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Edge continued to study Lita, his green eyes so serious as they watched her that the redhead nearly squirmed.
There was suspicion in his eyes, and Lita knew it without question. She cringed at the thought of talking to him about Christian's and her relationship, their personal buisness - and not because the man didn't like her...
"Excuse me," she spoke after a long moment. "I should be going-"
"Lita, wait..." The tall Canadian had spoken the two words even before the diva had a chance to turn around to leave, and she held her breath as he moved in closer.
Edge studied her face, his gaze wandering to her graceful jawline.
Lita shuddered as the expression on his face darkened, and then slowly, tentatively, the blond man reached out with one hand.
Gently, his fingertips brushed the redhead's chin, as Edge noted the bruise. It was small, faint and barely noticeable, but a bruise nonetheless.
And it angered him... What kind of sick relationship did his brother and this woman have, anyway?
Although he'd been touching her for longer than a couple of seconds, Lita suddenly shrank back. She ducked her gaze from him, not wanting the blond Canadian to see the shame in her eyes.
"Lita...? Did Christian do this to you?" Edge asked, his tone level, although he was now definitely angry.
The redheaded diva's hazel eyes widened for a beat, as though she were shocked he would suspect such a thing. Then, she shook her head almost violently.
The tall blond removed his hand from her face, his arms crossing over his chest as he contined to survey her.
"Look, Lita... I know we don't like each other," he said. "But be that as it may, my brother has no right to put his hands on you."
"He didn't..." the diva protested. "Christian had nothing to do with it - really."
Edge continued to scrutinize her, not buying into her excuses for one moment.
"Okay... How did it happen?"
"I-it happened... in my match against Stacy Keibler the other night," Lita replied quickly. "You know, she's still very sloppy in the ring. I must've caught her spinning heelkick to the jaw, that's all." She gave a nervous little laugh to chase down her explanation.
Edge frowned, still not buying into it. He couldn't believe his brother didn't have something to do with the bruise on Lita's face - that he wasn't solely responsible for it. On one hand, Stacy was very inexperienced as a wrestler, and it was quite probable for her to land a kick wrong - but he didn't think the leggy blonde had caused the redhead's injury... Not for a second did he think that...
Suddenly, the locker room door opened, causing both Edge and Lita too look up, startled.
Christian's blue gaze went from his girlfriend to his brother and then back again.
"Hey... What's going on here?"
"Nothing!"
Edge looked sharply back at the redheaded diva, whose voice had distinctly held a note of fear in it as she'd said the word. She'd also said it quickly - too quickly. And as far as he was concerned, judging by the look in Christian's eyes, his suspicions had been confirmed...
Christian had physically hurt Lita...
The shorter of the two blond men glanced at the redhead as well, and he shot her a warning look - one that, somehow, he managed to prevent his brother from seeing.
"I-I was just looking for you, Christian," Lita finally admitted, a slight sheepish expression on her face. "But when I got here, Edge told me you'd stepped out."
"Uh huh..." The young man nodded, his arms crossing over his chest as he stared at his girlfriend. Then, glancing quickly back at Edge, noticing something odd in his expression, the blond man arched an eyebrow. Then, the taller man spoke.
"Lita, would you mind excusing us? We have some brotherly stuff to chat about..."
The redhead's eyes widened slightly in horror. Somehow, she knew what Edge had in mind, and she dreaded it. She tried to silently plead with him for a beat, but left the room as requested.
The moment he was certain the diva was completely out of earshot, the tall Canadian turned to his brother.
"What the hell is going on between you two...?"