Page 8 of Double Dare

While he battles with himself, I grab a cloth off the table and wipe the new vomit off Liam’s chin. It’s nothing but bile and water, but his throat must be burning like crazy. His whole body is burning. Dom kneels down beside me, smoothing his hand over Liam’s forehead.

“We’re getting you help, Liam. No one will find you, okay? We’ll make sure your family doesn’t come looking.”

I look at Dom, realizing there’s more to this than just his hesitation. “Is he in danger?”

Dom shakes his head. “Not really, but his dad and his brother…they don’t…they aren’t okay with…”

Fucking pricks. “We’ll be discreet and ask for discretion at the hospital. Come on. You sit with him and I’ll drive.”

“Lakes?”

I meet his sad eyes.

“I’m not ashamed. I know my family will be…my family. It’s not that. I’m just not ready.”

“Well, whenever you’re ready, they’re there for you.” I pull him in for a hug. “I’m happy for you.”

He sighs.

As soon as Liam is checked in and hooked up to all sorts of machines and medical drips, he sleeps. The relief to see him relax after so long of suffering has Dom feeling like a guilty bitch. He shakes, his adrenaline wearing off, and he cries, knowing that he should have brought Liam here much earlier.

“You can ask for help without admitting all your secrets, you know.” I hand him a coffee and sit in the chair next to Liam’s bed.

“I know. It’s just that those assholes usually come to me with shit. I’m not the one asking for help, you know?” He takes a sip. “I don’t want to drop this on them when I haven’t even…come out, or whatever.”

“They’re your family. It isn’t dropping anything on them. It’s letting them in.”

“I wanted him to be sober and clean when he met them.”

“He will be.” I smile at Liam. He’s a good-looking guy, if not a bit rough around the edges and unhealthy at the moment.

“Everything good with you and Jed?”

I roll my eyes at his topic change. “Yeah, we’re good. Obviously, we have some choices to make, but we’ll get through them. What’s your plan for Liam?”

“I need you to cover for me. Just for a few days, Lake. Keep Mule at my parents’ house.”

“I will, but if shit gets bad, I’m telling your parents. You can’t get him through recovery all on your own.”

He nods, not liking it but agreeing. “Mind bringing me a change of clothes?”

“I’ll stay here a bit longer, and then I’ll get Mule. I’ll bring you some clothes tomorrow, okay?”

He nods. “I love you for this.”

“And I love you for this.” I nod at Liam, smiling. “He’s lucky to have you.”

Dom wants to blush, but he has some magic power to will it away. “Shut up.”

I laugh.

Mule is a lazy English Mastiff, and as soon as I park the truck and open his door, he bounds up the stairs to sit vigil on the front porch, loving his spot there. I leave him outside to enjoy the scenery, but of course, everyone notices him here. I’m bombarded with questions about Dom and why Mule is here the second I open the door to the Dare house. Either ignoring them or deflecting like a boss, I sit down at the table and keep my mouth shut. I won’t betray Dom’s trust. Not unless I have to.

“He okay?” Rayne asks, sitting down with two coffees. “I had Mule here all day and just took him home. If I’d know you were going to pick him up and bring him back, I could have saved you the trip. No one was home at Dom’s.”

Luckily, or Rayne would have met Liam and uncovered Dom’s secret anyway. “It’s okay. Was last minute.”

“You don’t have to tell me specifics, but is my boy okay, Lake?”

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