Page 46 of The Tempo of Truth (The Monsters Duet #3)

I stopped my steady jog when a small skateboard in a window display caught my eye.

It was the perfect size for Lowe. When I was a kid and a teenager, one of my favorite things to do, because it was free and fun, was to skateboard all over the city and ride through the park near my school after class.

I didn’t know if it was something my son would enjoy, but since Winnie had already introduced him to my first love, maybe I could share my second favorite escape with him, too.

I popped into the store on a whim, careful to keep my bloodied knuckles concealed as I picked out the skate deck and the matching safety equipment.

Growing up, I was too poor and often too unsupervised to worry about a helmet and pads, but I knew Winnie wouldn’t let Lowe out the door without the proper gear.

Right after I used my phone to pay, a message pinged on the screen.

I thanked the cashier and was surprised to see Win’s name in the message box.

I figured the news that I had used his name to make a mess at the fancy gym had already reached him.

When I asked for the day pass, he never questioned why I wanted it.

I knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t hate the way I put Oliver Byrd in his place.

What he wouldn’t like was me dragging the Halliday name through the mud while wreaking havoc among the upper echelon.

Only the Hallidays could embarrass the Hallidays.

To my surprise, the message was short and simple.

~ Halliday Inc. is a major investor in that chain of gyms. The company also owns the building where that workout area is located.

The security footage from this afternoon was compromised.

And oddly enough, the police couldn’t find a single witness who could describe the man who gave young Mr. Byrd a beating.

I put my phone away without responding. I should’ve known Win wouldn’t have given me a way into the gym without having a plan to keep my violent response out of the public eye.

Of course, he was the type to pull the trigger but never get his hands dirty.

I was the bullet aimed at the man he was displeased with, and the Halliday name was the shield that covered everyone from any possible blowback.

I decided to drop in and surprise Winnie at work.

She often came to the gym unannounced. I figured turnabout was fair play.

The difference was that I couldn’t simply walk into her office.

I couldn’t even get inside the skyscraper where the Halliday Inc.

headquarters were located until I passed through a security check.

Fortunately, most of Winnie’s security team knew who I was, which sped up the process.

Helio even showed up, guided me to the executive elevator, and let me know the code to get to the floor where Winnie’s office was located.

He warned me that getting past her assistant was no easy feat.

She constantly had many obligations and was on a tight schedule.

But the older African American man, in a sharp suit and classy glasses, merely gave me a perfunctory once-over and warned that Winnie only had fifteen minutes free between meetings.

Immediately, I regretted not stopping to grab her something sweet to snack on to help her power through the rest of her busy schedule.

I wasn’t nearly as thoughtful as she was.

It was an area I wanted to explore. I had a son who was watching how I treated his mother and learning by example.

There was no way I was sending my kid out into the world thinking it was okay to behave like Oliver Byrd.

Nope. I wanted him to appreciate the women in his life, especially his mother.

Winnie had taken over Alistair’s office and had yet to decorate it to her taste. The space was an interesting mix of masculine design peppered with hyper-feminine accents.

Winnie came around the massive desk and practically threw herself into my arms. Her heels made her tall enough that she could easily plant a smacking kiss on my unprepared mouth.

I had no way to keep her at bay since I was holding the skateboard stuff in one hand and keeping my banged-up knuckles behind my back on the other side.

She kissed me again; this time, her teeth nipped at my bottom lip.

I lifted my hand to rub the slight sting, and her gaze locked on my scraped knuckles.

She frowned and asked, “Why do you always have a fresh injury whenever I see you?”

I grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers, bending down to kiss her forehead to distract her.

“I’m in a boxing gym every single day. Obviously, I’m going to get nicked around all the time.

” I held up the skateboard to change the subject.

“Do you think Lowe will like this?” My heart hung suspended, waiting for her reply.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s never tried it before. But since you’re giving it to him, he’ll more than likely love it. He’ll appreciate it even more if you’re the one who teaches him how to use it. Pick him up from my aunt and uncle’s and take him to the park to try it out.”

I froze and stood stuck in one spot as she reached up to wipe the red lipstick she had left on my face.

“You want me to take him to the park, just me and him?” It was the first time she suggested I could spend time with Lowe unsupervised.

Granted, I’d practically moved into the brownstone and spent most nights with them, but Winnie had given no indication she was ready to trust me one-on-one with our son.

“You won’t be alone. Lowe’s security detail has to go with you, but I think you’re both comfortable enough with each other to start spending some quality father-son time together.

” She sighed. “I’ve kept him all to myself for too long.

I’ve got to start sharing him with you at some point.

Now is as good a time as any. He’ll be in school soon, and I’ll need your help juggling being there for him and my work schedule. ”

I nodded, still stunned we’d reached the point where Dad wasn’t just a word. It was a title I was eager to carry.

“Will your aunt and uncle let me take him?” Win and I might have a bit of understanding where Winnie was concerned, but letting me be responsible for the well-being of a five-year-old might be too much for him to accept in one day.

“Win and Channing understand that we’ve been waiting for the timing to be right. They’ve known you were Lowe’s father longer than you have. They won’t interfere unless they think you’re putting Lowe in danger. The only person you have to prove yourself to is that little boy.”

I kissed her hard enough that it made her gasp. It seemed like she preferred that to any sugary pastry I could’ve brought.

I was so excited when I left the building that I didn’t stop when I heard Helio calling my name. I assumed he wanted to ask what happened with Oliver, but I wanted to focus on Lowe and leave the violent part of my nature in the dark where it belonged.

The little boy was ready for me when I knocked on the door of the brownstone next to Winnie’s.

I didn’t even have to assure Channing and Win that I would monitor Lowe and make sure he wore the protective gear I brought.

They sent him off with his security detail and a reminder to stick close to me.

He was so excited that he practically bounced all the way to the park.

I strapped a helmet on his head, pulled the safety guards over his tiny elbows and knees, and got him started pushing off on the skateboard.

He was surprisingly coordinated and fearless.

I could tell he was blessed with the same athleticism and balance I had.

Watching him ride around the park healed a part of me that had been broken since my childhood.

When he shouted, “Are you watching? Dad, are you watching me? I’m so cool! I’m going to learn how to do tricks. Can you teach me?” Lowe’s eyes were bright and full of excitement. He kept zooming around on the skateboard, not noticing I was fighting back tears.

I hadn’t had a purpose in a very long time.

Hearing my kid ask me to teach him finally settled all the restlessness and dissatisfaction that threatened to eat me alive.

I remembered what Win told me about not all cages being gilded.

That even the broken and bent ones were enough to keep a bird from using its wings.

I thought I finally understood what he was talking about.

I allowed myself to stay stuck behind those twisted bars for far too long.

It was long past time I broke free, not only so I could use the wings I’d been given, but so I could teach my son how to fly as high as possible.

I wanted to show him everything I’d ever learned and watch him be so much better at all the things I loved than I’d ever dreamed of being.