Page 91 of Wanted
“No,” Liv said and cupped Knox’s face to hold his gaze. “I should. From now on, Iamyour boyfriend, and it’s my job to make sure you're fine. Let me do this for you. Please. It’s what boyfriends do for each other. Nice shit.”
Knox licked his lips and smiled. This was for real. Liv wanted to be his. A voice at the back of his head asked: ‘What are you contributing? What are you giving him?’ but for once he let himself take.
“You do seem very set on this.”
Finally, one of those smiles he so loved appeared on Liv’s face. “I am. I want you, with all the baggage, because it doesn’t change the way I feel. Iwantto carry it for you. It gives me purpose, makes me feel useful, like I can lift mountains. And I’ll make sure you get that surgery. It’s gonna be my mission now. My race. And you, healed, my finish line. Speaking of which, I’ve been thinking about that race they’re having at the MC compound. Might bring a nice chunk of cash.”
“Worth looking into.”
Races always came with risk, but Liv had taken part in many before. Suddenly the surgery didn’t feel unachievable. With Liv behind the steering wheel, anything was possible.
Chapter 30
Liv
Ezra’s cocoa had neversmelled as rich and sweet as when it celebrated Knox’s return from the hospital. Liv had held him under his arm the whole way back, and wouldn’t stop even as they sat by the table, fussed over by a man who not that long ago didn’t feel comfortable in their presence.
“There you go. The magnesium will be really good for recovery,” Ezra said, as if all this wasn’t about treating them to something nice. Either way, Liv would take it, and judging by how fast Knox grabbed the mug with his good hand, so would he.
“See? More of that, and you’ll be good as new,” Liv said, rubbing his face in Knox’s hair. He was still overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, but having Knox back home, with the promise of a future was good enough for now. A part of him did not want to think about how he’d make that future happen, but he’d get there in the end, because tonight all that mattered was his man’s comfort.
It was such a strange thing to think.
My man.
My Knox.
My blue-eyed boyfriend.
He was almost afraid to voice those things yet at the same time longed to feel them pass his lips. For now, he settled on silence and placed his hand on Knox’s chest to remind himself that his heart still beat. That he wasn’t gone.
Liv would make sure he stayed that way for a long time.
Frank emerged from the corridor with something in his hand, but before Liv could try guessing what it was, Frank handed Liv an ID.
“These are brand new so don’t ruin them,” he warned as if he felt he had to be stern about a gift. “I would have charged you, but I think you earned them yesterday.”
Liv looked down, curious of his new photo, but was caught off guard by something else. His name.
River Miller.
Confusion picked at his brain as he looked up to meet Frank’s gaze, but the other man seemed ready for the question in his eyes and spoke.
“Liver is a bit of a giveaway, isn’t it? Went with that one, because you said that was how you were meant to be called, originally?”
“You mean before my dad got too fucked up on drugs and alcohol to do the right thing? Yeah,” Liv said, trying to keep his voice light, even though the sole fact that Frank remembered that about him after just one conversation had him choking up a bit. People did pay attention to him, but they usually ignored all the important bits.
“Precisely,” Frank said and settled with a mug of cocoa of his own.
A pleasant tension overcame Liv’s chest, so he distracted himself by kissing Knox’s cheek. Oh, it was so warm and fragrantdespite the recent hospital stay. To be fair, it always was. Even when Knox was sweaty and tired out, Liver wouldn’t say no to a cuddle.
Knox laughed and pushed on Liv’s shoulder. “Frank’s solving all your daddy issues.”
Frank squinted at him. “Watch it.”
“Okay, okay, I’m just thinking about the important questions. Like, do I call him ‘Riv’ now? Is my liver tattoo even still valid?”
Liv rolled his eyes. “We don’t have to change what we do. It’s not like the police are gonna bug us to make sure you use the right name.” But when Knox’s gaze captured his attention, bright and lively like a wild creek, a different idea bloomed in his mind. He rubbed Knox’s breastbone. It was so good to see him smiling again. “You could add to the one you have, so there’s a river flowing around the liver or… something.”
