The atmosphere backstage was electric, the energy pulsing through the concrete walls and vibrating beneath my feet. Colton and I were stretching, warming up for our tag match. This one wasn’t for our titles, but it was still a big one—a chance to get on the Texas Wrestling Federation’s next pay-per-view, Blood Bath. Only the best made it to that card, and New Breed wasn’t about to be left out.

 

Colton flashed me a small, almost absent smile as he rolled his shoulders, loosening up. I could see something weighing on his mind, his gaze distant even while he went through the motions of warming up. I shot him a glare, rolling my neck to pop the tension from my spine. I wasn’t nervous—we’d fought tougher opponents than the Shatterstones. But something about tonight had me feeling on edge. Maybe it was the way Colton kept zoning out, his focus slipping like he was somewhere else entirely.

 

I smacked his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.

 

“Hey! You planning to wrestle or just daydream your way through this?” I snorted.

 

He blinked, shaking his head and forcing a faint grin. “I am good. Just... clearing my head.”

 

I narrowed my eyes, searching his face for any hint of what was eating at him.

 

Was it me, and everything that's been going on?

 

Hell, maybe it was. But I wasn’t about to baby him over it.  We had one goal tonight, and that was making it to the pay per view. 

 

We..I, needed to be ready.

 

“Yeah, well, you better focus on the ring. I’m not dragging your ass to victory while you’re off in la-la land.”

 

Before he could respond, the sound tech knocked on the door, signaling we were up next. Colton gave me one last smirk before grabbing his title belt and slinging it over his shoulder. I did the same, adjusting mine so it caught the arena lights just right. We didn’t just walk into that ring—we commanded it.

 

As our entrance music hit, the crowd erupted. We pushed through the curtain and onto the ramp, heads high, every step dripping with confidence. Colton fed off their energy, throwing his hands up to rile them even more, while I kept my eyes locked on the ring—focused, unflinching.

 

That’s when I saw her—front row, long black hair spilling over her shoulders like a dark river. Her green eyes were locked on Colton, and the sign she held nearly made me roll my eyes out of my skull.

 

'Colton, snap MY ring.'

 

She was dressed provocatively, enough to catch anyone’s attention, but there was a sophistication to it—she wasn’t some trashy ring rat. Colton noticed her too, his steps faltering just a second. He flashed her a thumbs up and a slight grin, and I had to resist the urge to slap him upside the head.

 

“Eyes on the ring, brother,” I muttered under my breath.

 

We climbed inside, and I barely had a second to throw Colton a warning glare before the Shatterstones’ music hit. Two massive guys stomped down the ramp, shoulders broad as boulders, eyes fixed on us like they were sizing up prey. The bell rang, and the match was on.

 

Colton started it off, squaring up against Rex Shatterstone, the larger of the two. They locked up, and Colton managed to slip around, catching Rex in a waistlock and driving him into the ropes. Rex threw an elbow, catching Colton in the jaw, but Colton answered with a spinning heel kick that sent Rex staggering back.

 

I smirked from our corner, shouting encouragement. “Keep him off balance!”

 

Colton moved in, but his eyes flickered to the front row again—the dark-haired beauty with that sign. That split-second distraction was all it took. Rex charged; shoulder-checking Colton so hard he nearly flipped over the top rope. I swore under my breath as Rex covered him, but I launched myself into the ring, stomping Rex across the back to break the count.

 

Rex’s partner, Brock Shatterstone, jumped in next, and I met him with a clothesline that took him to the mat. I threw a warning glance at Colton as I backed into our corner. “Get your shit together!”

 

Colton just wiped blood from his lip, shaking his head clear, but his eyes still wandered. My jaw clenched, and I kept my focus on the ring, trying to ignore the bubbling frustration gnawing at my gut.

 

Rex tagged in Brock, who immediately went after Colton with a series of heavy strikes, backing him into the corner. Colton ducked a wild swing and caught Brock with a DDT, finally gaining some ground. He glanced back at the girl again. I damn near snapped.

 

“Focus, Colton!” I screamed, slapping the turnbuckle to snap him out of it.

 

Brock took advantage of his distraction, grabbing Colton by the waist and driving him into the mat with a German suplex.

 

Another cover, another near-fall.

 

I dove in again

 

Kicking Brock square in the ribs to break it up. Frustration boiled over, and I glared at Colton.

 

“Get your head in the game”

 

Brock dragged Colton to his feet and whipped him into the opposite corner. Colton crashed into the turnbuckle, dazed. Rex handed Brock a steel chair while the ref’s back was turned. Just as Brock raised it, I felt something snap inside me. Vanity roared to the surface, taking the reins.

 

I lunged, grabbing the chair from Brock’s hands and smashing it over his skull with a sickening crack. He crumpled to the mat, and Rex tried to jump me next. I caught him with a heel kick to the face, then drove the chair into his back repeatedly as the crowd counted along—ten solid hits that echoed like gunshots.

 

Tossing the chair across the ring, I climbed to the top rope, the crowd chanting my name. I stood with my back to the ring, signaling with a throat-slit gesture before springboarding backward into a twisting flip, slamming down onto Brock’s chest. I wasted no time, dragging both opponents into position. With a sharp twist, I drove my shoulder into Brock’s head one final time, leaving him sprawled out and unconscious.

 

I looked at Colton, who was finally back on his feet, looking like he didn’t know what hit him.

 

“Take the cover!” I barked.

 

He hesitated, confused. “But that was your—”

 

“Just do it!”

 

Colton dropped down, hooking the leg as the ref counted three. The bell rang, and the arena erupted, but I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. The ref went to raise my hand, and I yanked it away, grabbing my title belt and glaring at Colton like he was the biggest idiot in the business. Without another word, I slipped out of the ring and stalked up the ramp, leaving him behind to soak up the victory.

 

As I reached backstage, I made my way to the New Breed dressing room and dropped into a chair, crossing my legs and gripping my belt tightly. It didn’t take long before Colton barged in, looking both pissed and confused.

 

“You’re welcome,” I snapped, not even looking at him.

 

He threw his belt onto the sofa, glaring at me. “What the hell was that out there?”

 

“That was me saving our ass,” I shot back, standing up to face him. “We can’t have you looking like the over-sized puss pouch that you’re acting like now, can we?”

 

He took a step closer, fire in his eyes. “What is your fucking problem, Cassie? I don’t understand you at all lately.”

 

A wicked smirk curled my lips as I leaned in, whispering close to his ear. “That’s because I’m not Cassie.”

 

Colton rolled his eyes, shaking his head like I’d lost my damn mind.

 

“Oh, not Cassie then, huh? Then do tell, who are you then?”

 

My lip curled in a taunting smile, and I patted his cheek.

 

“I’m your family’s worst nightmare come true.”

 

Before he could say another word, I leaned in close, brushing my lips against his ear.

 

“I’m Vanity.”

 

I didn’t bother sticking around to see his reaction. I pushed past him, leaving the room and letting the tension hang in the air like smoke from a fire I had no intention of putting out.