Chapter 15
Felix sat in the passenger seat of Liam’s Jeep as they drove back to the house with another platter of baked goods on his lap.
The urchins were passed out in the back, and the distinct scent of dog tickled Felix’s nostrils.
He sniffed, weighing the merits of making Axle take a shower when he got back home versus letting him stink up his sheets.
Felix sighed. Whatever. They probably needed to be washed anyway.
Everything that Liam had said tumbled around in Felix’s brain.
He was still unable to process what a shit show the were had been dealing with.
How the man could show up every day with a smile on his face and pitch in to help Felix with the magnitude of his own problems weighing on him was mind-boggling.
It was also absolutely infuriating that Jenny and Pete had treated Liam as badly as they had.
The small hairs on Felix’s arms rose with his temper, and he made a concerted effort to release the karma that was gathering around him.
Those two had plenty of negative energy coming their way.
He didn’t need to accrue any of his own on their account, though he wouldn’t say no to being the vehicle that dealt it out.
Any latent guilt Felix may have felt at making that call to child protection services had definitely left the building.
“What do you think about me picking up Axle around eight?” Liam asked softly, glancing in the rearview mirror. “Is that too early? I want to hit the hardware store and my storage unit before I head over to Jerry’s.”
“Sounds fine to me, but you’re sure it’s not too much taking him?”
“No. I told you I want to. I really like kids and did you see the smile on his face when we picked him up? Hanging out at the compound is good for him, and my dad said he was a marvel with the pups. Worst case, if I get overwhelmed, Axle can help out with them. My parents loved having the kids there. I can’t remember the last time my mom was so happy…
it really messed with her when Jenny stopped letting them go over there. ”
Felix wasn’t entirely sure what to make of that, but he wasn’t going to argue. Liam wasn’t exaggerating about his parents’ enthusiasm; his mom had practically begged to watch them again. “Well, then I suspect you’ll have to ask me on another date just to make everyone happy.”
Liam grinned, taking Felix’s hand. He’d been doing that a lot since they’d talked, like he needed to reassure himself that Felix wasn’t going anywhere. The quiet show of vulnerability made Felix’s heart melt.
“I’ve already got a place in mind,” Liam said, “but it’ll require an overnight trip. Not that my parents would be opposed to taking them again, but have you heard anything from yours?”
Felix sighed. Yes, and it hadn’t been very encouraging.
“Aunt Helen’s surgery went as well as could be expected, but the woman’s like ninety-three years old, and they ended up admitting her to the ICU.
Something about her blood pressure bottoming out, and her being delirious.
She didn’t recognize my mom and got really agitated.
The nurses ended up asking her to leave. ”
“Ouch.” Liam winced. “That’s tough.”
Felix grunted. It was, and his mother wasn’t dealing with it well.
She’d grown up in Maybach, and after her dad had been killed in the Purge, Helen had helped raise her.
“They’re keeping her there until they can get her stabilized.
In the meantime, my mom’s been stress-cleaning Aunt Helen’s house.
You know she has thirty-six cats?” And those had just been the ones his mom had seen.
“You’re kidding. Thirty-six?” Liam asked, pulling into the driveway.
“Yep, and every last one of them needs to be re-homed. I guess she’s talking to a rescue out there about it.
” And delirious or not, Aunt Helen was going to be devastated when she found out.
His mom was terrified the shock of it would kill the old woman, but there wasn’t any other option.
Most residences didn’t allow one pet, never mind thirty-six of them, and claiming they were all her familiars wasn’t going to fly.
“That’s…wow. How’s your dad holding up? He’s got the littlest right?”
“All day, every day. My mom didn’t say much about that, but I’m anticipating he’ll come back completely deaf and have developed a tic,” Felix said, getting out of the Jeep.
He flipped up the seat and pulled Sway’s comatose little body into his arms. She was completely out.
Cruze woke up as her sister’s weight left her shoulder.
“Hey, grab that plate for me,” he whispered as she groggily slipped from the Jeep.
She snagged the mound of baked goods on autopilot and stumbled to the back door, unlocking it.
Liam hefted up Axle, and they all followed Cruze inside.
Felix brought Sway upstairs. He tugged off her sneakers and jacket before tucking her in.
Mental note, send them to Liam’s parents with their pajamas next time.
Not that Felix hadn’t slept in his clothes recently, but his hadn’t been covered in glitter glue.
She snuggled down into her blankets, and he stood there for a moment, watching the slow rise and fall of her tiny shoulders.
An odd feeling had begun in his gut, and the low rumble of Liam’s voice from the room below compounded it.
Axle must’ve woken up. Felix ran a hand over his stomach, trying to dispel the weird sense of longing.
He backed out of the room and knocked softly on Cruze’s door before cracking it open. All he could see of her was a mound of blankets.
“Good night,” he called in.
She muttered something back, rolling over, and he closed her door.
Shit, should he have made them brush their teeth or something?
Felix shook his head. Whatever. They still had the ones that were going to fall out, right?
At least the little ones did. Cruze was probably about ready for braces.
His footsteps slowed as he went downstairs.
Yet another expense his parents weren’t going to be able to afford, but would find a way to pay for anyway. Damn it, Felicia.
Felix got to the first floor and meandered toward the sound of Liam’s voice.
Axle had been sleeping on the ratty couch in the converted den.
Originally, it had been a screened-in porch they’d retrofitted—poorly.
The cramped space was at least ten degrees colder than the rest of the house.
When Felix’s dad had still been working as an accountant, the little room had been organized within an inch of its life.
Now it was a catch-all for whatever didn’t fit somewhere else, and most of it was crammed full of unidentified junk.
The poor kid barely had room to change his clothes, and those were heaped into milk crates balanced on the couch’s arm against the faux-wood paneled wall.
Felix stopped just outside the doorway. Liam sat at the edge of the blanket-mounded couch, tucking Axle in. Felix frowned at the chill in the air. How the heck was this going to work on a permanent basis?
“…tomorrow. Think you can be ready that early?” Liam was saying. The top of Axle’s head bobbed, and Liam grinned, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Cool. I’ll see you then. Now get some sleep.”
Liam stood and came out into the hall, leaving the door cracked behind him.
“You’re really good with him,” Felix said as they walked back to the kitchen. “Thank you again for offering to take him tomorrow.”
“Yeah, like I said, it’s no problem.” Liam stopped by the kitchen table and jammed his hands into his pockets. He chewed his lip, then looked at Felix through a fall of wavy hair. “Have you ever thought about it? You taking them instead of your parents?”
Felix went to say no, and the word died on his tongue.
He reached out, fixing Liam’s collar. “I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t crossed my mind, but I don’t see how it would work.
The logistics alone are daunting.” No way would all of them fit in his apartment, and that wasn’t even taking the screamer into account. His neighbors would murder him.
Liam nodded, then looked down, their toes almost touching. “Yeah, it’s a lot.”
Silence thickened between them.
“So, I’ll see you tomorrow at eight?” Felix asked.
Liam raised his head, and kissed him.
Softy, then insistent. Lips, tongue, and teeth, his mouth fed on Felix’s.
He gasped, tangling his fingers in Liam’s hair, fisting his shirt.
A sudden desperate need rolled over him, all the emotion from the past few days—God, he just needed to be touched.
To be held. For someone else to make all the decisions.
A chair clattered against the table as Liam walked him backwards, pressing him against the kitchen counter. His hips ground against Felix’s, and his cock went rigid. Oh God…he needed this man like his next breath.
“I’d rather see all of you now,” Liam rumbled, his lips trailing over Felix’s jaw, working to his throat. “Let me take care of you, please? You work so hard, I want to make you feel good.”
Liam’s hand slid to the bulge in Felix’s slacks, tracing the outline of his rigid cock before lightly pinching his tip. Felix whimpered, sure the were could feel how wet he was through the thin fabric.
“Mmm. Please, baby?” Liam murmured, nuzzling Felix’s ear.
“Not here,” he panted, pushing Liam back and taking his hand to lead him into the small space that acted as a laundry room and overflow pantry adjoining the kitchen.
They closed the door. Liam’s mouth found his again.
He pushed Felix against to the wall, the sundries on the shelves beside him rattling at the impact.
His hands were on Liam’s belt, then slipped inside his briefs.
He slid his fingers around Liam’s throbbing cock, and Liam groaned into Felix’s mouth. Jesus, had he always been this big? Liam’s breath sped as Felix stroked him, root to tip, his palm slick with pre-cum, his own cock aching.