nk was delighted with the unexpected treat but Liam didn’t feel like eating and neither did Willow. They let Frank much on the junk food and watch cartoons until he fell asleep.
When Liam stepped outside to make the phone call to Tony, Willow went with him, clinging to his shirt, her head leaning against his back as he made the arrangements. She didn’t speak as they stood in the night air, the lights around the hotel sending orange phosphorus spilling across the dark parking lot. When he thumbed his phone off, he turned, pulling Willow into his arms. Her cheek rested against his chest and could feel the warmth of her breath puffing across his skin. She felt small in his arms, barely bigger than Frank to him. When she looked up at him, the vulnerability was a raw slash across her face.
“I love you, too,” she said.
Heat blossomed across his chest and swelled inside, filling up the parts of him he hadn’t even realized were empty. He lifted her chin and pressed a gentle kiss to her soft lips. He’d protect her, he’d protect them both. With his own life, if necessary.
He leads her back inside, dimming the lights and pulling back the blankets on the bed opposite the one Frank sleeps in. He nudges her until she kicks off her shoes and climbs in. He slides in beside her and pulls the covers up over the both, then reaches over and pulls her into the him, settling her curves around the edges of his body. They fit together like a puzzle piece.
Liam nuzzles into her hair, smelling his shampoo, smiling to himself as he thinks about her in his shower, using his shampoo and soap.
“Liam, I’m scared,” she says quietly.
“I know.”
“We can still leave. Take Frank and run. Right now.” She moves to get out of the bed.
Liam pulls her back, draping his leg over hers to keep her still. “We’re not going anywhere, Willow. We need to do this. End it for good.”
“What if you get hurt?”
“I won’t,” he reassures her.
“What if something happens to Frank? What if Carlo manages to grab him?”
“Frank’s not going to be in this room. We’re going to move him before the set-up. Carlo will never even see him.”
“Liam, if Carlo kills me, take care of Frank, okay?”
Liam rolls her over to face him. He can see her eyes glinting in the darkness. “Stop it, Willow. Nothing’s going to happen to you or to Frank or to me. I won’t let it and neither will Peters. All we have to do is follow instructions and let the cops do their job.”
She snorts against his chest. “Yeah, the cops. Like we can trust all of them. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them has already turned us in for a big pay day from Carlo.”
“These are Peters’s guys. They’re as straight as they come. We’ll be okay.”
“I’m still scared, Liam.”
“I know you are. But we have to do this. I won’t leave your side. Think about Frank. You can’t keep running like you are. What happens when it’s time for Frank to start school? You can’t live like this forever.”
“Don’t you think I’ve thought about that? I don’t like being on the run with Frank. It kills me every time we have to pack up and move to some other town, some other crappy apartment, when I have to get some other shitty job. I hate living like this.”
“Then let’s end it.”
She sighs against him and he can tell she’s giving in, the way her body slumps against his lets him know that he’s won the argument. She’ll go along with him and they’ll end Carlo and move on to a better life. Liam tucks her underneath his chin and listens as her breathing grows long and slow in the night.
The next morning, the young officer is back with breakfast for them. More fast food. Willow takes the coffee but turns down the greasy breakfast sandwiches, watching with a look of mild disgust as Frank and Liam wolf them down.
She peers into the oily bag, wrinkling her nose at the stale, greasy smell. “I never let him eat this crap, you know.”
Liam laughs and takes a huge bite of egg and sausage wrapped in pancakes. “It won’t kill him.”
“Yeah, but you’re not exactly a spring chicken. That’s one serious heart attack your holding in your hand.”
Liam responds by squirting a packet of syrup directly down his throat. Willow shakes her head and sips at her coffee.
“What about you?” Liam asks. “You’ve hardly eaten in two days. Surviving off coffee isn’t healthy either.”
She stares down into the plastic coffee cup. “I’ll eat…after.”