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When Liam didn’t continue, I decided to ask the question that had been burning in my head since this afternoon.
“Can I ask what the situation is with their mother?”
He seemed to consider my question, his brows caving in and his eyes narrowing on the floor like he wasn’t sure how much to share. Normally I’d dismiss my question, knowing it seemed too personal, but after what happened today, I was going to stand my ground.
After a few more tense seconds, he finally relaxed on the couch.
“Their mother is an addict. She wasn’t always… We actually had a really good life there for a little while.” He shook his head like he was remembering.
“She always had a connection to drugs through her sister and family. Her parents were meth addicts, and her brother and sister fell into that life, but Lacey wanted a different future. At least I thought so. But thinking back on how young we were when we met, I honestly don’t know.”
His scoff grated along my skin.
I hated it. I wanted to take away his pain, wash his heart clean, stitch it up, and give him something better to have hanging there in his chest.
“I was fighting professionally, making really good money…but I was gone a lot. She started using when I was away for a fight, at least that’s what I assume. The first time she’d just passed out on the couch while Seraph and Mila were here. Maddy was in school, but Seraph thought her mom was dead until the fire department got here. Lacey went into a treatment center after that. I paid for the best one. A year later, she was back with us, and things were better. But then I talked about retiring from fighting, and she freaked out. Mila was just a baby, and suddenly she started leaving her with me to go to run random errands that didn’t seem to make any sense. She disappeared in the middle of the night from time to time. I was in denial about it. Not after we’d spent so much money on her treatment, and she had worked so hard on herself.”
He paused, digging at a loose thread on his jeans.
“She…” He shook his head. “I should have known sooner,—we’ll just say that. She doesn’t have custody, so if she ever tries to take the kids, call the cops. Same goes for her sister or anyone else claiming to be a relative.”
His lips thinning the smallest bit told me he was done explaining, and honestly, I was glad for it. This was so far out of my wheelhouse it wasn’t even funny, and what happened today had shaken me enough that I just needed a warm bath and a good cry. I knew he didn’t want pity, and from the rigid way he held himself on the couch, I knew if I spoke on anything he’d just said, he’d clam up. Being around brothers who didn’t really want me around had taught me how to read the “fuck off” vibe when someone gave it.
Lifting off the couch, I gave him a small nod.
“Okay, well, thank you for telling me.”
He should have told me before. There should be a sheet or something for all of this. Right? Wasn’t that a thing that parents did?
Liam tracked me standing, and those dark brows raised up to his hairline.
“You gotta be somewhere?”
Confused, I just stared down at him while toying with the hem of my shirt.
“No…it’s just you seem to—I just want to respect your boundaries.”
Also, I’m so flustered, and entirely confused as to why it feels like you cut my heart open and pulled threading from yours, then started knitting us together.
I wasn’t prepared for when his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, tugging me back down to the couch.
“I wanted to check on you, make sure you were okay after all that went down today.”
Our knees were nearly pressed together, and I had to twist my body at an angle to get the smallest amount of distance from him. Whatever soap he decided to use in his shower was noticeable and slightly intoxicating.
“So…you okay?”
Shit, I was spacing out.
“Yeah…” I shrugged my shoulder. “I mean, it scared me. I was worried about the girls. Being in charge of their safety is a new feeling, something I take really seriously. It just…”
My eyes narrowed on his hand, which was still lightly cradling my wrist.
“She can be dangerous…that whole family can. Hell, that whole part of town can be. I’ll send you some addresses to a few parks that are safer. But we need to set up our first session. Get you in shape to defend yourself or anyone else.”
In shape sounded good. I was fit, but I knew what he meant in regard to defending myself. Fear controlled me in such a way that I practically froze earlier today. I wanted to be able to push through that.
“When is a good time for you to start?”
