76
The party was still in full swing, and everyone was having a blast. Davis went to the stage and called up Slade and Candy, holding the cuffs in his hand. Candy looked at them with a little disappointment, wishing she could have more time cuffed together with Slade.
“I want to thank everyone for making this year’s IWX Wrestlers Ball a success. As agreed, our chain gang duo had a few hours this evening without the cuffs to enjoy the night with the rest of us,” he said, cuffing them back together. “Starting now, you have twenty-four hours before your challenge is over. Slade, you will enter the ring against Gage Stone for the Heavyweight title.”
Gage yelled from the crowd. “He doesn’t have a chance!”
Sade laughed, yelling back, “Dream on, pretty boy. I’m taking the gold.”
“Save it for the ring, boys. As everyone knows, this was a punishment and a gift. Wouldn’t you say so, Candy?” Davis asked.
“Yes, sir. I think Slade and I learned a lot these past two weeks about compromise. The most important part was that we raised a lot of money for a wonderful cause. I, for one, will miss the handcuffs. It made Slade and me a real team. I couldn’t imagine spending time with anyone other than him this week.”
Davis asked, “What was your favorite part of the past two weeks?”
Slade smiled, thinking of that morning with the kids. “I have a lot of great memories, but one of the best was seeing the smiling faces of the children this morning at the cancer center. It made me realize what families like Candy’s go through. Those kids are an inspiration, and so is she. She made me see how selfish I can be and showed me there are so many things in this world that are more important. Things that were far beyond the bubble of thinking only about ourselves. Candy, I am so glad to have gone through this journey with you.”
Candy blushed as he kissed her cheek. “I wish it wasn’t over so soon.”
“Me too, Sprinkles.”
Davis smiled kindly at the couple, pleased his plan worked. “So, you both have learned a lot?”
Slade nodded. “More than we bargained for. Davis. I want to thank you.”
Davis seemed confused. “For what?”
“Helping me find the best thing in my life. Something I didn’t know I was looking for.”
Candy stared in awe as Slade stared back at her as if there were not a soul in the room. She felt a lump of pride swelling up in her chest. “Slade —”
“I found you, Candy. I found love.” Pulling her to him, he held her face in his hands, kissing her in the most gentle, loving way. He whispered, “I love you. I have from the moment we met. I want you. Please tell me you want me, too. I can’t picture another moment without you being mine.”
She looked around the room, and everyone fell silent, watching them.
She saw Sahara standing near the edge of the stage, covering her mouth in suspense. Nearby, Isis had tears in her eyes, waiting for Candy to reply, and hugged Gage close. Slade’s best friend, Colt, was smiling and gave him a nod.
Suddenly, Candy could feel herself hyperventilating, trying to catch her breath.
“Sprinkles, I know you’re scared.” He turned her back to look him in the eyes. “Look at me, baby. Only me. Tell me, Candy. Be mine. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes. I just need to know you want me.”
Candy gasped for breath, feeling like her world was spinning around her. She knew she loved him, but it filled her mind with visions of her past; her family, and all she had lost.
Candy fought to catch her breath as her heart started pounding against her ribs. With blurred vision, she could see Slade talking to her, but she couldn’t hear any words. Looking around the room, the faces of her friends whirled in circles before her eyes. She felt the all-familiar feeling of the onset of a panic attack she tried for years to conceal.
Candy felt her head swimming and her body swayed, but nothing she did seemed to help. The fear that something was wrong flooded her mind. This wasn't a panic attack. There was something more that she just couldn’t explain. She wanted to plead for Slade’s help, but no words came.
Suddenly, it all went black, and she fainted into his arms.
Davis rushed over, trying to remove the cuffs, and Slade pushed him away. He went to his knees, holding Candy’s limp body in his arms. “No! We have to stay cuffed. I have to do this for her.”
Davis was in a panic as Gage and all their friends rushed to the stage. “Slade, we have to get her help.”
“No. I have to go with her. Call the ambulance!”
An IWX doctor ran up to them and went to check her vitals. Slade, in a panic, pushed him away.
“What are you doing? Get away from her,” he cried.
“Slade let me check on her. She may have just fainted, but I can’t help her if you don’t let go of her.”
Slade laid her gently on the floor of the stage, and people in shock surrounded them.
Isis was crying hysterically as Sahara was trying to calm her. “Slade, let them help her.”
“Okay. Help her. Please.”
“I think she just fainted. Let’s take her backstage.” The doctor waved for Gage and Colt to help.
Backstage, the doctor could not wake her. “Candy? Can you hear me? Wake up. Open your eyes, Candace.”
Slade was in a panic asking, “What’s wrong? Why isn’t she waking up?”
The doctor waved over the medics. “Take her to the hospital. Slade, we need to know everything she ate or drank today.”
“I... I don’t…” He looked to Isis for help.
“I can write it down. I know what she ate. She only had one drink at the bar and water.”
“Okay, let’s get her to the hospital. Slade, you need to take off the cuffs.”
“Hell no! I won’t let her down. This means too much to her. If we take off the cuffs, she will lose her spot on the roster.”
Davis put his hand on his shoulder. “Slade, son, we won’t hold you to that right now.”
“No. I have to be with her. She doesn’t have anyone else. Please, just let me be with her.” Slade broke down crying. “Please?”
The doctor nodded. “Take them both. Go.”
Watching in the wings was a shifty bald man who was trying to blend in with the wait staff. He slid out the door and pulled off the server’s jacket. With a chuckle and a devious smile, he headed to the hospital.
***
As the Justice faction, Retribution, Davis, and Candy’s best friends sat in the waiting room, a large man burst through the emergency room door.
He rushed to the front desk, demanding answers. “My daughter was just brought in. I need to see her immediately.”
The hospital receptionist stopped him. “Sir, you need to calm down. I need a name.”
“Candace Smith. I need to know if she’s okay.”
Everyone quickly looked over at the man and Gage stood, rushing the man in full attack mode while Davis and Trent tried to hold him back. “Get the fuck out of here, you bastard!”
“Who do you think you are?” The man got in Gage’s face, toe-to-toe with the fearsome wrestler.
“Your worst nightmare. Candy doesn’t need you here. Get out!”
“She’s my daughter.”
Sahara jumped in between them. “Bullshit! You’re just a sperm donor. You left her and her mother. You’re a monster!”
“No. No. You don’t understand. I didn’t. I would never leave my Pumpkin. She and Sophie were my entire world.”
Gage grabbed him by the jacket collar. “You have five seconds to get out of here before I bash your face in, Kevin.”
“Gage, don’t do this.” Kevin looked directly in his eyes, pleading for Gage to understand. “You know me.”
Sahara and Isis looked at Gage in shock. With anger radiating from her, Sahara turned to Gage and pointed at the man in disbelief. “You know him?”
“Yes. I watch out for Candy because of him. He was a trainer in my old gym years ago. I didn’t understand he was her dad until I met Candy. My old wrestling coach hired him because he had just got out of prison. He used to be a wrestler in the indies, and I didn’t put two and two together until Candy told me her story.”
Turning his aggression back to the man, Gage said, “You are a fucking loser. Get out!”
“You don’t know everything, Gage. They set me up. Someone planted those drugs in my car. I would never leave my wife and child or put them in danger. I just wanted to protect them.”
Isis grabbed Gage’s hand. “Does Candy know this?”
“No. She has had a shit life. I didn’t want her to go looking for him and make things worse. She was grieving her brother’s death and I couldn’t put more of a burden on her.”
Kevin fought back tears and dropped his head. “So, Tyler’s gone. I didn’t even get to see him grow up. I swear to you all, I didn’t want any of this.”
Sahara shook her head and laughed sarcastically. “That’s such a lie. You left her alone so many times. Her mother was struggling to put food on the table, and you walked away for weeks at a time.”
“We both were struggling to keep things together. You’re Sahara, right? You’re my daughter’s friend? I get you’re protective, but you don’t understand what we went through. There are things I asked her mother to not tell her. She was too young to deal with all that. I wanted her to just have a happy life without worrying about me.”
Sahara shoved him, and Kevin didn’t even try to defend himself. “You are a liar! Candy was just a child. You made her think you were sick!”
“I was!” Kevin yelled. “I don’t have to answer any of you! My daughter is in that hospital room and James is on his way here to finish what he started. He was at that party. I saw him leave. Now, you can either try to help me protect my daughter, or you can all go to hell!”
Candy and Slade walked out of the emergency room, and Slade was holding his arms around her waist to support her still woozy body. They stood, trying to understand the commotion going on around them.
“Daddy? What’s going on?”
“Pumpkin…” Kevin smiled, looking over her dress. “Sweetie. You’re beautiful. You’re all grown up. Pretty in pink, just like that movie you and your mother used to watch together.”
Candy pulled away from Slade and ambled up to her father, looking him in the eyes.
Slap!
She hit him hard across the face, and Kevin rubbed his jaw, just looking at the floor. It was as if he was taking any punishment that came his way.
“I’m sorry, Candace. I know you hate me, but I’m here to help. I won’t let James ruin your life like he did your mother.” Kevin slowly looked at her through his lashes as tears trickled down his face. He kept his eyes on Candy while he spoke, hoping she would understand. “Gage. Get her someplace safe. I’ll deal with James. He’s probably already here.”
Candy couldn’t catch her breath as she pleaded for an answer. “What are you doing here?”
“Fixing it. Fixing everything. Slade, take my daughter out of here.” Kevin turned and pulled a gun from his jacket, and everyone stepped back. “Go… While there’s still time.”
Gage pulled the couple toward the door. “Kevin, what are you going to do?”
“Whatever I have to. Someone check on my wife. Please?”
Candy got angrier by the second while trying to get back to her father as Slade held her back. “She’s not your wife! You left us.”
“Baby girl. Please, just go with your friends.”
Gage led Slade and Candy toward the door. “Let’s get out of here.”
