"Is a cushy life in the suburbs that much of a nightmare?" I asked. I had no sympathy for the entitled kid. Another rich American coming here because he thinks he's got it bad in his big house with a warm bed and three hot square meals. I would have killed for that at his age.
"My mom isn't the easiest to live with."
"She feeds you?”
"Yeah."
"You have a safe place to lay your head at night?"
"Usually," he said, causing me to pause.
"Anyone beat you?"
"No," he said, casting his head down.
"Then Lad, I'd say you got it better than most of those kids in The Clan." I walked to the door of the gym and held the door open for him. "Come on in and give your sister a call."
"Can we just forget about all this if I promise to go home?" he asked.
"No," I said, pointing to the wall. "There's a phone right there. Go call her, and then we can wait together for her to pick you up."
"Is that a payphone?" he asked, pointing to the large phone against the wall.”
"Aye, now go call."
I watched as the lad talked on the phone, making a couple of sandwiches. When he was done, he walked over his head hung low, and the bravado went with the drop of his shoulders. The kid seemed miserable
"You hungry?" I asked, pushing one of the plates towards him.
"I could eat," he said.
I watched as he picked up the sandwich taking a giant bite.
"So you want the job or not?" I asked.
"How much does it pay?"
"Ten an hour. But I better not see you slacking off."
"Ok," he said, his mouth full of food.
"Ok," I said, offering my hand for him to shake.
"Don't we need to sign a contract or something?"
“Boyo, I'm pretty sure you're not cleared to work in this country. My handshake will do."
He groaned and shook my hand before attacking his sandwich again.
Chapter 2
Erin
The phone blaring a Beyonce song from my back pocket was earning me strange looks from passers-by. Usually, I’d have it on silent, but Liam had come into town, and I didn't want to miss a call from him if it was an emergency.
McCarthy's Gym, blared on the caller ID.
"Hello," I said. Annoyance was already clear in my voice at some telemarketer trying to entice me to sign up for some low brow gym.
"Erin?" a familiar voice said.
"Liam?"
"Ya."
"Where are you? You okay? Why are you calling me from a gym?" I bombarded him with questions.
"It's a long story, I’ll fill you in later. Can you come to get me?"
"I can’t, I've got class."
"Erin. Please," he begged.
"Fine. You're at McCarthy's Gym?"
"Yes."
"Hang tight. I'll be there as soon as I can. Liam?"
"Yes?"
"You're safe right?" I asked.
"Yes. I'm safe. Just please hurry. The owner is giving me the death glare."
"You said you were safe!" I shouted into the phone. A few passers-by stopped and stared. “Sorry,” I mouthed to them.
"Yeah, I mean, at least I think I am. He seems okay."
"Seems okay? What the heck is that supposed to mean, Liam?"
"I don't think he'll kill me and dump me in a dumpster or anything like that, but it's not exactly like bein' in Disneyland." Sarcasm was the language in our family, especially when it came to Liam and our mother.
"Is there a dumpster there?" I asked.
"Very funny, sis. Just hurry up."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," I said. Just then, a cap answered my waving hand and stopped right in front of me, which rarely happened in Ireland. "Hang tight."
"Where to, Lass?" the old driver asked just as I hung up the phone.
"McCarthy's Gym. Do you know where it is? I can grab the address if you don't?"
"Aye, Aiden's place," he said, making eye contact through the rearview mirror before he began driving.
"You actually know the owner?"
"Yes, he's a good man, Aiden McCarthy. Helps a lot of the youth in town, especially those that are struggling. What business have you got up there?"
I smiled at yet another nosy Irishman needing to know the ins and outs of my day. That was one thing I hadn't gotten used to about living here—the degree to which strangers talked and shared. Not gossip, just more open and curious.
"My brother called me from there. I just need to pick him up."
"Now, tell me, lass, how does an American get tangled up in The Clan?"
"Excuse me?" My heart did a little leap in my chest. Liam was my responsibility while he was here and he promised me he wouldn’t get into any trouble.
"That's who Aiden helps. Kids that find themselves wrapped up in gangs. He gets them off the streets and sorts them out," he said. "Good-man, that one."
The only part I heard, and which set off alarm bells in my head was that my brother, fresh off the boat, had already managed to get himself into trouble. What the hell was he doing with some guy involved with gang members?