Every time Marcus stepped forward, Victor moved away from the line.
Every time Marcus tried to close the distance, Victor changed direction.
Marcus threw a combination.
Victor blocked the first two punches and stepped away from the third.
“Don't run,” Marcus muttered.
Victor heard him.
“I'm moving.”
“Then move forward.”
Victor gave a brief smile.
“That's not the drill.”
Marcus stepped forward.
Elena watched from outside the ring.
“Stay with the plan.”
Marcus nodded.
But his next combination was heavier.
Victor blocked the jab.
He slipped the right hand.
Then he returned a clean counter to Marcus's chest.
Marcus felt the contact.
He stepped forward again.
Victor pivoted.
The round ended.
Both fighters returned to their corners.
Elena climbed onto the apron.
“Controlled rounds.”
“I know.”
“Then act like it.”
Marcus drank water.
Victor sat quietly in his corner.
Elena turned toward him.
“You're doing fine. Keep the movement clean.”
Victor nodded.
The second round began.
This time, Marcus pressed harder.
He cut off Victor's movement and forced him toward the ropes.
Victor tried to pivot out.
Marcus threw a right hand.
Victor blocked it, but the force pushed him backward.
“That's enough,” Elena called.
Marcus stepped forward again.
Victor countered with a short jab.
Marcus answered with a combination.
The final punch struck Victor's guard with a heavy thud.
The bell rang.
Victor lowered his hands.
Marcus did not.
He stepped forward and threw one more punch.
It struck Victor on the side of the head.
Victor stumbled into the ropes.
The room went silent.
Elena jumped between them.
“STOP!”
Marcus froze.
Victor blinked, disoriented.
A cut had opened above his eyebrow.
Elena turned toward Marcus.
“What did you do?”
Marcus looked at Victor.
“He countered me.”
“He was following the drill.”
“He was trying to make me look bad.”
Elena stared at him.
“That's not what happened.”
Victor touched his eyebrow.
“I'm fine.”
“No, you're not,” Elena said.
She guided him toward the corner.
A medic was called.
Marcus stood in the center of the ring.
He could feel everyone watching.
Ben was near the ropes.
Tyler stood beside him.
Althea had entered the room and was standing near the training-room door.
She looked at Marcus.
Not with anger.
With disappointment.
He hated that expression more than he would have hated an insult.
Victor needed three stitches.
The injury was not serious, but it ended the session.
Elena suspended sparring for the rest of the evening.
Marcus went to the training office.
He paced near the desk.
When Elena entered, he turned.
“He shouldn't have been moving like that.”
Elena closed the door.
“Like what?”
“Making me chase him.”
“He was doing exactly what Daniel Reyes does.”
“I'm not fighting Daniel yet.”
“You will be.”
Marcus shook his head.
“He was showing off.”
Elena stared at him.
“Marcus, listen to yourself.”
He looked away.
“He hit me first.”
“It was a controlled counter.”
“He caught me.”
“That's the point of sparring.”
Marcus rubbed his face.
Elena moved closer.
“You are preparing for a title defense. You need someone who can expose your weaknesses before you get into the ring with Reyes.”
“I know that.”
“Then why are you punishing people for doing it?”
He had no answer.
Elena continued.
“You're letting your pride make decisions that your training should be making.”
Marcus sat down.
His hands were shaking slightly.
Not from fear.
From frustration.
He looked at his gloves.
“I can't afford to lose this fight.”
Elena softened.
“Why?”
“Because it's everything.”
“No, Marcus. It isn't.”
He shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it.”
He stared at the desk.
“My father spent years telling me I wasn't good enough. Every time I won, he said I should have finished earlier. Every time I lost, he said I didn't want it badly enough.”
Elena remained silent.
Marcus continued.
“When I finally won the title, he called me and said he was proud.”
He laughed bitterly.
“First time in my life.”
Elena sat across from him.
“And now?”
“Now I think if I lose it, I lose that too.”
Elena studied him.
“Your father's approval?”
Marcus nodded.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Then Elena said, “You cannot build your entire life around keeping one person impressed.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What if that's all you've ever known?”
“Then it's time to learn something else.”
He lowered his head.
Elena leaned forward.
“Listen to me. You are allowed to want the title. You are allowed to care about your record. You are allowed to work hard and feel disappointed when things don't go your way.”
Marcus looked up.
“But you are not allowed to turn every person who challenges you into an enemy.”
He said nothing.
“Victor was doing his job. Ben is doing his job. Althea is doing hers. I'm doing mine. None of us is trying to take your championship away from you.”
Marcus looked at his hands.
“I know.”
“Then act like it.”