaning up on her elbows with swollen lips and darkened caramel eyes.

“NOW who is refusing who, dear husband of mine?”

“Me.” Taker snickered, grunting when two tiny fists came crashing down on his chest and immediately caught them. “Domestic assault? Really, Vani?” He drawled, pulling her against him before rolling onto his back, taking her with him.

He let go of Lavani's wrists in order to slide his hands down her back until he was cupping her ass in his palms, arching his hips against her. Married, they were married. He could repeat that to himself a hundred times, which he had, plus some so far, and it still seemed surreal.

“You are impossible, I hope you know that.” Lavani grunted, her golden auburn hair pooling around both their faces in a curtain, and kissed him passionately until they were both breathless. “I love you, but you are truly impossible.” Tapping his cheek lightly, Lavani hopped up from his lap and left him laying there while she picked the suitcase up, beginning to refold the clothes. “Why don't you go hop in the shower while I finish this up?” She suggested, both of them already having a wonderful steak dinner earlier and had actually fell asleep curled up on the couch for a few hours afterwards. 

Food comatose was a bitch.

He arched an eyebrow, considering that. Finally, Taker simply nodded, rolling off the bed and onto his feet. Taker stretched his arms over his head, hearing something popping in his back and let out a contented sigh. He was a bit glad they were going back on the road, it meant no more home cooked meals.

Lavani would wind up making him fat with her cooking and desserts; he was less inclined to work out when he was around her. Unless, of course, she was in the nearby vicinity watching. Taker remembered quite well how she used to stare at him when he was working out, or warming up for a match, the thought bringing a slight smile to his lips.

Lavani couldn't help thinking back to the time she went to work out and Taker had scared her, making her punch him in the chest.  It was one of the many times she saw a different side to him, a side she wanted to get to know better and see more often, which she had.  Of course, she didn't like the fact he'd gone back to his Deadman persona with the black hair. 

As gorgeous as he was, no matter what, Lavani missed his deep auburn red hair and his whole biker look.  Granted, he still dressed like that, but it just wasn't the same and the fact he had to wear black eyeliner...it just didn't seem natural to her.  Lavani finished packing and zipped the bag, already in her sleeping attire and climbed into bed, shutting the light off.  Tomorrow was going to be very tense and stressful, she was going to need all the sleep she could get, as well as Taker.

Long after his new wife had fallen asleep, Taker remained awake, laying quietly on his back. One hand beneath his head, Taker stared up at the ceiling in the darkness, the other wrapped tenderly around her. Lavani lay on her side, her head resting on his shoulder, one of her arms draped over him.

Taker would never move because he didn't want to wake her, but he was glad the numbness had gone past tingling into nothing because that had been irritating. Going back to work no longer seemed high on his list of priorities. He rather liked how things were now and could just imagine all the ways Layfield could mess this up. His eyes narrowed, knowing the gentler side he had displayed openly for her was about to be shelved until this was resolved.

Chapter 27

“So this is the plan huh?  You're just gonna keep me locked up in hotel rooms under false names until the pay-per-view?”

At first, Taker wanted to leave her at the house by herself where they'd been blissfully happy in their perfect bubble with their perfect married life.  But Lavani refused to do that and told him that she would follow even if he tried forcing her to stay.  She wanted to be with her husband.  Taker finally agreed under the stipulation that she do it on HIS terms.  Boy was she regretting that now.

“Mark, I know you're just trying to protect me, but what the hell am I supposed to do being cooped up like this?  I'm gonna go INSANE, the pay-per-view isn't for another TWO weeks!!”

That wasn't his problem.

Taker had wanted her to stay at the house, hidden away. She would have had plenty to do then. This was her choice with his stipulations attached. Lavani had willingly, albeit naively, agreed to his terms. Very blind on her part, Lavani knew he could be a bastard when the situation called for it.

“Vani, darlin', if you go with me, there's always that very slim chance Layfield will get his hands on you.” Taker reminded her, feeling like they had had this argument already.

Oh wait, they had, three times in fact. While he was generally very confident in his abilities to protect her and keep her safe without all these added measures, the playing field had been changed. Taker was not leaving a single thing to chance, not when it came to the safety and security of his wife.

“When are you going to stop treating me like a porcelain doll?” Lavani's toffee eyes narrowed to slits when Taker very blatantly replied with 'never'. “Whatever.”

Mumbling, Lavani shoved the bag of clothes on the floor and flopped on the bed stomach first, burying her face in a pillow with her arms beneath it.  This was going to royally suck.  Granted, she would see Taker on a daily basis and sleep with him at night, but he was taking things a bit too far.  This pay-per-view couldn't come soon enough because, not only would everything go back to the way it used to be -for the most part-, but Lavani would finally get her revenge by beating the hell out of Tracy.

While Taker said never, he knew that didn't necessarily mean she was a porcelain doll. The woman was made of tougher material than most men and he acknowledged that. What she lacked in physical strength and power, she made up for ten times over in brains and deviousness.

Example: her grand mind manipulation on him, the master of mind games. He fully expected her to go behind his back and show up at an arena, or something else along those lines. Sighing, Taker watched as she basically pouted on the hotel bed and sat down on the edge of it, reaching out to place his hand on her back.

“I'm sorry, but you can't really blame me for wanting to be near you, especially after getting married and everything. I know I'm in trouble if John gets his hands on me again so...” Lavani hated admitting when she was wrong, but in this case she figured she owed him one. “Fine, I'll stay here while you handle business with John and the cunt. But come the pay-per-view, I AM getting my hands on her.” When Taker just nodded, Lavani was satisfied with that and moved to sit on her knees in front of him, accepting a soft kiss. “Get going before you're late.”

She shoved him lightly before slipping from the bed, walking over to stare out the window.  They weren't staying in the same hotel as the WWE because that would've just been suicidal to do, especially with all of John's connections.  They were in another hell hole place, where they both felt comfortable and didn't have to worry about anyone tracking them down.

“Hurry back and be careful.”

Hesitant, Taker knew this wasn't easy for her, hell it wasn't easy for him. There was a new possessiveness, a new sense of wanting to be with her, and Taker knew it was because they were now married. Lavani was his wife and he wanted her at his side, she wanted to be there. Right now, it just couldn't be.

He wanted to go take her in his arms again, but knew that wouldn't get him out the door any quicker. It would only make it harder when he did have to leave. Inwardly steeling himself, he called out a soft 'I love you' before walking out the door. Come the pay-per-view time, she could be there because that would be when everything with Layfield and Slutface –Taker’s new pet name for Tracy, which Lavani wholeheartedly approved- ended. Until then, they were both going to have to suffer.

Smackdown! was being broadcast live tonight instead of taped due to Taker's return. Lavani had ordered some food down the road, mostly junk, and currently laid on the bed with a hot fudge sundae.  She wore just a camisole with boy cut panties, both light blue, and watched as John made his entrance with the limo. 

Lavani wanted to light the damn thing on fire because she knew who was also in that limo with him.  Tracy was going to pay as the whore stepped out, both of them looking rather smug.  Lavani hadn't realized she'd been holding the spoon so hard, she actually bent it a little and cursed, not taking her eyes off the screen.

John was not a happy camper. He had poured quite a bit of his wealth and used numerous resources to track Taker down, knowing when he found Taker, he found Lavani. For all his money, all the resources, all he had come up with was a lot of dead ends.

That told him Taker had been planning on kidnapping HIS woman for quite some time and had obviously gone through a bit of trouble to make sure his tracks were covered. The bastard had led John on a merry little chase, but the chase was over. If Taker was here tonight, then Lavani probably was as well. That thought had him smug, John already had people scouring the arena.

Layfield was an idiot.

Of course John would be smug enough to actually think Taker would allow Lavani to come to the arenas with him.  The man was definitely daft to be a self-made millionaire. Lavani shook her head, having grabbed a different spoon and poured more chocolate syrup in her sundae while John started running off at the mouth in the ring.

Tracy stood there in her short skirt that practically showed her ass and a sleeveless top that made her breasts look as though they were going to pop out, the buttons threatening to give way against them.  Of course John would get her a boob job, anything to keep her on his side.  Lavani's new goal was to pop one of those implants once she got her hands on Tracy, smiling wickedly at the thought.  Her eyes lit up when the lights suddenly went out and the familiar sound of bells began tolling, sending shivers down her back.

Taker stood behind John and Tracy, inwardly rolling his eyes at the shrill shrieks the newly enhanced whore was letting loose. It was good to know that she had marked the value of her life as high as a breast enhancement because she had definitely put it in jeopardy the day she set foot in his ring and unleashed her spiteful lies. Her death was going to be much easier than he had thought, obviously the woman really was a true money-hungry, idiotic bimbo.

When the lights came on and Tracy turned, she nearly pissed herself, grabbing onto John like he could somehow protect her, completely forgetting he hadn't even been able to save Lavani. If only Lavani could be there, she would've shown Tracy the TRUE meaning of fear.  Sitting up on her knees, Lavani took another spoonful of sundae and knew instantly her boy cut panties were about to be ruined, courtesy of her husband's unbelievably sexy voice.

“WHERE IS SHE?” John just kept bellowing, ignoring Tracy's trembling, his eyes locked on pure acid green.

Tracy's eyes nearly shot out of their sockets when Taker took the microphone, gesturing between him and John, wondering what THAT meant. For a moment, Taker wished he wasn't playing the Deadman persona because he had a lot of rather mean lewd things to say right about now. They were all aimed at the life-sized Barbie doll currently hiding behind Layfield.

As it was, Taker saved them for later, when he wouldn't totally be blowing his character on-screen. Knowing Lavani was watching, he allowed himself to feel a hint of satisfaction as he purposefully lowered his voice, making it deep than usual, darker. If Tracy weren't so terrified, she would have creamed too.

“Ask yourself this, is she worth your soul?” Taker watched impassively as John's eyes widened.

Lavani was doing a little more than creaming at the moment and knew Taker was doing it on purpose, eyes narrowing slightly.

“W-What are you talkin' about, Deadman?  Cut with the crap, where is she?!” John demanded, sounding petrified even though he tried not to show it and failed miserably.

Tracy swallowed hard when Taker's eyes merely landed on her and her grip tightened on John's arm more, looking around as smoke began filling the ring, scaring her even more.

Lavani was outright laughing at the look on Tracy's face, wishing she was there in person to witness it.

While the smoke encased him, Taker let the microphone slip from his fingers, though it did pick up his last word. “Mine...”

That was ambitious, as it could have applied to Lavani, Bradshaw's soul, that championship belt, a number of things. Taker wasn't surprised to see sweat trickling down John's face as the lights went out again. John had every intention of going back to the technical booth and demanding to know how the hell Taker managed to just appear and disappear the way he did.

He fully expected the Phenom to vanish in the smoke that circled them. What he was not expecting was to find himself suddenly being raised in the air for a choke slam. Tracy was rolling out of the ring at this point, screaming in pure terror, fully expecting to be next. Taker bent down, eyeing his nemesis, very tempted to just snap Bradshaw in half here and now.

“You...me...Summerslam.” He said, not laying it out as a challenge but as a statement of fact.

Layfield would be there in a match with him and everything would be on the line.

John was a smart man and read between the lines, swallowing hard at how much determination filtered through the Phenom's eyes.  He wanted everything.  The title, Lavani and possibly his life at Summerslam.  If John wanted Lavani back, he would have to accept the challenge.  Hell, he didn't have a choice.

Lavani nearly squealed out when Taker drove John down to the mat as hard as he could, the ring shaking slightly and beamed proudly at her man.  Staring down at her wedding ring, Lavani closed her eyes and wished Taker was with her at that moment, hoping everything went the way they wanted.  Summerslam couldn't come fast enough.

How Taker appeared in and out the ring the way he did was no one's business and it wasn't a trick he liked doing every night because, quite frankly, he wasn't getting any younger. Hauling ass to hide, or in tonight's case, completely vanish to play a mind game on Layfield got to be tiresome. He was more intent on his wife, knowing after the arena search Layfield had ordered proved fruitless, there would be a hotel search.

He didn't expect her to be found, considering where they were staying and the number of places they could have been, but... Lavani was his wife, he wasn't taking chances. Not that John would be in any condition to go on the hunt personally tonight. He smiled at the thought, knowing he hadn't softened that blow. If anything, Taker had put all his considerable power into it, the smile very small and dripped with evil.

The second Taker stepped through that door, Lavani immediately jumped into his arms, clinging to him for dear life and didn't say a word.  She knew Taker could take care of himself, but that never stopped her from worrying.  He was her husband, so the worry factor increased tenfold. 

It was amazing what marriage did to a person. 

Taker kissed her and it suddenly exploded as they were both frantic to just tear into each other, the fire between them breathtaking.  She didn't mind that he ripped her boy cut panties off and even the camisole, thankful she hadn't worn a bra.  Lavani had shoved his jeans down with authority, both of them just spilling to the floor, not even making it to the bed. 

Luckily, the floor was carpeting in this place or else that would've really hurt.  No words were spoken between them, their intensity through the sexual encounter speaking volumes. They never made it to the bed, not even after they had torn into each other, now laying on the floor. Both of them were flat on their backs, not touching, just recovering from that intense bout.

Finally, Taker turned his head to the side, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth when he seen her condition, knowing he was probably in a similar state. Then his eyes drifted to the bottle of fudge they must've knocked over when they had rolled into the bedside table. Good thing it was still capped...and he idly wondered if there were any left, feeling that a little chocolate eaten from the right places would be a rather pleasant way of cooling down.

“Darlin', I think I got rug burn on my ass...”

“You were on top, how the hell is that possible?” Lavani shot back, sounding amused and completely satisfied for the moment. 

She moved slowly to lay on her side, propping her head up in her hand with her elbow digging into the carpet.  Toffee eyes glittered with happiness. Lavani hadn't felt this content since the night Taker 'kidnapped' her away from the Faction and brought her to one of these places. Granted, she'd been drunk as a skunk, but managed to remember everything that night for the most part.  Hard to believe all these years later they were together, married and...they hadn't used protection at all.  Lavani moved to snuggle against him, draping her leg over his and rested her head on his chest, his heartbeat relaxing her more.

“I'll tell you how it's possible, when we did that damn rolling thing...” Taker growled, not as amused as she was.

Though, now that he got to thinking about it, she was probably suffering on her ass and the backs of her thighs. Taker made a note to rub some cream onto her later, too content to move just yet. As for protection, it never crossed his mind, she had handled all that before and he figured she was doing so now.

If he had thought about it and knew she wasn't using anything, Taker wouldn't overly care. They had a basketball team to get started on. That many kids was going to take quite some time and a lot of sex.

Chapter 28

Before they knew it, Summerslam had arrived and Lavani was incredibly nervous, though she tried not to show it.  She wore a strapless corset dress that was black and purple, slimming down her body and went to mid-thigh, two inch black knee high boots on her feet with fishnet thigh high nylons.  Her auburn golden hair was curled loosely and hung all around her shoulders and down her back. 

Simple black eyeliner rimmed her eyes and clear gloss painted her lips, her necklace having a deep purple stone that matched her outfit.  Walking over to her husband, Lavani watched as he shadow boxed, her eyes drinking him in, refusing to take her wedding ring off and didn't care who found out about their marriage anymore.  She was Mrs. Mark Calaway and nothing would change that, not even this match, no matter the outcome.

“I love you.”

Taker stopped his shadow boxing, something he rather enjoyed doing in front of her because, even after two years apart, the woman still seemed to think he was a piece of man candy when he did it. He wasn't discouraging that notion. Turning to face her, he pulled the bandana out of the waistband of his bottoms, the top pushed down, leaving his muscular chest and arms bare and used the rag to wipe sweat from his eyes.

“I love you too.” Taker said quietly, eyes dropping to her ring.

He couldn't wear his out to the ring, he wasn't going to risk damaging it or losing it. He had contemplated wearing it around a chain on his neck but wouldn't put it past Layfield to rip it off or something. Walking over to her, he pulled Lavani into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

“It all ends tonight.”

“Thank god.” She whispered, burying her face in his chest and to inhale his scent, but not enough to smudge her face.  They stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but was only mere minutes, getting lost in each other as only they could. “Sorry, didn't mean to distract you.”

Lavani winked, pulling back and cracked a small smile.  He was confident and Lavani knew she should've been, but something told her John had a few tricks up his sleeve.  It didn't matter, they would overcome everything together and Tracy was going to get the beating of her life tonight, which is why Lavani specifically chose steel toed boots to wear. Suddenly smirking wickedly at the thought of all the pain she was about to inflict on her ex-best friend and former roommate, the match couldn’t come fast enough.

She hadn't distracted him with the kiss, but when Taker seen the wicked smirk curving his wife's now slightly swollen delectable lips, he was officially distracted. She looked evil, which was hot, because Lavani wasn't usually a wicked person, unless a person fucked with her or someone she loved. Tracy had gone above and beyond all of that. Taker planned on getting a copy of tonight's match, just so he could go back and play whatever Lavani was going to do repeatedly.

“You can have Tracy, but stay away from Layfield.” He warned, knowing once John realized it hadn't been kidnap only willing participation on her part, the man was probably going to throw his dubious chivalry shtick right out the window.

“She's the only one I'm concerned about. I know you have John handled.” Lavani stated, watching him nod and go back to his shadow boxing while she sat there, thinking of all the different things she could do to destroy Tracy's already ugly mug. 

When it was time to go out there, Lavani suddenly felt a new set of butterflies entering her stomach.  Looping her arm through his, Lavani already knew John and Tracy would enter the arena with his limo so they were safe to be backstage, in sight, without worrying about an ambush.  After John and Tracy stepped into the ring, it was time to make their appearance and Lavani just nodded when Taker asked if she was ready.  The tolling of bells, the smoke filtering down the ramp and aisle. This was it as they stepped through the curtain, the purple light instantly flashing on them as the crowd erupted in a thunderous applause.

Generally, him walking out with his arm through someone else's would have been pretty much the ultimate character breaker. Tonight he wasn't just the Deadman, he was also Mark Calaway, a husband who was not going to let this son of a bitch lay claim to his wife any longer. Not that Layfield knew Lavani was his wife, but still it was a principal thing.

Not to mention Layfield had to suffer for thinking to use Lavani against him, hurting her the way he had with Tracy and for trying to get in Lavani's pants. In the very unlikely event that this match did not go the way he planned it, -it was highly unlikely- he had a contingency plan. Knowing Jay was backstage, ready and waiting to come out and rescue Lavani if she were to need it if Taker was unable to.

“WHAT THE HELL?”

Tracy couldn't believe what she was seeing, her jaw dropped at the sight of Lavani arm in arm with the Undertaker.  Hell, why was she surprised?  They obviously made up during the kidnapping and now...Tracy suddenly paled at the look of pure hatred and anger that crossed Lavani's face.  She was toast.

“Fuck!”

John was irate and it showed as his eyes met Lavani's, so many questions swirling through them.

Lavani merely held up her left hand, the ring sparkling even under the darkened purple lighting and smiled widely when John's eyes nearly shot out of their sockets. ‘You're dead.’ She mouthed, directing that to both John and Tracy.

Dead and already buried, they just didn't know it yet. Taker could see Layfield was dying to start shooting off a million and one questions, but he didn't deserve any answers. He didn't deserve any explanations and, as far as Taker was concerned, after John recovered from the near death experience he was about to have, he could look back on this night and still suffer the indignity of not knowing.

His eyes never left his opponent's as he began removing his leather trench coat. Feeling Lavani behind him, she pulled it down his shoulders, her ring catching the light again. The look on Layfield's face was priceless. The man was going to let his temper override everything else and basically hand himself over if he didn't mind himself.

“I-Is Lavani actually...WITH the Undertaker, WILLINGLY?”

“It appears to be that way, Cole.  WOW, the Undertaker is all business.  JBL is gonna have his hands full tonight, ladies and gentlemen.”

Lavani couldn't agree more as she stepped through the ropes with her husband, Tracy still beside John, and watched as Taker removed his hat before handing it over to her. “Kill him.” She whispered in a deadly voice.

Glaring back at John, Lavani slipped right back through the ropes, landing on her feet. Handing over the leather trench coat and hat to a stagehand, the regular lights made her ring sparkle even more, which would no doubt catch John's eyes more than once throughout this match.  When the bell rang, all bets were off as Taker wasted little time in going after John.

John was expecting and receiving several punches to the chest and face from the best pure striker in their business. Taker had been studying boxing for years. Hence the reason he threw his very real, very painful punches from the shoulder. He would then throw a jab, which wasn't as hard as a punch, but the way it hit left some serious deep bruising that he was already feeling.

When he could breathe again, John inhaled, opening his eyes and realized Taker was at the opposite turnbuckle, preparing to come at him full steam. He darted out of the way at the last minute, turning onto his back to sit up and watch as Taker's own momentum carried him over. That little shit...Taker groaned, his hair brushing the mat for a moment before he lurched backwards, trying to right himself.

The SECOND Tracy started going after Taker, Lavani was on her like white on rice.  Grabbing her by her thick brown hair, Lavani slammed her face first into the ring post.  Her nose was instantly bloody as she slumped to the mats, where she belonged.  Lavani felt John grab her by the shoulder and whipped her around, their eyes locked.

“WHAT THE HELL DO YA THINK YOU'RE DOIN', SLUT?”

“No, that's what you currently have on your arm, Layfield!” Lavani shot back and ducked when she felt Taker coming from behind, clotheslining John into the next century.  John wasn't the only one who had a devastating clothesline that could decapitate someone in an instant.

SLUT? No, Layfield only wished Lavani was a slut because then maybe, just maybe, he would have had a slightly better chance in hell than a snowball's of actually getting her into his bed. Glancing over his shoulder, Taker briefly pointed towards the ropes, indicating she was to get out of the ring while he continued taking Layfield apart, piece by piece.

Tracy was crying, her tears streaking her cheap makeup down her face as she was dragged away from the ring, and any chance of being rescued, by her hair. “Vani, please...” She whimpered, trying to get to her feet and cup her nose at the same time, knowing it was broken.

“Please what, Trace?” Lavani punched her in the nose, hearing the bones snap as she screamed out in pain this time before kicking her in the stomach. “Please WHAT? Please stop hurting you? Please stop beating the SHIT out of you?!  YOU RUINED MY LIFE, YOU SELFISH CUNT!!  You thought it was smart to come into MY company and fuck up MY life all for MONEY?  YOU'RE LUCKY I DON'T FUCKING KILL YOU!!  But I got news for you, your plan backfired and I know the truth now.  You didn't fuck Taker while we were together.  You fucked him years before I even MET him!!” She kept kicking Tracy, tears of pure frustration and anger pouring out of her from all sides. “You're going to pay for what you did to me and making me nearly lose the love of my life, whore!” While Taker kicked the holy hell out of John in the ring, Lavani was busy destroying Tracy like she promised she would and reached under the ring, grabbing a thick steel chain that she'd hid beneath earlier that day before the event. “I'm going to make sure you never hurt anyone else ever again and you feed through a straw for the rest of your pathetic life!”

Tracy couldn't even scramble backwards to safety. Hell, she couldn't even drag herself at a crawling pace, everything hurt and she was for sure she had broken ribs. Apparently, her mistake was worth Lavani killing her and she was really regretting ever meeting Paul Heyman. She was regretting letting Layfield talk her into coming back, she was regretting her boob job...because they were about to go to waste, being in a coma and all.

Snarling under his breath, Taker dragged Layfield over to the ring ropes, pinning him there, a rope against his throat and leaned all his weight on the other man. Effectively choking him, he made Layfield watch Lavani destroy the tart. “That's going to be you in a moment.” He promised darkly.

Once Lavani was satisfied with the destruction and knew she had deflated one, if not both, implants like she wanted. Tracy's body was drug by her hair to the awaiting hearse that John would be joining her in momentarily.  Lifting her carcass up, Lavani deposited Tracy's lifeless body into it before slamming the door shut, turning while still holding the now bloody steel chain.  She had splats of Tracy's blood all over her arms, chest, neck and face, but none of it mattered as she watched her husband completely dismantled John.  With Tracy effectively OUT of the picture, there was no more distractions, no hope and no saving his sorry ass.

Everything Taker did, he had to do it carefully, make it look like he wasn't out to honestly kill Layfield because the board would definitely be reviewing the video after tonight. So he made sure everything looked how it was supposed to look, but...he was a master of deception, of making people see one thing while doing another. By the time he was done, Layfield had broken bones, internal bleeding and would not be walking anywhere of his own volition for some time to come. Finally, he threw Layfield unceremoniously over the top rope, hearing a very satisfying sick thud when the other man landed.

It was time to end this for good.

Lavani watched impassively as Taker drug John's body to the hearse and opened the door for him.  Taker literally tossed John's body right on top of Tracy's before slamming the door shut, winning the match.  She wanted to jump into Taker's arms, but knew that would definitely destroy his character. 

So instead, she just clapped while beaming from ear to ear, the lights going back to the eerie purple and Lavani blinked when Taker pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately in front of the world.  It meant so much to her and Lavani knew this would be a moment she told their children when they were older along with their grandchildren.  It was a moment unlike any other and Lavani didn't want it any other way.

It was a life-defining moment as well as career-defining, knowing both on-screen and off their lives had just changed, and it was definitely for the better. Layfield would never bother them again, at least, not if he were smart, and Tracy was probably brain dead, legitimately opposed to just naturally. This would serve as a warning to current would-be enemies and potential future ones.

Do not screw with the Undertaker and his wife because she was a deadly bitch.

“I love you, vicious creature.” Taker murmured against her lips, knowing it was now time to drive that hearse out of here, and off a bridge.

“I love you too, Deadman.”

Together, they walked backstage and out of the arena, hand in hand, ready to start the next chapter of their lives together.

Chapter 29

“Momma!”

“Momma!”

“Mom!”

“Mom!”

“Mommy!”

“MOMMY!!”

Lavani was going to kill her children if it was the last thing she ever did, feeling a headache coming on. She waddled her seventh month pregnant self out of the kitchen after getting all the runts their food. When Taker and Lavani planned on having a family, they had gotten way more than they bargained for.

The first pregnancy had been a set of boy triplets, all identical. Their names were Jason –Of course Lavani would name one of her children after her best friend, Jay, who was also the godfather of them all along with Adam-, Mason and Dason. They were four years old, all with beautiful red hair and toffee eyes. They were identical, all looking the same, but each of them had their own personality.

Two years later, a simple try for one girl turned out to be another set of triplets, this time all girls. Their names were Amethyst, Amber and Alexandrite, which reminded her of her wedding ring and necklace. They were identical, just like the boys had been, all three having black hair with emerald green eyes. Taker got to pick the names out for the boys and agreed to let Lavani pick out the names for the girls, which ended up being three.  They represented different stones that reminded Lavani of her necklace and wedding ring, which never left her finger. 

So when Lavani found out three years after the girls were born that she was pregnant again, neither were surprised to be having a THIRD set of triplets.  Lavani decided nine was her absolute limit and told Taker she was indeed getting her tubes tied, which he did not mind at all.  She rubbed her protruding stomach while the kids continued running amuck and sat down in the rocking chair, closing her eyes.

Taker had lied. He didn't want a full-sized basketball team. As it was, they had more than enough right now for the standard five man on the court with a replacement. With this next set, they were one shy of two minimal teams. Yes, they were done. He loved all his kids, but triplets? He knew it wasn't him, there was something wrong with HER! Three sets of triplets...if she wanted him to get his junk snipped and clipped, he would in a heartbeat.

“STOP HOLLERIN' AT HER!”

“Daddy...you just hollered...” Dason murmured, chewing his bottom lip nervously.

“Mark, don't yell at the kids!” Lavani ordered, pulling Dason on her lap and wrapped her arms around him, kissing the top of his head. “Why don't you take your brothers outside to play?”

“Okay momma...” Dason whispered, the angel out of the three boys, kissing her cheek before hopping off of her lap carefully. “Mase and Jay, come on!” He called out.

The boys followed him while the girls simply played with their toys.  They knew better than to get daddy upset and angry, just like Dason did, which made him somewhat of the leader.  That and he was technically the oldest out of them all by mere minutes.

“Mommy, wet.” Amber pointed, emerald eyes wide while her raven hair was pulled back in a high ponytail.

“What?” Lavani hadn't even realized it and swallowed hard at the sight of her pants, crotch soaked, looking up at Taker with wide eyes. “Get the car now.”

“I'm here, I'm fucking here!”

“Me too!”

Taker pinched the bridge of his nose when dumb and dumber, or as Lavani insisted he call them Adam and Jay, ran in through the door. After going through this twice before, he wasn't panicking and merely bent down to help Lavani up. He already knew why they were there, they were her best friends and godfathers to their brood. They had come because it was the end of her pregnancy and, after discovering she was pregnant the second time with the second trio, they had started coming every week for a night during the seventh month, just to check in, calling when they couldn’t make it.

“You two, watch the kids.” Taker ordered, focused on his wife.

“You need to stop impregnating her...” Jay shot back, wondering if Lavani's skin was ever going to get its elastic back.

“You think I don’t know that, boy?” Taker was going to knock Jay out if he kept running that mouth of his, growling. “If you-”

“Both of you knock it the fuck off NOW!” Lavani shouted and felt her knees buckle when a contraction ripped through her body, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. “Mark, we have to go NOW!”

Jay and Taker rarely saw eye to eye, but at the end of the day, all that mattered was Lavani’s happiness. He was genuinely concerned for her and could tell Taker was too, the man definitely had a few more gray hairs than normal. Adam had immediately went to go check on the boys outside while Jay went to see what the girls were up to, both knowing Taker could handle taking care of Lavani.

“This is the absolute LAST time I’m doing this, Mark.” Lavani growled through the pain, having to stop to catch her breath, tears already streaming down her cheeks. “They’re not supposed to come yet!! You are getting clipped before we have sex again, do you hear me? OH FUCK!!”

“Darlin’, I understand that, but we gotta get you to the hospital.” Taker coaxed, focused on one thing and that was getting her in the car. He knew better than to push her to get in the car and simply waited until the contraction stopped. “Come on Vani, inside before another starts up.”

Nodding, Lavani didn’t argue with her husband and managed to slid in the vehicle, with a little help. A few seconds later, Taker was on his way to the hospital, letting his wife squeeze his hand as hard as she could. Lavani couldn’t help scream out when another contraction hit and Taker was thankful he had to stop at a red light so he could shut his eyes. His small petite wife had a walnut crusher for a hand, but he knew she was going through ten times worse pain than this.

He’d never been so thankful to see a hospital as it came into view, Taker taking his hand away from her after pulling up to the emergency room doors. There was no way in hell he was parking and forcing his wife to walk inside. Unbuckling his seatbelt, Taker stepped out and rushed inside, grabbing the first wheelchair he could find. He ran back out to the car and helped a crying Lavani out, placing her right in the wheelchair before rushing her inside.

“Can I-”

“I got it, Tasha, thanks.” The Doctor McKinley stated, walking through the ER doors toward her favorite patient, already geared up for the delivery. “A little early this time, you guys.” She chastised, eyeballing Taker.

“She wouldn’t bed rest and, I’m sorry, but I’m not gonna force my pregnant wife that’s carryin’ our THIRD set of triplets to do somethin’ she doesn’t wanna do!” Taker was a little on edge, his southern accent seeping through in his tone, worry evident in his green eyes.

“Can we get on with this already?!” Lavani cried out, holding her stomach as another contraction ripped through her, trying to breathe through it.

Doctor McKinley smiled tentatively, nodding. “Of course, Lava. Everything is going to be okay. I already have the room prepped for you. Mark, you know the drill. We’ll get her prepped while you get prepped.”

Sighing, this was the part Taker hated as he bent down to be eye level with his beautiful wife, reaching up to caress her face lovingly. “Darlin’…”

“We’ve been through this two other times, Mark.” Lavani reminded him through gritted teeth, looking as though she might rip his throat out. “I DON’T NEED A FUCKIN’ LOVEY DOVEY TALK!! I WANT THESE KIDS OUTTA ME NOW!!”

“Take her away.”

Taker watched as Doctor McKinley took the reins of the wheelchair and carted Lavani off to get her ready for the cesarean. Scrubbing a hand down his face, Taker looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes, just taking a few seconds of tranquility before he had to join his pissed off wife in the surgical room. There was no way she could have three sets of triplets vaginally, why couldn’t they just have normal pregnancies?

Why did it have to be triplets? Taker supposed it could be worse, shivering at the thought of his wife carrying quadruplets or even quintuplets, paling. Smacking himself, Taker started heading through the doors to get ready to deliver three more of his beautiful children…when he heard someone call his name from behind.

“Mark!”

Blinking, Taker slowly turned his head and stared into the worried face of Lavani’s friend, Mary. She was a little older now, but the woman still held a beauty that would never be tarnished. Her grayish brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she carried a beautiful bouquet of flowers with some big pink balloons that said ‘Congratulations!!’ She was carrying something else, but Taker hadn’t noticed it yet, walking over to greet her.

“Well I’ll be damned.” Taker actually smiled, taking the things from Mary and gave her a friendly embrace. “How the hell you been, darlin’?”

“Oh just fine, you know me. I couldn’t miss Lava’s third miracle.” Mary giggled, clapping her hands with excitement, but then a serious expression crossed her face. “You do realize that if you have any more children…”

Taker immediately cut her off, shaking his head. “I swear to you, this is the last time. I’m getting snipped since it’s easier for me and less invasive. Besides, she’s been put through enough hell as it is having my babies. Least I can do for her.”

Mary grinned, patting his cheek gently. “You’re a good man, Lavani is a very lucky woman.” Of course, she would never find out that Taker had been the ‘installment guy’ that Mary had been checking out after he stole Lavani’s driver’s license.

Taker was taking that secret to the grave with him.

“Listen, I really gotta go, but we’ll keep you posted. She’s being prepped now.” Taker informed her quickly, watching Mary shoo him off to be with his wife and hurried through the double doors.

Lavani would be ecstatic to find out that Mary was here waiting for the triplets to be born. Slipping into the blue plastic garbage Taker had gotten all too familiar with, he couldn’t help grumbling. Picking up the white scrub cap, Taker tied it on his head before slipping on some surgical gloves, hating the texture of them. When he was fully ready, Taker walked out and headed to where his wife was, stepping inside the surgical room moments later.

“Mark, is that you?”

Taker frowned, hating the sound of his wife’s terrified voice and decided he was going to make the appointment for a vasectomy today. There was no waiting. He wasn’t going to put his wife through this anymore, still not believing they were about to bring three more kids into this world.

The basketball team he originally wanted had blown up into a football team!

“Yeah, I’m here Vani.” He called out, grabbing her hand and finally stared down into her eyes. The rest of her body was covered in plastic, blocking them from seeing what was about to happen. “Mary is out there. That’s what took me so long.”

“She is?” Tears instantly filled Lavani’s eyes, a big smile spreading on her face. “I haven’t seen her since we sold the house in Mississippi. I didn’t even know she was coming.”

Shortly after taking care of the two nuisances of their life, –John Bradshaw Layfield and Tracy-, Lavani made a snap decision to sell her house in Mississippi to Mary. Mary’s house had been condemned due to termites and it had gotten to the point where everything was slowly rotting out from the inside. Taker’s heart belonged in Texas and that’s where Lavani ventured to with him, both of them comfortable with Dallas.

Taker also had a property they used in Houston, but their main home was a huge ranch in Dallas that had their very own golf course. Taker loved playing, it was his way of getting some tranquility from their crazy children. Though sometimes, when the boys were good, he would take them for a round or two, showing them the ropes of golf and how to play. Dason was a lot like his father and enjoyed the sport while Mason and Jay hated it, enjoying sports like football and basketball, anything to do with contact.

They had no unearthly clue what sex the third set of triplets was going to be, deciding they wanted to be surprised. The boys and girls they had so far were identical sets, so Taker didn’t know what these last three were going to be. Because they were going to be surprised, Taker and Lavani didn’t really think of any names. He hoped his wife had some in mind because, so far, he had come up empty.

Taker chuckled, bending down to brush a few tears away from his wife’s cheeks. “Well she’s here now. You’ll be able to see her once our rug rats are here.” He assured her, relieved that his wife was smiling and knew she was eager as he was to meet their babies.

“Doctor McKinley, I’m only seven months along. Are the babies going to be alright?” Lavani had to ask, like the past two times they did this, and let her eyes travel up to where she could see her wonderful doctor.

“Everything is going to be fine, Lavani. Now just breathe in and out slowly.” Doctor McKinley instructed softly, smiling reassuringly before starting the process.

All Lavani could feel was a little pulling, but nothing else, squeezing her husband’s hand and felt tears spill down her cheeks at the sound of the first baby cry. That followed by a second and then the third. The triplets all weighed exactly five pounds, so they would have to stay in the NICU until they were a little bigger and stronger.

That didn’t upset Lavani because her boys and girls also had to stay in incubators when she had them. She had the girls at six months and the boys at six and a half. So the fact Lavani had gone to seven months for her pregnancy term was miraculous. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head when Doctor McKinley informed them they were identical, but something was different this time.

The sex of the babies were one girl and two boys.

“Mixed sexes?” Taker was floored along with his wife, both of them looking at each other, not sure what to think. “What do you wanna name them, darlin’?”

“When I see them, I will let you know.” Lavani informed him, having done it with the boys and girls.

As soon as Lavani laid eyes on the first boy, she immediately named him Marcus, after his father. The second boy was named Darius, after Lavani’s late father and the little girl was named Dallus. Lavani loved Dallas and wanted her daughter to be named after the beautiful city that had brought her and Taker closer together. He loved all three names, they were unique, especially his new little girl’s.

Later on that night, after all the excitement of the triplets being born had died down, Lavani lay in bed resting while Taker sat in the chair beside her. The spinal tap had worn off and she could feel some pain from her cesarean. It would take her eight weeks to heal up, but it was definitely worth it for her children.

Everything had been wonderful until Tracy came into their lives, turning it upside down. However, the moment Lavani decided to join John Bradshaw Layfield’s side and found out that Taker never cheated on her, slowly everything turned right side up. All was right with the world again and Lavani planned on spending the rest of her life with her husband and their nine beautiful children.

The End.