The man let out a coldugh.

"Alright then, let''s settle this our way. You got the guts to face me in a ring?"

"If I lose, we''ll drop everything that happened today. But if you lose, not only do you pay up, you get down on your knees and apologize. Loud and clear."

The Thyania crowd behind him started hollering, egging him on. "Come on, man! Prove you''re not all talk-let''s see what you''re made of!"

The woman shot a sneer at Elysia, her tone dripping with mockery.

"If your family''s too scared to fight, just save us the trouble and get down now- beg for forgiveness."

"And bring your little troublemakers out, along with that crazy old bat of yours. They can all kneel and apologize, too."

"After that, my son gets to teach Evan a little lesson. Then we''ll call it even."

Tarquin didn''t even nce at her. He looked straight at Punikon''s father and asked,

"So, where''s this going down? Your gym work for you?"

The man raised his eyebrows, surprised. "You know we run a boxing gym, and you still want to do this? Got guts, I''ll give you that. Eight tonight, at my ce. Don''t bete."

"Fine by me."

"If you chicken out, everyone''ll know you''re nothing but a coward!" someone jeered as the group walked off,ughing and talking smack.

"Looks like some weak little businessman to me this''ll be fun. Let''s show him what Thyania''s champion can do!"

"And if his kid broke our boy''s arm, let''s see if he can handle a taste of his own medicine!"

As they left, Tarquin watched them go, his gaze sharp as a de.

Elysia frowned, anxious. "You seriously agreed to fight them, knowing their family runs a gym? This is a setup if I''ve ever seen one. We should just call the cops."

Tarquin turned to her, reassuring. "Don''t worry. I wouldn''t have agreed if I wasn''t sure I could win. And even if things get rough, they''re not touching me-my security team''s got my back."

Thinking about Tarquin''s ever-present bodyguards, Elysia felt a bit better.

She let out a sigh and grumbled, "Like father, like son, huh? What kind of parents act like that and expect their kid to behave?"

Most athletes are supposed to be straightforward and easygoing, but that whole family seemed off. Especially the mother-she was totally unhinged.

Tarquin tried to calm her. "Let''s not stress about this now. I''ll deal with the fight tonight, and then we''ll sort out the kids'' situation. For now, let''s just take the kids home and help them settle down  s

Elysia nodded. "Alright."

She called the school and got the kids excused, then took them home.

On the drive, yton and the kids kept asking what was going to happen.

Tarquin just said they''d meetter to talk things over—he didn''t mention the ring fight.

Elysia didn''t want yton or Pam

worrying either, so she kept quiet about it All the way home, she focused on calming Pam and the kids.

sfnd0dc Fresh chapters posted on FindN()vel/fnd0dc

AQUMS

When they arrived, Heath had lunch ready for everyone.

After eating, the four boys-Elliot, Evan, Emmett, and Elijah—said they were going up for a nap.

Elysia wasn''t tired, so she grabbed a stack of gold foil paper and started folding paper cranes on the couch.

yton and Pam joined in.

Tarquin was there too, jotting down well-wishes on cards.

They chatted as they worked-about the fight at the preschool, about Elizabeth''s

funeral, even the weird stuff with the exhumation.

Half an hourter, Tarquin''s phone buzzed. It was a message from Elliot:

Dad, can youe to our room? We need to talk.

Tarquin narrowed his eyes, made up an excuse, and headed upstairs.

The four boys were waiting for him in the little study. As soon as he walked in,

they pulled him in and had him sit down.

"Dad, are you really fighting Punikon''s father tonight?"

Tarquin squinted. "Who told you that?"

Elijah spoke up. "I just saw it

online the guy''s already told the et

Thyania press. Bragging about how he''s fighting that rich guy from Zhinora tonight!"  s

Tarquin nced at Elijah''sptop, a cold smile tugging at his lips. Elijah continued: