Wrestling Desire 2 (A Contemporary Romance) by Michelle Cary Page A

outlandish accusations of Holt harming her and by the time she was done, she had to wipe the tears from her eyes.  “I’m just so tired of all this and I can’t believe Bryan.  I don’t understand what’s going through his head.  It’s like he’s become this different person I don’t even know.  He has all this anger and rage and jealousy built up.”
    “Yeah, I don’t understand it either, Em.” Derek sounded as shocked as she felt.  “He’s never showed even an ounce of jealousy when I was around.  Maybe I’ll try to have a talk with him.”
    “I don’t’ think it will do much good.  He’s carrying around a lot of jealousy right now and it appears to be focused on you.  He’s jealous over you’re status with the company and reputation with the fans.  He’s jealous over the career you’ve worked so hard for.  Hell, Derek, he’s even jealous of my relationship with you.”
    “Still.  I think somebody should try to talk some sense into him.”
    “I’m telling you it won’t do any good.  You weren’t here this morning.  You didn’t see the envy and rage in his eyes.  He feels as if he’s been living in your shadow and he feels as if the world has wronged him in some way.  He’s angry at everything and everyone right now.”
    “Well, if that’s the case, then we l et him be angry.  Sometimes, no matter how hard it is to do, you have to turn your back and let those you love fail before you can help them.  Sometimes it’s the only thing you can do.”
    “How can we just turn our backs on our brother?”
    “You’re sick, Em and you’ve been sick for quite a while now and you have to look out for you.  If that means pushing Bryan away, then so be it.  Right now the only thing that matters is getting better and surrounding yourself with people who will ensure that happens.  It sounds to me as if Bryan has become a liability your health can’t afford right now.”
    “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.  It’s just so hard.”
    “I know it is, bug, but trust me on this.  Listen, Bryan is calling me now so I’m gonna go so I can talk to him.  If you need anything.”
    “I’ll call you.  Love you.”
    “Love you too.”
    She’d no sooner ended her conversation with Derek when the hotel room door opened and Holt rushed inside.  “He didn’t come back here did he?”
    “Who?”  Shock zipped through her at the sight of his bruised face and black eye.  “Oh my God.” She tossed the covers off and scrambled from the bed.  “What happened-” The room shifted with her sudden movement and she immediately leaned against the wall.
    “Whoa there.” Holt’s warm arms wrapped around her and he turned her back to the bed.  “You’re in no condition to be getting up like that.  Back to bed.”
    “But what happened to you?” she protested even as she allowed him to pull the covers over her.
    “Bryan ambushed me outside of Gene’s office.”
    Her eyes went wide as her mind tried to process his words.  “Bryan did that to you?  But why?”
    “He’s convinced that the cut on your head is from me.  He was shouting all sorts of nonsense about me beating you into submission so you wouldn’t take his side.”
    She lifted a shaky hand to cup his cheek.  “But that’s ridiculous.”
    “I know that and you know that, but tell your brother that.”  He took her hand and kissed the palm sending a quick shot of warmth streaming up her arm and out through her body.  “I assumed by his ramblings you talked to him today?”
    Emma nodded.  “He came by earlier after you’d gone to the arena.” Her attention drifted to the covers as she remembered the conversation.  “I called him a liar and told him I was taking your side.” Her gaze darted up to meet his.  “Oh God.  He did that to you because of me.”
    Holt shook his head. “He did this to me because he’s completely off his rocker.  He accused Gene of a conspiracy against him then spit in his face when