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“I hated you in the cage,” she whispered. “You were hurt all the time, and I never knew when you were going to end up in the hospital with another concussion or stitches. I was always afraid it was going to be worse. They paid you shit money, and since it was all under the table, you had no way of defending yourself when they cut you loose.
“But what you’re talking about…”—she waved a hand in the air—“that’s not the same thing. I know you like to…to do that. I’m not going to pretend I understand it, but I know it means a lot to you. I think having you go and fight with a trainer or whatever would be good for you.”
“You mean it?”
“Of course.”
There really wasn’t any way to say what I felt, so I just wrapped my arms around her as tightly as I could without actually hurting her and kissed her over and over again until she was squirming and laughing in my arms.
“I don’t deserve you,” I informed her.
Tria took my face in her hands, tilted her head, and did that “stare into my soul” thing that she does.
“Well, you are stuck with me anyway.”
“I can live with that.”
*****
Neutral ground.
That’s what Erin called it.
It didn’t feel neutral; it felt more like death row. I ate my “last meal” protein bar as the clock ticked, and Damon sat close enough to the door of the waiting room that he could catch me if I tried to make a break for it.
Deep, cleansing breaths didn’t do a fucking thing for me.
“Ready, Liam?”
I glanced around the room, a little confused, but stood up and followed Erin into her office.
“I thought you said she was going to be here?”
“She will be,” Erin said. “I wanted to give you a little time to get settled before she comes. She’ll be here in about fifteen minutes.”
“Oh.”
“How are you feeling right now?”
“Nervous,” I admitted.
“That seems pretty reasonable, given the circumstances. When was the last time you talked to your mother?”
“I saw her at Ryan’s wedding,” I said. “She also came to the hospital after I was stabbed.”
“And you talked to her then?” Erin asked.
“Not…exactly. There was more yelling than talking.”
“Do you expect today will be like that, too?”
“I have no idea.”
“Tell me something you remember about your mom from when you were a child,” Erin suggested.
“She read to me a lot,” I said.
“Is that something you enjoyed?”
