Page 23 of Phoenix's Redemption

Time to drop the guard, I coached myself.

With each step towards her door, I felt the weight of unspoken words. It was time to lay them all out.

The morning air was crisp and somehow too still. My feet moved on their own up the path to Sophie’s door. A broken pot was scattered in pieces on the porch. The laurel tree plant spilled over the edge.

Sophie wouldn’t neglect her favorite plant. My gut twisted. Something was wrong.

The welcome mat was trapped beneath the screen door. The lock hung open. Breathing fast, I pushed the door wide and stepped inside.

"Sophie?" My voice bounced off the walls. No answer. Every instinct honed from the streets to the ring told me to be ready for anything.

"Sophie." I called louder this time, urgency sharpening my words as I moved further into her house.

The scuffle from the living room jolted me. I rounded the corner to see Sophie struggling against Jack's grip. My heart thundered in my chest.

"Get away from her." The words tore from my throat as I lunged forward. I grasped Jack's shoulder and yanked him back. He stumbled, his weight unbalanced, and I used his moment of surprise to drive him toward the fireplace. His body slammed against the stone.

Sophie didn't waste time. She darted out of the room. I turned back to Jack, my fists clenched.

I unleashed the fury I'd kept caged for too long. My knuckles connected with Jack's jaw, a satisfying crack slicing through the stillness. Another punch to the ribs. He grunted as the air rushed out of him. Each hit was a release from the anger that had haunted me for years.

“Liam, stop." Sophie's voice cut through the haze. She returned, wielding a pair of handcuffs with practiced ease.

"They let you keep those?" I glanced at the handcuffs, then at her. "You could've told me that before when I slept over."

She rolled her eyes. I grinned and moved aside so she could step in. She restrained Jack with the expertise she learned from her days on the force.

"Stay down," she commanded him, her voice steady as she got her phone and dialed 911.

I wasn’t as patient or gracious as her. I nudged Jack with my foot, a gesture that was more to show control than to inflict any more pain. He groaned on the floor. “It's over, Jack. You can stay in hell this time."

His eyes, clouded with defeat, told me he heard every syllable.

Minutes dragged until the sound of sirens cut through the neighborhood. The officers were all business as they entered. One look at the cuffs around Jack's wrists, and they needed no further explanation. They read him his rights as they hauled him to his feet.

"Did you force your way in here?" one cop asked, his voice gruff.

Jack spat out blood and a confession. "Yeah. What about it?"

“It’s a parole violation.”

"You’re going back inside for a long time, Jack.” Sophie addressed him one last time.

As they led him away, I felt something shift within me. Relief. The first step toward a freedom I hadn't known I needed.

SOPHIE

RELIEF WASHED OVERme. Jack was in cuffs again, and my family was safe. My heart was still catching up with the rapid turn of events when Liam appeared at my house.

"I wasn't expecting you to stop by this early after well, everything, but I'm glad you did," I told him, once the cops left with Jack.

Liam’s arms enveloped me, strong and sure. It was the kind of embrace that made me want to close my eyes and just breathe.

"Listen," I said, "if you hurry, you can still make it to the tournament."

He shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I'm not going."

He caught me off guard. "Why? Is it your injuries?"

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