Adrian's expression softened with understanding. "You've found your calling as a trainer."
"I have." The certainty in her voice surprised even her. "Coaching you for that tournament showed me something I didn't know about myself. I love building fighters more than I ever loved being one."
His hand covered hers, warm and steady. "And it gives your knee time to fully recover without the pressure of competition schedules."
God, this man sees everything.
Riley squeezed his fingers. "Exactly. Though I might still take the occasional fight if something interesting comes up."
"As long as 'interesting' doesn't mean 'unnecessarily dangerous,'" Adrian said, his alpha protectiveness bleeding through despite his casual tone.
Riley laughed. "Says the man who entered a kickboxing tournament with two days of training."
"That was different. That was?—"
"Impulsive?"
"Strategic," he corrected with mock dignity, though his grin betrayed him.
Riley's heart swelled as they climbed out of the truck. The building rose before them like a monument to possibility—sleek glass and steel that somehow managed to feel welcoming rather than imposing. She could already envision the controlled chaos of training sessions, the satisfaction of watching students master techniques, the quiet pride of building something that would outlast them both.
The main entrance doors were propped open, revealing glimpses of the soaring lobby within. Through the windows, she could see the outline of the training ring on the lower level, surrounded by state-of-the-art equipment that made her old gym's patched gear look like ancient artifacts. The upper level promised smaller, more intimate spaces for specialized classes—and the special room where shifters could train in their true forms.
Human and shifter worlds, perfectly balanced.Just like their marriage.
"Ready to see our empire?" Adrian asked, his voice carrying that note of possessive satisfaction.
Before she could answer, familiar voices called out from the entrance. Her mother Tammy emerged first, her face bright with excitement, followed closely by Lila and Mark. But it was the petite figure bringing up the rear that made Riley's eyes widen in surprise.
"Gerri?"
Gerri Wilder stepped into view wearing designer workout clothes that probably cost more than Riley's first car. Her snow-white bob was perfectly styled despite the athletic wear, and her eyes held that familiar twinkle that suggested she knew far more than she was letting on.
"Hello, darling," Gerri said warmly. "I believe you still owe me a self-defense lesson. The one that got rather dramatically interrupted three months ago."
Riley felt heat creep up her neck as memories flooded back—that first day when Gerri had walked into her struggling gym and changed everything by bringing Adrian into her life. "Yeah, a lot happened after that initial consultation."
"I imagine it did." Gerri's smile turned mysterious. "Though I have to say, congratulations are in order."
"Thank you," Riley said automatically, assuming Gerri meant the wedding or the gym opening. "We're really?—"
"Oh, I don't think you understand what I mean, honey," Gerri interrupted with a knowing wink, her gaze dropping pointedly to Riley's still-flat stomach.
How could she possibly?—
"What?" her mother Tammy's voice pitched higher with sudden alertness. "Riley? Are you pregnant?"
The question hung in the air like a challenge. Riley felt Adrian's protective instincts surge through their bond, his body shifting slightly to angle between her and the group. But there was no hiding from her mother's laser-focused stare or Lila's suddenly wide eyes.
"I—" Riley's voice caught. She'd planned to announce it after the grand opening, in a more controlled setting. But Gerri's supernatural intuition had just blown that plan.
"Yes," she said finally, the word coming out stronger than she'd expected. "Yes, I'm pregnant."
The silence lasted exactly three heartbeats before chaos erupted, and her mother and Lila hugged her at the same time.
The wave of congratulations crashed over Riley, her mother's tears mixing with Lila's excited squeals as they finally released her from their group embrace. Her mother's hands flutteredover Riley's face with maternal wonder, as if she could already see the grandchild growing within her daughter.
"I can't believe you're going to be a grandmother," Riley said, her voice thick with raw emotion.