Page 138 of A Thousand Cuts

Wren shrugged, hardly listening as he helped one of his ducks onto Liam’s sofa. It flapped around for a moment before settling down, making Wren coo.

Black draped himself over the other end of it.

“We should keep this here,” he said, ignoring his suddenly ringing phone.

“Is that Cyrus?” Liam asked.

Black shrugged. “Could be.”

“Aren’t you answering? Someone might be in trouble.”

“It’s me,” Black said. “Me is in trouble.”

“Did you lick the crime scene again?”

“It’s part of the process.” Black scowled, groaning as his phone rang again and stomping away to take the call.

“He is so weird,” Liam said.

Fix didn’t want to point out that another member of their family was currently putting ducks on a sofa in a perfect row and was looking for a blanket to cover them with.

The rumble of a familiar car sounded. It pulled up, the door opened, and Midas stepped out in all his glory, pausing for a moment as he took in the scene.

Fix opened his mouth to explain, but Midas lifted his hands and just said “No” before disappearing inside.

“Can I show you my tattoo now, Daddy?” Liam leaned up on his tiptoes to whisper into his ear and Fix forgot about everything else instantly.

“Oh, I insist.” He draped the apron over the sofa, then scooped Liam up into his arms and carried him to their room. He ignored the whistles and cat calls from his brothers and slammed the door, closing them off from the rest of the world.

Their room.

“I can’t believe you’ll be living with me,” he said as he set Liam down, arms still wrapped tight around him.

“I already have been.” Liam chuckled.

“Yes, but it’s official now. All your things are here, you picked your side of the bed, you changed your address. No going back now.”

Liam looked up at him, eyes focused as he took Fix in. Without breaking eye contact, he reached down and plucked at the hem of his sweater, pulling it up and taking it off. He stood in front of Fix, bare-chested, with his shoulders pulled up to his ears.

“There was never any going back for me, Daddy,” he said. “I’m yours.”

He took Fix’s hand in his and placed it on his chest, and that was when Fix saw it.

The tattoo.

Just over Liam’s heart.

A shiny white outline of Fix’s cursemark on Liam’s skin.

“Honey…” He choked on the word.

“You keep me safe,” Liam said. “You are home and safety and protection. When I was thinking about what tattoo to get to control my magic, this was the only thing that felt right. The only thing I wanted on me forever. You.”

Fix felt his eyes sting with unshed tears as he bent down to kiss the marked skin.

“Is it healed?” he asked, lips just a whisper away. Liam shivered when hot breath hit his skin and Fix smiled, loving the effect he had on his boy.

“Alex healed it so it started working right away,” Liam said, pushing his fingers into Fix’s hair and pulling his head toward his chest. “Kiss me, Daddy.”

“Bossy.” Fix smiled, but obliged like he always did.

He pressed his lips against the tattoo, feeling it alive with magic under Liam’s skin. It was warm and it felt safe and kind. It felt like it loved Liam, and he realized why. Because it was him, keeping his boy safe. Forever. As it should be.

“I love you, honey,” he said, resting his forehead against Liam’s chest.

“I love you too, Daddy,” Liam said, and if Fix spent the rest of the day learning how much Liam loved having his new tattootouched and kissed, well…that was nobody’s business but their own.