Silent Lies

Chapter One

Aaron sunk back his beer and gulped as the bitter taste slid slowly down his throat. He wasn’t usually one to drink in the morning but it had been a rough week. Liv wasn’t just his little sister; she had seen him through some of the most challenging times of his life. He lifted the bottle to his lips and swigged back another mouthful and flicked the telly channel over, there was nothing much on and he wasn’t really watching it anyway.

The knock on the front door startled him and he stood from the sofa, flicking the TV off and headed towards the door, pulling it open he let out a huge sigh “You, what do you want?"

“I wanted to see how Liv is doing?”

“What’s it to you?”

“I was just worried and Moira, she didn’t really know a lot and”

“And what Mackenzie, thought you would come round here and get the dirt”

“No”

“See how you can work it to your advantage”

“Course not, I’m sorry, I’ll just go”. He turned to walk away but paused “I really hope Liv is okay” he smiled “And that you, that you are okay too”

“Why the sudden concern?”

“I’m not heartless Aaron”

“Okay, okay I’m sorry, she is going to be fine, they are keeping her in for a few days for observation”

“Thank you”

“You want a beer?” Aaron asked

“It’s only half nine, the pub won’t be open yet”

“I got some takeout” he moved aside and gestured for Mackenzie to come inside.

Mackenzie sat down on the sofa and Aaron moved back from the kitchen with a beer for them each “I can’t believe everything that’s happened this week” Aaron sighed

“I don’t know what to say, I am really sorry about Paul”

“Don’t be, it’s no huge loss”

“Aaron”

“There are things you don’t know”

“Have the police said what caused the accident?”

“Jimmy caused it; he crashed the van”

“It was an accident”

“I am just hoping Mandy gets her hands on him before I do, save me the hassle of killing him”

“It wasn’t his fault”

“You weren’t there”

“I know but” Mackenzie paused “I think I should just go”

“What do you know?” Aaron asked following Mackenzie towards the door, grabbing his arm and spinning him to face him, he slammed his body against the door “Tell me what you know Mack”

“Aaron”

“Mackenzie, I know you know something, you know why Jimmy crashed?”

“It was my fault okay, I caused the accident, I told Jimmy that Nicola was in trouble and I am guessing he was panicking and lost control, I am really sorry”

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t knock you into next week right now”

“I didn’t want anyone to get hurt Aaron, it’s been eating me up inside to know the pain I have caused” he sighed, as tears filled his eyes, he appeared so vulnerable, something Aaron had never seen in him before “You can hurt me, you could kill me if it would make you feel better but you have to know, I would never do anything to hurt Liv”

Aaron pushed him against the door again “And you expect me to believe you suddenly give a damn about what happens to Liv”

“It’s not about hurting Liv Aaron; I would never do anything to hurt you”

Aaron stared at the man he had pinned to the door and before he thought about what he was doing he closed the gap between them and pushed his lips onto Mackenzie’s soft lips, not thinking twice about how the man would react...