Page 51 of A Thousand Cuts

“Who else did you tell?”

“No one.”

Liam opened his eyes. “Is that the truth?”

“I don’t make a habit of lying,” Cane said. “Are you calling me a liar?”

“He really didn’t.” Hart mediated again. “He didn’t even tell me.”

Liam felt some relief, but not enough as he continued to stare at Cane. “What did you find out about me?”

“Your location,” Cane said.

He couldn’t read anything on Cane’s face. “Nothing else?”

Hart frowned and Cane smirked. “Was there anything else to find?”

Liam’s heart began to hammer so hard he saw black curling around the sides of his vision. Everything he’d built could come crashing down around him.

“You don’t know anything. Okay,” he told Cane. It wasn’t a request, it was a very shaky demand.

Cane blew out a plume of smoke through his nose before stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray Hart moved into his way like muscle memory. Hart wasn’t paying attention to Cane though, his eyes were fixed on Liam. Assessing. Guessing.

You probably don’t think I’m so great for your brother now, right?

“I washed my hands of it,” Cane said after a moment of watching him squirm. “Your life holds no interest or value to me.”

“Cane!” Hart gasped.

“In the nicest way,” Cane tacked on with a roll of his eyes.

Liam didn’t take it personally. In fact, the words oddly comforted him, bringing a flood of relief. Liam wasn’t on Cane’s radar enough for him to care about his past. It wasn’t a bargaining chip of any worth he could use, so he was dismissible.

“Wedocare,” Hart corrected, giving him a comforting smile. “Cane just has a unique way of showing it.”

“Sure,” Liam said.

In a way it was probably true by proxy. If Hart cared about it, then Cane cared about it. That was about the best he was going to do. Liam didn’t want it though. He’d rather be forgettable.

“Just…I don’t want anyone to talk about me. Whatever you know, I don’t want you discussing it between you either. And especially not with Fix,” Liam said shakily. “It’s my business. You already invaded my privacy for him once.”

“Of course you’re entitled to your privacy,” Hart said. “I’m exceptionally sorry you felt it was invaded. I wouldn’t do anything to make that worse. It really was just because he was worried for your safety.”

Liam nodded. “I forgave him for that. I just wanted to come here and set the record straight.”

Cane clicked the barbell in his tongue against his teeth. “It’s nothing that puts Hart in danger, so it’s already forgotten. There’s only so much charity I’m willing to do anyway. You two can work it out on your own time. I have better things to do.”

“There’s nothing to work out,” Liam said.

Cane snorted. “Whatever you say, doll.”

Hart was still staring at him in concern. “If there’s anything you need…something you need help with…”

For all his good intentions, there was nothing Hart could do for him. “I just like to be left alone.”

Hart sighed, nodding. “I respect your boundaries.”

Liam swallowed his relief and gave him a small smile. “Thank you.” He glanced at the clock on the desk. “I should go. I have to catch the last train.”