Theo left Liam's house. He couldn't even look at Liam right now.
"Fine"? What the hell does that mean? Is he going to continue to see Brett?!
Whatever. Theo decided that this was exactly why he felt like it was dangerous for him to trust Liam so completely, so quickly. If he tells everyone what is going on and that Theo isn't just a bartender, then so be it.
Theo called Josh and asked if he was doing anything. He really needed a distraction from the events that transpired this evening.
"Actually, your timing couldn't be more perfect. It's almost dinner time and I heard you're a decent cook" Josh said from the other line.
"Oh so you're gonna make me cook while I'm dealing with emotional damage? How very nineteen- twenties of you" Theo laughed heartily.
"Well I thought it would be relaxing and that it would distract you, but if you want I can get Tracey to-"
"No! I'm just messing with you. It's a welcome change. And you can even help."
"Oh god no. I will set the whole house on fire" Josh laughed and so did Theo...
But only until he remembered...
"Liam... Do you not know how to cook?"
Theo's heart beat suddenly increased. Of course he'd be thinking of Liam. He just left Liam's house.
"Hey... Josh, let me take a raincheck. I forgot I actually have something I have to do tonight."
"Aww. Well, next time" Josh said and he hangs up with a kiss.
Raeken what are you doing?...
Why did he even return? Why did he want Liam of all people?
Theo got to the hotel in record timing and got up to the desk and was greeted by a cute blonde boy
he's never seen before. Must be new.
"Brett Talbot's room please?" Theo asked with a sweet smile that obviously made the boy nervous.
"Name?"
"Tyler Reed."
"I'm sorry sir, but you're not listed as his guest. Are you a friend?" The boy, whose nametag read 'Isaac', asked very professionally, but also with a crack in his voice that would have gone unnoticed by someone who actually was on the list and was actually a friend.
Well let's see if Isaac is interested in men.
"Well, I'd say I'm in here enough that I've made a few... friends" Theo said with a wink.
Isaac just looked at Theo in the same manor that people did when they make assumptions... yet was also intrigued.
"Right." Isaac said as his face turned the color of embarrassment and eyes wide with wonder. "He's in room..." Isaac looked it up on the computer and gave Theo his key to enter. He really is new. With a smile, a wink, and a 'thank you', Theo made his way to Brett's room and unlocked the door.
Brett was in the joining 'kitchen' area when Theo walked in and when he heard the door open, it was Brett's turn to be in shock.
"THEO WHAT THE HELL?! Do people just give you keys to EVERYTHING?!"
"What are you doing with Liam?"
Brett laughed and pinched the bridge of his nose before he looked back at Theo and responded "Oh I'm not doing anything with Liam. You made sure of that."
"Brett you can't just fuck around with him. He's not-"
"Gay? I mean we were doing some pretty gay stuff before you intruded. Kinda like the intrusion you have going on now. Why are you here?" Brett looked at Theo suspiciously. "Why aren't you with your confused little friend?"
"Brett shut up! I'm here to tell you to fucking BACK. the fuck OFF. He doesn't need someone like you messing with his head."
"Oh. Right. Only someone like you" Brett laughed as if it was a joke but Theo was missing the punchline.
"Brett I'm serious! Don't fuck with him any more than you already have!"
Brett looked at Theo and considered his body language for a few moments. He looked Theo up and down before the reality hit him and he let out another laugh "HOLY SHIT! You have got to be kidding me!"
Theo is lost. He wasn't understanding why his confronting Brett was so goddamn funny, but apparently Brett thought it was a joke. Well, maybe it was time to prove how he'd changed. Theo shoved Brett into the wall and pinned his forearm at Brett's throat. This just made Brett laugh even more.
"What the fuck is so funny?!"
"You really think I'm the one fucking with his head?! You really are self-righteous. AND clueless" Brett said with another strangled chuckle as Theo was pressing down on his Adams apple.
"Excuse me!?" Theo released some of the pressure, but Brett's voice was still quiet and strained. What was Brett accusing him of? Brett was the one manipulating and taking advantage of Liam's newfound sexuality.
"I couldn't have him if I was the epitome of perfection in the world's standards" Brett said as Theo finally releases him from his grasp. Brett laughs again and rubs his throat, "damn you got kinky." Theo rolled his eyes at that and Brett just continued, "you know, I didn't know you'd end up this... sexy. Maybe I should have let you whore yourself out when we were together."
"Fuck you, Brett" Theo spit his words out like he was regurgitating them after years of holding them back. In reality, he was. He never got to just... tell Brett off after everything. It felt fucking amazing.
"Oh absolutely. Anytime. Do I need to make an appointment or?"
A loud slap was heard and then silence. It was a bitch move, and he knew it, but Theo couldn't hold back anymore. He slapped Brett so hard it made an instant handprint on Brett's stupid face. So hard it actually hurt his own hand and Brett's face turned to the other side as if he'd actually been sucker-punched.
"You don't know anything, Brett!"
"Oh, but I do. I know your former boy-toy. Did some time with him. What was his name again? Donati?"
"Donavon?" Theo asked with a whispered fear and some concern. Of course that was how Brett knew. They were the same.
"Yeah" Brett chuckles lightly, but still just as menacing, "he told me that for the right price, you'll play out any fantasy that someone desires. So. Tell me Theo, what's your price?"
"I should have known" Theo growled out "so is that why you went after Liam?"
"Not at first, but when I saw how chummy you were... how could I help myself?" Brett was pure evil. Even his laugh was dripping with insanity.
"He has nothing to do with this, Brett! What the fuck is your probl-"
"HE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THIS!" Theo was starting to feel the anxious feeling like he did way back. He was seeing the same side of Brett as before.
"Brett he hasn't talked to anyone since you two have obviously been messing around! You've been manipulating him! How can you act like he's-"
"Oh no no no no! Don't blame me! It's like I said. Nobody could have him. Not while you have your clutches-"
"YOU'RE THE ONE MAKING HIM FEEL LIKE HE HAS ONLY YOU!" Theo interrupted.
Theo was still feeling uneasy in this situation, but Brett had finally reigned in his crazy a little bit.
He still didn't understand what in the superfuck Brett was talking about.
Brett shook his head again laughing low and creepy. Again with the maniacal laughter.
"You worry about me messing with his head, but you've been doing it for a while now" Bret finally said with a serious expression on his face. Apparently this part wasn't as funny to him.
"What do you mean? No I haven't!" Theo was completely floored at Brett's audacity to make such an accusation. He wasn't messing with Liam's head. He may not have been there every single day, twenty-four seven, but he was there when it was really important. Just like now.
And Liam hasn't even reached out to Theo or Mason for that matter.
"Theo" Brett deadpanned with an eyeroll. "You have been parading your newest conquest IN. FRONT. OF. HIM... At his own job... and you haven't even considered that maybe when he said he might like guys, that he meant just maybe he might like you."
That was a statement. Not a question. Brett really thought this.
Theo looked at Brett with wide eyes for a moment, then squinted. "Wow. Leave me alone. Liam too. In fact, you should probably just not be around people in general. That way everyone is safe."
Brett raised his arms in defeat "hey don't shoot the messenger" he shrugged and then continued "but think about it. He didn't seem to like meeting Josh before you two got all cozy. I can't imagine how he feels now. I wonder how you built him up in that poor boy's head for him to be so upset over it that he'd turn to a monster like me" he said sarcastically.
It dawned on Theo how uncomfortable Liam did seem upon meeting Josh and then everything Theo had been saying to Liam about Josh...
Fuck... Brett's fucking right... and the look on Theo's face was all Brett needed to see before his evil smirk returned to it's place on Brett's face.
"Like I said. Nobody will ever have him because you are everything to him" Brett said normally and then under his breath continued with "god only knows why..."
Theo squinted his eyes at Brett and muttered a 'fuck you' as he took his leave, slamming the door.
In the silence of Brett's room.
In the aftermath and the stillness.
Brett lights a cigarette and contemplates what just happened.
Even so... I'd still wait...