Deception (Infidelity #3)(96)

“Me? I saved our son’s life.”

“We’re family, Vincent and I. He wouldn’t do this if he didn’t have a reason.”

“He said he was teaching Lennox respect.”

Angelina lowered her tone. “Lennox or you? Why’d he call you and not me?”

I stood and tried to keep my volume low. “I don’t know. Maybe he didn’t want his princess cousin to show up in the warehouse district and watch her son beaten to death.”

“You promised something, didn’t you?”

I shrugged. “Money. He wants more.”

Her lip disappeared between her teeth like it did when she was thinking. “Money doesn’t show respect. He wants more.” She straightened her neck. “Tell me.”

“He wants Lennox to work for the family.”

Angelina’s blue eyes widened in panic. “Tell me you didn’t agree. Please, Oren, tell me you said no.”

“Fuck, have you ever said no to Vincent?”

“Yes,” she said matter-of-factly.

“I didn’t answer. I purposely left it unanswered.”

“Then I will.”

I spun like a caged animal, unable to move more than a few feet in any direction, and ran my hand through my hair. “No. It’s not a woman’s—”

“It’s a mother’s place,” she declared.

“How does it look when Lennox’s mother is the one who faces Vincent, fights his battles?”

“It’s not his battle yet. I’ll talk to Vincent before it gets to Lennox. And I’ll tell you how it looks. It looks like we’re still a family…” She motioned between the two of us. “…like we still talk, and that we both still care about our son’s future. It looks like the princess finally decided to take control of her reign.”

“Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Demetri?” the small woman in light green scrubs asked.

We both turned and answered in unison. “Yes.”

“You can see your son now.”

I reached for Angelina’s hand. “I’ll talk to Vincent if you want me to. I’d never ask you—”

She squeezed my fingers and smiled. “No. You didn’t ask. Let me do it. It’ll go better. I’m certain.”

She was right. It probably would.

“The money is his,” I confirmed. “I don’t give a fuck.”

“You do. You care and not just about the money. I guess I always knew that. I was just too hurt and lonely to see it. We’ll do this. Lennox deserves more than what we had.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of my ex-wife. Sometime during the last twenty years she’d become more, or had it just been since our divorce? “Angelina,” I began.

She squeezed my hand again. “Oren, stop. This is about our son. We’ll make it right.”

“I’m just…” I searched for the right word. “…awed.”

“Don’t be,” Angelina said. “It took me being me—seeing the world alone—to finally figure it all out. I’m sorry I couldn’t have done it when we were married.”

“I never…”

She smiled a sad, knowing smile. “We both did what we know. Whether Lennox ever admits it or not, he needs both of us.”

He did. Lennox needed us, and he deserved more than his mother and I had. I’d never be the hands-on baseball dad who cheered my son on from the stands, but I would do what I could to ensure that he had the chance for a future without all of the strings that had been attached to mine.

I was a hard man. Life had made me that way. My heart was shielded, a fortress that was accessible to few people. The woman beside me would always have her place. We’d shared too much to let something like divorce also serve as an eviction notice. The young man down the hall was part of me. His place was secure. The only other person who resided in my cold heart belonged to someone else.

While I didn’t see the last changing although I’d sell what was left of my soul to make it happen, Adelaide still was part of me and among the three people who would forever be my priority. Whatever I had to do, I would do. Whether it was from the sidelines or in their face. Having only three people to care about allowed me to stay focused when the world around me became unclear.

I let go of Angelina’s hand and we walked to Lennox’s hospital room.





I SETTLED AT my desk in my office, moving my mouse and summoning my computer to wake. Water dripped from my freshly washed hair as I wrapped the sweater around my shoulders, relishing its warmth. The apartment was tepid and lonely. It had been a couple of weeks since Nox took me out on our date, and over that time I’d developed a love/hate relationship with what had been my purple friend. I loved what Nox could do with it while I hated how much I craved the things he did.

It was as if my body operated with a series of switches that only he could flip.

Low.

Medium.

High.

Out of this world.

I was addicted to everything about Nox.

That was all right when we were together, but for the last two nights, he’d been out of town. Thankfully, he was due back this afternoon. I tried for other relief.

Glancing out the window, I decided that the blue sky was deceiving.