Special Needs (29 page)

Suddenly, Ryan seemed to find the desk very interesting.

“Website?” Liam shook his head. “Ryan, what is he talking about? Did he find your Facebook or something? I don't even have you on Facebook by the way,” he said jokingly, but Ryan just shook his head.

The policeman opened a file he was holding and pulled out a print.

“Is this your website?” he asked, but it was a rhetorical question. The top banner on the print read
Ryan Hot Wheels
and had a professional looking photo of Ryan, half-naked in his wheelchair. The layout reminded Liam of subscription porn sites, with their teaser photos and videos. His jaw dropped.

Ryan looked like a schoolboy caught with a hand in his pants.

“Wha...?” Liam’s eyes alternated between the print and Ryan’s reddening face. He practically forgot how to speak with the shock of it. Was Ryan selling para porn? Of himself?! “What is that?”

“Yes, it’s mine...” Ryan ignored the question and didn’t even look back at him.

“Oh, fuck me!” Liam shot up from the plastic chair, strolling to the wall and back. His head was pounding like crazy. What the fuck were all these secrets? What was next? Did Ryan actually own the hotel?

“Mr. Novitzky, please don’t distress Mr. Richards any more than he already has been tonight,” said the policeman with a deep sigh. “Stuart Barley goes by the name ‘JeffSon21’ and tried to show us that he emailed you about the possibility of meeting you. Your answers were vague, but there was no invitation on your side.”

“‘JeffSon21’?” Ryan’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “That fucker! I have never invited him! His comments were always messed up!”

Liam pressed his back into the wall, watching the scene in disbelief. Sweet, innocent Ryan had a porn site!

“So, what he was claiming is that what he had done, was based on your website and he assumed it was what you wished for,” explained the policeman.

“No, I didn’t wish for it. I was very clear and didn’t want any injections, and I said ‘no’ and I screamed for help, but he still forced me down.” Ryan slouched, so that Liam couldn’t see his face anymore.

Liam bit his lip again and walked back to him with hesitation. “Of course he didn’t.” He looked at the cop. “They were dating, for fucks’s sake! And this fucker was lying all this time! He told us he saw us in a club.” He could hardly keep his anger in check again, and his breathing became ragged.

“And that he worked in IT and stuff,” added Ryan in a weak voice.

The policeman raised his hand in an attempt to calm him down. “I understand, you are not accused of anything here, Ryan. We have a lot of evidence. Text messages, emails and... well... another thing you need to know, if it surfaces. We found numerous photos of you on his phone.” He pulled out more printouts. “Some of them look like you are aware of them being taken, but some, well, you tell me.”

Both Liam and Ryan looked at the picture printouts. Some were obviously taken before Ryan even met Stuart, in a shop or at a cafe, even on the pier at his house.

“Fucking creep,” Ryan said in a high pitched voice.

Liam’s heart froze. “Shit, motherfucker...” His hand went up to hold Ryan’s forearm. He would have been scared shitless in his place.

“And he came all the way from freaking Illinois?” Ryan obviously tried to keep calm, but reached for his inhaler.

The print from
Ryan Hot Wheels
was still an eyesore to Liam. It was simply unbelievable.

“Yes. He told us, well, that you are meant for each other and things of that sort.” The policeman sighed and rubbed his bald head for a moment. “It’s very typical for stalkers to make up the signs of their victim's engagement.”

“But you will jail him now that he attacked Ryan, right?” That was all Liam wanted to know. Too bad the fucker wouldn’t be shipped back to Illinois in an orange suit and shackles.

“Yes, he will remain in custody, don’t worry. The allegations against him are serious and with your... situation...” He looked at Ryan’s wheelchair, “the case will be investigated with great sensitivity. Judging by his inclinations, there is a risk that he might have assaulted someone before. We will be investigating that.”

“He told me he was dating someone like Ryan before... it could have been back in Illinois.” Liam licked his lips, slowly stroking his hand over Ryan’s.

The boy just nodded, without looking up.

“Thank you, and in the circumstances given, you are also discharged Mr. Novitzky. Self defense at your property. Nothing to add.” He stood up from behind the table. “We will be investigating the matter and keeping in touch.”

“Thank you, officer,” muttered Ryan.

“Yeah, we’re available.” Liam got to his feet, determined to leave the station within seconds... well, minutes. He pulled Ryan out of the room and wheeled him right towards the exit. He didn’t even know how to start the conversation. About the porn site. Shit.

When they got out, the sun was already getting up, though the sky was still grey. It was Ryan who started talking first. “Seriously? Another stalker? Why do I attract so many fucked up morons!”

“Maybe because you show yourself off on a fetish site,” Liam told him without a single thought. His mouth contorted into a scowl.

That got Ryan quiet in an instant, and he just tucked the blanket over himself again, as if it was a shield against tough questions.

“What else is there?” Liam felt tired. Tired with the lack of sleep, the worry and with being lied to. “Are you hiding corpses under the floor?”

“It’s not a crime to have secrets, it’s just this website I have... and some people like it. A lot.” Ryan was looking to the street, but Liam had no idea where they were going anyway. He just walked on straight ahead, narrowing his eyes to protect them from the morning sun.

“And then you wonder why you attract creeps. That’s like asking for it.”

“It’s not!” Ryan looked back at him with a frown. “I could even be a porn star and it wouldn’t matter. I am allowed to do that and no one has the right to touch me in a way I don’t want them to.”

“That’s not what I said.” Liam became serious. “No one has the right to force you into anything, but... that just draws the shit in.”

“Liam... the hotel isn’t doing all that well.” Ryan scratched his head. “I found this stuff after that first stalker I had and... it sort of went from there.”

Liam sighed. He’s been expecting that. Despite Ryan’s boasting, most of the rooms were unused, except for two days ago, after the porn shoot. “You said you hated that he only liked you for your... disability.” Liam stopped to let a car turn into the street he wanted to cross. He didn’t really think about calling anyone to pick them up, and it looked like Ryan didn’t want anyone interfering either.

“You wanna grab some breakfast, Liam? Talk over coffee?” Ryan sighed. “By the looks of it, I’m not gonna be dating for some time, so you’re stuck with me.”

Liam snorted. “Are you saying this isn’t a date? I’m hurt.”

“Sorry, but if it is, it’s another date-from-hell.” Ryan just shook his head. “After a night at the police station, with my arm unable to move properly and you finding out I run a fetish site. Great stuff.”

“You know I still love you, right?” Liam couldn't stop the smile that bloomed on his face.

“I saw that look on your face when you looked at that print. Over there.” Ryan pointed to the only open cafe on the street. A man was only taking out the signage now.

“Well, wouldn’t you be surprised if the police told you I was getting fucked on webcam?” Liam rolled his eyes and pushed the chair towards the street so that they could cross it as soon as there were no cars.

“I’m
not
doing porn!” Ryan turned to him, his eyes wide as saucers. “It’s not like that. It’s more... subtle...” He was still clearly uneasy about it.

“Well, you have to show me.” Liam didn’t really want to, but the need to know the truth was overwhelming most of his senses.

“No, Liam, you wouldn’t get it.”

The employee of the cafe greeted them with a smile and showed them a place they could sit in. The shop was cozy, even though they were the only customers. The yellow wallpaper and photos from a hotdog eating contest gave it a homely feel. It was a plain place, but it looked tidy and smelled great.

Liam spoke as soon as the waitress left them with menus. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Why do you wanna see it then? It’s a bit freaky.” Ryan finally looked back at him. His blue eyes made Liam’s breath stop for a second.

“I-- ah, want to know whatever it is that you do.” He cleared his throat.

Ryan cast his eyes down. “So these guys, though it’s not just guys, they call themselves ‘devotees’ and it’s not even about me getting fucked in the wheelchair, though I bet a lot would like to see that, they wanna see me doing everyday things.” He was speaking slowly, as if he were unsure if Liam was following.

“Like what?” Liam reached across the table to touch Ryan’s hand. It was cold again.

“Yes, Liam, I still can’t feel it.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “Like, they wanna see me shower and how I deal with that. Or what would I do if I fell to the floor. Because they’re excited by my disability.”

Liam blinked. He didn’t want Ryan to know what he really thought about people who got off on stuff like that, but he still considered life-porn a better option than actual porn. At least in Ryan’s case.

He didn’t essentially mind people doing porn, but Ryan... he wasn’t cut out to get hot on camera for other people to see. “Will you show me the other one?” he asked softly, looking up at the other man.

“Why?” Ryan sighed, looking into the menu.

“Because. I need to. I’m worried.” Liam shifted in his chair.

Ryan lifted his eyebrows. “Did your ‘Ryanosexual’ change into ‘Big Gay’ or something?”

Liam felt heat rising to his cheeks and suddenly, he was at loss. Was he supposed to tell the truth now? A day after Ryan being assaulted and in a fucking cafe?

“What the fuck?” He gave an insincere chuckle, but then, he became serious. “You were just... crying so hard. God, Ryan, I’m so sorry they had to take me for the night. I blew it.”

“Oh, that? Are you kidding me? The guy deserved it. I’m on Team Liam.” Ryan smiled, looking up into his eyes. “I told Rodney to go home, so I’d be stranded there alone and then faked some hysterics so they’d let you out. They wouldn’t just leave a cripple-boy-assault-victim crying for his caretaker forever. I put on the waterworks and that did it.”

Liam looked into that sweet and not-so-innocent face, dumbstruck. “Wow,” was all he could produce at this point. Did Ryan study acting or something?

“Thank you, please deliver the Oscar to my room.” Ryan winked at him and held out his other hand to poke him.

Liam snorted. “That was fucking impressive. I was so worried when I heard you.” He looked straight into Ryan’s eyes. “But he didn’t hit you or anything, right?”

“Stuart?” Ryan’s smile faltered.

Liam gave a short nod.

“Not really... he just kinda... shoved me around, held me down, he didn’t get a chance to hurt me. It was all just so scary and disgusting. You know,” he looked up, “I fantasize about different things, but I wouldn’t want someone to really hurt me. It wasn’t exciting at all.”

“Yeah...” Liam licked his lips, happy that it was all over. The problem was, he still didn’t know how to handle the situation between them. He should wait for Ryan to get over yesterday.

The waitress coming over to collect their orders didn’t help him focus. “What do you mean?” he asked as soon as the girl left their table.

“Ah, I’m into all kinds of fucked up shit.” Ryan had a mysterious smile on his face as he looked down at the table.

“‘Fucked up shit’ being?” Liam smiled, recognizing that Ryan couldn’t be irreversibly traumatized if he was willing to talk kink over waffles the day after.

“You know, like... Maybe if the same thing was like a role play I’d have with a partner and we both knew what was going on, it could have been hot. But I’d have to be in control.” He squinted, looking up at Liam. “So I could give that control away. Am I making sense?”

At this point, Liam was having trouble to
control
his breath. Wow, they were destined to fuck. “Yeah, that makes perfect sense. That’s what I like, when my partners give it up. To me.”

Ryan started playing around with the strand of blue hair. “Yeah? What do you like about that?”

Liam chuckled, sinking into the chair. “I think, it’s like a gift to me. The trust that I won’t abuse.” He locked his eyes with Ryan’s and there it was, a shiver curling around his cock like a teasing caress. “I can explore, feel very masculine.”

“You are very masculine.” Ryan laughed, holding up the sparks between them. It was like being a lion and sitting around with a delicious lamb.

“Yeah, but it’s even stronger.” Liam grabbed the salt shaker and started tapping it with his fingers. “It’s being the alpha male and shit.” He searched Ryan’s face for understanding and he found a lot more in the little smile he got. Was Ryan imagining how sex with Liam would be? Oh, how he wanted to show him.

“If I tell you something, will you promise not to... uhm... think I’m horrible?”