Second round

Abby loved Rowan before anyone knew his name. Before the sold-out arenas, the magazine covers, the sponsors and the cameras, there were cheap seats, bruised knuckles, a dying car and a mattress on the floor.

She was there through every loss, every win, every impossible promise that someday things would be different.

Then Rowan became everything he ever wanted to be.

And somewhere along the way, he stopped choosing her.

Four years after Abby walked away, Rowan is approaching what everyone believes will be the final fight of his career. Older, more scarred, still one of the biggest names in boxing-and standing on her doorstep like no time has passed at all.

He doesn't apologize.
He doesn't ask how she's been.
He only says:
"I need you in my corner one last time."

Abby knows better than to step back into the world that broke them. She also knows Rowan has never been talking only about boxing.

Because some fights end when the bell rings.
Others wait years for a second round.