Between the Ropes by Lauren Nova

Passion. Power. No Holds Barred.

Natalie Thomas never expected to land a job in the high-energy world of professional wrestling. As a massage therapist intern for UXW, she’s determined to prove herself in a career that could finally give her the stability she’s been craving. The last thing she needs is a distraction—especially one in the form of Ryan Pierce, UXW’s top star, a six-foot-five powerhouse with a brooding intensity and a reputation for keeping his distance.
Ryan Pierce has spent his entire life fighting—inside and outside the ring. Wrestling is his obsession, his purpose, and nothing has ever been worth risking his focus. Until Natalie. She’s everything he shouldn’t want—soft, sweet, completely off-limits—but from the moment he lays eyes on her, she’s under his skin. And no matter how hard he tries to keep her at arm’s length, the pull between them is undeniable.
What starts as an unshakable tension soon spirals into something deeper, something neither of them can walk away from. But Ryan’s past has left scars, and his walls are built too high to tear down easily. As the stakes rise in both his career and his personal life, he’s faced with a choice: continue to fight alone or risk everything for the one person who makes him feel alive.

In a world where strength is everything and weakness is unforgivable, love might be the hardest fight of all.