Page 99 of Reckless

“He will be fine,” her voice was hoarse. I didn’t know if she was talking about Liam or the baby, but I nodded, standing by the door, waiting for her to kick me out, when she added. “I named him Liam.”

Her voice broke with that last word. Tears ran down her face. I approached her, took her hand in mine, and cried with her for hours. She was drifting in and out of sleep, exhaustion and anxiety fighting for control over her body. Nurses came in and out every once in a while. We asked only about the baby, too scared to ask about the father.

Chapter Thirty

Hannah

The present

Mystomachwasinknots the entire time Tyler was telling me his story. From the moment he said his friend’s name was Liam I anticipated there would be no happy ending.

We were standing in front of my building. Tears had been pouring down my face for the past ten minutes. My neighbors came back home and shot me curious looks, probably assuming I was taking part in some love drama, while my heart broke over and over again for all of them.

Little Liam, born prematurely, named after his father at a time no one knew if any of the two of them would live. The horror Chloe experienced was unimaginable. The guilt Tyler carried was more than anyone could bear.

“So Liam died and never got to see his son?” I finally managed to ask through deep gulps of air.

Tyler shook his head.

“He didn’t die. He had a series of surgeries because of the spinal injury. He survived, but he will never walk again.”

“How come I had never heard a word about him?”

Tyler’s face twisted in pure torture. “Because I hadn’t seen him since the night of the fight.”

“Oh, God, Tyler.” I started crying again. “But you are so close with Chloe? She calls you all the time. She obviously loves you. Did they break up?”

“No, they got married. They are meant for each other.”

It turned out Tyler believed in love after all. Just not that he deserved it.

“I don’t get it. How come you are so close with Chloe and you never saw Liam again?” Tyler looked like telling the story drained the energy out of him.

“I thought I understood it, but I am not so sure right now,” he rubbed his cheek and continued. “I felt so guilty. Incredibly guilty. It wasn’t the first time I realized I hurt someone,” he paused looking at me with a pained smile. “But I had never ever felt so guilty in my live. I had never wanted to erase a deed of mine so much as I wanted to erase that. It was unbearable. I couldn’t sleep for months. I wanted to disappear, but I promised Chloe that night that I would always be there for them. For the rest of my life. The medical bills piled up. My day job didn’t pay as much as I wanted. I decided I could work at night too. I wasn’t sleeping anyway. So I got the job at the bar. And I quickly found a way to make more money.”

“The ring in the basement?” I asked and he nodded.

“It wasn’t just about the money though. I fought a lot in the beginning and it felt so good. The physical pain numbed the guilt for a while. I slipped envelopes with money under Chloe’s door every Saturday morning. I tried to help with the baby as much as I could during the little time I wasn’t working. Up until Liam finally got out of the hospital. Then I stopped visiting. I couldn’t bear to see him. But I kept my promise. I helped with cash and took care of baby Liam whenever they needed, just not in their home.” I reached over and took his hand. He gripped mine, as if he was scared I would evaporate any second.

“Then what happened?”

“Liam turned one and Chloe decided she wanted to start working again. She came to the bar once and dropped him off with me. She had an interview for an office position. Everything went fine, until she explained her situation. Sick husband, child that needed extra care. They told her on the spot they wouldn’t hire her. She was so discouraged when she came to pick up Liam, that I offered her a job in the bar.”

“But she is also involved in the fights?”

“She hates it. From the very start. She asked me to stop so many times. I didn’t listen. And then it got out of control.”

“Out of control?” I asked thinking about all those men in that basement. I didn’t catch it at the time, but later on I realized it looked well organized.

“Do you know who Patrick Hayes is?”

“No.”

“He’s an Irish mobster. He came to visit us a couple of times and then pronounced himself my partner. He promised me protection from the police.” Tyler tugged me closer to him by my hand. “Do you understand now? Why I did what I did in that basement?”

“I do,” I breathed out. Tyler’s hands started to shake.

“I love that kid and I have always dreaded the day I would have to tell him I was the reason his father would never chase him around the house. Or play football with him.” I started crying again. Tyler thumbs wiped my tears from my cheeks. “That was my only fear, up until the night I saw you in that basement. Looking at me like you hated me.” His throat bobbed. “I love you, Hannah.”

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