Chapter 3

Lucas came back to his penthouse much much late. He wasn’t in a mood to talk to anyone. So he frowned to see Jeffery sitting in his lounge.

"I am not in a mood to talk about anything. Leave". He turned to go to his bedroom but his hand was caught.

"Please Master listen to me for just this once". Jeffery said.

"Jeffery, go to your place. I am tired and simply not in a mood to talk. I got it you want to protect your brother so go and take care of him. I will ask the doctor to cooperate with you regarding all medical facilities. That’s what you want. So have it your way". He waved his hand to dismiss but Jeffery was as stubborn as he was.

"Just listen to me once please. I won’t bother you again". There was an edge in Jeffery's voice that made Lucas look at him. "I need your help"...

"Help in what? He is being treated in the Base hospitals. You want to take him out, I will support it. You can hire any doctor you want. You don’t need to worry about any financial support, I will pay or all the expenses. That’s all I can do". Lucas walked to his room but the door was held by Jeffery.

"Please Master... Please. Help me save my brother. Please bring him back to life". He clasped his hands on his chest begging for help.

Lucas pinched his nose in frustration.

"What you want me to do Jeffery? You were right to say I cannot plant flowers on the path of stones and thorns. I cannot guarantee him a safe life. You are his brother, you know him best. You can take him good. Bring him to your home or any separate place if you want. Now I want to sleep. Leave".

"I cannot do anything Master. I need you, like I needed back then. Only you can take care of him. Only you can bring him back. Please Master. I beg of you. Please". Jeffery broke into tears.

Something Lucas couldn’t bear.

"The Fuck Jeffery, I have been in a fucking meeting with those fucking shits. My head is bursting with the entire load and the pressure from other mafia head, and then it’s you. Okay tell me what you want me to do. But I am telling you, once I take him in, you won’t meddle in between. Got it"? Lucas said in his stern tone and Jeffery was all fast to nod.

"Now call Parker and ask him to bring Vodka. I need it badly. I am going to take a bath". He went inside to get fresh while Jeffery turned to call Parker...

***********

"Soooo... This is all about him"... Lucas held the paper with notes from Jeffery. He had written everything he knew about Liam till he was 5 years old. He had mentioned his likes, dislikes, his favorites, his triggers, his fears and even allergies.

"Yeah. This is all that I know and remember. I promise I won’t meddle in between you and him. Deal with him the way you think it’s better for him. I won’t say any word. I trust you. I know you will do the best for him. Just ... Don’t hurt him please". Jeffery said clasping his hands.

"I won’t hurt him, but if it’s to make him strong. Jeffery, you know what we do to live. It’s all danger. It’s a dark world where we survive every day. It was never rainbows and unicorns. It was always guns and smoke. It will be bloodshed as long as we are alive. If you think it’s too much of a risk for your brother, I will step away right now.

But I assure you once he comes back, he will be strong and confident. I will make sure he will never cross paths with any pain. I will protect him. I will provide for him. Do you trust me enough to let me take your baby brother under my wings"? Lucas asked in a serious tone.

He could see Jeffery thinking hard. Yes it was a hard decision for him. It wasn’t about himself. It was about his brother. His long lost brother, the only family he had.

Parker patted his shoulder in encouragement, a gesture to be with him. Jeffery closed his eyes for once and then opened again.

"I trust you Master". Jeffery said in a firm tone. Lucas smiled proudly. He knew Jeffery was strong.

************

The next few days were hard for an impatient person like Lucas. For years he had only spoke of guns and daggers and now he was here coxing a sulking and pouting boy for not bringing his favorite Teddy Bear.

It took a lot for Liam to open to Lucas. He was still scared and jittery, so Lucas would keep a distance with him. He would not invade his personal space. For the first two days, Liam would straight away throw everything that Lucas would bring for him.

But he opened up a bit to see Lucas all sad because Liam threw away the plushy teddy bear and a few more toys Lucas had bought for him. Liam bit his lips before standing up. Lucas was sitting on the chair near the window. He stood up too to see Liam approaching him. He saw Liam went to grab the plushy he threw and held them on the bed.

Lucas looked at him from the corner of his eyes hiding his smile. He didn’t want Liam to shut himself again in the shell.

They didn’t speak anything till the visiting hours were over and Lucas left the room making sure Liam had his dinner and he was constantly guarded.

"Master...."

"Yes Jeffery". Lucas lifted his head up signing a file in his office.

"How…" He gulped a lump.

"Come. Sit". Lucas closed the file, gesturing his PA to take it and close the door.

"He is bit better. We have shifted him in a private room for a few days until he is comfortable around me. He has started to open up a bit but am not imposing. I give him space and margin. I am waiting for him to trust me. He is responding to medicines. But again there are a few trigger alerts that we need to work". Lucas told everything calmly.

"Can i..."

"No, you cannot meet him yet Jeffery. He still can’t get over the fact that you left him. Even if we told him that you wanted to buy food for him. His mind is stuck. He thinks if you had not left him, he wouldn’t have to suffer it all. He is accusing you of everything that he faced.

The doctor told me that he had been sexually abused since he was 10. And then he was raped multiple times since he turned 13. He is 18 now. 5 years of hell. First the people in the orphanage and then when he break away from the awful place, he was targeted multiple times since he had no one to support him. 

This particular incident happened after 2 years of his peaceful life. Peaceful I would say when an elderly couple took him in. Surprisingly, even after all this shit in his life, he managed to study. And now he is an engineering student at full scholarship.

One of his friends or classmates you can say, let him live in his old apartment out of pity or a payback for his help in studies.

I am not in a favor of Liam living alone again. I was planning to bring him to my apartment at the Centurial Complex. What do you say"? Lucas turned to Jeffery and just looked at him. As he expected Jeffery was crying in pain. For every word, every suffering his brother lived. He was blaming himself too, only if he had not left him alone that day. Only if he had brought him to the market.  

"It wasn’t your fault Jeffery". Parker came too. He was a witness of how Jeffery had cried in these past days.

"I am not blaming you Jeffery. Maybe Liam won’t blame you either. But at this time you can say it’s his inner child speaking about his fears how he survived his childhood. Let’s make sure he starts trusting us and then we can open up all. Hmmm"? Lucas came too patting his back.

It was all about family.

************

"What happened"? Lucas asked Liam who was sitting with head low. For the first time Lucas had seen Liam sad after them talking for a few days.

"Nothing". Liam didn’t reply much. He didn’t eat ramen too.

"Won’t you share with your friend"? Lucas asked with a little smile that perked his interest.

"Friend? Are we friends"? He said and Lucas swore he never saw anything more glittering than those eyes.

"Ofcourse we are. Why would anyone bring your favorites if not friends"? He said.

"Ohhhh". Liam smiled a bit. "I... I don’t like to stay here". He said with a pout.

"And what you want then"? Lucas probed.

"Can’t I go back to my place"?

"No!!!"

"But Liam doesn’t like here". This time Lucas held his heart. Seriously. Liam was looking so cute with a pout and he could see his eyes misty.

"I know Liam doesn’t like here. But we won’t go back to your apartment. I… I actually wanted to talk to you". Lucas said in a calm tone not to scare him.

"Talk to me about what? Am I dying"? Liam said with his wide open eyes.

Lucas was dumbfounded for a moment and then.. "What?  Oh no... No … no… not at all. Where did it come from? Why would you die? I won’t let you die”? Lucas said in a single breath.

"Then what do you want to talk about"?

"Well... It’s... Tell me Liam. Do you trust me? Even if it’s 1%, do you"?

"Uhm.... I... I don’t know. Maybe I do". Liam said in an uncertain tone.

"Oh. Okay. Understandable". Lucas said and fell silent.

"Is friend sad"? Liam asked after a moment of silence.

"Umm yes I am. I thought maybe you could trust me". Lucas said.

"I am scared". Liam said as a matter of fact. "But I don’t dislike you". He added giving Lucas a hope to talk.

"Can I sit with you"? He pointed to sit on the bed beside Liam that he simply nodded.

"Look Liam. I won’t hurt you. I won’t break your trust. I know it’s hard to trust someone. But please, I want you to trust me". He softly held Liam's hand. He fell stiff for a while before thinking on his words.

True. Lucas had done everything to cheer him. He catered his mood swings. He never scolded him. He brought his favorite toys and books. It won’t harm to listen to him first. Right?

"Tell me what you wanted me to listen to". Liam asked Lucas who took a deep breath.

"Your previous place isn’t safe for you to live. I am sorry, but I went to see that place. It’s almost a slum area. No guards, no security. And the management didn’t treat you good. Right"? He asked in a soft tone and didn’t pester when he saw Liam biting his lower lip.

His blood boiled again but he calmed himself as he reminded himself of what he did to them.

"I want to take you to my place at Centurial. You must have heard the name".

"Haaaaa. Centuriallll. It’s sooooo expensiveeee". Liam exclaimed in shock. His eyes were wide with shock and an underlying excitement.

"Dont think about expenses. It’s my own so you don’t need to worry about it. Tell me will you come with me"? Lucas asked again.

"But..."

"But what Liam"?

"Liam would be alone there".

"No. Liam won’t be alone there. I will be with Liam. Also, Liam will study in the University. Make friends. Enjoy life hmmm"? Lucas coaxed him but Liam was nervous.

"Liam doesn’t want friends." He said fiddling with his fingers.

"Why don’t? Did they bother you"? Lucas was concerned and furious on his behalf.

"They... They…"

"They used you"? Lucas came to a conclusion. And Liam only proved him right by lowering his gaze.

"Did they touch you? Did they harm you"?

"They... They would say i…i need to pay them because sometimes they would help me with st... study". Liam murmured. Lucas felt his blood boiling again. Damn this world is so cruel. Everyone talks for benefit. No doubt Liam took time to trust him.

"Okay. We will change your University. You will study in a new place. I will make sure no one will bother you". Lucas said in a firm tone. Liam was just looking at him. His eyes were searching for anything that he could hold not to trust Lucas. But he got no reason.

Over the years, he had met so many people. He had trusted them easily. Just over a smile. And they broke him to core, sexually, physically and not to mention the verbal abuse. He had spent countless nights in his room, curled and crying in the corner.

He saw how people treated him like trash. And now there was a person, a stranger a week ago. He took care of him. He made him smile. After so many years he had calm and peaceful nights, only because Lucas had helped him. He didn’t promise him anything. He didn’t ask anything from him. He knew all his favorites and the private VVIP room were decorated with plushy toys and books just because Liam loved.

No one ever took care of Liam like Lucas did. Why? His heart was signaling him not to trust him. Not to fall again. But he was tired. He was weak. He needed someone. A shoulder to lean. A hand to hold. An embrace to gather him.

And Lucas was there.

Lucas saw him, his lips quivering. He saw Liam scooting a bit close to him until he put his head on Lucas's shoulder. Lucas didn’t move. Didn’t do anything. He let Liam cry for the last time. He carefully gathered him in his arms and let Liam shed all his burdens. He made Liam comfortable around him. He secured him, and that was enough for Liam to breathe a sigh of relief.

Lucas smiled at the boy curled in his chest, sleeping soundly like a little baby who feels relaxed after shedding all his burdens.

"Sleep Liam. I will never let anything break you". He tucked him in the bed with his plushy toys and went out to talk to the doctor about his discharge papers.

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Tabby