Kevin Smith sat down across from his bosses at the IXW office meeting room. Since he had reunited with his daughter, Candy Logan, his life had settled into the IWX fold as their top professional trainer. He sat back in his seat, rubbing his bald head.
“Am I getting fired?”
Gage laughed. “Dude. You can’t get rid of us that easily. We need some advice. Besides, Candy would talk Isis into cutting me off.”
“Shew! I thought I was in trouble. You two have been acting weird. At least I know my job is secure. You couldn’t go a day without touching that girl. That’s why she keeps getting pregnant.”
“What can I say? My wife is sexy as hell. Seriously, Cyrus needs our help, and I thought you were the best person to talk to.”
“What kind of help?”
“When Candy and your family went through all the things with her stepdad a while back, you had connections to private investigators and the Mafia, right? You were in prison too.”
“Who’s in trouble?” Kevin groaned, thinking they were going to pull him into some drama.
“No one. Well, not exactly anyway.” Cyrus shook his head, letting out a breath of frustration.
“I’m not risking my life again. I have a family to think about. You guys are in trouble, so talk to the ex-con, right? That’s low guys. You know, that was never the life I wanted. I did what I had to do to save my family.”
Gage huffed. “Kev! No. Of course not. We just need some advice. You know about Cyrus’ parents, right?”
“Yeah? They were killed when he was a kid. What about it?”
“The police in Tennessee think someone murdered them. They encouraged us to talk to an investigator and get them to reopen the investigation. We just want your advice on what we should do.”
Cyrus sat up to look Kevin in the eye, eyes were red from lack of sleep. “I need your help. This guy killed my parents. I don’t know what to do.”
Kevin sighed. “I’m sorry, Cy. I can’t imagine what you and your family are going through. Where are Wraith and Holly?”
“Work. We are trying to keep this guy, Grayson, from thinking we are on to him. Wraith agreed to take care of things on the road with the show. I have to be back for the live show on Monday.”
Kevin smiled at him. “That girl of yours was doing great in the ring. She’s a little rusty, but she picked things up fast last week. Little Mia is a fighter. I can’t wait to see her on stage.”
“Yeah. She is great.” Cyrus smiled.
“Awe. Cy’s blushing,” Kevin teased.
Gage started laughing and shoved Cyrus playfully. “He’s bitten by the love bug. I think I saw him floating with big hearts in his eyes like in the cartoons the other day.”
“Shut up, assholes. So, Kev. What should we do?”
“Humm? Well, you need a good investigator. I know a rather good one. He helped me work to find Candy and her mother. What’s this guy’s MO?”
“Grayson practically owns the town. Everyone is afraid of him, and he has the local government in his back pocket. He has a gang of about six or seven goons that he uses to control everyone.”
“Good ol’ boy syndrome, huh? Do you have anyone on the inside who can help?”
“Yeah. A few guys on the police force and the locals.”
“Good. You may need someone to go undercover to set up Grayson for a confession. I know a few guys that may help with that. Rough guys, but they’re trustworthy. It would cost ya, though.”
“No problem. One more thing. He’s sexually harassed women in the past. He and his guys tried to assault Holly in a bar.”
“The ones she beat up?” Kevin asked with a hint of fury building in his eyes.
“The very ones.”
“You’re kidding me? I’m in. I’ll do it myself.” Kevin banged his fist on the desk.
“Huh? I thought you said you didn’t want to get involved?” It took Gage and Cyrus back seeing him so angry.
“My pumpkin told me what those men did to her friend. How scared Holly was, and she was the one who got arrested. That’s bullshit. If she wouldn’t have been so tough, they could have hurt her. No one touches my daughter or her friends. I don’t play. Men like that deserve what’s coming to them. He’s a fucking rapist and needs to put six feet under. Who’s to say how many other women he’s done that to?”
Cyrus shook his head no. “Absolutely not. Just tell us who to contact. I don’t want Candy worrying about you. You’re like a father figure around IWX. None of us want you in trouble again. I appreciate it Kevin, but I can’t put you at risk.”
Kevin let out a breath of frustration. “Fine, but I’m helping. No discussion.”
“Okay. Just tell us what’s our next move. I just want my parents’ murderer in prison and to give my family some peace. It’s not just about me now. It’s about a whole community and time we take this guy down.”
“Then let’s get to it…”
***
Mia paced back and forth in the locker room while Wraith, Cyrus, and Holly watched her.
Holly leaned over to whisper to her oldest brother with a cringe. “Think she’s going to puke?”
“God, I hope not. You know how it is when I see someone get sick. I get sick too.” Wraith gagged.
“Wimp. You act like you’re so tough, but a little vomit makes you lose your shit.”
“Shut up. It’s gross. I have one thing that gets to me and that’s it.”
Cyrus nudged his sister. “You go say something to her.”
“No way. It’s your girlfriend. You talk to her.”
“Heck no. I don’t want her to punch me in the face as she did you.”
“Geez, you two are a couple of pussies.” Holly stood up. “Mia, are you okay?”
“I can’t believe I thought I could do this. There are thousands of people out there. The Doom is reuniting, and they pack the house. I’m so out of my league here.” Mia looked at Holly with wide eyes, full of nervous tension. She looked terrified and was trembling uncontrollably.
“There will be millions watching live and are all rooting us on. It’ll be okay,” Wraith spoke up.
“Millions?” Mia shrieked.
Holly let out a huff, sticking her tongue in her cheek with a grunt, tilting her head. Annoyed at her brother, she looked over her shoulder at him. “Nice move, jackass. Now she’s terrified.”
Cyrus finally saw his brother and sister were no help and went to pull Mia in his arms. “Flower calm down. You’re getting yourself all worked up.”
“Calm down! Don’t tell me to calm down!” Mia shoved him away, snarling up her nose at him.
Holly started laughing when she realized how much it sounded just like something Holly would say. “I fucking love this chick.”
Cyrus scowled at his sister and hip-checked her. “I officially ban you from hanging out with my flower. You’re corrupting her. And watch your nasty mouth.”
Mia looked at Holly, who was trying to not bust out laughing. Finally, she broke into a smile and hugged Cyrus. “Sorry, I’m just really nervous. I’ve never had stage fright like this.”
Wraith went to her and pulled Mia over to him. Placing his hands on the sides of her face, he forced her to look at him. Wraith was always the one who knew how to calm someone down, even though he could be a tad insensitive. He was so large and intimidating, but something was soothing and confident in him too.
“Listen, Mia. I know how you feel right now. I used to have huge stage fright when Cy and I first started wrestling. Just remember we’re right there with you. All those people want to see you succeed. I know the dirt sheets and online keyboard warriors try to talk crap, but most of the time people are more likely to encourage you.”
“People are already saying online that Cy has a fat chick as his girlfriend. What if they laugh at me?”
Wraith lowered his hands to her shoulders and gave her a knowing smile. “That’s ridiculous. You look amazing. Do you really care what they think? Since I’ve known you, you don’t seem to give two shits what people think. That’s the one thing I like most about you.”
Mia nodded. “You’re right, I don’t. I’m a plus size girl and it’s who I am. I exercise hard and am probably more fit than any of those jerks who talk crap about me. I may have some extra curves, but I like who I am. I’m not changing for anyone.”
“That a girl. You got this. Think of it this way; until now, no woman at IWX has ever looked like you. They were all fitness chicks or Barbie doll types. Some people may talk shit, but you’re going to give other women someone they can look up to. A woman with confidence and class that they can relate to.”
“Wraith’s right, Mia. Truth is, you’re not fat. People are just being trolls. Fuck them!” Holly nudged her.
Cyrus huffed at his sister. “Holly! Watch your mouth.”
“Okay. Okay. Geez,” Holly pouted.
As much of a badass as Holly pretended to be, when her brothers scolded her, she was still the same little girl who they raised and respected.
Mia looked around her new family who all were wearing a revamped psycho horror circus theme attire, geared around the Doom brother’s look. She smiled to herself. This band of misfits was everything to her, and she was one of them now.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
Cyrus, whose new stage style looked even more like a psychotic horror movie killer than he was in the past, kissed Mia’s cheek. “That’s my girl!”
Mia giggled as his beard tickled her cheek. “You look creepy as hell. Good thing I know how sexy you are under all that freaky makeup.”
“Careful, flower. I may take you to my private dungeon and do bad things to you. Lock you in my cage and never set you free, only for me to take you out to look at.”
“I sure hope so. That may be our next roleplay.”
Holly snarled her nose up while grabbing her fire-breather equipment. “Ew, gross! TMI. I don’t need to know about my brother’s weird-ass kinks. Let’s go before I’m the one that gets sick.”