chapter nine

April 24, 2012 (off camera)

The bubbly brunette named Kasey Summers had been somewhat preoccupied for the last week, especially since her interview with Alex Houser. She'd been trying really hard to remain positive and not let it get to her, especially since she'd nearly driven Kyle insane in the hours afterwards by continually reviewing the last few minutes of her match against Sophie Richards. She'd spent days obsessing over recording a coherent promotional video for her upcoming first defense of the Television Title she'd never really expected to win. With that defense being against Lumina Ferrari, she was understandably worried-- terrified even, but at least she had Kyle to make things better. She had really grown addicted to the SVW Webmaster over the last month that they'd been together and was looking forward to his arrival in the city today. Like usual she was pacing a hole in the floor of her New York City apartment, waiting for that familiar knock on her door. Not that he needed to knock since she'd given him a key as a gift on their one month anniversary.

Her wait ended when the clicking noise of a key sliding into place was heard on the other side, and Kyle let himself in. He tossed his bag to the side, and kicked the door shut behind him. "Sorry it took so long, was a little difficult finding a cab that someone would share with me leaving LaGuardia. How's my girl?" He inquired, extending both arms out for her with the unmistakable smile on his face. "Or do I have to start calling you champ now?" He was obviously kidding, but at this rate, he just hoped there wasn't a replay of Chaos Theory awaiting him this visit like last time.

"Well," she smirked, running into his arms and hugging him tight, "if you wanna call me champ you can, just as long as you don't want me to wear the belt when we're... you know..." she blushed even as she strained up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. "God, I know it's only been a couple days, but I missed you big time!"

"I missed you too." He scooped her up, lifting her off the ground and carrying her towards one of the chairs before sitting and placing her on his lap. "I let my landlord know that I won't be renewing my lease on my apartment at the end of May. I thought we could get an apartment together in Chicago, just us. I can't really leave, since my job is there and that's where the SVW offices are. But would you want to move in with me?"

"You'd want me to move in with you?" Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked at him, "like seriously?" The happiest smile ever broke out on her face, "the answer is absolutely a thousand times over yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek before snuggling up against him. "I mean, I love New York... but I'm not in love with it. Chicago is awesome, too!"

"Well you travel a lot, but when I'm not traveling, I have to be there for my job. So I think it'd work. And besides you offered to let me stay with you, so I can return the favor. We can get a nice little apartment together in a better neighborhood than the one I live in." He replied, pulling her legs up to rest over the arm of the chair before his hands clasped around her waist. "Besides I've realized the worst thing about our dates is when they end, so that solves that problem for me too."

"Oh, you!" She giggled at his words, despite the fact that she completely agreed with them. "I think it'll work out awesome! And maybe sometimes you can still come watch me wrestle if you want to. I mean, you were a hell of a good luck charm at Chaos Theory!"

"Nope, you did that all by yourself." He stroked her leg as it languidly hung across the armrest to his left. "But if we are going to move in together, that's a pretty big commitment right there and I want to make sure we are both on the same page." He responded, stopping long enough to share a kiss with her. "You know I consider us a couple, but there is someone who really isn't paying that much attention and is still trying to get at me." He scooped her up a bit higher. "And I'm not telling you this to make you jealous, I just don't want it to come out and you think I hid it from you, because we've always been honest with each other. Since we've been a couple, nothing's happened and nothing will. I just wanted to be open with you."

She frowned for a second, mulling over his words, "I think I know who you might mean. Is it who I think it is? Aly?"

Kyle nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's her. But like I say, nothing is going to happen. Don't listen to people like Adam. I'm not the kind of guy to go around messing with someone if I'm in a relationship. I just don't want you not trusting me, because the fact is you were very patient with me while I figured out what I wanted. And what I want...is right here!" He looked about to follow that statement up with another, stopping himself just short out of hesitation and instead patting her thigh with his hand.

"You know what I like best about you, Kyle? You're always so honest. I mean, you could have kept that from me. I blocked Aly on Twitter months ago. I'm totally oblivious to whatever she may or may not be publicly saying to you." She beamed at him, putting her hand over his where it rested on her thigh and giving it a squeeze. "That's why you're the best!"

"I got this!" He grinned, his arms tightening around her body. "I admit we spent some time together when I was still figuring things out and what I wanted. Just like I spent some time with Ashley, the reporter. But the fact is it didn't take me long to figure who I wanted, and turns out I'm here with her now." Another kiss shared, their lips pressed warmly for a moment. "I'm not going to let anything bad happen. If I was still wanting to do all that, I wouldn't want you to come live together with me, would I?" He asked, though it was mostly a rhetorical question.

"I'd hope not," she said with a little laugh, shaking her head, "don't worry, Kyle. I trust you completely. I mean... I know we haven't been together that long but it just feels so right when I'm with you. Like everything in the world makes perfect sense." She gave him another little kiss before pulling back and gently rubbing her nose against his, "I have something I've been wanting to tell you for a little while now. I know it's kinda soon and all but..." she paused, biting her lip as she tried to maintain her composure, "I think I love you."

The webmaster's face was one of some stunned expression, but quickly gave way to a softening smile. "You think you love me?" He asked, rather taken aback by it. It was something that had crossed his mind too of late, but those were very difficult words for most any man to say and to actually have the meaning behind it "I....I think you're not alone in those feelings." He still seemed rather surprised, obviously not expecting to hear them even though it was obvious he felt the same way through his own body language.

"Actually," she blushed bright red, looking anywhere but at him as she tucked her hair behind her ears, clearly fidgeting, "take out the word 'think'. I know. I do. I love you, Kyle. Seriously." Her brown eyes drifted back up to meet his as that smile crossed her lips. It always seemed to be there on her face when he was near.

"I lo.." He didn't finish his sentence before the phone in his pocket began to vibrate. Stealing a kiss from her, he fished it out and opened it to read the text message awaiting him. "I think I'll turn this off, because I'd rather just be able to focus on you." He set it to the nearby table, and resumed their kiss. "What say we move this into your room?"

"I say that sounds like a hell of an idea, Mr. Kilmeade," she said with a devilish little smirk. Springing off his lap, she tugged on his hand, "you go on ahead. I'm just gonna grab us something to drink and hit the little girl's room really quick!" She made her way into the kitchen, rummaging in the fridge to find something suitable before grabbing a can of Coke for him and some coconut water for herself.

Kyle disappeared into the bedroom, pushing the door closed behind him, just not closing it fully. The phone on the table began to vibrate again. Apparently he had received another message.

Kasey cocked her head, listening to the silence before she tiptoed across the room, tucking the can of Coke under one arm so she had a free hand to pick up his phone. Invasion of privacy really wasn't her thing, but a little voice in the back of her mind kept telling her that it was probably some gross sexy text from Alyson Summers and that she should read it. She flipped the phone open, expecting to find something lewd. Instead what she found was infinitely more perplexing.

'You can drop her now. She's useless,' the first message read.

'You must be fucking her again. No longer necessary, drop her when you're done with her, little brother.'

And the sender of those messages?

.....Anthony Gambini.