I let out the huge breath I had been holding and smile. “Yes, I’m Ellie Palmer. You remember.”
Shaun grins and pulls me into his strong embrace, hugging me to his chest. “Of course I remember you, but I’m Liam. Shaun is off tonight.” His deep laugh rumbles against my cheek as he presses me harder into his body before releasing me.
My cheeks heat up at the mistake. “Well, you are identical so you’ll have to forgive me the mix-up. It must happen all the time.” I attempt a joke to hide my humiliation.
“No one really does it anymore.” I can tell I must be giving him a strange look because he explains with a chuckle, “Shaun shaves his head now, has for years.”
Oh, that would be the reason. The man in front of me has a full head of sandy brown hair. “Gotcha,” I say with a pitiful pout.
“You’re just as cute as I remember,” Liam states as he finishes unlocking the doors and flips on the fluorescent lights. “C’mon, I need to get everything started up before the fighters get here.” He flashes me a brilliant smile and welcomes me inside.
I follow him into the large warehouse-like space, the musty smell of sweat socks and concrete dust stings my nostrils. The room is cavernous, nothing occupying the huge area except for a raised boxing ring in the center and foldout bleachers that have been pushed off to either side.
Adam brought me here, but only once and only because Dax needed to stop by after band practice. They didn’t think that I should be exposed to the dirty underground world that Dax’s family exists in.
I’m grateful that I paid attention that night as we walked through the dingy streets to what appeared to be an abandoned building. I can see that I was right, the windows are all painted black, probably so no one can see the lights on at night. To anyone passing, the old factory would be a place to avoid, especially after dark.
“Does your dad still own this property?” I ask Liam.
“Yeah, he does. Has to pay the taxes on it, but it’s better than having a developer buy it and tear it down. Then we’d have nowhere to fight.” He crosses the space to a small office along the far wall. “Have to pay off a few coppers to keep it open as well, but that’s just business.” Liam shrugs as if bribing the police is something you do everyday like walking the dog or buying milk. “Dax tried to talk us into giving it up, taking his money and doing something else, but it didn’t feel right. Plus, we enjoy it, it’s all we know,” he explains.
“Oh.” I start biting my thumbnail again, my stomach churning with acid.
“El? You alright?”
I look up and see Liam frowning, the stack of papers in his large hands forgotten as he fixes his molten brown eyes on mine.
I yank my thumb out of my mouth and shove my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “I-I’m fine,” I can hardly speak from the nerves. “I just really need to reach Dax so I can talk to Adam and…” Crap. I use the sleeve of my T-shirt to wipe the tears from my eyes and sniff. “Sorry.”
Liam clenches his square jaw and nods stiffly. “Let me get that number for you.” He unlocks a drawer in an old battered file cabinet and pulls out a deteriorating spiral notebook. I can’t help the nervous giggle that bursts from my throat at the sight of it.
“What?” he asks innocently, clearly amused by my reaction. “I don’t want to keep hi
s number in my phone in case it’s stolen. I mean, it’s in my phone somewhere in a protected file, but I can’t ever remember the bloody code to get into it. Shaun put it there and…”
I can’t stop laughing, having to cover my mouth with my hand to stifle the sound. “Sorry, Liam. Really, I am. It’s just… you… and the notebook… and the password… and you’re so huge and scary…” the giggles take over again and I drop into a rickety chair and sigh when they finally subside.
“Better?” He’s standing in front of me and leaning back on his desk, clearly amused by my laughter.
“Yes,” I whisper. “I’m just so tired and sad all the time.” What is it about Liam Davies that makes me want to spill my guts?
“Well, here’s his number. No selling it on the internet,” he jokes. I take the scrap of paper that he offers and immediately put the number into my cellphone and tuck the slip into my pocket.
“In case I lose the paper. Wouldn’t want to bother you again.” The prickly heat of a blush fills my cheeks. I really do lose all control over my verbal filter around Dax’s kind brother.
“Ellie, it’s no bother when it’s for you.” He pushes off of the desk and holds out a hand. “I’ll call you a cab and walk you out, okay?”
Smiling, I accept his offer and thread my fingers through his, taking comfort in the warmth of his large hand. “Thanks Liam. I can’t tell you what this means to me.”
We wait just outside for the cab and when it shows up, Liam pulls me in for another hug lowering his head so I can hear him. “El, I’ve heard the songs. I’ve talked to my brother. Hell, I’ve even been to L.A. to visit the band. Call Adam, he needs you. He’s just as miserable as you if not more.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and squeeze Liam one last time before releasing him and stepping back. He lifts his hand to my face and swipes a stray tear away with his thumb.
“Go… be happy.” A grin takes over his normally serious face and his eyes light up with satisfaction. “Just remember me when you’re making the guest list for your wedding,” he calls out as I open the door to the cab.
Grinning, I call back. “I won’t forget, Liam. That’s one thing I can’t ever seem to do.” I slide across the tattered back seat and pull the door closed. As the cab pulls away and I watch the derelict old buildings pass by, I think that maybe Hackney isn’t such a bad area after all.
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