Impact (The Fight for Life #2) Read Online Free PDF

on the point of my call. “I know Leo is fighting in Perth this weekend, and I want to know how crazy it really is.”
    I heard him blow out a loud breath. “Leo is special,” he started. “Always was. He’s the most naturally gifted fighter I’ve ever known. There’s no doubt going up against a champion fighter in the condition he’ll be in is off-the-charts crazy, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Leo.”
    “Okay.” I felt sick at the thought of it, despite Nick’s semi-reassuring words.
    “Look, Juliette. I’ve got his back, and if it gets out of hand, I’ll take him down myself.”
    “I wish I could be there for him.”
    “He’ll need to focus.”
    “I’m worried about him.” I paused, unsure if I should go on, but this was the guy who was going to be responsible for Leo’s well-being. He needed to know. “He saw his mother yesterday, and it’s clearly had a big impact on him. He’s taken this fight for the wrong reasons.”
    When he didn’t reply, I looked at my screen to see if the call had dropped out. “Hello?”
    “Sorry. I’m here.” Another pause made me feel anxious. “Thank you for telling me.”
    I blew out a long, frustrated breath. “Can you keep me updated from Perth?”
    “Sure, darlin’.”
    I hung up and rummaged in my bag for the card Gwendolyn had given me at Dartmoor with her phone number on it, then sent her a text. I did not want to be the messenger because everyone knows the messenger is the one who gets shot.
    I’m not getting between you and Leo. I’m sorry.
    Without giving it too much thought, I’d given her my phone number, and at some point in the future, that would turn out to be a life-threatening decision. None the wiser, I went back to staring at the river. I found it calming. I figured Leo wasn’t going to call me until after the fight, and whilst that pissed me off, I knew his mind was all over the place.
    My phone rang, snapping me out of my tortured thoughts. It was Dad. I knew he wanted to know how it went at Dartmoor with Mum yesterday. He had tried to talk me out of going and asked for me to wait until she came home next weekend, but Mum had sounded different on the phone. She hadn’t demanded I visit. She had asked, and strangely, her simple request had filled me with false hope.
    “Hi, Dad,” I said quietly.
    “Juliette. Why haven’t you called me back?”
    I sighed. “Sleep and work, I guess.”
    “I spoke to your mother last night and she told me what happened with Leo.”
    “Yep.” I was so not in the mood.
    “There are things you need to know about your mother.” He paused. “Things you deserve to know.”
    I almost laughed so I wouldn’t cry. There were so many things he needed to know about my mother. “I don’t want to know.”
    “Please, Juliette. I would like you to come to dinner next Sunday night and I’ll explain everything I’ve learned over the past few months. I think it will really help you.”
    I stared down at the murky, brown water of the Yarra and suddenly wished I could transport myself back to a bridge in Paris or Budapest or pretty much any of the incredible places I’d visited in Europe over the past few months. Anywhere but right there, listening to my father tell me there was more I needed to know about the woman who’d hurt me so damn much.
    “Fine,” I said, resigned to one more confrontation. “I’ll be there.”
    Shit.
    The next few days, I just went through the motions. What am I doing with my life? was on constant loop in my head. At least I had my first training session with Zac since being back from my trip to look forward to after work. I had missed my boxing training and I needed it.

Chapter Seven
Leo
    Monday to Thursday was a battle of mind over body. I focused all my energy on the challenge. To cut my weight by Friday, my diet consisted of fruit and vegetables. Dousing them in spices did nothing to improve the flavour. I tried to trick myself into thinking the mushrooms were meat,