Capture

Warning Shot

I woke before Liam, quietly slipping out from beneath his arm and tiptoeing into the living room.

The soft glow of dawn filtered through the windows, casting pale gold light across the space. I crept to the back of the couch and peered over—only to find it empty. The blankets and bedding Liam had given Danielle were folded neatly in a stack, perfectly untouched. My heart sank, a pit forming in my stomach.

She was gone. Had she run again?

"You're up early," a voice said behind me.

I spun around, startled. Danielle sat in the armchair by the window, gently closing the book in her lap. "I could say the same to you," I replied, my heartbeat settling.

"You could," she said, offering a small shrug, "but that would mean I slept. Which I didn't."

I nodded knowingly. "I've had nights like that. Can't stop thinking about Louis, huh?"

"I walked out on him," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He probably hates me. Or worse... he thinks I hate him."

I gave her a small smile. "Trust me—Louis is just as worried about you because he loves you. I can tell."

She glanced away, a flicker of emotion crossing her face. "You and Liam seem good together," she said after a pause, clearly wanting to change the subject.

"Thanks," I said, grateful for the shift even if it was abrupt. "Our relationship is still new, but... it's been a long time coming." I walked into the kitchen and started prepping coffee. Danielle followed, settling onto a barstool. I handed her a mug. "Tea or coffee?"

"Tea, please."

I dropped a tea bag into her cup and poured hot water over it. She held the mug close to her face like she needed the warmth more than the drink. I glanced at my watch. Still plenty of time before work. Danielle must've noticed.

"You have to go?"

"Not yet," I said with a smile, taking a sip of coffee. I hesitated, chewing on the inside of my cheek. "I probably shouldn't ask, but... what was Liam like when he was younger?" She stilled, swirling the tea bag in her mug. I cringed. "Sorry. That was out of line."

"No, it's okay to be curious. You're with him now. And Lord knows Liam could stand to open up a little more about himself," she said with a chuckle.

"I know about... that night. When his dad died. He told me some things—about Trey, about you. And I met Louis when he showed up here."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, but her face quickly settled into something unreadable as she stared into her tea. "I guess he's told you more than most ever get to hear," she murmured.

"Is there... nothing else you could tell me?" I tried not to sound too eager, but I knew I did.

She gave me a look. "That's not what I said, love. There's plenty I could tell you, but maybe some of it should come from Liam himself."

"I've known him for almost a year, and I still feel like I barely know who he really is," I admitted. "He's not exactly... forthcoming."

Danielle let out a short laugh. "He wasn't always so guarded. When I first met him, he was just this skinny kid with floppy hair and too-big clothes. He looked like a lost puppy." I rested my chin in my hands, elbows on the counter, fully listening now. "He was quiet. A loner. The kind of kid Trey liked to scoop up—boys with no direction, no one looking for them. Trey took him in, molded him into one of his own. Turned this sweet, harmless kid into a brooding gang recruit."

Her tone shifted, like she was narrating a story she'd told herself a thousand times. Sad, steady. Honest.

"One night, Trey and Harrison went out to rough someone up. Trey made Liam stay behind to... babysit me."