Cal stares at the Mexican landscape through the car window as he and his trainer Riley drive toward the most important fight of his career. Four years earlier, Cal became the sole mixed martial arts fighter to go the full distance against the legendary Rivera, but that brutal match nearly destroyed him. Now they're heading back for a rematch that could make or break everything. Riley has stood by Cal's side for a decade, and he alone understands how deeply that first fight scarred his fighter. As they spend three tense days preparing for the bout, both men privately harbor the same terrible doubt: Cal might not be able to win. The approaching fight weighs on them like a storm cloud, testing not just Cal's physical abilities but the bond between two men who have built their lives around this brutal sport. In the final moments before Cal steps into the ring, everything they've worked for hangs in the balance.
Genres: drama, contemporary, sports, action
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Mexico
210 pages · Kindle Edition
Content warnings: violence