She raises her voice. “On his deathbed, he finally told me the truth about my mother, about their divorce, and about Josephine.” I turn back in time to see her swallow hard and wipe a tear that’s escaped down her face. If anything, that hardens the resolve in me. I fucking hate women turning on the waterworks to gain sympathy. But she continues without giving me a chance to protest. “He regretted letting my mother take Josephine, said he’d do anything to have a do-over, to have taken us both. He tried to find her a few years ago and found Josie was dead, and so was our mother.” A sob escapes her. “Now he’s gone, and I’m all alone. I did a DNA test.” She straightens her back, focuses hereyes unwaveringly on mine, and in a stronger voice states, “I’ve found I’ve got one other living relative.”
Her words hit me like a hammer blow. Those three little letters that explain everything. Rage sweeps through me. Ace is mine. Has been since he was a baby. No one else has, or ever will have, a claim on him.
“What the fuck did you come here to find?” I yell at her. “Woman, you’re just wasting my fuckin’ time. There are no cute/sweet stories I can tell you about your dead twin. Nothing you’d want to hear, even if I could remember the details.” A white lie, I remember each and every day of the hell my life had been with Josie.
Without flinching at my raised voice, she stares at me, then simply says those damning words. “I’m not here for you. I’m here to see my nephew. Since my dad died, he’s the only relative I have left alive. I realise it’s late now, and he’ll probably be in bed, but I wanted to come and get it sorted with you tonight. Tomorrow, I’d like to see him and have a chance to get to know my twin’s child.”
“Open the fuckin’ gate, Prospect,” I shout at Dum/Dee. “I’m going to fuckin’ kill this bitch. No one has a claim on my son.”
“Er, Freak…”
“Do it fuckin’ now.” The prospect either moves, or I’ll kill him as well.
She’s not looking so sure of herself, but still doesn’t back the fuck down. Her next words stun me, taking all the air out of my lungs.
In a voice that betrays the nerves she’s trying hard not to project, she states firmly, “Ace wouldn’t like you threatening me or sending me away. He’s expecting to meet me. I only thought as a courtesy, I’d introduce myself to you first.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I rattle the gates one more time, as if by my strength alone I can break them free oftheir hinges. Not that I’ve got a chance. After the attack, there’s now a virtually bombproof barrier between us and the world. The prospect is holding the electronic control to open them. I’m tempted to wrench it out of his hands.
As if knowing she’s caught me off balance, a little smirk comes to her face. “Ace sent his DNA to the same database I used. I got a match, emailed him, and for the past few weeks, we’ve been exchanging messages.”
“Ace isn’t fuckin’ old enough to be doing anything with his DNA,” I yell. Thing is, though, Ace is no normal kid. He’s a fucking genius, and computers and databases are his jam. It suddenly hits me that all this is down to me. Maybe if I’d been more open about his mother, then he wouldn’t have gone looking to find details for himself. But I’d kept that shit clammed tighter than a virgin’s pussy. Now I’m faced with a woman, if I believe my eyes and what she’s telling me, who is his aunt.
“I’m not letting a stranger near my son,” I roar.
In stark contrast to my increasing lack of control, she replies calmly, “You’ll want to check I’m telling the truth about my relationship to him. I can understand that.” She brings forward the purse she’s got hanging across her body.
All at once, she’s got two guns, mine and the prospect’s, pointed at her. This elicits a swift reaction from her, as she raises both hands into the air. Then, after a beat, she lowers one and carefully reaches into her purse. Using only one finger and thumb, she extracts an envelope.
“My birth certificate is here, together with a copy of Josephine’s. And there are the results from the DNA matching site. I’m happy for you to check everything out. But, Levi…” she breaks off, shakes her head, and corrects, “Sorry, Freak. Ace told me you go by that name now. Ace is expecting to meet me. And if you’re as good a dad as he says, I know you won’t want to disappoint him.”
Fucking disappoint him? I’ve never raised a hand to my son in my life, but right now I’m tempted to take my belt to him. I won’t, though. It’s not his fault he’s got an incredible intellect, but he’s lacking in street smarts and hasn’t yet learned that just because he can do something, he shouldn’t. Up to now, bringing the Feds to our door because he’s hacked into the wrong system had been our only fear.
No one ever even thought to warn a fifteen-year-old boy that using his skills to get around the age limits of sending his DNA out into the wild wasn’t wise. I’d have gone apeshit if he’d suggested it. People living our life don’t voluntarily give up something so personal, which can be used to identify our presence at any crime. Or planted, whether or not we’ve been there. How can someone so clever be so fucking stupid?
I’d never, in any of my wildest dreams, have suspected Ace’s innocence in the facts of life could have resulted in this nightmare.
Finding out the truth about his mom would hurt, maybe even damage him. Sometimes there’s bliss in ignorance. All his life, I’ve protected my son. Having this unknown woman appear and lay claim to him? That’s right up there as one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life.
Ace is mine.
And I don’t share.
I’m vaguely aware the prospect’s now in possession of the envelope she handed him through the bars. He’s also smart enough to ask her for her contact number, telling her it’s so I can call her if her info checks out.
He might only be a prospect, but I’m grateful he’s taken the initiative.
Me? My whole world, which I’ve built up around me, has just come crashing down.
CHAPTER TWO
FREAK
Returning to the clubhouse, I storm my way to the bar. “Double whisky.”
“Whoa, Bro. What’s got you so turned about?”
Instead of answering Bullseye, I cast my eyes around, hoping to find the one man who can help me. Brothers have been partying for hours, so it’s not surprising to see that the majority are already almost comatose. Eventually, I spy Genie, our tech expert. He’s at a table, leaning forward, his head resting on his arms. Hoping he’s just dozing, I march over to him. But when I poke a finger into his side to wake him, he rolls off his chair and onto the floor. He’s drunk, and his sudden fall doesn’t hurt him. In fact, his lips curve into a smile. He shoots me a V sign before once again closing his eyes.
