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He holds up his hands and I drive forward quickly, my muscles burning. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to move this fast. This time I’m able to tag his chest, and the grin he gives me in response is positively heart-melting.
“Where are you from?” I ask, breathing hard, as I scuttle back to my original position.
“Interesting question,” Liam observes. “Nice footwork there, by the way.”
“I mean, Theo said you were an enforcer for the Giovanni family,” I reply. “But you’re not Italian, last time I checked.”
“You sure about that?”
I drop my hands. “You’re kidding.”
Liam laughs. “Of course I am. Grew up in Northern Ireland, if you can believe it. That’s where I got my temper.”
“And your fighting skills?”
“Used to be a heavyweight boxer.”
“You’re a terrible liar, you know that?” I say, bringing my hands up again.
Liam laughs. “And you’re a terrible fighter. Lucky for you, I’ve got nothing but time.”
The practice session gets easier from there, and the more I loosen up, the easier it is to focus on my technique. I’m getting tired, but part of me doesn’t want to stop, and I have to remind myself that I’m not here for fun and games.
“You never answered my question,” I say as I block one of his strikes.
“Which one?”
“Where you learned to fight like this,” I reply.
“That’s an easy one,” Liam says. “My dad taught me. He was a boxer, for most of his life. He taught me and my brothers how to fight.”
“Is he still around?” I ask.
Liam’s face grows serious. “I don’t see him often. He’s not exactly thrilled about my line of work. Wanted me to join the army. Can you imagine?”
“Not really,” I admit, laughing, as I deflect another blow. “So how’d you end up working for the Giovannis?”
“That came later,” Liam says. “But I’ve been around this life since I was a kid. I used to hang out in the pubs where my dad worked. And then I started working in the pubs myself. The owners and the regulars would always talk about how they knew somebody who knew somebody, and it all seemed like a big game to me. I didn’t really understand the ins and outs of the whole thing until I got older, and then I realized it was actually a big business. That’s how I ended up learning about the families. Turns out, everyone’s looking for hired muscle.”
“You’re not just hired muscle,” I blurt. The words are out before I can think, and the blush that rises to my cheeks is almost immediate.
“Think so, do you?” Liam says, stepping closer to me. He doesn’t look offended. He looks interested. “What am I, then?”
I take a step back and look him up and down. “You’re...” I pause, struggling to get my thoughts in order. “You’re an artist.”
Liam laughs. “Did you get hit in the head when I wasn’t looking?”
“I’m serious,” I reply, swatting his shoulder. “Look, I’ve spent hundreds of hours looking at paintings, all right? I know what art is. A painting is a work of art, just like a sculpture is a work of art, just like...” I swallow, keenly aware of how close he’s gotten. “Well, just like the way you move is a work of art, I guess. Graceful. Totally in control. It’s like you’re a... I don’t know, a dancer, or something.”
Wow, I scold myself, biting the inside of my lip. You really just hit a new low, Vivian.
Liam crosses his arms, tilts his head to the side, and raises an eyebrow at me. The corner of his mouth tilts up. “Are you flirting with me, Vivi?”
I freeze, my heart jumping into my throat. How is it possible for anyone other than Theo to have this effect on me? I’m in dangerous territory here, and I know it.
I snap myself out of it and straighten up. “Of course not,” I reply, and my voice only breaks a little. “I’m just trying to get you to let your guard down.”
And then I lunge in for the attack with a wild hook to his chest, as much to straighten my own head out as to change the subject. Liam’s reflexes are lightning fast, and he easily deflects the blow, but I don’t miss the way his eyes dance as he does, or the way he grins in appreciation. That just trips me up further, and as I flail to counter his strike, he easily hooks my blow and catches my knee with his leg. The way he takes me down is almost casual, like he’s picking up a bag of groceries, and so gentle that I barely even feel myself hit the mat. One second, I’m on my feet, and the next, I’m on my back on the floor, staring up into those unbelievably green eyes.
