Running with Rogues

CHAPTER 12 - LIAM

Welcome to the newbies from Belgium, Mexico + Hungary, and Happy Chinese New Year to everyone! One question for y'all, since you have more than enough info to figure it out by now - who the hell is Liam??

I was on the floor again. My calf was throbbing where it had landed on a tree root, and I could feel bruises forming over my ribs. I took my sweet time getting up, because I was only going to get knocked straight back down again. There was no rush.

Rhodri was waiting for me. When I finally did climb to my feet, I made the dumbass decision to try tackling him. The second my shoulder collided with his side, he tossed me back to the floor without even, like, wobbling or anything. Down didn't necessarily mean the fight was over, but he proceeded to flip me onto my stomach. The knee on my back had more than seventy kilos of weight behind it, so I couldn't even wriggle, let alone free myself, and that did mean it was over.

This time, Rhodri helped me up. He even let catch my breath before he threw another punch. It was a lazy, mistimed blow which was easily sidestepped. I caught his outstretched arm, twisted it and took his legs out from under him. It helped that he wasn't trying to resist what was probably the most textbook grounding move we knew.

"You think I don't see that, boy?" Rhys demanded. His timing was shit awful — he had been too busy helping Bryn and Ellis to pay us any attention until about five seconds ago. "Stop going easy on her."

Rhodri found his feet and swore under his breath.

"You were doing what?" I snarled. In actuality, I not only knew — I encouraged it, but I had to pretend like I didn't. They both ignored me.

"It wasn't—" Rhodri began sullenly.

His father interrupted him with a laugh. "Yes, it was. Drop and give me fifty. Jess, you can count for him."

He had been carrying his daughter to keep her out of trouble, but now he put her down, and she sat herself in front of Rhodri, waiting expectantly, the sadistic little creature. I wasn't sure she could count higher than twenty, so this might take a while.

"You never tell Liam to quit taking it easy on her," my cousin muttered.

"No, I don't," Rhys agreed cheerfully. "You're her brother. Hit her. It's the only way she's going to learn."

"Bloody favouritism, that is."

"You think so? Want to make it a hundred?" Rhys asked, and Rhodri moved his eyes onto the ground.

"It ain't a fair fight, Dad. She's half my size," he tried, this time without the undercurrent of insolence which came with staring at an older shifter.

"It won't ever be a fair fight for Eva, will it? Sooner she gets used to that, the better." He caught my eye very deliberately and held it. "But I reckon you'll find that she can take care of herself just fine when she bothers to put any effort in whatsoever."

Dammit, he was onto me. It was lucky he couldn't prove it, or I'd be doing push-ups right alongside my cousin. I tried to look affronted and hoped for the best. Luckily for me, Fion chose that moment to call him from the house, and he had to go, leaving his daughter to mete out the punishment. With a heavy sigh, Rhodri dropped to the ground and started the push-ups.

"One," Jess announced happily. "Two, four."

"Sorry," I muttered.

He didn't say anything, but he didn't cuss me out, either.

"I'll do your laundry?"

"Three, one."

And I saw the barest hint of a smile.