Chapter Four #4
“I’m telling you, it doesn’t matter,” Austin insisted. “Taylor is a good person. He’s not going to use what he saw against you. He’s going to listen to whatever you tell him. He won’t judge. He also won’t do anything to hurt you. You have to believe that.”
Liam didn’t think that Taylor would physically hurt him. Hell, he didn’t even think that Taylor would report him. He just wasn’t sure that Taylor would want to keep him around at the station once he found out what was going on.
“Liam, you have a visitor,” Lisa called out.
Liam frowned and turned toward her voice.
The others had scattered after Austin and West had followed him to talk, so he couldn’t see her, but he could see Ethan walking toward him, a determined expression on his face.
Liam blinked, not having expected Ethan to be at the station. Why was he here? What was going on?
Liam had been glad when Ethan had distracted Taylor at the scene.
It had given him the opportunity to disappear for a few minutes, and by the time Taylor had found him, West, and Austin again, they’d been working, and he hadn’t been able to say anything.
Liam had been able to feel his gaze on him, though, and he still could, even though he was pretty sure that Taylor was in his office right now.
“Hey, Ethan,” Austin said when Ethan reached them. “Did you flirt with our captain?”
Ethan’s cheeks turned pink. “None of your business.”
“I just don’t get it. Why Taylor? You never tried flirting with me or West.”
Ethan arched a brow. “What can I say? I like older guys.”
Austin barked out a laugh. Liam found himself smiling, too. He could tell that Ethan was teasing and trying to keep the situation light. He didn’t know if Ethan actually liked older guys, but he was pretty sure that Ethan liked him, and that was the reason he was here.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” Ethan asked, turning to Liam.
“I haven’t even showered yet,” Liam warned him.
“I don’t mind.”
Liam hoped he didn’t because he smelled of sweat and smoke. Ethan didn’t even wrinkle his nose when Liam gestured at him to follow him. He did so, his steps sure, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Liam wished he did, too. He had no idea what was going on or what to do with this mess.
Since he knew that Taylor was in his office, Liam led them outside the station. He turned once they were out the door, eager to find out why Ethan was here. Well, to talk to him, obviously, but why? What did he have to tell him that was so important that he hadn’t texted or called?
“How are you?” Ethan asked as soon as they were out of sight of the people inside. He knew that Austin and West were probably hanging around, curious. He’d have to answer their questions, but that would come later, probably after talking to Taylor.
“I honestly don’t know,” he told Ethan. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“What happened? You looked like you were freaking out. You still do.”
Liam rubbed his face. “I was inside the building, and a beam came down. I didn’t have a choice.
I caught it and pushed it away, and I didn’t realize that Taylor was there, and that he saw me.
There’s no way to explain that as normal.
It would’ve taken too much strength for a human to do what I did. ”
Ethan was quiet for a second. “So he knows something is up with you.”
“Yeah. When we came out of the building, he said that we had to talk in his office once we were back at the station.”
“Why are you out here and not in his office, then?”
“He always has stuff to do after a fire. I’m sure he’s waiting for me, though.”
Ethan reached out to squeeze Liam’s arm. “Whatever happens, you did it to save a life. It was worth it.”
Liam knew Ethan was right, but that didn’t help him feel any less terrified. “I just worked so hard, you know? I thought this was finally it, the beginning of my new life.”
“It might still be. Look, I don’t know Taylor as well as West and Austin, but I’ve met him a few times, and I’ve talked to him. He’s a serious man, but he didn’t strike me as being unfair or like he would use it against you.”
“He’s a good man, but he just found out I’m not human. Most people would be terrified.”
“I don’t think that’s true. Most people would be hesitant, worried, and confused, at least initially, but terrified?
You’re still the same Liam Taylor’s been working with for weeks.
This doesn’t change who you are. It doesn’t change what you do, and I’m sure Taylor will be able to see that you became a firefighter because you wanted to help people.
What better way for a dragon shifter to do just that? ”
Liam swallowed. He hoped that Ethan was right because he wasn’t ready to lose all of this. He wasn’t ready to go home with his tail between his legs.
That was, of course, if Taylor didn’t report him to the authorities and they carted him away to experiment on him.
He groaned. “Yeah, okay. I’ll try to stay calm.”
“Good,” Ethan said with a smile, and Liam’s heart started racing for an entirely different reason.
Maybe he could obsess over Ethan instead of his impending conversation with Taylor, although that wouldn’t be safe for his heart, either.