THREE’S A CROWD
For Peyton Rice, beating the number one contender, Dylan Cent was a must do, there was no going back. If she lost to him, the gorgeous EMERGE Champion would never hear the end from Dylan on how she is a fake Champion, didn’t deserve this spot, etc. Peyton was focused on one thing, winning the match and proving all the doubters wrong. She was also paying close attention to the Gauntlet Match that saw Kandis go through the entire field and become the new challenger for the belt and it was to be held at Rise to Greatness.
There was no way that Peyton would flounder this opportunity, she was ready for anything and this was the time to make a huge splash and impression on the SCW, the next step up. Kandis was hungry, no matter how it happened she held a pin fall victory over Peyton in a tag team match while the young rice held one over her in singles competition. Getting by one obstacle and moving on to the next was easier said than done, her budding relationship with Jason Dillinger was blossoming while hers with Ricky Octavius was getting more distance….
And J-Dilly was going to make sure that she saw that.
Trois Mec
Los Angeles, CA.
Two days After Invasion
The famous Ludo Lefebvre run a tiny, reservations-only global spot with a tasting menu & open kitchen. It’s a cozy and romantic restaurant that sometimes takes months to dine in. J-Dilly was willing to pull some strings it seems. J-Dilly was in black slacks and a button up white shirt, Peyton was in a blue dinner dress, white open toed heels with her hair down and nails polished white. They sat down and were promptly served bottled water and drink orders taken. Jason kept looking at his watch…
Peyton: “Already want to go home, J-Dilly?”
Jason: “Me? Never. I can spend all night here with you, Peyton. It’s just a bad habit I have with looking at my watch, is all.”
His eyes glare over her shoulder to the eat in the back against the wall, there sits his paid henchman, Alistair Taylor with some escort sipping wine. Dillinger shifts his attention back to Peyton….
Jason: “I’m so proud of you.”
Peyton: “It’s okay J-Dilly, I’m the same with my phone and thank you for being there, it meant a lot. Beating Dylan Cent was the highlight of my career. Recently you are there though, always supporting me or even taking care of when I’m all drugged up on meds from getting piledriven or just getting my butt kicked by some thug in an alleyway, you have constantly been my guardian angel…”
She reaches over and grabs his hand….
Jason: “I didn’t do anything anyone else would have.”
Peyton: “I disagree. You have such a big heart under all that mass of muscle, I saw it the first day I met you at Ante Up Academy, I knew then what kind of person you were.”
Jason: “What’s going on with Ricky? I don’t mean to get into your personal business, but you don’t talk much about him anymore and while we have been busy with EMERGE, it seems like he has been busy too with the Beauty Factory.”
She looks down, a bit disappointed and dejected, J-Dilly knows he struck a never and deep down inside, he’s happy for it….
Peyton: “I really don’t want to talk about it. We don’t see each other as much as we used too. I miss him a bunch and I know he wanted to do something with his career, I don’t agree with the choice, but I can’t tell him what to do. The feud with Dylan took a lot out of me, now it’s RTG, I mean this is it, you know? WE made it J-Dilly, WE did, and I can’t have any distractions. I love Ricky with all my heart but right now? I just can’t balance all this out.”
Jason: “Peyton, you deserve better.”
She blushes a little and smirks….
Peyton: “Thanks J-Dilly, the entire EMERGE roster thinks you are pining over me and I’m going to hurt you or something. That kind of stuff is not cool, you know? I would never do that to you.”
Jason: “I know. It’s just talk. I do want to say that the kiss….. we haven’t really said anything about it.”
Peyton: “Yeah, about that. I was caught in the moment and I….. “
Jason: “What Pey?”
Peyton: “I don’t have any regrets.”
A smile and a sigh of relief came over Jason Dillinger as he once again looked over her shoulder toward Taylor who nods, he then glances into the gorgeous green eyes of Peyton, he leans in and goes for a kiss surprised by it, she kisses him back, just then he hears a voice….
Voice: “Ahem….”
Jason stops, he looks over at Peyton whose eyes widen, she looks up to see Ricky standing there in a suit with a designer tee under it….
Peyton: “Ricky!? What are you doing here?”
Ricky: “The restaurant called me to confirm our reservation. They said you made it so I came quickly, I even text you.”
Peyton: “My phone was in my purse. I, I didn’t make any reservations Ricky?”
Jason: “Peyton, I think he was following us.”
Ricky turns to Jason, shocked he would say something like this….
Ricky: “Excuse me? Bro, I am telling the truth but if Pey here could detach her lips from yours fast enough then maybe we could get to the bottom of this, yet it looks to me like you once again set all this up to make me look like the bad guy, just like the time I miraculously was hit on the head and missed a very important date with Peyton.”
Jason: “I don’t like your threatening tone at me. How else would you just show up here and know where we are at if you were not following us? Where is Jennifer?”
Ricky: “Jennifer?”
Jason: “Don’t play stupid, Ricky. Jennifer Helms, the “Glamorous One”? How do you think Pey feels about you hanging out with a whole bunch of single beautiful women? Did you ever talk to her to see if joining the Beauty Factory was the right decision?”
Peyton: “Guys…. Please, this is a restaurant.”
Ricky shakes his head and turns to Peyton….
Ricky: “This guy you call your best friend has been playing you all along Pey. He set this up, I conveniently walk in and you two are having dinner in some fancy French restaurant in Los Angeles? He knew I was in town doing a shoot, he knew that I came to see Invasion. Stop letting this guy play you, Peyton!”
Peyton: “Ricky, not here, please. Can we just all go outside.”
Jason stands up and gets right into Ricky’s face….
Jason: “You heard her, let’s take this outside. Just for the record, I can’t believe you would treat Peyton like this after everything she has had to endure, and you were not there for any of it. What kind of boyfriend are you? Look at her, she deserves better!”
Ricky: “Step back Jason, I mean it bro. You are the one behind all this shit, tell her the truth! She has a huge match coming at RTG, do you hear me, RTG! She doesn’t need any of this crap from you or me! I knew that you head over heels for her but this? It’s even beneath you!”
Jason: “No, I was here when she was injured, TWICE. I sat next to her while she slept during those injuries at the hospital and made sure that she was okay! Where were you? Oh, that’s right making up excuses, hanging out with models, while Pey suffered!”
Finally Peyton had enough…..
Peyton: “Stop it! You guys are both talking like I am not even here, it’s disrespectful and we are in a middle of a restaurant. Will you two stop!?”
Ricky: “Can I talk to you outside? I want to know why you are kissing him.”
Peyton: “I can’t do this.”
Peyton stands up and is ready to walk out when Ricky tries to reason with her, he grabs her hand and Jason quickly pulls him by the arm, in one reactionary motion, Ricky comes back with a right cross on the jaw of J-Dilly knocking him to the floor, Peyton’s eyes widen, dropping to check on him….
Peyton: “J-Dilly!?”
Jason: “I’m okay….”
Her head zips around facing Ricky who looks remorseful and is trying to explain what happened at this moment with Jason to Peyton….
Ricky: “It was a reaction, I didn’t mean to hit him, I’m sorry Pey, he’s trying to split us up.”
Peyton: “No, Ricky, you are doing a good job of that all on your own! Just leave, please.”
Ricky: “Pey?”
Peyton: “Damn it Ricky, leave now!”
Ricky: “Pey?”
Peyton: “Go hang out with your new model friends, we are done!”
Ricky let’s out a sigh, wanting to say more but instead he doesn’t say another word, instead he just stares down Jason who almost breaks out in a smile while Pey is not looking, Ricky’s fists clench, ready to hit him again for good measure but decides against it. He looks over at Peyton who right now is furious and embarrassed at the same time, some people from the restaurant walk over, Ricky just shakes his head and leaves. Jason stands up with the help of Peyton, she checks his jaw…..
Peyton: “I’m sorry….. you sure you’re okay?”
Jason: “It’s okay….. I’m sorry that happened. I don’t know what has gotten into him.”
Peyton: “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve had enough for one night. think we better leave.”
Jason: “True that.”
Dillinger stands up, Peyton dusts him off, they both grab their things and walk out as Alistair looks on with a smirk on his face….
A Few Hours Later
Peyton walks into her apartment, heels in hand, her hair is down, they ended up going to a local burger shack, In N’ Out. Peyton wanted to just go home but J-Dilly insisted to plead his case. She listened, at this point she didn’t know what to believe yet Jason wasn’t the one throwing punches and hanging out with a bunch of hot single models and being managed by Laura Steinbeck, he was….
She kissed J-Dilly goodnight, after walking her in, he was back in his car ready to leave when he made a call…
Alistair: “Tell me you weren’t impressed, mate? I think I more than made up for roughing her up last time.”
Jason: “You did, I must admit, I was doubting you. She broke up with Ricky, he may still be a problem, you know what to do, right?”
Alistair: “Aye, leave it to me.”
Jason: “Perfect… I think Kelc….”
Before he could finish her name there is a knock on the window, startling Jason before quickly hanging up the phone without warning and lowering the window seeing Peyton there …..
Jason: “Hey Pey?”
Peyton: “Stalking my place?”
Jason: “No… I was talking to me mo….”
Peyton: “I’m joking. I have a couple of movies and some popcorn, I’m with dad, interested?”
A huge smile comes across the face of Dillinger, he turns off the car and steps out…..
Jason: “You don’t have to ask me twice.”
Peyton: “I didn’t think so. I hope you like horror….”
Jason: “Don’t we live it?”
He scoops her up off her feet that were on the concrete, she smirks and shakes her head, they slowly walk in as she asks the questions….
Peyton: “Before you walk in, I have a question and you need to answer it honestly.”
Jason: “Sure, anything?”
Peyton: “Who’s ass is nicer? Kandis? Or mine?”
Jason: “Oh definitely yours.”
Peyton: “Good answer.”
They walk inside, he closes the door behind him to enjoy a quiet night with the woman of his dreams.
The Next Night
Venice Beach, CA.
Peyton was out and about picking up Dim Sum for dinner. Her father was in town visiting her, having come to see her match at Invasion LA. Staying at her Venice Beach apartment. What Peyton didn’t know was the secret her father was keeping from her, that of Mika Kozlov and what she had done to Ray Rice after she attacked and almost paralyzed, his daughter. While gone, Mika decided to visit her again, it seemed like had it planned all along, Peyton wanted to spend a quiet and alone night with her dad….
She came home, wearing jean shorts, converse with no socks and a black pull over sleeveless blouse. Her hair was in a ponytail. Peyton carried in the Dim Sum, Ray sat in his wheelchair, oddly quiet, watching TV. She could smell a distinct perfume and cigarettes….
Peyton: “Have you been smoking in here dad?”
Ray: “No… no of course not pumpkin, why?”
Peyton: “Was someone here that smokes? Perfume too, smells familiar but I can’t pinpoint to who.”
Ray: “No, maybe it’s the neighbor?”
Peyton: “Yeah, maybe. Anyway, I bought your favorite, the steamed buns, the short rib pot stickers, Crab Angels…. Yum. I’m excited.”
He forces a smile, what had happened between he and Mika laid heavily on his mind. He looked nervous, confused and extremely upset, Peyton caught on to it pretty quick…..
Peyton: “What’s wrong? You have that look on your face like you want to tell me something?”
Ray: “No, it’s fine. Just thinking about a bunch of things is all.”
Peyton: “Dad, you don’t have to do this, just tell me, I’m a big girl. Is it wrestling again? I neat Dylan Cent, I have Kandis at RTG and I defeated her once already, I can do it again, promise. I’m so excited you will be there.”
Ray: “Ricky?”
Peyton: “I don’t know dad.”
Ray: “Pey, I love you so much and I have this respect for you which has never wavered. I may not always act like I am proud of you, but I am more than any father to his daughter. I know you will be great at RTG, I’m going to be a proud dad watching you compete in front of thousands and millions. My baby girl as a Champion in the SCW….”
He looks away, tearing up a little as Peyton grows some concern and walks up to him….
Peyton: “Daddy, what’s wrong?”
Ray: “Baby Girl, I made a huge mistake and now I have to pay for it not you. I swore I wasn’t going to say anything in fear of retaliation.”
Peyton: “Dad, you’re scaring me, what is this all about?”
Ray: “She came and saw me in Arizona and then again tonight.”
Peyton: “Who came here?”
Again, he hesitates before saying her name….
Ray: “Mika Kozlov.”
Peyton’s eyes widen…..
Ray: “She….”
Peyton: “She what dad?”
Ray: “….. had sex with me.”
Her eyes simply tear up…..
Peyton Rice 