“Was what?” she asked when I didn’t finish.
“Cathartic, I think. Yeah, that’s probably the best word for it. I liked fighting.”
“Why did you stop fighting?”
“Well, I kind of got kicked out, for one,” I reminded her.
“You were removed from cage fighting at one bar, Liam. There are plenty of gyms where you could practice boxing or other fighting arts. Have you looked into that?”
“I didn’t really think about it.”
“Fighting isn’t unhealthy,” Erin said. “It’s a good outlet for your aggressions.”
“Tria doesn’t like it.”
“Tria doesn’t like you making a living getting beat up,” Erin corrected. “This wouldn’t be the same. Why don’t you talk to her about it?”
“I don’t want to upset her.” I shrugged once. “She always freaked out when I came home beat up, and she’d get upset when I just had a black eye or a particularly nasty bruise.”
“Do you think fighting in a cage with random people who are trying to make a show of a blood sport is the same as putting on a pair of gloves and boxing with a trainer?”
“No.”
“Then why do you think Tria would see them the same way?”
“Fuck you,” I muttered.
Erin leaned forward in her chair.
“May I make an observation?” she asked.
“Since when do you ask for permission?” I countered.
She nodded.
“The first words out of your mouth every time I make a point you secretly agree with are ‘fuck you.’”
“Bullshit.”
“That’s your second response to the same thing.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, leaned back on the couch, and glared at her.
“And predictable number three,” Erin said with a smile, “silence.”
I was about to roll my eyes, but I had a pretty good idea that the number four was going to come into play if I did.
Four! Four ways of avoiding the truth! Ha! Ha! Ha!
I was never one to give up, but I finally admitted she was right.
Chapter 14—Release the Pressure
“Tria? Can I ask you something?”
It had been far too warm, cozy, and comfortable in the bed to ruin the moment as I was about to do. Then again, there was probably never a good time. I rubbed my forehead against her shoulder and pulled her closer to me. She smelled good.
“Of course,” she responded.