Tamper

Chapter 2

Liam sat up and looked at the alarm clock on the bed stand. 2:37 AM. Still hours before dawn and his first day at McEllan. He ran his hands through his hair and shook his head, trying to clear the ghosts of the past.

Every so often he thought of Niall, his sweet Irish prince, but these days, it was Harry, wide-eyed and young, staring up at him from his seat by the window, morning light bouncing off his skin, curly hair haloed, making him appear other-worldly. Years later, Harry was still on his mind. He wouldn't be a boy anymore. Like Niall, he would be all grown up. Soft skin colonised by course hair, face no longer smooth and unlined. Bewitching no longer.

Sophia was snoring beside him, dead to the world for all intents and purposes. If she had things her way he would have stayed at Smith & Son working his way into heart disease and eviscerating his liver with drink in the grand old Smith tradition. The job hadn't been that bad. Liam had spent his time pushing papers and supervising staff that were more qualified than him but were his subordinates only because he was the boss' son-in-law. He had worked at Smith & Son for three miserable years, punching in the clock, slowly withering in the utter mundanity of it all. Throughout, Sophia would whisper in his ear, "It's not so bad. One day Daddy will leave this division of the company to you."

Inwardly, Liam had snorted. Stephen Smith would not be going anywhere, not for a long time. Even if he did shuffle the mortal coil, his sons, Stephen Jr and Samuel, would not let control of the company fall into Liam's hands. 'One day' felt infinity times infinity away so Liam resigned and spent his days lounging by the pool, working out and burning through Sophia's bottomless funds. At first she indulged him, explaining his behaviour to Samuel in a hushed tone, "Liam grew up poor. He's just enjoying himself."

A few months became one year, then two, and Sophia grew impatient with his seeming lack of desire to find himself another job. Her mouth was often a thin, red line when she eased into a business suit in the morning and she would say goodbye to him with a tone. He understood. It was embarrassing that she supported her husband.

"Liam's taking a sabbatical," he'd heard her explain to the vapid women she called friends when they found him lounging in his swimwear by the pool on a Wednesday afternoon. More chit chat and they had disappeared indoors to discuss grown-up things.

Liam had enjoyed himself some more, languishing at their expensive three storey home, occasionally changing the scenery, taking the family's private jet to New York, splashing out on expensive watches, tailored suits, designer eyewear, little trinkets of ownership in his gilded paradise as Sophia's kept husband.

After years as a man of leisure it had been welcome when Sophia suggested that he return to teaching. Trinkets became boring after a while, a big house confining. And now, with his return to teaching a few hours away, Liam felt the panic begin to rise.

What if he had another Harry in his class? He remembered how it played out the last time. Liam steering the class successfully through the curriculum. They were well-behaved for the most part, especially Harry. He wasn't the best student, churning out a steady C aggregate through the term. He attended class not speaking up unless he was asked a direct question by Liam.

It was enough for a while, glancing at him during class, marvelling at Harry's beauty. But Liam grew hungrier, letting his hand linger on the boy's shoulder when he handed out quizzes, leaving a note on Harry's marked script, requesting he stay after class so he could have a word with him. Leaning close to breathe Harry's scent – deodorant, freshly cut grass, peanuts, and sweat – when he gave Harry a heart-to-heart about the merits of striving for academic success and how he just knew there was a top achieving scholar within Harry, aching to be set free. Harry nodded, all wide eyes, taking in these words of wisdom being imparted to him.