My Best Friends Brother

Chapter 169

MILO’S P.O.V

“So you are really not going to tell me what the fuck is going on?” Eli still doesn't relent, refusing to give me any fucking insight whatsoever into why he's being such a fucking flake at the moment.

“I told you, I’m golden man. I’ve just had mum breathing down my neck about applying for college and that so it's just getting to me. You’re still coming over to mine tomorrow so you can go over the application with me right?”

Yet again, Eli dodging the fucking question.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.” And I’m going to bring some bamboo for under your fucking fingernails because I’m sick of this shit.

He smacks my back and gives me a wink before making his way to the opposite side of the school. I don’t know why the fuck he started parking all the way out there, it’s like he’s hiding his fucking car or something.

I don’t understand why, even if he has got a girl that he's meeting he's definitely not the shy type, I once walked in on him with one of the girls from the volleyball team and even after he saw me standing there he didn't slow the fuck down, just pounded that girl without remorse... How that girl was walking out of that room after is beyond me... Although I guess I could say the same thing about my man this morning.

Josh and Liam sit in their usual space, Liam leaning through the seats and waving like crazy at me when he spots me coming towards them. He’s been super happy ever since he came to my game, I made sure all the team made a huge fuss of him and I think he considers himself an honorary member now.

He’s too fucking cute.

My man however hardly notices I’m here, even when I get into the seat and shut the door he still doesn’t truly acknowledge my presence, staring endlessly at his phone screen.

“Everything okay?” Josh glances back at Liam in the mirror to make sure he's busy with his video game before turning to face me.

“I don’t know, I had a really bad meeting with the social worker today and something just feels fucking off... She found out about us and it didn’t exactly go well...” Shit.

I open my mouth ready to ask more questions but the way that Josh slams the car into reverse to pull out tells me that he’s definitely not in the mood to fucking talk right now.

It’s okay, we can talk about it when Liam’s asleep. We’d pretty much figured out it wouldn’t be great when they learned about us, that’s why we decided to leave it until I was in college if we could... It’s not like I’m a bad person to have around Liam, I love that boy as much as I love Josh. I’ll prove to them I’m worth having in his life.

I wait until we are almost at his street before even attempting to open my mouth again.

“Do we need to be worried?” Josh shakes his head but he doesn’t look convincing doing it.

“I don’t know, she said that she needs to go and speak to someone higher up but she just looked... I don’t know. I can’t worry about it now, Brie is meeting us at the house so Liam can have his final suit fitting for the wedding so let's just get that out of the way first.”

Resting my hand on top of his, to my fucking horror the tension in his body still doesn't ease one bit... but it only gets that much worse when we pull in behind the bug in the driveway to find Brie standing outside the front door shouting at some woman standing there with two police officers either side of her.

What the fuck...

Brie spots us and races over to the car just as Josh steps out.

“Josh, keep Liam in the car. I’ve called Tara, she's on her way, they can’t do this.” Brie is someone that very rarely looks afraid but right now she's even biting her fucking nails.

No. Please tell me that isn’t who I fucking think it is...

Josh looks back inside the car and gives me the look to not move. I just nod at him, if he needs me to stay with Liam then that’s exactly what I’ll do. If I’ve got to get behind that wheel and take him to the Mexican fucking border, I will.

I can’t hear exactly what’s being said outside until the woman approaches the car, waving gently at Liam who returns at sheepishly.

“I’m sorry Josh, this may not be permanent but it is what the higher ups feel needs to happen right now while we look into everything.”

No. No it doesn’t need to happen.

“Liam, are you okay little man?” Liam has been so much more confident since he came to stay with us but as he looks between the worried faces of three people who care so much about him, I can almost see that shell starting to grow back around his body.

“s-she... she's my...” she's his social worker. “Is she... W-Why is Josh s-scared?”

They can’t... They can’t fucking do this to him. To us.

“You are not taking him Stephanie. You know it isn’t right, it’s just some fucked up set of events and a relationship no-one else should get a say in. You know that Liam’s safe with me, that’s all that should matter.” Josh is trying his very best to put on that business voice he uses in work but there’s such a fucking tremble in it every time he stares back through the windows of the car at Liam.

“I’m sorry Josh, this is out of my hands.” She actually looks genuinely remorseful, I don’t think she wants to do this.

This can’t be fucking happening.

“Well put it back in your hands bitch because you ain’t fucking having him.” Brie you aren’t helping here. “Liam’s the most loved kid on the fucking planet here, I’ve seen what happens to kids in the system – my dance classes were full of them, Liam won’t fucking make it in there. Don’t do this.”

Mum, where are you? I fucking need you to fix this, I’ve never asked you for shit but I need you to do this.

“Josh, please don't make this harder than it needs to be. I’m going to ask you to hand Liam over or we are going to take him by force. Either way, he's coming with us. It will look better on you if you give him to us.”

“Stephanie, I-”

“Josh, please. For Liam. Don’t do this.”

They’re taking Liam away from Josh.

Because of me.