Chapter 28
I decide almost immediately that Liam Callahan is dangerous.
Not in the terrifying way Mason can be sometimes when he goes all quiet and controlled.
No.
Liam is dangerous because he talks too much and notices everything.
Which is somehow worse.
"Mason smiles more around you," he tells me casually while stealing another pancake straight from the plate.
Mason looks up from the coffee machine with immediate irritation.
"Why are you still here?"
"Because this is the happiest I've ever been."
I laugh quietly despite myself.
Mason points at me accusingly.
"Don't encourage him."
"Too late," Liam says. "She likes me."
"I tolerate you," Mason corrects flatly.
Liam grins.
"See? This is how he says 'I love you.'"
Mason flips him off.
Ava squeals happily from my lap like she approves of the conversation.
The morning settles strangely easily after that.
Comfortable.
Normal.
Which still feels unfamiliar enough that sometimes I catch myself waiting for something bad to interrupt it.
Mason eventually disappears into the bathroom to shower before work, leaving me alone with Liam in the kitchen.
The second the bathroom door shuts, Liam leans across the counter conspiratorially.
"So," he says. "How scared should I be of you?"
I blink.
"What?"
"I heard you beat the shit out of Mason last night."
Heat floods my face instantly.
"Oh, my God."
Liam bursts out laughing.
"He told you that?"
"He told me you woke up swinging like a caffeinated raccoon."
I cover my face briefly.
"I'm never recovering from this."
"You're fine. Honestly, I'm mostly impressed."
I groan softly into my hands.
The embarrassment still sits heavy in my chest, even though Mason has repeatedly acted like it didn't matter.
Like it didn't scare him.
But it scared me.
The memory of waking up confused and terrified still makes my stomach twist.
"I thought he was someone else," I admit quietly before I can stop myself.
Liam's expression shifts immediately.
The joking softens.
Not pity.
Just understanding.
"Mason mentioned that part," he says gently.
I stare down at Ava's tiny hand gripping my shirt.
"I didn't mean to react like that."
"You were scared."
Same words Mason used.
Something about hearing them again makes my throat tighten slightly.
Liam studies me for a second longer before speaking again.
"You know," he says carefully, "you'd probably feel better if you learned how to throw a proper punch."
I blink up at him.
"What?"
"Self-defense."
I stare at him in surprise.
Liam shrugs casually.
"Seriously. Helps a lot of people after bad experiences."
I shift slightly in my chair.
"I don't know..."
"I mean it." His voice stays light but genuine. "Half the battle is confidence. Knowing you can protect yourself changes how your brain reacts to fear."
The idea settles strangely in my chest.
Not ridiculous.
Just unfamiliar.
I've spent so long focused on surviving that I never really thought beyond that.
Liam leans back slightly.
"And honestly, if you're already willing to attack a six-foot military brick wall while half asleep, you've got potential."
A startled laugh escapes me.
Mason walks back into the kitchen at that exact moment, hair damp from the shower.
"What potential?"
Liam points at me immediately.
"I'm teaching her self-defense."
Mason pauses.
His eyes flick toward me automatically.
Not dismissive.
Thoughtful.
"You want to?" he asks quietly.
The fact that he asks instead of deciding for me makes something warm twist in my chest.
"I... maybe?" I admit.
Liam claps his hands together once dramatically.
"Excellent. First lesson: never trust men named Ryan."
The room goes still instantly.
Liam's expression changes the second he realizes what came out of his mouth.
"Shit," he says immediately.
Mason's gaze snaps toward him sharply.
I freeze.
My chest tightens painfully.
Because I never told Liam my ex's name.
Silence crashes heavily into the kitchen.
Liam looks horrified with himself.
"Mason told me," he says quickly, apologetic now. "Not details. Just the name. I wasn't thinking."
I look toward Mason instinctively.
He's watching me carefully now.
Not panicked.
Not pushing.
Just checking if I'm okay.
The tension slowly eases from my lungs.
"It's okay," I say quietly.
Liam still looks guilty.
"I'm an idiot."
"That's already been established," Mason mutters.
Normally, Liam would fire back immediately.
This time, he exhales slowly.
Then looks at me again.
"For real, though," he says, softer now. "I'd be happy to teach you. No pressure. Just enough that you feel safer."
Safer.
The word lands harder than it should.
Because lately, around Mason—
I already do.