Free Liam Takes Manhattan by Thea Harrison Page B

struggling with the feral side of their natures.
    Straightening his shoulders, Liam replied steadily,“I’m in control.”
    Dragos’s piercing gold gaze stabbed at him. Then his father turned his attention back to carving the roast. “Good enough. Go help your mom.”
    At the order, rebellion surged through him like a flash fire.
    He thought, I’m not a child anymore. I won’t do everything you tell me to do just because you tell me to do it.
    As quickly as it hit, the rebellion subsided again, leavinghim rueful and wary. Perhaps he wasn’t quite as in control as he thought he was, or wanted to be.
    Silently, he obeyed, walking into the kitchen to wash his hands. Afterward, he picked up serving platters filled with roasted sweet and white potatoes, Brussels sprouts sautéed in garlic and olive oil, and gravy.
    Pia was just putting the finishing touches on her own meal, a vegan roast with vegangravy. As he carried the food to the dining room, she gave him a grateful look.
    With the quick ease of familiarity, they were soon seated. Dragos and Pia had wine. They didn’t offer him any, and why would they? He was less than a year old. To them, he was a gigantic, dangerous child.
    But he wasn’t a child. Not any longer. He was young, very young and inexperienced, but no longer a child. Bitternesswhipped through him at the thought. He throttled that back too. He was fast growing tired of this constant battle with himself.
    After passing the food around, he took note when his mom and dad exchanged a look.
    Here it is, he thought as he toyed with his food with a fork. Whatever it is they want to say to me.
    Dragos turned to him. “Your mom and I want to apologize.”
    Taken aback, he blinked.“Apologize for what?”
    Pia said, “We swore we wouldn’t let this happen, but we got too busy and time slipped away from us. We had come to a decision a few months ago, but with the new pregnancy, and the trips to Washington DC and Los Angeles, and then getting ready for the Masque, and—and Con’s death—” Her voice wobbled then firmed again. “Well, the last few months have been really hectic.”
    “I know,” he replied, eyeing both of them cautiously. He had no idea where this conversation was going. “You’ve been more busy than usual. I get it. What’s wrong?”
    At that, Dragos and Pia exchanged another, longer look, their expressions too complex for him to read. Pia turned to him and said in a quiet voice, “Nothing new is wrong, my love. A few months ago we decided to let you have a dog, butwe haven’t had time to do anything about it. We want to get you a puppy for Christmas. Would you enjoy that?”
    Carefully he set down his fork and repeated, “You want to get me a puppy.”
    “You’ve wanted a dog so badly,” Pia said. While her face and voice remained mild, he noticed she hadn’t touched her food either. “But your dad thinks it’s best if you start with a puppy, so that it can get acclimatedto the predator Wyr it would be living with. I compiled a list of breeders that we could visit next week, if you like.”
    Liam put his flattened hands on the table, on either side of his plate, and considered them. They were broad across the palm and long-fingered, like his father’s. Then he pushed to his feet, strode into the kitchen and retrieved a wineglass. When he walked back into the diningroom, his parents hadn’t moved, but the atmosphere in the room had grown tense.
    They watched in silence as he took the bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. Dragos’s gaze flared into incandescence.
    The wine was dark red, densely rich like rubies. Experimentally, he sipped it. It was dry, with the merest hint of blackberry and cherries. Gods, it was delicious. He took a deep swallow andreturned to his seat.
    “When you said you wanted to talk to me, do you know what I was expecting?” he said in a conversational tone. He looked at Dragos. “I was expecting either or both of you to try to talk me out of