Page 112 of Pulse
Chapter 34
Ash
It was Wednesday, the day before Ren’s fight and she was distant.
I couldn’t blame her because I felt much the same way. After so long building up to this…we could now count the time remaining on one hand. Everything was coiled, ready to spring…and the ending was unpredictable.
Sensing she needed her space, I left her in Beat’s kitchen with Josie and retreated to the gym to run on the treadmill. Running outside was out of the question today, there was no way I was leaving Ren behind.
“Ash?”
I was sitting on the bench, taking a breather when I heard my name. I glanced up and smiled when I saw Coach at the door, but it faded when I saw the look on his face.
“Can I have a word?” he asked, stepping into the gym.
I gestured to the bench beside me. “Of course.”
He sat beside me and I tensed, wondering how much of a tongue-lashing I was about to get. Coach was a hard-ass; he knew just how much shit to give without it ever being too much or not enough. There was a reason he was one of the best coach’s I’d ever seen in the business. Fuck, even in the pro leagues he was a gun.
“How’s training going?” he asked and I blinked hard. This wasn’t the opener I was expecting.
“Fine. Ren’s stronger than ever.”
“And you?” He eyed me like he knew something was up.
“Okay. I’m ready.”
“Good.”
I knew he wanted to talk about Ren and what was next for us. I knew he wanted answers, but I wasn’t sure I had them.
“Have you sorted things with Monica?” I asked, trying to stall by asking the most insane question I could think of.
Truthfully, I didn’t really care, it sounded heartless, but after what she’d done to Ren…that was unforgivable in my mind. We never had a relationship outside of the studio and I never cared about starting one.
“I never thought I’d see the day where my own daughter would do something like that.” Coach shook his head, the disappointment clear in his expression. “She let that man into Beat and he could’ve-” His voice wavered and he took a deep breath. “Maybe one day we’ll work through it, but for now…”
“Dean said she’s living on the other side of Melbourne.”
Coach nodded. “She’s working at one of those Fitness First gyms as a nutritionist.”
I grunted, not wanting to talk about her anymore. She’d obviously lost a fuck load when she stepped in to own up to her mistakes. Maybe I owed her for that, but maybe it still wasn’t enough to balance out the shit she’d pulled. I knew Ren was better off without her at Beat. She didn’t need that reminder because having to see Hammer all the time at The Underground was far far worse.
“I’ve become very close with Ren over the last few months,” Coach went on. “I should never have left her. I’m still her father and I’d do anything to protect her.”
So, this was the crux of it. “I get what you’re saying Coach-”
“Do you?” He looked me up and down. “I owe you for saving her when I couldn’t, but the way you handled things afterwards I will never agree with you on. You never saw her in the months you were gone Ash. I need to know that you will never do that to her again. I need you to promise you’ll protect her.”
I tried not to let my sadness show on my face. I couldn’t make that promise. Like a selfish bastard I couldn’t guarantee it past Friday night. I knew he meant being there physically, financially it was something I could handle, but more than that? I couldn’t...
“I promise, Coach,” I said, a twinge of pain shooting through my heart.
