Page 21 of Desperate Victory

The security guard who kept an eye on the level unlocked the door for me and then absented himself. We carried our coffee in and claimed one of the more luxurious booths in the back. One call and I shut off the cameras to this part of the restaurant.

“The cloak and dagger is getting impressive,” Liam commented in the drollest of tones.

“I’m not quite the exhibitionist you are.” I hadn’t forgotten his particular affinity for cameras everywhere.

“Better to keep an eye on my space when I’m not there.” Liam wasn’t going to apologize for it. Not that I expected one.

We’d been honed by the world, well worlds for him, we’d grown up in.

“I prefer my privacy as well as freedom from potential extortion.”

“You say potato…” He grinned and I rolled my eyes. “Anyway… what’s up?” Raising his coffee cup, he saluted me once before he took a drink.

The day before, I’d sauntered around the point. We’d actually had some business to discuss, but that wasn’t why I’d scheduled the meeting. We didn’t need to talk in person for most things.

“How did you know you could do it?” I cut to the chase. “You, Emersyn, your brother, and all the other guys?” There were seven of them in total. They were all with Em. She was with them. That relationship saw her thrive in a way I couldn’t define nor would I question.

She was good for Liam too. There had always been a darkness in him. A darkness I understood, and respected. He was also…happier. So however they were making it work, it worked.

“I wanted her happy more than I wanted her to myself,” Liam said as if it were the easiest thing in the world. “Almost didn’t happen though… Not because of the guys, but Rome.”

I frowned.

“Rome has never wanted anyone for himself. She was the first person I’ve ever seen him actively seek out. I wasn’t going to fight my brother and I wasn’t going to step on what they could have.” He shrugged. “Eventually, they both smacked me around, but the thing is… I want her to be happy. Her happiness is all I want. Hers and Rome’s. The other guys ‘cause they are family. What we have works. If it weren’t them though…”

Liam shook his head.

“You wouldn’t have ever shared her with me.” It wasn’t a question. The flat look he gave me promised this was not a road we needed to spend much time on. “I never wanted her that way, but even if I had…”

“No,” Liam said, succinctly. “Probably not. But if Hellspawn had needed you in some way…” His grimace spoke volumes and I raised a hand to stave off any other response.

“Intellectual exercise only. You made it clear you would shoot me if I continued to press the proposal.” Probably not the best idea to tweak him, but the flat look he gave me was enough to make me chuckle.

“Jackass,” Liam commented.

“Sometimes,” I agreed. “Non-intellectual exercise of a question. I also need you to be my friend for a few minutes.”

“I’ve been your friend for a lot longer than you deserved it,” Liam reminded me. “Ask. If I can answer it, I will. Leave Hellspawn out of whatever it is.”

“Done.” Not a hard promise to make. “Lainey…” This was a challenge to even discuss. I never brought her up to Liam. Keeping her compartmentalized had been about protecting her from all of us. “Lainey has decided the multiple partner relationship is for her.”

Liam nodded once, not commenting. I had all of his attention.

“Ezra… I can handle. But that’s another issue. Cavendish was an unexpected wrinkle and Milo…”

“…is well and truly already established and you don’t mind him or you’d still be calling him Hardigan.”

I shrugged. “I don’t actually mind either Bodhi or Milo, as shocking as that feels to admit. I loathed the idea of anyone touching her that wasn’t me, but now? No, they’d gut anyone who touched her and they can take care of her in ways I didn’t. They can also protect her when I’m not there.”

“They make her happy.” Again, not a question.

“Yes.” I could keep it succinct too. That was it in a nutshell. It made Lainey happy. The four of them were there for her. I’d already gotten used to them and had started to rely on them too.

Milo and Bodhi had both been there for when my father took her and when Ezra went down.

“I think there’s something a little different for us though.”

“Such as?” Liam prompted when I didn’t keep speaking. Instead, I took a long drink of the coffee.

---