Page 78 of Addicted
“I said shut up!“ Squeezing Liam’s jaw, Zach used the leverage of his grasp to slam Liam’s head into the wall until he saw stars. “If it wasn’t you, then who was it? That Prince Charming you’re always drooling over?”
Zach let go and Liam stumbled, not sure which end was up as the back of his skull throbbed. Because of that, he didn’t register Zach backhanding him until he was on the ground with a stinging cheek and blood in his mouth.
“You think a drug addict loser like you can have a preppy snob like him? Keep dreaming.” Zach squatted down and Liam tried to scramble back but he’d lost all coordination, even his fear had dulled, leaving him with a strange stoic expectation. After everything that had happened today maybe he deserved this. He clearly wasn’t going to get more pills and they’d made the last few months so bearable, giving him hope only to take it away. He’d caused himself even more loss and his life would be harder now, with no crutch, no relief, haunted not only by the memories of his parents but what could have been with Owen. He’d fall into that chasm of grief and keep falling because, at this point, it was bottomless.
As he stared at the weeds growing through the broken asphalt of the driveway, a thought struck him like lightning. He didn’t know why he never considered it before but he couldjoinhis parents. He tried so hard to survive but he couldn’t do it, not anymore, not with an addiction he couldn’t feed.
Twisting a hand in Liam’s hair, Zach pulled up until their faces were even. Running his beady eyes over Liam’s features, he grinned. “You’re not so pretty anymore, Princess. But that’s what you get for snitching.”
Although Liam had made his decision he didn’t want to die in this grimy driveway. Not by Zach’s hands. He wanted to go back to his apartment, empty the boxes, and drift away surrounded by whatever was left of his parents. So, he did the only thing he could do, he rammed his forehead into Zach’s nose and heard a definitive crunch.
“Fuck!“ Zach let go with a shout, falling back onto his butt. Doing that hurt a lot more than it seemed to on television and Liam was seeing stars again. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings before he finally stumbled to his feet.
“You little shit, I’m going to murder you!” Zach grabbed at Liam’s leg but Liam scurried back, loping down the driveway. He didn’t get very far before Zach caught up to him, wrapping a hand around Liam’s arm and spinning him around. Shrieking, Liam tried to pull away but Zach’s grip was too strong. Blood poured from Zach’s flaring nostrils, the unfettered violence in his eyes letting Liam know that he was making a promise.
Liam had to get away. And knew he couldn’t punch Zach with his forehead again so he did the only other thing that came to mind.
He kicked Zach between the legs. A howl tore from Zach’s mouth, letting Liam know that he connected, and he wrenched his arm free as Zach doubled over. Skittering away, Liam put as much distance as he could between them. Zach hurled all kinds of threats at Liam’s back but they were laced with pain and, after a block or two, Liam couldn’t hear them at all. He wanted to stop on a corner and try to catch his breath, as fear and adrenaline had him shaking, but he couldn’t afford it. He needed to get back to his apartment. He had things to do.
Today had been one of the worst days of his life but soon it would be over. A sense of relief washed through Liam and he smiled to himself despite his trembling, tears filling his eyes as he realized that he was finally getting his wish.
He was going to see his parents again.
25
OWEN
“There’sstillnosignof him?” Finn handed Owen a large coffee, fresh from the convenience store they were currently parked outside of, the one closest to Liam’s building.
Owen shook his head, scrolling his phone and sipping from the cup as he leaned back against his car. “Not since Marci called me. I thought he’d come home eventually but I sat outside of his apartment for hours.”
“Do you want me to drive around again? I know these streets like the back of my hand,” Finn clapped Owen on the shoulder in a show of support that made Owen feel even guiltier than he already did. All this time Finn had been right and Owen had shut him out. He’d accused Finn of being a shit friend when he’d actually been the brave one, going above and beyond, even now. Although they’d been in a silent stalemate for weeks, the minute Owen had called in a panic, unable to find Liam after he’d run off, Finn immediately rushed to Owen’s side, no questions asked, ready to help.
Owen took in a deep breath of the chilly night air, letting it shock his lungs. Was Liam still wandering around in Owen’s shirt? He must be freezing. And hungry. They’d never gone to breakfast. Lazily waking up in each other’s arms seemed like another day, another life. For a few hours they’d had something precious; the date was perfect and Owen had never wanted it to end. He could see their future stretching out before him and, with Liam by his side, Owen might be able to heal, build a life again.
But the bag of pills that fell into his hands as he was cleaning the living room ground all that hope to a screeching halt. As he’d waited on Liam’s doorstep, he’d gone over their serious conversation in his head again and again, chastising himself. He should have been more direct, told Liam about his concerns, the reason behind his fight with Finn. He’d tried to but he’d ended up beating around the bush. And maybe Liam reallydidn’tknow what Owen was talking about and hadn’t lied, just misunderstood. Despite everyone’s better judgment, even his own, Owen wanted to give Liam the benefit of the doubt, especially since he’d seemed eager to get help.
And Owen wanted to help him. He always had; otherwise, he wouldn’t be standing in a parking lot worried to death, asking everyone he knew to be on the lookout for the man he loved. His feelings hadn’t changed since he’d found that bag. They’d been layered with fear and distress that would intensify until Liam surfaced - for he was looking for more drugs according to Marci’s report - but right now Owen only wanted Liam safe and healthy. He couldn’t lose him too.
“Why don’t we go back to Liam’s?” Finn offered as Owen continued scrolling his phone. “You wait there and I’ll…”
“You’ll?” Owen looked up at Finn, who was staring off across the street.
“Owen.” Finn paled and pointed to where he was looking. “Is that him?”
At first glance, Owen would’ve thought Finn was staring at a drunken vagrant. The figure hobbled along the street, dirty and disheveled, wiping at his bloody face, and everyone who passed gave him a wide berth, some even crossed the street. But then Owen saw the glimmer of auburn hair as he passed under a streetlight.
“Liam…” The coffee he was holding fell to the ground, splashing over his shoes. He didn’t know how he moved, wouldn’t tell you how his legs managed to get him from one side of the street to the other without getting hit by a car, but he was instantly by Liam’s side, catching his arm.
And Liam kept limping away. It took a few seconds for him to register that he was being held back and when it did, he looked down at Owen’s hand and then slowly up at his face.
Behind him, Owen heard Finn let out a curse for while Liam was thankfully still alive, he wasn’t safe or healthy. Whatever had happened to him over the course of the day had left him battered, bruised, and lifeless. His hair was tangled and dirt streaked his face and clothing. A dark bruise was forming on his cheekbone and there was blood under his nose and on the back of his neck, trickling from his hairline down to where it darkened the collar of his shirt. But the worst part was the emptiness in Liam’s eyes. They were hollow, staring at Owen without recognition before filling with fear.
“N-No.” His voice was scratchy, raw, and he meekly tried to pull his arm away. People were starting to stare and Owen was glad that Finn stepped up next to him, blocking the exchange from view.
“Liam. It’s okay.” Owen tried for a gentle tone but his words came out too shaky, too loud. He was just as afraid as Liam was.
“L-Let me go.” Liam tugged harder now, slinging his body back, the fear in his eyes turning to sheer panic as his gaze flicked between Owen and Finn.“I said let me go!”
