He hadn’t even told Fix this yet, and it ate away at him every day.
“Besides,” Liam said, “I don’t do partner work. And I don’t know that IE has anyone doing strictly solo sessions.”
“Not yet, we don’t.” Morgan winked at him, but Liam shook his head.
“It’s not like it matters anyway.” He tried not to let his voice shake, but it was impossible. “If I don’t die, I’ll have to move again to run from this and I can’t…”
Morgan pursed his lips. “Now I know you have more fight in you than that. You’re really gonna let this scumbag put you in the ground?”
“What else can I do?” he asked, frustration making him snappy.
“I don’t know. I’m sorry.” Morgan sighed. “I wish there was a way we could catch this demented asshole.”
“So nothing from the streams?” Liam asked, swallowing the bile in his throat. He’d had no idea he was holding on to that sliver of hope. But…he clearly was.
“They’re like a ghost,” Morgan said, and the tiny ship of hope sank into an ocean of despair.
“The only time I ever saw them was when they chased me.”
“Fuck. That’s terrifying,” Morgan said, eyes wide. “Were you alone?”
Liam nodded, shivering as he remembered it. “It was early hours of the morning and I was hurrying to catch the last train. There was no one there, not even strangers.”
“So they want to get you completely alone. What a freak.” Morgan curled his lip. “I guess Fix hanging around upset them and it’s the reason they’re being shy.”
Liam froze. “You think that’s why?”
“Well, it tracks doesn’t it? The only time they ever attempted anything in person was when they were pretty confident they could get you without witnesses. I don’t know if they’re just a coward or smart.”
He’ll come out if I’m alone.
It replayed over and over in his head, twisting a crazy idea into shape.
“Liam?” Morgan called.
Liam blinked, trying to refocus. “Sorry what?”
Morgan flicked an assessing gaze all over his face. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just…thinking…”
“My radar is kinda crooked from dating a serial troublemaker, so I may be way off, but…” Liam held his breath and schooled his face into an expression of innocent curiosity while his heart thundered under the surface. Morgan paused and shook his head, shaking off his own suspicions. “Never mind.”
Liam could have sighed in relief. He didn’t want the bud of his idea to fall apart before he could even take it to Fix.
And like he had called him forth, the front door opened and Fix’s deep bass called, “Liam?”
“In the living room,” Liam called back while Morgan slipped his boots on.
“I’ll make myself scarce. See you around.”
Hopefully.
“See you.”
Morgan slipped by Fix’s large form on the way out, exchanging a couple of words with him about his progress.
Liam put his sewing aside and stood up to greet him, knowing King wouldn’t allow it otherwise. He’d grown tolerant of Fixbeing in Liam’s personal space, but he still tried to prevent it if he could.
