Chapter 13
Thirteen
Liam
Dinner went exactly as I expected it to go; Mom cooked my favorite things. She has a hot plate, a conventional oven, and she recently got a pressure cooker. Her kitchen set up is minimal, but she makes some bomb-ass meals with what she has. I’ve always been amazed by that.
She made homemade macaroni and cheese, fried pork chops, and collard greens.
She even sent me home with extras for Teddy.
She always asks about him, and she also suspects something’s wrong.
It’s unlike him to not come around for such a long period of time.
She tried to get answers out of me, and all I could say was, “It’s his story to tell. ”
But that didn’t get her off my case, either.
She’s like a fucking mind reader or something.
I maintained the same stoic composure the entire time I was there, but she still grabbed my arm firmly before I left, and said, “When you’re ready to talk about whatever it is, I’m here.
” Her eyes were wide and filled with compassion.
It’s too damn bad because I think she’d prefer it if I never tell her about this.
Well, at least the crisis has been averted for now.
I have a feeling another one’s coming, though, because it’s one in the morning and Teddy still isn’t here.
I tried calling him, but he didn’t answer.
I asked Ben if he was still there, and he told me he left not long after he got there.
It fucking bothers me. I hate that it does, but I can’t help it.
He needs to tell me this shit. He should be telling me if he goes to a party and where it is. I care about him and his safety. I know he’s not used to having to check in with anyone because his useless mother never cared about what he was doing or who he was with.
I grab the whiskey that’s almost finished now and head outside. I’ll be right here, ready for him when he gets home. I chug the whiskey from the bottle and light a cigarette.
Surprisingly, I hear the scrape of Teddy’s wheels against the rough pavement of the parking lot before my cigarette is even finished, and he’s really gunning it, too. He comes to an abrupt stop at the curb in front of me and keels over, hands on his knees, panting.
“Fuck,” he wheezes. “Sorry, I lost track of time. Was at Mad’s house.”
I rear back. Why the fuck was he with Mad again?
“Why do you insist on hanging out at a trap house with one of the biggest dealers in the area? You know he’s a fucking psycho.”
“Yeah, I know. I know, okay. But he doesn’t act like that with me. He’s different than everyone thinks.”
“He literally shot someone a few nights ago. That person might even be dead now,” I deadpan.
He starts pacing back and forth, cupping his chin in thought. “He just needs help, Liam. He’s been through a lot, you know. He didn’t get this way overnight.”
Teddy and his heart of fucking gold. He’s really trying to justify what Mad does. He robs, kills, and fucks people over. He sells guns, stolen cars, and any drug you could ever need. A total loose cannon.
And my golden angel thinks he’s a good friend.
I could tell that Mad seemed to care about him, but he’s not the type of person Teddy should be hanging around all the time.
He looks at me and lets out an exasperated sigh. “Seriously, Liam? You’re a psycho, too. The only difference between you and him is that you’re not a criminal.”
“That’s not even true, and you know it. I feel things, occasionally.”
“So does he. He just doesn’t show it to anyone. Just like you.”
I scoff. “Okay, whatever. I’m the same as Mad. Why don’t I have a cool street name then?”
He stops in his tracks, spinning around to look at me. “Did you seriously just make a joke about this?”
I shrug and take another swig of my whiskey. “Come here, Teddy,” I say, lowering my voice to a whisper.
His quick intake of breath gives me pause. “Are you nervous?” I cock my head to the side. “After everything ?”
He takes a few steps toward me and sits down on his board like he usually does. There’s a certain satisfaction I get from seeing his small form down there like that.
“You’ve been doing some dumb shit lately, Teddy,” I say, even though I don’t like being an ass to him.
He needs to understand the severity of his decisions, and no one else will do it.
“You went to a trap house, used multiple drugs that have the ability to incapacitate you, and you didn’t tell anyone where you were.
That’s the least you could’ve done. If something had happened to you, no one would’ve known.
You could’ve gotten shot. I wouldn’t have known.
And then you go back to the very same place again.
It shouldn’t even need to be said at this point, but I care about your stubborn ass. People do care about you.”
The light from the window behind me reflects in his glassy eyes. He wipes at his nose and a single tear rolls down his reddened cheek. It’s like a kick in the gut, but I have to do it. He understands tough love, it’s all he knows.
He shuffles forward off his board and onto his knees, wiping at his eyes.
“Can I touch you?” His words are only a shaky whisper.
I give a slight nod and stretch my arms out to him.
He grabs ahold of them and shuffles forward, wrapping his arms around me, and burying his head in my thigh—right next to my already stiffening cock.
“I’m sorry, Liam,” he says into my leg. “I didn’t even think. I haven’t been thinking lately. It’s all been a blur.”
He gets like that sometimes. I can tell when he loses it and flies off the handle for a while. He’s always done this, but he’s never gotten any help because of his mother.
“I feel better already. I’m gonna do better now, I promise.” He nuzzles his face in my thigh, and the sweatpants I’m wearing do nothing to stop the feel of it.
“Is everything gonna be okay?” he asks, his voice small and childlike.
Warmth spreads through my body at the sound of it.
He only ever talks like this to me. I love all the things that he saves for my ears and eyes only.
I brush my fingers through his hair and look up toward the moon.
“Yeah, angel. Things are fine. Shit happens.”
We sit like that for a while, and I start to think he might’ve fallen asleep, when suddenly he says, “You smell really good here.” I look down at his curly head buried right next to the base of my fully erect dick. “Like laundry soap and dick.” He snickers.
I use the hand in his hair to push him closer to it. He opens his mouth against me. The heat and dampness make my balls seize. He peers up at me through his lashes, looking like a dirty fucking angel. I smirk down at him. “What do you want?” I ask just to hear it from his innocent mouth.
He tightens the suction on the base of my dick before pulling away. “Let’s go inside.”
“Why?”
He rolls his eyes. “You know why.”
“Don’t be shy now, T.” I tsk.
He looks away, pulling his lip between his teeth. “I just want to taste you, okay? Really bad.” His soft, sweet fucking voice makes my nostrils flare. I grab his chin roughly, and he lets out a surprised yelp.
“Go inside and get naked, angel,” I say through gritted teeth.
His eyes widen, but he stands on shaky legs and enters the room. I chug the rest of the whiskey, giving him a few moments to get ready for me.
When I open the door, he’s sitting on the edge of the bed, completely naked—his face flushed and breath uneven.
I walk up close, so his eyes are level with my dick. “Get on all fours.” He drops his face into his hands and groans. “Just do it. You have nothing to hide from me.”
He adjusts himself so he’s on his hands and knees, with a perfect arch in his back. “Spread your knees apart.”
He does, and I get the perfect view of his pink ring of muscle between the smooth globes of his ass. The bruise I left on the right side looks awful—such an ugly contrast to the rest of him, and I fucking love it.
He wiggles his butt a bit and makes a whining noise, causing my attention snap back to him. “C’mon, Liam.”
“So impatient to suck my dick, aren’t you?”
He nods his head without looking at me, shame clouding his features. I pull my sweats down to mid-thigh, and jut my hard cock right in front of his face.
“Well, go ahead then,” I tell him. I squeeze the base in my fist and guide the head to his lips, painting them with my pre-cum. I should’ve known I was attracted to him on that very first day we spoke to each other.