Chapter 11
Please Reschedule
Ciara
A year and two months later …
Vega has done so much for us in the last year. The apartment she set us up in is so over the top. I had a hard time accepting everything at first. It was all too much.
I thought we were going to have a normal three-bedroom apartment in a normal building. Not a luxury apartment in a high-rise building with a doorman, amenities, and all. I truly wake up each morning feeling like I’ve been dropped in the middle of a fairy tale.
It was only after we became friends that it became easier to be okay with everything.
After having Theo offer me so much only to make me and Ciarán feel like we owed our existence to him, I refuse to be in debt to anyone like that ever again.
It was hard to accept all of Daliah’s help when we arrived in San Diego.
If not for having my little brother with me, I wouldn’t have accepted so much. I didn’t want to push my luck to believe I’ve yet again run into a fairy godfamily who would turn everything into roses and diamonds.
However, Vega has been just that. She’s a boss in her own right and takes care of those she calls family. I didn’t know she would be so involved, but she hangs out at the apartment all the time. I do believe Ciarán has a crush on her.
I’ve been working at a club as a bottle girl for the last fourteen months. It’s good money and I get paid under the table, but the place was shut down last week. The owner hasn’t said if or when they’re going to open back up.
I have Ciarán’s tuition, and his birthday is coming. He’s going to be twelve this year and the kid has big wishes. Wishes that my jobless ass needs some money coming in to make come true.
I refuse to go to Vega again. I will find something on my own. I already have her to thank for getting me documents in the name Ariel Norwood. She was also able to get Ciarán legit-looking documents for school too.
I didn’t need them for my old job, but I’m grateful to have them now. That has led me here for this job interview. I’m nervous as hell.
I need to get this job to pay this month’s tuition. I could enroll him in public school, but he won’t have the same opportunities. The whole point was to bring him here to give him better. He already loves his new school and the classes they offer.
He did so well last year. I was proud of him for making new friends so fast. I can’t fail him now. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves.
I can do this. It’s for Ciarán.
“Ariel Norwood?”
I look up at the receptionist who just called my name. She’s looking at me expectantly. Right as I stand from my seat, my phone rings.
I can’t ignore it. It could be about my little brother. As I look down at my phone, I find a number I don’t know. I hold up a hand to the receptionist, causing her to roll her eyes at me.
I bite my lip and move quickly to the corner to answer the call. This couldn’t be worse timing. I feel like I’ve already lost the job.
“Hello?”
“Hi. I have a young lad here who says yer his sister. He came in with a group of kids, but they left him, and it seems they took his money, and he doesn’t know how to get back home,” a woman with an Irish accent says.
“Oh my God. Where are you? Where is he?”
“We’re in Brooklyn. I’m calling from the Roaring Irish gym. My name is Taegan. I’ll keep the lad with me until ya arrive to collect him.”
“Can I speak to him?”
“Hey, love. Yer sister wants to talk to ya.”
“Hello,” Ciarán nearly whispers.
“What the hell, Ciarán. What’s going on?”
“I wanted to check this place out. A few of the guys from school said they knew how to get here. We had a substitute during third period.
“So we cut and came to Brooklyn to the gym. Troy said he was hungry. I was watching one of the matches and didn’t want to leave. The guys told me to give them money, and they would bring me something to eat.
“I wasn’t paying attention. I told him to get the money from my backpack. When they didn’t come back for me, I found my wallet empty. I have no idea how to get back home. I’m so sorry, Cee. Please come get me,” he says, sounding so scared.
“I’m on my way. Don’t leave, Ciarán. I’m coming for you.”
I hang up and rush over to the receptionist. My heart sinks because I’m about to blow the job completely. However, I still say something just in case.
“Hi. I’m so sorry. I have a family emergency, and I’ll need to reschedule this interview.”
She paints on a smile, although I can feel the annoyance coming off her. “I will make a note in your file and someone will be in contact with you if the position isn’t filled.”
“Thank you.”
Without another word, I turn and rush from the office. As I make my way from the building, I pull up the address for the Roaring Irish gym. I’m going to kill Ciarán.
I told him I didn’t want to rush things. Yes, I missed the tournaments once again. I couldn’t make it happen last year with all the changes and moving here to New York.
I had planned to go to the gym to check it out in person when I was ready. I didn’t take Vega up on the offer to check out the underground scene.
For now, I’m trying to avoid that route. I’ve been training, but I haven’t set my mind to finding a gym to compete with. Vega has told me to let her know when I want to step into her underground ring if I change my mind.
“Grr.”
Dylan
“You’re awesome, bro. My sister is one of the best fighters I’ve ever seen. You kind of remind me of her. She’s as good a boxer as she is an MMA fighter.”
I look up from untaping my hands to find Taegan with a young kid by her side. He has a look of awe on his face. Right away, something about him seems familiar to me.
It has to be the brown face and green-gray eyes. I shake my thoughts off quickly. Every brown face with green-gray eyes shouldn’t trigger thoughts of her. It’s not common, but it’s not something I’ve never seen before outside of her.
“Oh yeah? What makes you say that?” I ask with a smile.
He shrugs. “Most who try to maintain the two sports have tells, like getting too low when boxing or not having a strong enough stance. They take time to adjust between the styles. You remind me of Cee … um, Ariel.”
“Sounds like you know a thing or two. Do you fight?”
A blush comes to his cheeks, and he reaches for the back of his neck. “Nah. Not anymore. It’s just you were able to step right into the ring for the bout you were in.
“I haven’t seen that in many other fighters and I’ve been around a gym since I was a baby. If I had a trainer like you, I think I would still fight,” he says.
I pull a face and nod my head. He’s right. I do tend to switch between the sports with ease. When I thought I would someday have to box Ciara’s dad, I made sure not to lose my skills as a boxer, although I love MMA.
I’ve formed the habit of separating the two, so I don’t show weakness in either. Today I worked with Carter. He’s a boxer.
I’m getting him ready for a bout that’s coming up next month.
Before that, I had been working with David to clean up his groundwork.
“Are you here to train? We’re always looking for young new talent.”
“Actually, I came to check out your female fighters. I was hoping to see what my sister would be up against and if this gym would be a fit for her,” he says.
“Aye, the kid came in with a few lads, but they ditched him and took his money. He’s pretty new to the city, seems they took him for a wee bit of a ride as a welcome. Says he lives uptown but doesn’t know how to get back. His sister is on the way,” Taegan says.
“Not entirely new. It’s been over a year, but this is my first time in Brooklyn,” the kid whispers as he hangs his head.
My blood begins to boil. I hate bullies. Especially bullies who like to take others’ money. I stand and round the desk.
“How about you show me what you’ve got while we wait for your sister. Boxer or MMA?”
“That sounds cool. I was a boxer.”
“Were you any good?”
“Cee … Um, Ariel. That’s my sister. She says I’m pretty good. I just need dedication and consistency.
“My trainer was my stepdad. He was an asshole. He made me hate training. My sister hasn’t made me train since we … um, left.”
I knit my brows, hearing this kid say a whole lot that hasn’t left his lips. He actually looks sad about not training anymore. I grab my gloves and nod for him to follow me downstairs.
Taegan moves to take my seat behind the desk, no doubt going to finish up the work I didn’t get done earlier before I started my workouts downstairs. I keep my eyes on the kid.
He’s pretty tall. His hair is cut in low brown curls. If I’m honest, he looks like he could be Ciara’s brother. It’s the nose and the lips.
“Hey, kid. How old are you?” I ask as we move down the steps.
“I turn twelve next week.”
I nod my head as I do the math in my head. Cadlha heads right for me as we get down to the gym, breaking right into my thoughts. I hold a hand up and take a step back as she tries to step into my space.
“Dylan, I was hoping to see ya today. I thought ya might be gone by now. Do ya want to get a bite to eat tonight with me?” she sings as she bats her lashes at me.
I had planned to leave. I was on my way out when Taegan and the kid walked into my office. I try to be gone before Cadlha comes in on Thursdays and Fridays. That or I remain out of sight until I know she’s gone.
“I love you guys’ accents around here,” the kid says with a huge smile on his lips.
“You don’t know anyone with an Irish accent?” I ask, thinking of Ciara’s heavy accent when we were little.
If this kid were her brother, he would surely have been around one all the time. Damn, I think I’m losing my mind.
“Nope. Miss Taegan is the first person I’ve ever met with one.”
I chuckle. “Don’t let her hear you call her that.”
“Who’s this?” Cadlha asks.
“A friend. I’m busy. I’ll talk to you later. Come on, I have a pair of gloves for you over here,” I turn to say to the kid.
Ignoring Cadlha, we grab the gloves, and I tape his hands then mine before we climb into the ring. I’m immediately impressed.
He’s good. He reminds me of myself in the beginning. I had been good when Ciara’s dad started me out. I got better after coming to America.
“Keep your hands up. That’s it. We could work on your stamina, but you have the basics. Great footwork, kid,” I coach as we’ve been sparring for a while.
“You would be willing to work with me?” he says with wide eyes.
“I’ll need to meet your guardian, and you’d have to join the gym, but sure. I have an opening.” I shrug.
“Cool, you can meet my sister when she arrives. I’ll ask her if it’s okay.”
A glance at the clock tells me an hour has gone by. Suddenly, the air is sucked right out of the gym. I turn to look toward the door and nearly stumble back.
In walks the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. She’s dressed in a pink pencil skirt and a white, silky-looking sleeveless blouse. Her dark hair is curled into deep waves that are layered, causing it to flow and bounce around her pretty face.
She looks around the gym frantically until her gaze lands on the kid in the ring with me. Relief comes over her face. My heart is hammering so fast I think it may give out on me.
“Ciarán,” she breathes as she rushes to the side of the ring.
The kid whips around, causing me to knit my brows. He told me his name was Chris. Although he did stutter when saying it, as if he was going to say something else.
My mouth falls open as I look down at the gorgeous girl who must be his sister. She’s a tiny little thing; the black patent leather heels on her feet only help her a little in the height department, even though they look to be pretty high.
However, her height isn’t the reason I’m standing here in shock. It’s her. It has to be. Ciara has just walked right into my gym.