Theirs to Keep

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - N I N E

“CAN WE TALK?”

Merrick turned from the window where he’d been standing and after a brief hesitation gave a short nod. “Where’s Elle?”

“She’s in the shower, so let’s make this quick.”

Cade shoved his hands into his pockets and exhaled deeply. “Look, I get it. The thing with the fight and training. And Elle. I do. But I think you’re making a mistake, and I’d hate to see you make a decision you later regret.”

Merrick’s lips twisted, and he remained silent and brooding. Typical Merrick. Especially when he had something on his mind.

For a long moment, neither man spoke, and Cade was content to let Merrick stew until he finally broke and talked about it.

“I’m too old for a career in mixed martial arts, and we both know it,” Merrick finally said.

Cade lifted one brow. “That was the last thing I expected you to come up with. Is that the best you can do?”

Merrick glared at him, his jaw twitching as he grew more pissed off. Hell, the way this conversation was going, they’d likely end up on the floor.

“You can’t quit now,” Cade said mildly. “I can think of a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t, but I’ll give you the most important one. Elle.”

“She’s precisely why I’d consider hanging it up,” Merrick said, frustration edging his voice. “She’s the only reason I’d give it up.”

“And how do you think it’ll make her feel to know you gave up a title fight for the heavyweight championship? For her. Think about what this does to our relationship. And then think about how sensitive she is about being a burden. Of intruding on our lives. Of our lives changing too much because of her. She worries that she’s too much trouble all the damn time. And you’re sending her confirmation of that paranoia by being a dumbass and giving up something you’ve worked your ass off for over the last few years.”

Merrick frowned. He started to open his mouth and then snapped it shut.

“Hell,” he finally muttered.

“Elle wants to contribute,” Cade said, pushing his point when he knew he’d just scored a major hit. “She wants to feel like she’s part of everything we do. So let her be involved in your training. Hell, she’s watched you in the gym for months. She nags you about eating right. She wants to take over more of the business so you can train. And for the eventuality of you winning. She believes you’re going to win, and she knows that when you do, things will change for you.”

Merrick’s brow furrowed, and he stared hard at Cade. “You don’t think she worries that I’ll dump her or lose my shit and become a different person if I win the title, do you?”

“No, I don’t believe she thinks that at all. I’m not saying that worry won’t come later, but I think all she’s focused on is you getting to the top and making sure she doesn’t interfere in your path to success.”

“Goddamn it.”

The heartfelt expletive blew out forcefully, and he curled his hands into tight fists.

“She’s changed me, man. She’s made me see what’s important. She’s not interfering with anything. What she’s doing is showing me that what I have right now in front of me is pretty damn good and that I don’t need to be off chasing a dream to be happy.”

Cade nodded. “I understand. But what happens if you give it all up and you’re left with a whole pile of what-ifs? What if you’d taken your shot and what if you’d won? What if you became a world champion in your thirties? It’s not as if there haven’t been a lot of other great fighters who mixed it up well into their thirties. Chuck Lidell and Randy Couture to name a few.”

“I guess I’m just scared,” Merrick admitted. “I don’t want to lose her. You and I both know the closer we get to this fight, the more focused on it I’ll become. To the exclusion of all else. I’ll be training hard, and my focus will change. I don’t want her to ever think that she’s not the most important thing to me.”

“I think you have to give her more credit than that,” Cade said. “You have to trust her.”

Merrick blinked as if the idea was ridiculous. “Of course I trust her.”

“Then show her. Go hard at this. We’ll work it out between the three of us. You know I’ll be with her the entire time you’re training, and you also know that I’m not going to be making a move to push you out of the picture. She won’t be alone, and she won’t be unprotected. And when you need her, she’ll be right there waiting.”

Finally Merrick nodded his head. He sucked in a deep breath and leveled a stare at Cade. “You’re right. I need to go hard at this. I won’t get another shot. I need to see where this is going to take me. I’ve worked too hard to climb up the ranks to be next in line for a title fight to quit now.”

Cade held up his fist. “Then what do you say we shut the fuck up and get to work?”

Merrick bumped his fist to Cade’s and cracked a grin. “I’m always in need of a sparring partner.”

“Fuck you,” Cade said rudely. “I’m not going to be your punching bag. That’s what those other dumbasses are for.”

Merrick grinned. “I’ll make the call to Dakota and let him know I’m back in and we’re going to go hard to make up for lost time.”