It was a nice night.
The weather was unseasonably warm, and he got the girl, by all appearances. How they were going to handle it from here was anyone's guess, but she was his now, and that's all that really mattered. He'd never been the type to pander to his father's whims, and it wasn't like his dad really gave a fuck about Donna, either way.
She was an unusually, youthful looking woman in her forties who'd kept herself in shape and had a submissive enough demeanor to suit his tastes, right now.
Liam was even beginning to like her, and that kind of sucked because he didn't relish the thought of having to watch the fall out when his father eventually ditched her for a shinier model.
With any luck, she was wise enough to know what she was getting into and savvy enough to milk it for all it was worth. His father didn't deserve anything better. Any woman in her right mind would make solid use of the credit cards he passed along to them until the day their access card to his fortune was revoked.
Turning off of the fairway, he leaned back, eager to get in the house and take a load off. Not that the fitting was particularly strenuous, but the lovemaking to follow had taken a lot out of him. It was hard not giving her his all. Every time he touched her was like the first time. Even running his fingers over her gave him a thrill that coiled in his gut and roused his inner animal.
Flicking his gaze to his right, he made to turn into the studio of his lot when he saw the assholes congregating out front.
Little Mike's riders.
So the fuckers were back.
Pulling up, he saw that it was much worse than that, and jerking his car to a stop, he released his belt, and hopped out of it, tucking the keys in his pocket as he half-ran over to the building. The motherfuckers had smashed his windows and had the nerve to have a few brews while they waited for him to return.
His gaze flicking downward, he saw that they'd smashed some of their beers there, too. So they'd been there awhile. Fucking assholes.
“You want action, bitches? Come get your fucking action.”
The words flew out of him in a huff, and before he realized it, he was taking on three of them while the other two wisely stayed off to the side – obviously having come along under pressure and with no real want for problems.
Fists boxing mouths, hands grabbing hold, and body slamming them in succession, none of their hits did more than irritate him as he was caught in the gut a few times, and took one to the jaw. Liam raged enough that they eventually backed off. Fortunately none of them pulled a blade. It was sheer luck that they'd hadn't.
Heart raging blood through his veins, he felt invincible in that moment, and the look in his eyes surely communicated a taste for blood none of them wanted him to satiate at their expense.
Watching them flip him the bird half-heartedly as they backed toward their bikes, he dusted himself off and hurled a torrent of insults their way.
“You come back; you bitches are fucking dead. You hear me, twats? I'll fucking kill you.”
It was a struggle to calm down, and he hit the wall of his shop several times before he gathered his breath and managed to force himself to breathe evenly. He hated getting like this, coming so close to the edge of his wits that he might actually kill someone.
His threats hadn't been idle. He'd fucking meant them, and they were damned lucky he didn't have a weapon on him today, or he probably would have drained the blood out of at least one of those fucks.
Clenching his teeth, his head sagged against the wall, jerking back up when he heard a groan. A familiar one. Panning the parking lot, he confirmed every last one of the assholes was gone, groaning as he felt the ache in his rib where he'd been struck by the biggest of them. It hadn't felt like anything when he was high on adrenalin, but he'd be paying for it tomorrow.
Without question.
His head snapping to his left at the sound of scuffling, his jaw clenched noticing his brother struggling to get up. He hadn't even noticed him. Fuck. They hurt him bad. If he'd known that, he'd have broken their teeth against the cement when he'd had a chance.
“What the fuck, Corey?”
Groaning, his brother leaned against him when Liam lowered to give him an arm and pull him up.
“I was having a cigarette, and they rolled up-”
“Talking shit.”
“So much shit.”
“So you naturally talked shit back.”
Stilling, Corey searched his eyes, like he feared Liam might kick him back out into the street.
“Yeah... I-”
“Well, I can't blame you. They were on my fucking property, uninvited. You needed more man power to fuck with that many assholes, but I commend you for trying.”
Liam's eyes flicked down to the blood on Corey's knuckles.
“Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. How's your head?”
“Operational, but the big one knocked me the fuck out.”
“Yeah, he has a clear, size advantage... I'll be feeling the full brunt of his blows in the morning.”
~
Looking his brother over, Liam was struck with the thought that the kid might actually be taking everything he'd told him seriously. Tonight's little episode couldn't be helped. If Liam had been in the same position, he'd have talked shit and rumbled with those assholes, too. Hell, he had actually, when he'd pulled up.
Corey looked pretty banged up, but he was clean now, all of the blood washed away, and he was devouring the subs Liam ordered for them. Guys like them didn't just eat one. Whatever calories were there to be had tended to be burned off in the gym.
“You coming to the gym tomorrow?”
Corey's head popped up from his half-inhaled sandwich, and he quirked a brow.
“Don't you need me cleaning up? Doing the floors and whatnot?”
“Casey can handle it for a few hours. He'd a clean dude, anyways. His station is fucking spotless.”
An endeared smile touched his brother's mouth.
“Yeah, he is a little anal. Sick artist, though.”
“His hyper-attention to detail is one of the main reasons for that, actually. I'll take an anal-retentive inker over a slouch any day of the week. I know I can count on him. He'll always have a place here.”
“Yeah.”
Gobbling up another bite, Corey chewed thoughtfully before speaking again.
“So what took you so long? Thought you were just getting measured for dad's bullshit photo opp.”
Liam could hear the resentment ringing his tone. It wasn't directed toward Liam, but he had every right to feel the way he did. No one liked to be categorized as “not good enough.” And that's essentially what their father had done.
“I, uh...”
Corey grinned knowingly.
“You stopped by to see a chick, huh?”
“Well, no. She was... She was already there.”
“Yeah? One of the cashiers?”
Liam grinned. Cashiers. His brother's innocence was so refreshingly honest.
“Not an attendant, no. She's... the daughter of our step-mother to be.”
Corey laughed, a hearty, rumbling laugh.
“Get the fuck outta here. You're shittin' me.”
“I kid you not, brother.”
“How'd that happen?”
“It happened before we knew about our parents... We've decided; we don't give a fuck.”
“Huh,” Corey mumbled approvingly, finishing another bite. “I wanna meet her.”
Liam smiled at that. He wanted Corey to meet her. Hell, he wanted everyone who mattered to know who she was. She was a keeper, and he intended to do just that.