Page 134 of Fractured Future

“You made it home safe, then.”

Nodding, I look up at the greyscale clouds for an ounce of grace. “Yep.”

“The case all wrapped up?”

“Not exactly.”

Halting with her hand on Luke’s door, she casts me a searching look. When our eyes meet, I’m thrown back to the sheer bliss of our wedding day. The love and happiness that felt like it would go on for an eternity.

Reality kidnaps that happiness, holds it hostage for a short amount of time while we share a moment, then beats it into the ground with a fucking sledgehammer when she speaks.

“You will not put our son in danger again, Hyland. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you.”

“This case must be pretty damn serious if it took you halfway around the world for five months. Now you expect me to believe it’s safe?”

“Please, Jay. I need to see him. I can’t be his dad through odd text messages and phone calls.”

Her laugh is bitter and full of grief, far more painful than a stray bullet to the heart.

“You haven’t been a dad for a very long time. Not since you chose this career over our family.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Isn’t it?” She flaps a hand towards the building behind me. “This was never us.”

“You told me to take this job,” I hit back, unable to hold it in. “You told me to get out there and earn for our family. You wanted this!”

“I wanted a husband who could provide!” Her eyes shine with a layer of unshed tears. “Not to be nearly killed by criminals in the dead of night looking to blackmail you.”

Recoiling at the whip-like impact of her barb, I stare down at the pavement. Shame and too much regret to ever reconcile pulsate through me in a toxic plume.

The memories of that night are too awful to bear. Seeing my wife, clothing ripped and bloodstained while holding our screaming son, killed something fundamental inside me.

It never should’ve happened. The case was cut and dry—a corrupt CEO funnelling illegal revenue through his hedge fund. Who knew the crafty son of a bitch would go to such lengths to manipulate me?

By the time we apprehended him, it was too late. The men he paid to intimidate me hit where it hurt most. My family. They later felt the full weight of the law, but I’m the one who was punished.

Jayce left soon after.

And she never came back.

“Please.” I force the word through my thick throat. “All I want is to be his dad.”

“You lost the right to be any kind of father when you brought that mess into our home.” She brushes away her tears. “Be thankful I’m allowing you visits at all.”

Jayce visibly takes a breath then opens the Jeep’s back door. I work on schooling my expression before Luke can see that we were fighting again.

“Come on, baby. Dad’s here to see you.”

“Yay!”

Two legs quickly hop out of the car. For his age, Luke’s a big kid. He inherited that much from me, at least. He got his angelic features and pouting smile from his mother.

Squatting down to get closer to him, I look at my little boy. His shining, golden hair is similar to my own dirty-blonde colour. He’s grown so much. Every time we reunite, he looks different.

“Hi, buddy.”