Indebted (36 page)

Barely able to contain my rage, I bite out, “Drop your weapon and let him go, old man. Don’t even think I won’t kill you out of some sense of loyalty.”

John’s eyes shift back and forth, not really landing on anything. “This is all your fault! I had everything! Everything, you little bastard, but no, you had to go and fuck it up. First by being a lazy little fucker, and then by being a damn queer. I don’t understand, Liam. I made sure you wanted for nothing. You had things most boys your age dreamed of, and yet you pissed it away for the chance to stick your dick in this pathetic man’s ass. Explain that to me. Why?”

Trying to keep John busy as I try to get a shot, my arms extend and I answer, “The only person here that’s pathetic is you, you fucker. Like you gave a shit about my well-being! I was excess baggage you tried to turn into your workhorse. The only person you cared about was Thomas and what he thought. I fixed that now, didn’t I?”

Sweat is pouring down his face and he becomes even more unbalanced as he tightens his hold on Aaron’s throat, causing him to struggle to breathe. “You fucked it up! There was no fixing to it, you ungrateful little asshole. That’s okay, though. You think you’re so smart. I’m going to make you pay with the one thing that seems to matter to you. I’m going to blow this little faggot’s brains out all over this parking lot.”

Aaron whimpers and begins to struggle even more. With my eyes, I tell him to stay still. I use the one thing I know that will send John over the edge and distract him enough to get a shot off. It’s a huge chance I’m taking with Aaron’s life, but it’s the only opening I might have.

“Don’t give me that ‘faggot’ shit. I know you were blowing Thomas every chance you got.” In a mocking voice, I say, “‘Yes, Master Thomas. How deep do you want me to take it, Thomas?’”

He reacts as I expect and pulls the pistol away from Aaron’s head, pointing it at me. “You son of a bitch….”

I tune him out as my heartbeat pounds in my ears. The only thing on my mind is freeing Aaron, and when I see my shot, I start to pull the trigger. Suddenly, a loud, echoing bang is let loose and my back explodes with burning pain, causing my finger to jerk. My heart stutters as I hear Aaron shout, my bullet piercing his thigh. Determined to save him even if it’s my last act, I raise my gun and fire, hitting John right in the forehead.

My father’s body collapses as the weapon he’s holding drops. I see Aaron grab it, aiming it in my direction. Even though it was an accident, my mind races as he fires off a round. I wait with bated breath for it to connect with me. Instead, it flies past, hitting its intended target, making Jeremy scream.

I fall to my knees and then to the ground, my warm blood already seeping through my shirt as my vision blurs. I’m barely able to feel Aaron by my side.

His face streaming with tears, he begs me to hold on. “Liam, don’t you die on me! You hear me? We’re supposed to be free now. Don’t leave me!”

Trying my hardest to not disappoint him, I breathe, “I… lov… ou.” I cough a little. “Always will.”

The spots of darkness cloud my sight as the buzzing in my head drowns Aaron’s voice.

I fight it, but there’s no use.

Everything fades as numbness and then nothingness claims me.

A little over a year later….

T
HE
CHILL
of the air seeps straight through to my bones.

As I try to block out the wind and snow flurries, I pull Liam’s large coat around me. His scent fills my senses, comforting me a little as I stare at the large, marble stone before me. Time has done nothing to diminish the loss I still feel. I don’t come here as often as I once did, but the reality hits me hard every time I set foot in the cemetery.

The gurgling sounds little Peter Liam Walsh is making draws my attention to him and his doting parents. Peter is chewing away at the rubber key chain with Punxsutawney Phil on it, trying desperately to get his first tooth in. His gorgeous blond hair and red cheeks are just like his parents’, but his easygoing and loving personality seem to somehow be all his Uncle Liam. You’d think there is a bit of Liam’s blood running through his veins.

The pain in my chest eases a little at seeing him. With blurry, tear-filled eyes, I watch Tristan cooing to him, and Addison gives me a reassuring smile.

“Thank you so much for being here with me. Chloe is practically flogging herself for not being able to come. She always comes with me, but someone had to run the café.”

Chloe and I opened our own café a few months after the incident with John. My griping about the coffee while doing my physical therapy inspired her. She went home that night, and in usual Chloe fashion, had an entire presentation to pitch to me the next morning. Thanks to the money Liam set aside, it was fairly simple to get off the ground, and Gobblers Café and Desserts was born.

Tristan glances up from the little guy to give me a stern look. “Of course, we came. Even if we hadn’t been going to your house for dinner, we would have been here for you. You’re family, man.”

Sighing at the vehemence in his voice, and feeling the truth of his statement, I give him a small nod, and turn back to the stone before me. I reach out my hand, my heart clenching as my fingers brush against the letters.

My voice strains when I whisper, “I can’t believe you’ve been gone this long already.”

The warmth of Liam’s arms surrounds me, as well as his comfort. “I know it’s still so hard for you without her here, but you have us, babe, and we’ll never leave you.”

Liam’s words and solid chest against my back are exactly what I needed. Leaning my head against his shoulder, I sigh, reveling in having him here with me.

“I know, baby. It’s so hard around the holidays. Mom loved this time of year. She would’ve spoiled Peter like crazy and adored you, despite you shooting me.”

Liam huffs then. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you? One bullet to the leg and it’s ‘let’s drag Liam over the coals for the rest of his life.’ I did get shot too, ya know?”

“Yeah, yeah, like you’d let me forget. All the whining you did in the hospital was unacceptable. Thank goodness Tristan was able to get you to do your therapy. I can’t believe you made him drag you out of bed like a baby. Didn’t you learn anything from the first round with him?”

“Nah, I still think I can take him when he’s not looking.”

That statement draws Tristan out of his baby haze. “Oh, really? You ‘think’ you can take me? Well I ‘think’ that’s something we need to work out at the gym tomorrow. Boxing?”

“Bring it, big boy.” Liam rolls his eyes.

Watching them always puts a smile on my face, and I realize how lucky I am to have them in my life. I could have easily lost Liam the day John died. Seeing him on the ground with blood soaking through his shirt, I thought I had.

When I saw the determined look on Liam’s face, I knew it was only a matter of moments before he was going to take his shot. That’s when I saw Jeremy edge around one of the cars behind my man with his gun drawn. It all happened so fast, yet I can still see it as clearly as if in slow motion.

The satisfied look on Jeremy’s face as he pulled the trigger. Liam’s body jerking as the bullet entered his back. His own weapon going off. The pain swept through my thigh, but all I could think of when John dropped the pistol was protecting Liam. Without a moment’s hesitation, I picked up the weapon and fired, nailing Jeremy in the chest. The asshole fell to the ground and never moved again.

After limping to Liam, his final words before passing out tore at my heart. His pulse was so light I could barely feel it. I thought he had given up, but my Liam was much tougher than I gave him credit for.

The bullet entered his back and punctured his lung, causing it to collapse and bleed profusely. We were lucky enough to be in the hospital parking garage, so it was barely any time before they had him in surgery and my wound also tended to.

Liam brings me back from my memories with his deep, husky voice. “You alright, babe?”

Giving him a grin, I answer, “I’m more than alright. It’s hard being without her, but I know she’s smiling down on us—seeing how happy we are.”

The wind picks up, almost as though it was her confirmation, causing me to shiver.

Addison notices the breeze increasing and bundles Peter more thoroughly. “Guys, are you about ready to head back to your place? I’m afraid the baby might catch a cold if we stay too much longer.”

Knowing Addison is right, we all nod. Tristan—being Super Dad—takes the baby and the fluffy pink diaper bag his wife insisted on, even though they had a boy, and heads to the car. With one last look at my mom’s headstone, and whispered words of love, Liam and I follow them to our own vehicle.

Liam seems concerned when I remain quiet on the ride home, though he doesn’t say anything. He grasps my hand and squeezes comfortingly. I’m grateful for him giving me a little space to sort my head out before the festivities begin.

Thanksgiving has made me very reflective, and yes, very thankful for the people in my life. Also, I’m thankful for one person no longer in my life—my father.

Although I’ve always known my dad is a piece of work, his actions after I was shot blew me away. He was actually crazy enough to think I would side with him when he drew up a lawsuit to sue Liam for my injury, sustained while he was trying to save my life. The man cared nothing for me—just the money he thought he was going to be able to force out of Liam. I finally gave up hope of discovering any redeeming qualities in the bastard, and I told him as much.

We haven’t seen each other or spoken since that day. Part of me feels guilty I don’t really miss him.

Compelling my thoughts elsewhere and to better things, my mind touches on my best friend—Chloe. Nothing surprised me more than finding out while I was focusing all my time on Liam, Chloe was being consoled by none other than Kyle. Their relationship grew from their friendship and Kyle’s feeling of loss over me. I’d known Kyle was bisexual, but never thought of Chloe and he as a possible couple.

Kyle eventually made Chloe see the error of her ways, and she finally gave Liam the chance I’d always begged from her. Once she loosened up around him, she and Lee hit it off.

“Aaron, it’s time to get out of your head now. It’s dinnertime. Chloe and Kyle are bringing all the fixin’s…. Is it terrible that I hope this evening goes fast so I can have my way with you?”

The thought of this huge, sexy man having his way with me has my cock stirring. It doesn’t help when he grabs my ass on the way in from the car. Chloe’s squeals over the baby immediately make my cock’s swelling deflate, though.

Glancing around the room, I take in the smiling faces of my family, and I’m reminded it isn’t about the blood running through your veins. Chloe and Kyle are fawning over the baby, while Tristan and Addison fight over where to put the playpen—Tristan is certain there’s a draft in the corner.

Then there’s Liam—my Liam—looking happy, relaxed, and healthy. I feel complete as we sit down to the patchwork dinner everyone brought pieces of.

Just as we’re about to list the things we are grateful for, as is my mom’s tradition, Liam’s pager goes off.

Huffing, he sets down his napkin. “Son of a bitch! No rest for the wicked it seems, I gotta go in.”

Liam trained hard to do something he always wanted, and he became a firefighter. I am beyond proud of him, and I think he is too. He somehow manages to carry himself even taller now, and there’s a shine to his eyes never there before. However, it makes me nervous knowing he’s in another dangerous profession.

As if answering that worry, Tristan’s pager also goes off. Sighing, he hands his son to Addison, giving them both a kiss. “Looks like I’m up too, bro. Don’t worry, Aaron. As always, I have your man’s back, like he has mine. I’ll bring him home to you.”

I smile and nod, but of course, Addison has to put her two cents in. “You damn well better. Liam, try to keep this boy from doing anything stupid for once.”

Liam cracks up laughing. “Hell, Addison, that’s a full-time job. What do you want from me?”

Their pagers both go off again, and they know they can’t delay the inevitable any longer.

Leaning over, Liam gives me a hard kiss, telling me exactly how much he loves me. “We’ll be back soon, babe. Don’t think this changes my plans for later.”

“Mmm, I’ll hold you to that. Love you, and be careful.”

“Will do. Besides, I have a debt to collect.” He winks, reminding me of our agreement the other day, causing me to blush.

“Well, Liam, some things will never change, will they?”

His eyes roam my body with an intensity that sends a rush of need through me, and he answers, “Never.”

A.R. H
AWKINS
lives in southern Illinois where she enjoys being a stay-at-home mom to her two small boys. Married to her high school sweetheart and still in love, she can’t help being a romantic. Her romanticism is tempered by her adoration of action flicks, thrillers, and historical dramas, and this shows in her writing.