Page 68 of A Game of Secrets

"Yes, you can," he says.

"Come on, come on!" I chant as he pulls himself to the last bar and swings forwards to jump off.

"WAHOO!" We all cheer and Max hoists him above his head cheering as he runs around the outside of the climbing frame. Teddy is beaming with pride when they return and he thanks Max for helping him, giving him a tight hug.

"Thanks Uncle Max," he mutters softly.

"You're welcome buddy. Hey, how do you feel about having a sleepover at mine tonight?"

Max asks and Teddy looks like his face might explode with excitement.

His eyes go wide as he looks up at me. "Can I Mommy?" he asks, bouncing up and down on the spot.

"Yes of course you can. I will pick you up and take you to kindergarten in the morning though," I say, looking to Max to let him know this will not be negotiable.

"Yes!" he shouts loudly. "Can I show you my ninja skills when we get back to yours Uncle Max?" Teddy asks excitedly, demonstrating his karate moves as we start to make our way back home.

"You asked for it," I wink playfully at Max as Teddy jumps up and down in front of us.

"I'll tire him out" he says. "But please don't worry, he will be fine. I have everything he needs at mine anyway."

"I'll just need to grab his bag for kindergarten and Little B because he won't sleep without him. Are you sure you really don't mind having him over night? You don't have work or anything?"

Max grabs my hand and squeezes it slightly. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to. I've missed having him around," he smiles at me and I smile back.

"Thank you."

When we get back to the apartment, I notice that Enzo has gone, probably because he knew I was in safe hands with Max after it was revealed at the fight night that he's my brother. We all go inside and I ask Teddy to get a couple of things ready to take with him to Max's and he runs off to do so as I grab his kindergarten bag from the coat pegs and hand it over to Max.

"It'll be easier if you take it now for me because I'll probably forget it in the morning. If you could just make him a packed lunch in the morning please and I'll come and pick him up."

"I can take him to save you rushing over first thing."

"No, honestly I would rather drop him off after what happened on Friday." Max sighs but agrees to let me pick him up and when Teddy lumbers himself back into the room with a bag over his back and Little B tucked up under his arm I feel a sudden urge to squeeze him tight and never let go. I kneel down and smother his face with kisses.

"You be good for your Uncle Max OK?" I say, ruffling my hand through his hair and kissing his head.

"I will Mom," he says before walking over to Max and handing him his bag. My heart swells at the sight, "I love you," I choke out and Max notices my emotional fight so turns to leave.

"Love you too Mom." Teddy calls as he waves goodbye.

I look at Max, "You call me, for anything OK?" I demand, narrowing my eyes at him. He knows what I mean but he only nods. "See you in the morning," I say, waving as they drive off. I stand in the doorway for a long minute and breathe in a deep fill of fresh air before walking back into the house and heading straight to the bedroom to change my clothes. I know what I need to do now.

Chapter 34

Cole

Staring down at the information Linc has gathered on Lucille’s cunt of a husband, I'm lost in thought. It makes me sick to think she's married to this piece of shit. But it also makes me jealous, he walked her down the aisle and made her his. That obviously changed the moment he touched her with his fists. As soon as my brother gets hold of him, he'll regret even looking her way. However, Silas may beat him to an inch of his life but I want to be the one to drain his soul from his body, I want to watch his fear grow with every last second. Linc did a good job in finding everything about this guy but it's unclear where he has been the last week or so. His neighbors haven't seen him and the guy Linc sent to watch him said he disappeared one evening after he entered a drug house with some hookers. He's my prey now and I need to find him before he finds Teddy or Lucille. Silas thinks I'm being paranoid, but he is on alert after someone tried to access Teddy at kindergarten. He's been having one of his guys watch the school and I've had Enzo track Lucille. Lincs guys have been taking over inbetween too, she doesn't know the lengths we will go to to keep her and Teddy safe. I look through the information from the last time Vinny was seen, I notice in the pictures of him entering the whore house, one of the bouncers outside is watching him very closely. He doesn't seem to notice, too eager to get his fix I expect. Why are they watching him? I need to track them down and find out who and why they are concerned about him.

I pull out my phone and call Lincs investigator. "Mr Henderson, I want you to look into the bouncers outside the club that Vincent Holland was last spotted at. I need all the information on them. Especially the one with the dark hair, blue shirt, that is eyeing Mr Holland in the surveillance photos."

"Sure Mr. Salvatore, my usual fee, expect your information in two days’ time." he replies, straight to the point.

"Sure, you'll receive payment once I've got my information." I hang up.

As I bring my hands to my head, I rake my fingers through my hair thinking how I haven't slept since I left Lucille's side two days ago. Usually after I've gutted someone I sleep like a baby, but that didn't work this morning. All I want to do is catch Vincent Holland and until I do, I have a feeling my insomnia is going to be persistent, that or I need a good fuck and the only person I want is Lucille. So deep in thought, I don't hear the door open but I do hear the voice that pierces through the room.

"Cole, I did knock but you didn't answer. I tell you what, I'm surprised your body guards outside let me in. They've been trying to call you for the last 20 minutes. Good job Enzo recognized me and let me up." I'm in shock, just staring at her she continues to ramble on. "I've been thinking we need to talk. The way you left Friday night, I just can't stop thinking about it. I mean we are the same, me and you." I raise my eyebrow but say nothing, "Okay okay, maybe not exactly the same but we both have broken pasts, we both have our demons and we know what it feels like to be helpless and we hate that about ourselves." She takes a deep breath, and I brace myself for what's next. This must be when she's going to say she can't be around me, it makes her see her broken parts and she's not ready for that. It's okay, I've been expecting it. I'm a creature of the shadows and if she needs it to stay that way I will, for her and Teddy. "Cole, I guess what I'm trying to say is I want the good. I want the bad…. And I want the damaged parts of you too. I hope you can accept those parts in me too." She's staring at me now, and slowly she brings her hands up and removes her long coat, exposing what little she has on underneath. She's wearing a short, thin silk dress, no bra and then she kneels to the floor in the perfect submissive pose, knees spread and hands resting on her thighs, head down, no panties either showing teasing glimpses of her perfect pussy. I gulp, speechless and I think a little in shock. This was not what I was expecting. When I haven't said anything for a few minutes I see her fear creeping in.

---