Elyna’s eyebrows lifted. “Yeah. Phoenix said he’s going hard.”
“He barely sleeps,” I said quietly. “He’s up early. Comes back late. He looks exhausted all the time.”
Elyna adjusted the baby against her chest. “The fight’s getting close.”
“I know,” I said, chewing my bottom lip. “And I’m trying to be supportive, but…” I hesitated.
“But you’re scared,” she finished gently.
I nodded.
“He told me the guy he’s fighting is known for fighting dirty,” I said. “I looked him up online, and I wish I hadn’t. He’s dangerous.”
Her expression turned serious.
“I’m worried he’s going to get hurt,” I confessed.
Elyna sighed. “You’re not the only one.”
I looked at her.
“Phoenix worries too,” she said. “He just hides it better.”
I hesitated before speaking again. “Do you think… maybe Phoenix could talk him out of the fight?”
Elyna’s eyes softened with understanding. “I can ask,” she said carefully. “But you know Asher. Once he decides something…”
“I know,” I whispered.
The baby made a tiny noise, and Elyna smiled down at him.
“He listens to people he loves,” she added quietly. “Even if he pretends, he doesn’t.”
That made my chest tighten.
Love.
The word felt dangerous. It was too big, too soon. But the truth pressed heavy in my chest anyway. Because every time Asher left to train, something inside me twisted with fear. That scared me almost as much as the fight itself.
CHAPTER 25
Asher
Training had turned into a pressure cooker. Every hit I threw landed harder than it needed to. Sweat burned my eyes as I drove my fists into the heavy bag, the chain above it rattling with every impact. Coach shouted combinations from across the gym, but my focus kept slipping. My body moved through the motions, muscle memory taking over while my mind drifted somewhere else entirely. For most of my life, fighting had been simple. You trained, you stepped into the cage, you won or you lost, and then you moved on. Now nothing felt simple. The orchard needed me. The fight in Toronto was weeks away. And Claire had found a place somewhere deep inside me, in a place I didn’t know existed before. For the first time in my life, I had something to lose. That realization sat heavy in my chest.
I pulled off my gloves and sat down on the bench, dragging in a breath while sweat dripped from my jaw. My phone buzzed from my bag, and Phoenix’s name flashed across the screen.
“Yeah?” I answered.
“We need to talk about Dad,” he said without preamble. “Everyone’s coming over. Elyna and the baby are home, so we’re meeting here.”
I ran a hand over my face. “I’ll be there.”
I finished up my training session and hit the shower, then I drove back to Maple Valley. By the time I walked into Phoenix’s house, Eric was already there, leaning against the kitchen island. Becket stood by the window, arms crossed, tension written all over him. Harmony sat on the couch beside Elyna, who looked exhausted but happy. Phoenix stepped out of the hallway, holding the baby carefully in his arms. All of us moved closer without thinking.
“He’s perfect,” Harmony whispered.
Phoenix smiled down at his son, pride and awe all over his face. “Meet Oliver Pierre Thorne.”