With the morning rush of the gym in full swing, the stench of sweat knocks me in the face the second the boys and I step inside. “Don’t get in anyone’s way,” I mumble over their heads as they step around me.

Vic’s grey hair stands out in the crowd, but it’s the scowl on his weathered face that holds my attention. Yesterday’s workout was brutal. It’s a workout usually reserved for later in the training process; he was trying to push me to my limit…or kill me. I don’t know which. It wasn’t a lesson about fighting, it was punishment for the Mia-bomb I dropped on him the day before. Without complaint, I took every damned thing he dished. If anything, knowing I had her waiting at home gave me extra strength to get through it.

He looks down at his watch and then his eyes lift to mine. I’m three hours late and the narrow glare my direction tells me having the boys in tow isn’t going to do anything to soften his mood.

“Keep it up, Phillips!” he calls out, turning his attention to the sparring match going on in the large boxing ring.

“Vic!” Brandon says before he and Matt charge across the gym. The force of their joined collision sends Vic back a step before he wraps his arms around their shoulders and gives a heartfelt bear hug in return. He’s saying something to them, but from this distance, I can’t hear. I slow my steps, prolonging the ass chewing he looked like he was ready to dish when we first walked in.

Phillips mumbles something around his mouthpiece from the boxing ring, but all I make out is the word daycare. I stop and glare his direction, wondering what in the fuck this guy’s problem is.

“Chance! You’re already late. You wanna waste more of my time this morning?” Vic calls out, getting my feet to move again. I flash another look of warning at Phillips, silently telling him today is not the day to fuck with me. His mouthpiece prevents a taunting smile, but I see it. I also see the jab coming from Milton, his sparring partner, as it makes contact to the side of his protective headgear. His neck and head move at an unnatural angle with the force. Being an ex-Navy Seal, Milton is no stranger to sparring and fighting. That was not a sparring hit. My gaze shifts to Milton. He grins with a chin lift my direction and I nod.

“Chance!” Vic shouts again and I walk away.

“I’m here...I’m here,” I say.

He looks down at the watch on his wrist, his scowl deepening. I want to tell him I saw him do that the first time. The message was already received. He doesn’t need to tell me I’m three hours late, I’ve felt every minute of the three hours spent on the phone with Edward, Brinnwood Academy, and then diffusing Brandon’s attitude concerning Mia.

I can’t blame Brandon for being upset. He’s had a lot of change in what was already a very unstable life, but I’ll be damned if he’s just going to dismiss someone from my life without giving them a shot first. I hope I made myself clear on the way over here.

“You want to make a buck or two?” Vic says, looking down at the boys. Their eager smiles brighten and Vic laughs, ruffling their hair. “There’s a cart full of towels that need to be folded. I was going to make Chance fold them for being late, but I think I’d rather have him pay you two fifty bucks a piece for folding them.” Having done this before, minus the hefty labor costs, both boys race toward the laundry room.

“Thanks,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and Vic’s expression tightens.

“It’s the least you could do. This isn’t a damned daycare!” Vic’s eyes dart over my shoulder when a faint snicker comes from behind. My fists curl, knowing damned well where that came from. Vic’s eyes drop, noticing my fists. “Get in my office, now!” He turns without waiting or sparing a glance to see if I’m following. He knows I am. “Have a seat.” He points to the chair opposite his and I slide in obediently.

“You’re in training, Chance. I expect you here at five. No exceptions. Kids have no place here.” He sits back, waiting for me to challenge him, but I won’t. He’s right. Although, given the situation, there was no other option and I’d do it again if necessary, but the firm angry line of his lips keeps me from sharing that. “You’re not going to argue?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Well, that’s a first,” he mumbles. “Now tell me what in the hell happened.”

Having said what he needed to say, his tone softens, losing the gruffness it carried walking in. I launch into telling him about my visit and how Michelle wasn’t there when we returned to how the three of us ended up here.

“You don’t think anything happened to Michelle, do you?” he asks.

I shrug, not really giving one fuck if it has. “It would make my life a lot easier if she’d just sink back to the bottom of her cheap vodka bottle,” I say dismissively.

“Chance,” he warns. I normally like that about Vic—his concern for women. He’s an old sole and chivalry always wins, but this is Michelle we’re talking about.

“She’s fine. She came up with some half-assed story about her car breaking down on the way home from the store. Edward doesn’t want me to take them back. Thinks it’s better if Smith goes to avoid confrontation, but I want to get to the bottom of what it is she wants.”

“I’d go with what Edward wants, Chance. He’s been doing this a long time.”

“And his advice has always been to wait it out. I listened to him when I wanted to fight my mother for custody, too. Look where that got us. Brandon came downstairs to find three dead people in the living room. Two of which were his fucking parents!” I say, angrily.

“You’re a fighter Chance. You know nothing about the legal system. If you never listen to me again, listen to me tell you to take your attorney’s advice on this one. You’re too emotionally invested—”

“You’re goddamned right I am. Those boys mean everything to me, Vic!”

He sighs heavily. “What about Mia? Where does she stand in all this?” I relax marginally with the mention of her name. My mind flits back to memories of this morning. After I silently scolded Brandon with eyes of warning for his comment about her moving out, he didn’t say another word, eating silently, not engaging in any conversation and hardly thanked her for cooking him breakfast before he retreated to his room.

“Brandon hasn’t warmed up to the idea of her being there, but he needs to get over it.”

“Don’t pick her over him. That’s not what he needs, Chance.” His voice is firm. I know he’s right, but he’s not giving her a fair shake either. Mia was patient, kind, knowing what they needed, even when I didn’t. She’s a fuckload better at this parenting shit than me. Matthew was the only one who seemed to warm up to that.

“He needs to get to know her before he casts judgment, Vic. I would expect the same for anyone he meets, whether it a woman in my life, a teacher or a friend at school. It’s nothing partial to her.”

His frown forms into a thin smile. “See kid, that parenting gig isn’t so hard, is it?” he chuckles.

“I wouldn’t say that.” I sigh.