Erik grunts a semi-acknowledgment and steps onto the mat. Ant has been sharp and focused all afternoon while practicing his sparring moves with Javier and me. I thought he might lose some of his edge when sparring with Erik, but no. If anything, he’s even more determined to prove himself.
Erik makes a move, but Ant anticipates it and ducks the grab, stepping behind the big guy. Snagging his arm, Ant pushes his foot into the back of Erik’s knee, surprising him. Erik flails ineffectively, then lands on his side with a loud thump.
Even better, Ant anticipates the direction of Erik’s fall and dances away so Erik can’t swipe at him from the ground. The shock in Erik’s eyes as Ant puts out his hand is priceless.
Begrudgingly, he takes Ant’s hand, allowing him to help him up, then sneakily uses the contact to pick Ant up and effortlessly toss him over his shoulder. Based on the various fears for Ant’s safety Erik has expressed, I’m guessing he’s trying to prove how easy it would be for a physically superior bad guy to outmaneuver and overpower such a small man.
Javier looks a bit worried, but I grin broadly and gesture for him to keep watching. Erik just set himself up for a world of pain.
Quick as a wink, Ant twists, giving himself the angle to haul one of his legs behind Erik’s head. Since his skinny thigh fits perfectly in the curve of Erik’s neck, crossing his ankles creates a surprisingly effective choke hold. Erik’s nostrils flare as his face goes red.
“Just tap out if you want me to stop,” Ant says casually as he squeezes harder.
Erik grabs his legs and violently throws him about. There’s a brief moment where they look like a pair of ice skaters trying for some complicated spin-lift, but Ant’s hold is solid, and Erik is forced to his knees by lack of oxygen.
After a few ineffective attempts to break the hold, Erik finally taps Ant’s leg twice. Ant unlocks his legs and shifts behind his neck so he’s sitting on Erik’s shoulders. As Erik sucks wind, Ant’s eyes glitter with a self-satisfied triumph.
Javier leans over to whisper, “Erik is on his knees, and my nephew’s feet don’t even skim the mat.”
I crack up, then choke off the laugh when Erik scowls at me.
Mocking his vanquished foe, Ant crosses his ankles on Erik’s chest and his arms on top of Erik’s head. Erik, still breathing hard, brings his hands up Ant’s legs, absentmindedly running his large hands up and down Ant’s muscular calves. Ant’s eyes go a little unfocused before he jerks away from Erik’s hold and hops off his shoulders.
Ant steps off to the side, discreetly adjusting himself. I catch his eye with a raised brow, and he makes a slashing gesture toward his neck, his cheeks coloring.
When Erik finally dusts himself off and gets back on his feet, he approaches Ant, standing over him with narrowed eyes. Ant crosses his arms with a sneer and stares right back up at him.
“Alright. Fine. You paid attention to Levy and Bram’s self-defense classes. But,” he says, holding up a finger, “I wasn’t actually trying to hurt you, so don’t think you have the ability to take down any opponent regardless of size. And we definitely need to do some additional weapons training.”
“Not to mention crime-scene maintenance,” Anders says, walking up to us, pointedly staring at Ant.
I stifle a laugh because he and his crew had a lot to clean up—physically and digitally—with a few of the crime scenes Ant left behind.
Ant gives him his best grimace-emoji face and then gives him the Matrix-stylebring itgesture. Anders moves in closer, and Ant’s brows meet in the middle, confused.
Taking advantage, Anders sweeps Ant’s ankles, taking his feet out from underneath him. Ant curses and smacks the mat but hops back up.
“You cut your hair.”
“Actually, I’m growing it back out,” he says with a sly smile.
“What? Wait.” Ant steps in a little closer. “Your beard is shorter.”
Erik grabs his cousin’s shoulder and takes a good look, recognition lighting up his eyes.
“Odd!” he shouts, bringing him in for a back-slapping hug.
Why is he calling him…oh.Oh.
“You’re Anders’ twin brother?” I ask, holding out my hand.
He shakes it, grinning slyly. “That I am.”
Ant’s head drops back. “I forgot there were two of you.”
Odd laughs, shaking his head. “I think we can all agree that my brother is his own man.”
“Then how do you know about the crime scenes?”
