While Damon was taking a hard punch in the ring, his family and friends were enjoying a much more comfortable time across town in the apartment that Victor had set up for Damon and his mother.
They were all in the large living room.
The place had become a sanctuary for Damon and his mother, a far cry from their difficult past.
On the large, plush sofa, the whole squad was there, leaning forward as they watched the fight unfold on the big screen.
Ty, Ash, Ashley, Joey, and Svetlana sat together, eyes glued to the TV.
Damon's friends had been invited over by his mother for what had become a regular event, watching Damon's fights as a group and making a day of it.
Victor, always the composed and calculated man, sat on a single sofa off to the side, dressed casually for once.
He watched the fight with a calm demeanor, though those who knew him well could sense his underlying tension.
