Chapter 26
When Fans Attack
As Brooke and I stepped out into the cool night air, I should have known what was waiting for us.
The moment the doors opened, the crowd erupted again.
Fans pressed against the metal barriers that had been set up to create a pathway to the parking area, holding up phones, programs, and anything else they could find for me to sign.
"Mataio! Mataio! Over here!"
"Can I get a picture?"
"Sign my shirt!"
I looked at Brooke, who nodded encouragingly. "Go ahead," she said. "They've been waiting."
I squeezed her hand before stepping toward the barrier. The energy was infectious – kids with wide eyes, teenagers clutching their phones, adults who looked just as excited as their children. I started working my way down the line, signing autographs and posing for selfies.
"You were amazing in there," a teenage girl said as I signed her blank paper. "I want to be a wrestler too."
"Keep training hard," I told her, meaning it. "And never give up."
Brooke stayed close but gave me space to interact with the fans. Every so often, I'd catch her eye and see her watching me with this soft expression that made my heart skip. She looked proud, maybe even a little amazed, like she was seeing me in a new light.
But as the minutes ticked by, I started to notice the crowd growing restless. More people were pushing forward, and the security guards were having to work harder to maintain the barriers. The excited chatter was growing louder and more urgent.
"Matt, we should probably head out soon," Brooke said quietly, appearing at my elbow.
I nodded, signing one more autograph before raising my hand to the crowd. "Thanks, everyone!"
That's when things went sideways.
Instead of dispersing, the crowd surged forward with renewed energy. I heard the screech of metal as one of the barriers shifted under the pressure. A security guard spoke rapidly into his radio.
"Matt." A flicker of worry flashed in Brooke's eyes.
I took her hand, intending to make a quick but polite exit, when I heard it – the sharp crack of metal giving way. The barrier to our left buckled and toppled over, and suddenly, fans were spilling through the gap like water through a broken dam.
"Brooke, stay close to me." My voice automatically dropped into the calm, controlled tone I used before a match. But inside, my heart was racing for entirely different reasons now.
The crowd wasn't malicious, but they were excited beyond reason, and in their enthusiasm, they didn't seem to realize they were pressing closer and closer. Someone grabbed at my shirt, and Brooke gasped as the surge of people jostled her.
That's when something primal kicked in.
I moved without thinking, wrapping my arm around Brooke's waist and pulling her against my side. With my free hand, I created a barrier between her and the crowd, using my body as a shield as I started moving us toward the parking lot where my truck waited.
"Excuse me, coming through." My voice carried the authority I'd learned from years of commanding attention in the ring. But the crowd was now beyond listening.
A particularly enthusiastic fan rushed forward, phone extended, and accidentally knocked into Brooke. She stumbled, and I felt her hand grip my shirt tighter. That was it.
"Hey!" I barked, my voice cutting through the chaos. "Back off! Give us some space!"
The crowd hesitated for a moment, perhaps surprised by the sharp edge in my tone. I loved my fans, but I wasn't going to let them hurt Brooke.
"Go," one of the security officers shouted at me, pointing toward my truck. I guided Brooke quickly toward my truck, keeping my body between her and the fans.
More security guards appeared, trying to regain control of the situation, but the damage was done, and I had only one priority now.
I reached my truck, unlocked it, and opened the passenger door. "Get in," I said to Brooke, my hand on the small of her back as I helped her up.
"Matt! One more picture!" someone shouted from the crowd, which had followed us to the truck.
"Not tonight," I called back, my tone leaving no room for argument. I closed Brooke's door and rounded to the driver's side, sliding in and immediately locking the doors.
For a moment, we just sat there, breathing hard.
Security had managed to regain control, pushing the crowd back behind the barriers.
"Are you okay?" I asked, turning to face her fully. My hands were shaking slightly, not from fear, but from the intensity of the protective instinct that had taken over.
Brooke nodded, pushing her hair back from her face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… wow. Is it always like that?"
"No." I started the engine. "Never like that. That was insane."
She reached over and placed her hand on my arm, her touch immediately calming the tension I'd been carrying. "It was pretty epic," she smiled.
I looked at her, this woman who'd somehow become the most important thing in my world, and felt something shift inside my chest. The way she was looking at me, not with fear or frustration, but with trust and something that looked a lot like admiration, made me realize just how far I'd fall to protect her.
As I pulled out of the parking lot, leaving the crowd behind, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between us tonight.
It wasn't just the adrenaline from the match or even the chaos of the crowd.
It was the way she'd trusted me completely, the way I'd felt like nothing in the world mattered more than getting her to safety.
"So," she said as we drove through the quiet streets, "does this mean I get to be your bodyguard next time?"
I laughed, the tension finally breaking. "Pretty sure I've got that covered, but I'll keep you posted."
She grinned and settled back in her seat. "What time do you fly out tomorrow?"
"Early." I eased to a stop sign. "I have to be at the airport at five a.m." I had planned this trip since before I met Brooke, but I honestly didn't want to go. I wanted to stay with her, but it was a business matter, and I was under contract.
"I can drive you to the airport if you want."
"Thanks," I smiled. "But I have a car scheduled to pick me up, but if you want to stay with me tonight, you can use my truck and pick me up when I get back."
"Deal."