Erin turned to her brother, the fire in her eyes was still at a dull roar. I could tell she was used to presenting another side of herself to her brother, something softer and more understanding. Her sexy lips turned up into a sad smile, her hand went up, and gently brushed Liam’s hair back from his temple. It was obvious that she cared a great deal for him. “We’ll figure it out,” she said to him reassuringly.
“Erin, you know we could use the money. This place seems alright. Decent. I mean you can tell they’re serious about the sport.” Liam said, pointing at me, he added, “He seems alright, too, you know, as far as meatheads go.”
The joke got a little smile out of her. She put her fingertips in her pockets and I tried not to appreciate the curve of her hips through her jeans.
“I don’t know how I feel about you working in this place. You saw those guys out there. It’s a bunch of ex-cons who like to punch things.”
“Only in the ring,” I interrupted her.
“Pardon?” she said, turning her eyes to me, but the gentleness was gone again in a flash. She was all fire and fight, ready to take me on again.
“We don’t randomly punch things here. It’s a gym. We box. ”
“Those guys out there looked like a stew of toxic masculinity to me. They cat called me the second I walked in the door and used their bodies as a form of intimidation. Seems like a real nice bunch,” she said, her hands flying to her hips again.
She was reactive. Maybe she’d had bad experiences before. Maybe she had something against gyms, or boxers, or maybe just hated men.
I approached her slowly and put one of my hands on her shoulder. I thought it would calm her, and I guess I hoped it would comfort her. Nope. I guess I deserved the meathead jab. Her response was to just start moving more, and her legs got in the action trying to pick a fight with mine, almost kicking me in the balls in the process. On reaction, I picked her up and turned her away from me to make sure those tiny feet didn’t make contact with my crotch.
“Let go of me!” she screamed.
“Shit! I’m just trying to not get hit, lass.”
“Put her down, asshole,” Liam spat as he punched my back. I winced as he hit me, shocked that he had some power behind those little fists. This would mark a first in the books if I was taken down by a sibling duo. They couldn’t even put so much as dent in me with the punches they landed, but not for lack of trying.
“I just need you both to calm down,” I said, directed mostly to Erin. “Liam, you better stop hitting me,” I warned. I didn’t bother to turn around and face him, so he continued to pummel my back to the best of his ability. His punches had some force, but I’d taken a lifetime of serious blows; compared to those, he was nothing more than an annoying fly.
"Man-handling me isn't going to make me calm down, you brute!" she yelled.
"What about having dinner with me?" I asked, swerving to avoid her foot nailing me again.
"What the fuck, asshole. You're asking me on a date while attacking me? Are all Irishmen crazy, or is it just me?"
"Oh, it’s you. Definitely you. Most of us are straight in the head, give or take a few exceptions," I said. “I’m not fighting ya, I’m trying to keep you from hurting yourself is all. "And, lass, I beg your pardon, but I just think you're beautiful, I’d like to take you on the town."
"Put me down, and then we can talk about it, like civil people." She stopped flailing and kicking.
"You promise not to hit me?" I asked.
"Yes," she said calmly. A little too calmly for my liking. Girls as gorgeous and as feisty as Erin usually had to be cunning for survival.
"You're not gonna change your mind once I put you down, are you?" I asked.
"No, I won’t. I give you my word."
I put her down and backed away. I was half expecting her to bang me over the head with one of the trophies on the wall. She took the same exact stance her brother had. Arms crossed defensively over her breasts and one foot stuck out and she tapped it almost comically.
"Alright!” I clapped my hands together, my voice booming loud. “So I run a clean ship. You don't need to worry about any of those guys out there. If any of them get out of line with you again, I'll make sure it's the last thing they ever do. As for Liam, he needs a job, and I can make sure he isn't getting’ inta trouble after school."