The Money Maker

Chapter 10

"The music. Tell us about the music next," Ruth almost buzzes, seeming almost as excited as her mom to hear more from the two of them.

Geoff chuckles, glancing over at her with an endeared look in his eyes. "You probably don't need Liam to tell us much. I don't think there's any more news he can give us." His gaze moves to his wife. "What with those texting and email updates you and Karen give him no choice but to participate in." He stops, giving a sheepish side glance to Liam. "Of course, not that I mind."

"Eh." She brushes off Geoff with a flick of her wrist. "He loves the attention." She flashes a grin to a now-red Liam before she suddenly gushes to Ruth, "Did you know this is Zayn's music over the speaker?"

Ruth nods approvingly, chuckling when Zayn's embarrassed gaze falls to his hands balling up the napkin in his lap. "First album?" She asks quietly, allowing him space to respond.

"It's so incredible, Ruthie," Liam interjects, a half-smile forming on his face as he takes in the soft music surrounding him. He's actually listening to it, allowing himself to follow the melodic low beat beneath Zayn's rising voice. This time, there's no pretenses; he no longer has to skim over the songs only in case he gets bombarded by a question about them in an interview.

Zayn ducks his head at the compliment, lips upturning just slightly as his fingers fumble more feverishly around the napkin. "Yeah," Zayn grins, responding to Ruth. "I'm working on the next one now, though. Only a few months away from finishing up recording."

Talking about his music, he glows, the words breathing new life into him. His shyness has suddenly disappeared as he explains the new sound, the change in lyrics. How this one is just more him. And Liam doesn't know quite exactly what that entails, of what all he consists of, but he has a sudden urge to find out.

Until the loud knock echoes from the entry and into the dining room. Before anyone can stop him, Liam is up and heading towards the hollow sound, avoiding the watchful gaze of his mother's eyes, her eyebrows drawn together.

And the thought doesn't even occur to him until he's twisting the knob and swinging the door wide open. That maybe, just maybe, his door has a peephole for a reason.

"Leonardo." The word comes out low, more like a growl than an actual utterance.

The man huffs, running his long, slim fingers through his mop of dark brown hair. Planting his feet firmly in place, he barks, "'s Leo."

Liam bites his tongue, holding back a gleeful I know from passing his lips. "Why're you here, Leo?" He gets out very carefully, making sure each word is as even as the one preceding it.

He's not in the mood for formalities, how you beens. He passed that long ago. Ever since the first time Leo popped up on his doorstep all those years ago to be exact.

"Oh, you know." He brushes off the words as if blowing dust into the wind. "I'm just here to check up on you, see how my mate is doing." The ominous crescent-moon smile that follows does nothing to calm the sudden thump thump of Liam's heart.

Asking quietly how Leo had known he was around, Liam watches as he shuffles almost imperceptibly on his feet, as if marking his territory.

"Oh, heard word from a couple of friends that you were in town again," he says easily, but the clench of his fist against his side says otherwise.

Liam can't help himself. He snorts. Right. Friends.

Remembering just how many "friends" this guy has, the sinking feeling digs even deeper in his stomach. He really shouldn't have gone out to that restaurant. Not with Zayn in tow, not with his parents, not with anyone.