Easton

No!

He wasn’t going to think about that.

“Are you going to go to dinner?” Romeo asked. “It sounds really good.”

“I think I should. I want to meet Liam. Negotiate to see my son? Don’t you think I should?”

“I think you should do whatever you feel is necessary,” Axton said. “We’ll know where you’ll be so no worries there.”

Easton sat down behind his desk.

“Is this going to be a problem?” Karson asked.

“No. I’m clean and fine. I have no desire to drink. I just want to figure all of this out.”

“Duty calls,” Romeo said. “Whatever you decide, I’d love to be an uncle again.”

“Me too,” Axton said.

Karson was the only one to linger in his office.

“If you’re going to give me some bullshit that you feel like I’m going to fall off the wagon, save it. I’m clean and clear-headed. I want to know my son.”

“So long as you understand this is another life. This boy is going to want to get to know you. Once you do this, you can’t pick him up and put him back down again. You’ve got to stick with it.”

“When did you get all wise?” Easton asked.

“A long time ago.”

He watched Karson leave his office. Once he made a choice, he’d stick to it. Regardless of his son being eleven years old and not knowing him, it didn’t matter. Easton had known his father his entire life and still hated the bastard.

Staring at the card, he knew of Liam. He’d never met the guy personally, but from what he heard, he was a damn beast in the boardroom and was known for getting the job done. No one wanted to get on his bad side, and neither did Easton. If he came after the Four Kings empire, it would be a bloodbath. Liam was known for also having friends in high places. No one really knew what those places were though. Not something Easton wanted to find out, either.

“You really need me to make this decision for you?” Carla sat on the edge of his desk, swinging her legs back and forth.

“I’m starting to think I need my brain examined.”

“You probably do, but there’s no law to say you can’t be seeing things that don’t exist. So that was Scarlett. She’s pretty.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“That, too. And you have a son. He’s just a little younger than the baby you’d have had with me. There is a huge difference though.” He turned to Carla, knowing she wasn’t there. “You wanted this son with Scarlett. My child with me, you didn’t want.”

He picked up the phone, and Carla disappeared.

Chapter Six

Over eleven years ago

“Come swim with me,” Easton said.

Scarlett raised a brow. He found it cute when she did that. He’d tried to do it a few times, but it was a skill he couldn’t master.

“You have got no chance.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not jumping in a lake. Do you have any idea what could be in here?”

“Lots of water?”

“No, like sharks or something,” she said.

“You promised me you’d keep me company and help me to forget, but you won’t come swimming with me.”

“You don’t need to swim to forget. That is just wrong.” She wrinkled her nose. “Come. Lie down. Enjoy the sun.” She stretched out, and for a few seconds, he admired her. She wasn’t a slender girl and had curves in all the right places. She wore a pair of shorts, and she hadn’t gone full bikini this time, which was a shame. She looked hot in a bikini.

He didn’t want to go swimming by himself, and seeing no other choice, he picked her up. She wasn’t light, and as she thrashed around in his arms, he merely threw them both over the edge and dived into the lake. He held onto her, breaking the surface. She let out a little scream as she came up for air.

“Why the fuck would you do that?” she asked.

“To swim.”

“I can’t swim.”

All humor died from him. “What?”

“I can’t swim.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as well as her legs. He saw the fear in her eyes, but he didn’t have a problem with her body being flush against his.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you. You don’t have a problem with anything being in the water.”

“Anything can be in the water, you know. Just think all kinds of horror flicks and you know, we’re chomped on.” She didn’t let him go. “I need to let go of you.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I really, really, really need to.”

“Then let go.” He only held her ass, but she didn’t make a move.

“Please get me to shore.”

“I can teach you how to swim.”

“I don’t want to drown. It … I … I’m scared.”

He held her a little tighter. “We won’t practice here, but one day, we’re going to have an indoor pool and then I’ll teach you how to swim.”