Fractured Lies (MAC Security 1)

She raised her brows, tilting her head.

“How old is Ty?”

She frowned, leaning back in her chair “twenty-six…why?”

“Just wondered.” I shrugged. I was sure that he was older than that, he acted way older. Maybe it was the whole ‘boss’ thing.

We both sat silent for a couple of seconds.

“You ever done anything like this before?”

I sat back in my seat and held the coffee on my lap.

“No, I had a job in a hotel.” I shrugged. “But I had to give that up when I had Eli.”

“Eli?”

“Yes, my son.”

“Oh frack! You have a son?” Her eyes widened. “I never knew you had a son.”

I pulled my phone out and clicked onto the pictures. I’d seen so many moms do this in supermarkets or the park. I hadn’t ever been able to do it. It didn’t strike me until that moment what a normal thing it was to do; to simply show someone a picture of my son.

I found my favorite picture of Eli, spider-man t-shirt and a face covered in chocolate, and handed it over.

“Ahhhh, he’s adorable.” She swiped her finger on the screen, smiling or chuckling at each picture.

“Those eyes.” She looked at me with wide eyes and I nodded, knowingly.

I knew all about those eyes and the effect they could have on you.

“What we looking at?” I yelped at the voice near my ear. What was it with these men sneaking around?

“Jeez, Evan!”

“Sorry not sorry.” He shrugged and walked around to Kitty and he looked over her shoulder and then back to me.

“Who’s lil dude?”

“Her son, Eli,” Kitty said and handed the phone to Evan

“Wow, how old is he? Like, ten?”

“He’s four, Evan.” I rolled my eyes and looked away.

Ty was sat at the head of the table with Luke next to him. I hadn’t realized they had even sat down.

I swallowed at the look in his eyes, he watched me with an intensity that had me shifting in my seat.

“Didn’t know you had a son,” Luke said. I tore my eyes from Ty, which was a feat in itself and looked at Luke.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

He smiled. A real genuine smile and held his hand out for the phone.

I’d never have guessed that out of all the things that would make Luke smile it would have been to finding out I had a son. Evan passed him my phone and sat next to Luke.

“I put our numbers in,” Evan said and nodded at the phone.