The second we were clear of the lights and the cameras, I let out a long breath. My shoulders slumped, and I rolled them back, shaking off the intensity like I always did. Cody stayed quiet beside me, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. We walked down the hallway in silence, boots echoing on the concrete floor. It wasn’t tense. Just… thoughtful. “You alright?” he asked finally, voice low and casual—but I knew him too well to miss the shift in tone.
I nodded, not quite looking at him. “Yeah. Just tired. That kind of tired that settles into your bones, you know?”
He gave a small hum in response, like he was thinking about something deeper than the words we were saying. A few more steps passed before he spoke again, softer this time. “You mentioned your dad back there.”
I paused, not expecting that. My foot hesitated mid-step, just for a second. Cody caught it. He didn’t push, though. Just waited. Respectful. Quiet. “I know you’ve talked about your brothers, what they mean to you,” he said gently, watching the way I kept my gaze forward. “But… that’s the first time I’ve heard you say anything about your father.”
He didn’t ask yet. He just left the door open, his voice a calm place to land. And then, even quieter: “What was he like?”
I took a deep breath. “I guess it’s about time I tell you, huh?” I said half jokingly trying to lighten the mood before becoming more quiet and serious. “You’re the first person I’ve ever told this to. Our dad…wasn’t exactly the greatest. He…he beat my brothers, and me on occasion when they couldn’t protect me,” I admitted quietly. Cody stopped walking. The air around us shifted. He turned toward me, his expression completely open—no pity, no shock, just… there. Like he’d dropped every wall just to make space for me.
“Angel…” he said softly, and I could hear the weight in his voice, the hurt for me, not at me. “Damn.”
He ran a hand through his hair, then let it fall to his side again, clenched loosely like he wasn’t sure what to do with it. “I had no idea. And I know you… you don’t open up easy. So—thank you. For trusting me.”
He didn’t touch me right away, didn’t crowd in. Just gave me space to speak or breathe or bolt if I needed to. And when he did speak again, his voice was steadier. Low and firm, like a promise. “Were your brothers… the only reason you made it through?”
I nodded. “They couldn’t always protect me, but if it wasn’t for them…I don’t think I’d be alive right now,” I admitted, trying to blink the tears away. “I never knew our mom. Kane and Undertaker never spoke of her so I don’t even know if they remember her. But our dad always said it was our fault she left,” I paused and wiped my eyes. “We’ll probably never know if that’s true or not.”
Cody’s jaw tightened, but his eyes stayed soft—like he was feeling every word, every bit of that weight, and trying to carry it with me without saying so. “I’m so sorry you had to grow up like that,” he said quietly. “No kid should ever have to wonder if they were the reason someone walked away. Especially not with a father like that feeding them lies.”
He stepped closer now, just enough that if I needed support, it was there—but still not pushing. “For what it’s worth,” he added, “I don’t believe that for a second. About her leaving. If she had even a fraction of your heart… I think she would’ve stayed, if she could.”
He looked down for a moment, then back at me. “Do you think that’s why you throw yourself into the fire? Why you protect people the way you do?”
The tiniest smile formed on my lips. “Yeah, definitely. That, and because my brothers did the same for me, and I don’t want to see anyone hurt the way I was.”
Cody nodded slowly, his voice softer now, like he was letting the weight of everything I’d just shared settle between us. “You know… that makes sense. You’re not just protecting people—you’re breaking the cycle.”
He gave a small smile, one that didn’t try to fix anything, just showed he understood. “You took all that pain, all that darkness, and somehow turned it into light for the people around you. That’s rare, Angel. That’s… powerful.”
Then he tilted his head slightly. “Do your brothers know how much they saved you? I mean, really know?”
I chuckled softly. “Hard to say. As you know, they’re not ones for words. But I think they do. I mean, even to this day they still look out for me. You’ve seen what they did to Cena.”
Cody grinned at that, the corner of his mouth twitching up as he leaned back slightly. “Yeah, I have seen that. Pretty sure Cena’s still trying to figure out how he got choke-slammed into next week.”
His expression softened again, eyes meeting mine with something deeper behind them. “They love you, no doubt. And I think they know—maybe not through words, but in the way you fight. The way you protect us all. You’re a reflection of the best parts of them.”
A beat passed before he asked, quieter now, “Do you ever think you’d want to talk to them about it? Not the fight stuff, but… everything else?”
I sighed softly. “I don’t know, maybe. Part of me wants to but at the same time, we’ve kind of developed our own way of understanding each other.”
Then, after a couple moments of silence, I realized that I should’ve told him this way sooner as I felt a sense of relief that he knew. I wrapped Cody in a hug as tears ran down my face. “Thank you, Code. For being my best friend and helping me to open up about this. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
Cody didn’t hesitate. His arms came around me immediately, strong and steady, holding me like he meant it. Like he understood. He rested his chin lightly against my shoulder, voice low and steady. “Hey,” he murmured, “don’t you dare apologize. You told me when you were ready—and that means more than anything.”
He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes, his own a little misty too. “I’ve got your back, Angel. Always. Doesn’t matter if it’s in the ring, or when the cameras are off, or when the past tries to creep in. I’m not going anywhere.”
Then he smiled, soft and sure. “Besides, now that I do know? I’m pretty sure your brothers would kill me if I did go anywhere.” He winked. “Especially Kane.”
I let out a watery laugh at the mention of Kane, sniffling as I wiped at my face again. “Yeah, no kidding. He doesn’t exactly do subtle threats.”
Cody grinned, clearly relieved to see even a flicker of humor back on my face. He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “But seriously. What you went through… no one should have to carry that alone. And I’m glad you’re not anymore.”
He paused, more serious now. “You’ve spent all your time in WWE protecting other people… I just want to make sure someone is protecting you too.”
He didn’t push. He just looked at me with that quiet sincerity he always had—like he was offering something steady, not demanding anything in return. The air between us shifted, soft and still, filled with a trust we never said out loud but always felt. I smiled softly. "I think my brothers only show up occasionally because they know that I've got you watching my back now."
Cody chuckled at that, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the warmth of someone who got it—who really understood what that meant coming from me. “Damn right you do,” he said, bumping my shoulder lightly. “You’re stuck with me now. No backing out. Not after a moment like that.”
Then his voice dipped just slightly, not dramatic, just... honest. “I mean it, Angel. I don’t take it lightly that you trust me with this part of your life. It matters. You matter. And I’ll always be there—whether it’s in the ring, backstage, or just when you need someone who doesn’t expect you to be the strong one all the time.”
He paused, eyes flicking over my expression like he was checking if that landed okay, like he didn’t want to push too hard. “You ever need to talk again... I’m here. No pressure. No spotlight. Just me.”
I was silent for a moment before giving him a small smile. "Thanks, Code. For being there for me, for bringing me into your family, and for everything you and Brandi have done for me."
Cody’s expression softened, his usual confidence giving way to something quieter—more heartfelt. He reached over and gently placed a hand over mine, no words at first, just that grounding presence he was so damn good at. “You are family,” he said, voice low but certain. “Brandi loves you like a sister. Hell, she’s probably already planning to drag you over for dinner again. And Liberty? She calls you her aunt and always asks when you can come over again. We don’t get to choose the family we’re born into, but we do get to choose who we fight beside. And I’d choose you every single time.”
He gave me a teasing grin to lighten the moment. “Besides, you’re the only person besides Brandi who can roast me and get away with it. That’s a very exclusive list.”
I sniffed, laughing through the last of my tears as I wiped my face with the sleeve of my hoodie. “Well, someone’s gotta keep your ego in check. I mean, let’s be real—half the time I’m your tag partner, the other half I’m your PR damage control. Brandi and I deserve awards. Or at least a vacation.”
I gave him a teasing nudge with my elbow. Then I softened, my grin turning warm. “But I wouldn’t trade you for anyone else. Not even if Roman offered me a whole bloodline’s worth of backup.”
Cody laughed, the sound light and genuine, and he leaned back, shaking his head. “I’d pay to see Roman try to offer you that. But hey, I know what you mean. You’ve got my back, and I’ve got yours—no amount of backup could change that. Not even a whole bloodline.”
He leaned back a bit, taking a deep breath as if everything that had just been said had settled in. “Still, Angel… whatever happens next, just know you’re stuck with me. And Brandi. And Liberty. We’re your family, whether you like it or not.”
I nodded, my heart swelling a little with the certainty of it. "I wouldn’t have it any other way."
ns216.73.216.241da2
and then Add to home screen.