Page 77 of Fitch

Dear god.

I turned to give Nolan a nod of thanks. “See you tomorrow morning, eight o’clock sharp.”

“Yes, you will,” he replied. “Give Leon and Marek a call.”

Ky’s head snapped around to look at Nolan, then at me, before he put his head down and tried to pretend he hadn’t just reacted like that.

“Wait,” Fitch said, holding up both hands. He stared at Ky. “What was that?” Then he looked at me, then Nolan. “Who are Leon and Marek? And oh my god.” He turned back to Ky, his smile becoming a grin. “That’s them, isn’t it? That’s your two daddies?”

Ky shook his head. “No. I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Fitch grabbed Ky’s hand, clearly excited. “Itisthem!”

I thought Ky might freak out. He was usually so quiet, so reserved and unassuming. But no, he damn near smiled. I tried to think if I’d ever seen that boy smile before today.

Fitch squealed. “Benji, we have some names!” Then he looked at me. “Who are Leon and Marek? How do you know them? Oh my god, I can’t believe you know them. Do they go to the 180 club? I always suspected they did.”

Although the question was directed at me, Ky shook his head, and despite Fitch’s excitement, it was pretty clear that Ky wasn’t too comfortable with this.

“Fitch,” I said, calm but firm. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

“But—”

“No buts,” I said, taking his chin gently but making him stop and look at me all the same. “That’s not my story to tell. Respect Ky’s privacy. If he hasn’t told you, there’s perhaps good reason. Okay?”

He sighed and pouted, but he gave a nod. “Fine.” I let go of his chin and he gave Ky a nudge. “Sorry.”

Ky gave him a brief smile. “’s okay.” Then he looked up at me, his expression grateful. “Thanks.”

Ky was about the same height and size as Benji, an inch or two taller than Fitch. But there was an air of sadness to Ky. He was so different to Fitch’s wild energy and Benji’s calm smarts, and I had to wonder what Ky’s story was.

The fact he was Leon and Marek’s boy was also news to me and Nolan, but the fact Fitch and Benji didn’t know was what surprised me most.

Not that we knew them overly well, but still...

Like I’d just said to Fitch, it was not our place to ask.

I opened the door, herded Fitch and Ky out, and waved goodbye to Nolan and Benji.

TEN

FITCH

“Fitch,”Benji said to get my attention. I must have zoned out. “You okay?”

I looked up at the white clouds in the morning sky. Sitting out on Nolan’s veranda was much cooler today than yesterday. It was fast becoming one of my favourite places: me, Benji, and Ky lazing in the sunshine on the veranda of a rich apartment as if we owned the place.

“Lemme guess,” Ky joked. “Dominic wouldn’t fuck you this morning before he left for work and now you’re sad.”

I whacked his arm. “First of all, fuck you. Second, he did fuck me before he left for work, thank you very much. And third, fuck you. Wanna tell us who the hell Leon and Marek are?”

“Nope.”

“Then kindly shut the fuck up.”

Benji snorted. “Leave him alone. He probably signed an NDA or something like that. It’s not that he doesn’t want to tell us; it’s that he can’t.”

I sat up and stared at Ky. “Holy shit. For real?”

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