Luck of The Irish (Getting Lucky)

"You were on the streets as a kid?"

"Yep. Kicked out of my house after my mom's boyfriend didn't want to deal with her shitty runt anymore."

His words rocketed straight to my heart. "Oh my God, Aiden! How old were you?"

"Fourteen when she booted me. Too young to work an honest job and too old for a children’s home. That when Seamus found me and I joined the Clan."

"The Clan? You mean that gang you warned us about?"

He nodded, pouring more water into his glass and taking a sip. I watched his Adams apple bob as he swallowed a cold sip. "Yes, I know firsthand how fucked up that man is and how he uses wee ones to commit all sorts of crimes for him."

"How’d you get out? I thought it was almost impossible. I mean, I don’t know much about gangs, but I thought it was lifetime membership, like it or not."

"I got beat," he said, holding up his right hand. I noticed how one finger on his massive paw was bent crooked, no longer in sync with the others. He then pointed to his eyebrow, to a massive scar that looked like he must have spit his head halfway open when he got it. "They took what made them money—my fists. I was doing really great, winning all of the local championships. Up and coming star is how they billed me on the fight lists. Boxing was my way out of the Clan and everybody knew it. And Seamus wanted to make sure that I didn't have a way out. He broke my fingers to put a stop to it."

"So, how did you end up with this place?"

"My trainer," he said, smiling. "Mac trained me for a long time, half my life at this point, I reckon. This place actually belonged to him. The gym was his dream too. Once I got beaten to a pulp, he let me sleep in his spare room. I crashed in a stinky locker room and the next I know, Mac is saying I can stay if I earn my keep and stay out of trouble. He gave me a job, nothing too crazy, sweeping and laundry. This place became my home and the boxers my family.

Once I was strong enough, I started training again, and soon I was helping him train other up and coming boxers. I never looked back, always felt like the right place to be and the need was obvious. We had to turn more kids away than the ones we could take in. We trained the talent hard; you give it your all when you got nothing else to live for. We made some solid champions that went on to have great careers. They sent people to us, and the gym got some sponsorships. Our reputation was spotless and we lived off that name. Eventually, I saved up enough money for a down payment, and when Mac retired, I bought the place."

As I listened to him telling me his story, I realized just how special he was. And rare, Aiden was like a precious gem. He’d managed to pull himself out of the gutter and not only start his own business, but help other people who were in the same predicament he had been in. There weren’t many people who could turn their life around like that, and Aiden was a success, a man who made a real difference in the world he lived it. It was admirable. It was also incredibly sexy. Men looked good in success, but Aiden looked like a goddam super hero.

"Is that why you help kids because you don't want what happened to you to happen to them?"

"Pretty much. I don't want Seamus getting his hands on any more kids. They already barely stand a chance, and if they join the Clan, forget it. "

"Aren't you scared?" I asked. I knew Aiden was huge and as strong as they come, but gangs committed murder and they’d already come after him once. What if his life was in danger? Did he have to watch his back every day, live his life in fear?

"No. Seamus' power is with these kids who don't have a place to go. Kids who are dying for some attention, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons. I just offer them an alternative. Something that can give them an out and not steal their future." He got up and started dumping the containers in the garbage bag. "Sorry that we had to use so many disposable things. I'd like to give you fine china, but the gym wasn't very convenient."

"It's ok," I said, waving him off. "He doesn't attack the gym, does he? Liam is in here a lot. I don't want to worry more than I already do about something happening to him. He’s my responsibility while he’s here.”