Page 85 of Faded Gray Lines

“I was going to tell you. I just didn’t know when.”

Hearing her speak with such sincerity filled me with hope. I pulled her toward me, but she pushed her hand against my chest.

“There’s more,” she sighed. “My mother’s campaign manager said some strange things to me. She asked me to look over the old clippings of my father’s career.”

“Did you?”

She nodded. “I found a picture of Alex at my father’s funeral. Why would he have been there, Mateo?”

I should’ve been surprised, but I wasn’t. Her admission was just another string in what had become a multi-layered web of deceit. “I have no idea, but we can look into it. Seems like our friend Atwood has more on his agenda than the law. Did you ask your mother about it?”

“No.” Sighing, she melted against my chest again. “She left to make some phone calls. I tried to call her on my break, but I guess she was out picking up Finn’s clubs.”

“His what?”

Leighton brushed her lips against my skin and raked her nails down my ribcage. “She ordered him a new golf club. I guess he lost his six iron. She was pretty pissed off about it.”

Something harsh stirred in my chest. “Did you say a six iron?”

“Yeah, country club life is no joke with the Donovan duo.” She let out a sarcastic laugh, but I fought to remain still.

Hector’s head was bashed in with a six iron.

Shit, I have to call Val.

Shifting to the side, I simultaneously reached for my phone while attempting to slide out from under her. Oblivious to my revelation, Leighton had other ideas, wrapping her small fingers around my wrist.

“Mateo, there was one other thing I talked about with my mother.” Her brown eyes glistened, darting around the room as if afraid to look at me. “I’m not sure if you care to know, but you keep saying you want to be with me, so—”

I cupped her cheek. “I do.”

“If you want to be with me, you’re going to have to accept all of me. You can’t ignore it anymore.”

My throat constricted. “What are you talking about?”

Tilting her face inward, she brushed her lips against my palm. “Matty, I told my mother about—”

My phone rang, cutting her off. “Jesucristo, what is it with this fucking phone?” Still holding her face, I reached across with my other arm and swiped it off the nightstand. “Yes?”

“You have a reprieve, Cortes.” Val’s clipped voice crackled through the line. “Eden is having some kind of pregnancy pain. She keeps telling me she’s fine, but I won’t leave her until I’m positive my son is all right.”

I have more time. Thank God.

“Understandable. Give Eden my best.”

He spoke to someone in the background before returning to our conversation. “It’ll be at least two or three more days until I can I arrive in Houston. Consider it a gift,” he added before hanging up.

Leighton tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear. “Everything okay?”

I nodded, letting her go and scrubbing both hands down my face. “Eden is having some sort of pain. She’s okay, but for once, a kid came in handy instead of being a pain in the ass, huh?” Laughing, I leaned back against the pillow, pulling her with me. “What were you saying?”

Swallowing, she rolled over and pulled the blanket up to her chin. “It’s not important.”

Twenty-Nine

Mateo

“Has it started yet?”Handing Leighton a cup of coffee, I sat down beside her on the couch.