Liability

Chapter 37 - Rhys

Only a small warning this time: Rhys being under the influence of painkillers for most of the chapter and in pain when he's not. 

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Sunday
September 16, 2018

"No," Rhys states clearly with all the authority he can muster when faced with the beseeching gaze of one of the most adorable dogs he has ever seen. The dog, Ada — as he has learned her name from Armand's not boyfriend, Ash —, nudges her ball, coated in a generous amount of dog, saliva in the direction of his feet again and gives him a low whine. "Seriously, no. Armand promised to make a coat out of both of our hides if we play catch in the living room again after yesterday."

Ada grumbles and picks the ball up to trot closer. She places a paw against Rhys' knee.

"We do this and we're dead. Do you want your disgustingly nice father to grieve you?"

"That's right, sweetheart, daddy will cry if your evil Uncle Mitya murders you with his sneezes," comes the smooth voice of the man in question from the doorway of what Rhys believes to be Armand's office.

The knowledge that Armand has the funds to rent a two-bedroom condo just across Central Park feels like another useless piece for the near psychedelic puzzle that's Rhys' teacher. Yet, Rhys still stored that new piece of information among the slowly growing pile of senseless bullshit he has gathered on the bastard but refrains from asking questions and just looks over his shoulder to watch as Ash shuffles over, all gangly limbs and large, doe eyes bracketed by a smattering of faint freckles.

Thommy, even in his mostly delirious state from anesthesia, called the guy obnoxiously pretty when he first walked in with his own set of keys on Thursday night. The thought that Thommy and he have been camped out at Armand's place for three days without the man kicking them to the curb is as mindboggling as it was when they turned up on his doorstep with a strange woman supporting their not inconsiderable weight. Hell, Armand went as far as calling over a doctor friend of his to check them over, although it took everything in Rhys not to scoff at Armand calling the doctor his friend.

That asshole was practically fucking Armand with his eyes the moment he arrived, calling him Miten'ka with so much affection that it made Rhys want to hurl his lunch. And that had nothing to do with his mild concussion or bruised stomach. Also, did Armand really have to flaunt so much skin in front of that jerk of a doctor, wearing his tight, basically transparent top with all the buttons undone at the collar?

Ugh...

Then there is Ash.

Another fucking friend.

Don't make Rhys laugh. If these are Armand's friends he's a Catholic nun spinning on a strip pole.

"Thanks for babysitting and sorry in advance about the upcoming snot fest," Ash says, dragging Rhys out of his stormy thoughts. The guy is already wrapped around his dog, rubbing his cheek against Ada's head, but his green-hazel eyes are focused on Rhys. "I couldn't leave her home today."

Rhys nods, putting on the best nonchalant expression he can. He said the same thing the day before. It makes Rhys wonder if Armand's supposed allergy is just a fabricated tale, another layer of whatever facade he created for himself to sell the image of the dorky high school teacher.

The guy might have been infallibly sweet with nothing but kind words to Rhys,  and Thommy when they were in the same room briefly, but Rhys won't make the mistake to fall for cutesiness from fresh-faced runway model lookalikes who probably only want to get their dicks wet with Armand.

Ash chuckles, unperturbed. "I'm sure you're worried about your... Is he your boyfriend? Somehow I got this feeling you two aren't just friends but making assumptions is never a good idea. Anyway, I know you must be worried about Thommy but Thad knows what he's doing despite looking like a cover boy for some fashion magazine. At least, the carefully controlled scuff now makes him look his actual age... Ah, I'm rambling, huh? Sorry." He rubs the back of his neck, his grin contrite. "I'm not the best with people, to be honest. Lucky me, I can work from home and rarely see anyone if I want."