Page 52 of Bleeding Hearts

Felix slouches in his chair and sighs. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

I chuckle. “Sorry, not sorry. You shouldn’t have gotten caught. First time sneaking out?”

“Maybe.” He shrugs, a nervous smile twitching at the corners of his lips. “Yes. Finn’s the one who usually sneaks out. I’m not telling you anything Mom doesn’t already know. He would’ve come with me this time if he’d known what I was gonna do. But he’s in enough trouble as it is. I’m guessing you’ve heard.”

“The basics, but not the details.” I lean back in my chair and study him closely. “You hacked the school security system? Is this the first time you’ve done that?”

“I plead the fifth.” He lifts his drink again. “And for the record, I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t know someone was lying.”

I could ask him more questions. but I don’t, and my silence seems to get him to open up.

“Gage has a beef with Finn. He’s two years older and plays the same position. Finn beat him out as first string and now he’s not getting as much play time. Gage goes in when Finn needs a break.”

“What position?” I’m sure Bethany has said, but it’s been a long ass day.

“Safety. He’s damn good, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went D1. He’d love to go pro, but he’s got a backup plan.” The way Felix speaks about his brother reveals his unwavering belief in him. “Gage vowed to ruin him.”

“Let me guess. Whatever was in his locker, Gage, put it there?”

“No. That would be too easy.” Felix rips the label off the bottle. “It wasn’t even a kid who did it.”

“You know who it was, then.” With a curious tilt of my head, I lean forward, the silence broken only by my breath.

“Maybe. That’s what I was hoping to find out tonight, but then it started raining, and I ended up turning around. I can’t wait until I can drive.” Our gazes connect, and I can almost hearthe wheels in his head spinning. “Do you remember the guy who tried to give Mom the fancy car?”

I nod.

“Did you know that his younger half-brother goes to school with us?”

“I did not.” I tap my finger against the table. “But you said it wasn’t a student. So, what are you saying, exactly?”

“Gage and this kid are buddies. Like as close to each other as Nicky is with us.” Finn slouches more, stretching his legs out. “He let someone in through a backdoor between classes, while the halls were busy.”

“Isn’t someone supposed to be watching the doors? Doesn’t an alarm go off when they’re activated?” This concerns me with all the crap that happens nowadays. Most schools have a lockdown protocol that prevents shit like that from happening. One way in and one way out, unless there’s an emergency.

“That’s supposed to be how it works, but there are ways around it. Kids are crafty and know how to bypass those. How do you think kids skip classes or leave without permission?” When I lift my left eyebrow and frown, he reads my mind. “Not that I’ve ever done that, or Finn. But I’ve heard others talk, just so we’re clear.”

I glance at the stove clock and grunt. “Time to go home. It’s late and you have school in a few hours.”

“We have a late start. I’ll be fine. Maybe I can crash on your couch?” Despite his hopeful expression, I have no intention of agreeing to that. “I can send Finn a text so he can let Mom know I left early.”

“Nice try, kid.” I push up from the table, feeling the weight of exhaustion in my limbs. “Let’s go. I’ll make sure she doesn’t kill you right away.”

Felix’s voice drips with sarcasm. “Thanks.”

I grip his shoulder and squeeze. “She might not even wake up.”

The way he looks up at me tells me he knows otherwise.

Chapter 25

Bethany

This morning, before Felix went to school, I had him give Alicia his laptop along with anything else he’d dug up.

The future holds two paths for that kid: jail or a position in the CIA’s hacking division. There will be a serious discussion about this when he gets home. I’m not even sure what I can do besides confiscating all electronics, and that seems extreme even after this shit. I’d put a tracker or blocker on his stuff, but my kid is smart enough to figure out a way around those. A more challenging school, one that will keep him very busy, might be what he needs.

“Jaxon needs to hire Felix.” Alicia’s currently going over everything with a meticulous eye. “I bet his tech company could use his skills. His partner could mentor him. Geoff is constantly on the lookout for the next prodigy who can assist in advancing Cristiano/Taff Technology.”

---