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“Hey. What are you up to the rest of today?”

“Allora and I have some errands to run.” He pauses, eyeing me.

“What?” I ask.

“You sure about this fight?”

“You already asked me that.”

“You’ve been out of the game a long time.”

“You think I can’t handle myself?” I ask in surprise.

“No, you can totally handle yourself. It just seems like you have other things to think about than fighting. Back in the day, you used to be a little…intense. Training. Eating. Sleep. And you and Luna are new.”

He has a point.

But I’m not the same guy I was ten years ago.

“I was intense because at the time I thought that was going to be my life. My career. I had to be intense if I wanted to win and keep getting sponsorships. This is just for fun.”

“Okay.”

“I do want you at my side, though,” I say. “Through training, and definitely the night of the fight. My cornerman.”

He scowls. “Like there was ever any doubt about that.”

I chuckle. “Just checking. We don’t see much of each other these days.”

“I’m not the only one who’s been busy,” he points out.

“I know. I’m just saying.”

“You don’t have to say shit. No matter how busy we are, I will always have your back. I have since the first day of practice in college—and I will until we’re both six feet under.”

I hold out my fist and he smacks his against it.

“I’ll see you later,” he says. “Let me know when you’re going to start training.”

“I have to drive up to L.A. next week to meet with Garth and the other fighters. Some kind of meet and greet bullshit. There’s going to be some media there to get some buzz going for the event.”

“I can come up with you.”

“Why don’t you bring Allora and the four of us can go? Luna’s planning to volunteer, and Allora was interested too.”

“I’ll mention it tonight.”

“Great.”

We both head out to the parking lot and go to our respective vehicles.

I have a bunch of shit to do.

And tonight is date night.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Luna