CHAPTER 8

"Hello?" Joe walked in Royce's room.

"How did you get in?" Royce sat up from the bed.

He held up a car key card. "You left you second set in my room. Anyways, get up."

"Whyyy?" She groaned and fell back in the bed, covering her face with the pillow.

"We're going shopping." Joe said. "Come on."

"No." She protested.

"Yes." Joe argued, beginning to pull the blankets off of her.

"Stop! I don't have pants on!" Royce held the blankets tight.

"I've seen you with zero clothing on, we're past that." He pointed out. "Come on, you said you needed concealer."

"I was joking Joe-

"I wasn't." He stated seriously. "My treat, I'll buy you whatever you want."

Royce quickly sat up. "I'm bouta make your pockets hurt boy."

———

"Maybe this was a mistake." Joe anxiously sighed as he seen Royce walk around in Sephora, multiple items in her basket.

"You owe me!" Royce pointed at him. "Okay I'm done."

They went up to the cash register, Royce pulled out her credit card.

"I said I was buying." Roman lowered her hand.

She looked at him, "I was just joking. This stuff is kinda pricy, I got it."

Before she could swipe her card, he quickly had already done so. "I intend on keeping my word."

Royce smiled at him and grabbed the bag. "Thanks."

"No problem." He flashed his smirk.

The two walked around the mall together, both shopping for themselves. She tried to get away from him but he followed her like a lost puppy.

"You need a new bra?" Roman asked; seeing Royce look in that department.

"Maybe," she shrugged. "You did rip my favorite one."

"I couldn't help myself." Joe came closer, his hand wrapping around her waist. "You're unbelievably beautiful."

"Save it for a rainy day." Royce pushed his hand off and turned the corner.

"Oh my god Royce Presley!" A teenage girl gasped. "And Roman Reigns! Can I get a picture with you guys?"

"Sure." Royce and Joe laughed at the girls excitement.

After taking multiple pictures the fan turned to Royce. "I'm so sorry about the breakup! Honestly Nick will never find anyone as amazing as you, not even that model, ugh."

"M-model?" Royce stuttered.

"This model named Jessica White, she confirmed their relationship on Instagram the other day. It was an on and off again thing in 2015." She informed her. "Oh, I have to go, my rides here. It was so nice to meet you guys!"

"You too!" Joe said and Royce faked a smile.

Her chest felt tight, she felt tears in her eyes.

"You okay?" Joe placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I just want to go." Royce managed to get out and walked to the car. Once they were in, she slammed the door and went online. Yup, he moved on.

"Roy.." Joe said.

"Am I not wife material?" She turned to him, already crying. "Am I not someone people want to marry? I'm just a pretty face huh? People use me for my body and face but when it comes down to something serious, they run. Can guys not see me as being a wife and a mom? Do I really scare them off that bad?"

"Don't.. Don't do that to yourself." He shook his head. "You know you're way more than a pretty face, theres so much more to you than that."

"Four years Joe! I gave him four years.. And all those years of talking about our future and maybe settling down. I even told him I wouldn't renew my contract. I did all of that just for him to say he doesn't want what I want. And.. I need to be a mom. Maybe not a wife but I know in my heart I need to be a mother. That's all I ever wanted besides wrestling." Royce buried her face in her hands.

"Royce.." Joe got out of the car and went over to her side, he stood there and hugged her tight. Making sure she didn't feel alone.

Her head sprung up, "Why didn't he want to marry me? So many people tell me they thought he was gonna propose... Why didn't he want to marry me?"

"I-I wish I can tell you why. But hey," he lifted her chin up. "Remember he's missing out on being married to you. Any guy would be lucky to marry you."

"I doubt that.." Royce whispered.

He rubbed her cheek, "The right guy will come along."

She shook her head. "I'm done waiting for the right guy."

———

Seth, Dean, Roman, Royce, and a couple of the girls all sat in their dressing room, chilling before the show starts.

Nikki and Lana were making Tiktoks, while Royce sat beside Dean, talking to him and the guys.

"How are you my little one?" Dean shook Royce.

She laughed and gave him a confused look. "Good?" She looked over at Seth and Roman.

"I don't know, he's on something." Seth shrugged.

Nikki and Lana jumped on either side of Royce, recording a Tiktok video, they both sang, "Every night and everyday, I try to make you stay.. But you're savage love, did somebody did somebody break your heart?"

"You guys suck!" Royce rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"Nicole!" Brie gasped. "That was mean. Poor Roy." Brie hugged her.

"We made her laugh and smile though!" Lana pointed at Royce's face.

"Whateverrrr." Royce hugged them. "I'm gonna go to catering, you guys want anything?"

"Can you get me one of those rolls?" Nikki asked her.

"Yeah." She said before walking out.

"Wait up!" She turned around and seen Joe.

"What's up?" Royce smiled. She quickly grabbed waters and a plate of food for her and the girls.

Joe grabbed the plate from her before leaning down and whispering in her ear. "Come with me after Raw tonight."

"I can't, my brothers are coming and taking me out after the show." Royce said.

"When you're done then?" He asked.

"If this is a booty call you're trying to make, I'll pass." Royce remarked.

"It's not... And is that what you think? I'm just using you for sex?" He started to get mad.

"M-maybe, I don't know." Royce walked away.

He caught up to her. "I'm not Royce. You were my friend before my divorce, just because I'm not married anymore doesn't mean I'm gonna treat you like a booty call."

"I just find it funny, every time I hangout with you, I always end up in your bed." She challenged. "Look, maybe we should just remain friends and calm down and having sex with each other. We both have stuff to figure out for ourselves."

With that being said, he didn't know what to do. He just followed her lead and walked with her back into the room. Part of Joe wanted to be that great guy Royce also wanted. And the other, didn't want to get into anything too serious.

———

"Grayson! Ethan!" Royce ran up to her brothers after the show, who had come backstage.

Royce's younger twin brothers: Ethan (left) and Grayson (right)

"Roy!" They both hugged their sister.

"When did you guys grow up?" She joked and messed up their hair. "I saw you literally two months ago and you already look like 20 year olds."

"Hey hey watch it!" Grayson warned. "I spent an hour getting it perfect."

"You know Gray, into his looks more than anything else." Ethan rolled his eyes.

Royce laughed, "Come on. You can hang in my room while I shower and get ready."

The three siblings walked to her room, talking about her life and the twins school life. "Isn't that Joe?" Grayson pointed to where Joe was sitting, on his phone.

"Y-yeah. Want to say hi?" Royce asked them, praying they would just continue walking.

"Duh we haven't seen him in forever!" Ethan exclaimed.

"Hey Joe!" Royce called him.

He looked up at her, instantly smiling. Not even realizing she had her brothers with her.

Royce approached him. "Remember my brothers Grayson and Ethan?"

Joe stood up and greeted the two. "Of course, wow you guys really grew up, I haven't seen y'all since you were.. what 13? How are you?"

"We're good, dad makes us workout everyday with him." Ethan replied.

"How are you man? We heard about the divorce." Grayson asked.

"I'm alright, just focusing on my career and kids right now." Joe nodded. "Your sister and the guys have been helping me out."

Grayson put his arm around Royce. "She's quite the gem."

"Well I'm gonna go shower, you guys can keep talking if you want." Royce mentioned before leaving.

She hoped they would finish up their conversation so they could have a siblings day out. And a break from Joe, would help.

--

"Ready?" Royce asked her brothers after she got all ready to go.

"Yeah, we invited Joe to come along. He's giving us some tips on working out, we would really use them." Grayson grinned.

Royce faked a smile. "Cool, so where do you want to go?"

"I'm really craving Olive Garden." Ethan rubbed his stomach. "Their tiramisu, is gold."

"I'm fine with that. Roy?" Joe looked over at her.

She nodded, "Yeah sounds good."

They all made their way to car, wasnt this supposed to be a sibling night?

--

Finally seated at Olive Garden, they sat in a booth. The twins of course sat together on one side, leaving Joe and Royce on the other, right beside each other. So much for getting away from him.

"Why are you staring at us?" Ethan asked his sister.

"You guys just look so grownup, I can't believe you're gonna be eighteen soon." Royce gushed and took a sip of her drink.

"Will you be able to come home on our birthday?" Grayson wondered.

"Yes!" Royce smiled. "I'll be coming on Thursday and leaving Monday morning."

"When's your guys birthday?" Joe asked them.

"In three weeks from now," Ethan replied first.

"On the fourteenth." Grayson continued. "How old are you?"

"I'm thirty-three." Joe nodded and took a breadstick.

"Oh, you're younger than Nick." Ethan said, surprised.

Royce was twenty eight, and Nick was now thirty six. She met him when he was thirty one, and she was just twenty three.

"We also brought some gifts for you sis." Grayson nodded.

"Gifts? Why?" Royce looked in between them.

"You'll see later." Ethan smirked. "Alright, I'm gonna head to the bathroom before the food gets here."

"Hold up, I need to go too." Grayson said and went with Ethan.

"Soo," Joe tried breaking the awkward silence between them. "I'm younger than Nick?"

"He's thirty six." Royce informed him.

"You like older guys?" He smirked.

"No.. Maybe.. I don't know." Royce was frazzled. "You're only five years older than me."

"Wait, so you like me?" Joe got excited.

"I never said that." Royce shook her head.

His hand traveled to her inner thigh, making her breath hitch. Thankfully, they were seated in the corner under a pretty dimmed light. "Sure babygirl, whatever you believe."

"Oh we're calling each other names now." Royce challenged.

"What? I can't call you babygirl?" His hand went over her stomach.

She chugged her drink. "Alright Reigns, alright." She looked at him and smiled, shaking her head. "We're friends. Bestfriends, that's it."

"Yeah I know." Joe sighed and tapped her chin. "You're my bestfriend though, really."

"You're one of my bestfriends." Royce said.

"I'm hurt." He gasped. "Am I at least your main one?"

"Nope." She cheekily smiled.

Her smile... It made him blush and she didn't even do anything. "Come here," he husked and captured a kiss.

It wasn't rough or anything. It was... Sweet. Even catching her by surprise, it wasn't fast. Despite their tongues dancing around, it was actually really nice.

They pulled apart for air, "Bestfriends." Royce repeated.

"Always." Joe said.

"This old man took forever at the sink!" Grayson groaned and slid back in the booth. "Sorry, what did we miss?"

"Oh I was telling her about the training me and the boys are gonna do for Money In The Bank." Joe said.

--

After dinner, Royce spent time with her brothers in their hotel room. They brought her a bunch of candy and things to cheer her up, knowing she was bummed about the breakup. Grayson and Ethan even bought her a locket, saying 'E and G' with a heart on the back of it; since she used to wear the diamond necklace Nick gave her, all the time.

While they got ready for bed, Royce told them she was going to get water. Quickly sneaking to Joe's room.

He opened the door, shirtless and only in sweats. His hair was down this time, wet, she knew he'd just gotten out of the shower.

"There's my BFF!" Joe squealed like a girl.

"Oh my gosh," Royce did a girly voice, going along with it. "Wow, I sounded just like Nicole."

He couldn't help but smile and laugh. "Alright, what's up?"

"I was getting water and decided to say goodnight to you." Royce leaned against the doorway.

"Using excuses to escape and see me. I like it." Joe winked.

"Don't get used to it," Royce rolled her eyes while smiling. "Alright, goodnight Reigns." She kissed his cheek.

"Nah, I need more than that." Joe pulled her close and kissed her.

"Okay, okay." She said in between kisses. "I better go."

He gave her one last final long kiss. "Goodnight babygirl."

She went into the hallway. "Goodnight, Joe."

"We keep this up, you'll be calling me daddy." Joe laughed. "Correction, screaming."

"Keep dreaming lover boy." Royce winked at him before turning the corner.

That feeling... That familiar feeling... She felt it.. But they were friends. Right?

--

to be continued