The Rebel (Red's Tavern 2)

Colin snorted. “Come on, we both know your best friend was a bottle of liquor and a pill bottle, anyway.”

“That’s enough,” I said, the words escaping my throat before I had even processed them.

I’d been trying so hard to stay out of it, to maintain distance, to let Liam handle things on his own. But I couldn’t fucking bear it. I couldn’t let anyone treat him like this.

I was so used to Liam being unafraid of any challenge, but seeing him interact with Colin, he was like an entirely different person. Liam had always been willing to tell me off, in glorious style, if I deserved it. He’d always been a spitfire, ready to fight me and then fuck me a minute later. He was unstoppable when he was around me, even back in the day when everything had been different.

So how the fuck was he slowly wilting in front of this shitshow of a human being?

I stood up straight and walked over, positioning myself between the two of them.

“Excuse me, we’re having a conversation,” Colin said.

“It’s over,” I said sternly.

“He’s right,” Liam said.

Colin rolled his eyes. “You’re kidding,” he said, trying to edge past me toward Liam.

Liam took a couple steps back, and I followed. Colin was left with his mouth hanging open, brow furrowed in disbelief.

“Really?” Colin snapped. “So this is who you choose over me, Hardy?”

“You don’t have to do this, Red,” Liam said, his voice sounding more sad than anything.

“I was the one you were supposed to be making videos with,” Colin shouted. “Fine, I shouldn’t have come to this piece of shit town. I’ll leave. I don’t want to be here, anyway. Just stop fucking ignoring all of my messages, Hardy. Come home. I’ll pay you back, I’ll get you anything you need.”

Liam leaned back against his car, running his hands along the sides of his head. “It’s over, Colin. I don’t need the money back. I just need you gone.” He spoke evenly, but I could hear the tension in his voice.

“Fuck that!” Colin said.

“I’m calling the police,” I said.

“No,” Liam said, fixing me with a hard glare. “You don’t need to handle my problems. You’ve done enough of that for a lifetime. Just go inside.”

I furrowed my brow. My whole body was hot now, and the collar of my shirt felt way too tight against my neck.

“Are you out of your mind? I’m not leaving you alone out here with him,” I said.

“I told you, I can handle my own life,” Liam said.

My heart was aching for him as I watched him slowly crumble in front of my eyes. I hadn’t seen Liam look like that in years. It was like as soon as Colin was in his vicinity, he started to deflate.

“No wonder you came here to this aging cowboy instead of staying with me,” Colin said, lighting another cigarette. “He doesn’t know the real you. He hasn’t seen you fucking fail over and over like I have.”

Liam winced.

“Good luck staying sober, Hardy,” Colin said. “I give it three months before you’re back where you should be with me.”

“How dare you?” I spat, fire rising inside me.

“Red, don’t—”

“You aren’t going to talk to Liam like that ever again,” I said.

I wanted to clock Colin right in the jaw. I wouldn’t—I wasn’t reckless, and I sure as hell wasn’t doing anything like that at my workplace.

But I wouldn’t have minded knocking a few teeth out of the motherfucker.

“It isn’t that big of a deal,” Liam said. “Just ignore him.”

“No,” I said. “I’m not ignoring him, and I’m not ignoring you. This isn’t right.”

Colin shook his head. “I guess he’s the one making your money for you now. Gay cowboy videos are profitable. Makes sense you need him to save your ass,” Colin said, lifting an eyebrow.

I could barely pay attention to the absolute bullshit Colin was saying anymore. I was too focused on Liam, too worried as I watched him go numb before my eyes.

Liam had been around this toxic person for an entire year. I’d had no idea Colin was this bad, this insidious. He was preying on every weakness inside Liam, and he was barely even trying to hide it.

I gently wrapped my arms around Liam, but he was frozen in place. He didn’t move as I clutched him close, needing to somehow show him that he didn’t deserve this shit.

Somehow I just felt like my touch wasn’t making a dent in him, though. There was nothing I could do to protect him from Colin’s words.

“Wanna know how many times he’s already tried and failed to get sober, cowboy?” Colin said, turning to grin at me as he walked away. “It’s not going to stick.”

“Liar,” I growled, refusing to let go of Liam.

“He’s right,” Liam whispered, his voice weak.

“What?” I said, moving back to look Liam in the eye. But he was staring down at the ground, his focus somewhere else entirely.