Page 122 of Timeless

“Or he can keep calling me Dad.” Jax glanced at me, and then Jack. “If you want to, Jack?”

I looked at Jax. Did he realize what he was doing by offering Jack that option?

Jack looked at Jax and then me. “You told me Dad’s name was Jackson. And that’s why I’m called Jack.”

Jack and his details, I smiled “You know, I sometimes forget how focused you are on details. Well, you know how Chelsea’s name is Chelsea but you call her Chilly? Well everyone calls Jackson, Jax.” I pulled him on to my lap. “You know how you love details? And won’t make a decision without all the facts?”

Jack nodded.

“Well, do you know who you got that from?” I wrapped my arms around him and looked at Jax. “Your dad loves details, too.”

Jack eyes went to Jax. And then he leaned forward and picked something up from the floor.

Jack had a ring in his hand and his eyes were on Jax. “This is yours.”

Jax frowned. “Where did you get that?”

“Mom kept it in her jewelry. She said it was yours.”

“And you told me you didn’t take it.” I sighed. Jack and stealing. Another thing he got from his father. “He respects my privacy as much as you, Jax.” I gave Jax a pointed look.

But Jax’s eyes were on the ring. “I wondered why it wasn’t with stuff that I got back when I got released. I thought a guard took it.”

“Mom told me it was just a ring.” Jack squirmed on my lap.

Jax nodded. “It is.” But something in his tone told me it wasn’t just a ring. I knew all Jax’s rings meant something to him. I just didn’t really know the meanings of them.

“No, it’s not.” Jack crossed his arms.

Jax’s eyes went wide just slightly and he looked at Jack. Why did Jax suddenly looks nervous?

“It means you killed a mother charter’s president,” Jack said, more determined.

My mouth fell open. “Okay, Jack, you can’t possibly know that. It’s just a ring.” God, Jack can’t be thinking his father kills people. Well, Jax had killed people. But I didn’t want Jack thinking that.

“It was Denzell’s. He was the president of the Pythons. He was murdered and the killer took that ring so all the Pythons knew who they answered to.” Jack pointed at the ring. “Dad killed Denzell. That ring proves it.”

Oh. My. God. Okay, that can’t be true. I turned Jack on my lap. “Who told you this story?” I already wanted to kill Will but if he had been feeding stories like that to Jack behind my back… I sighed. I just had to tell Jack that Will was lying. “Did Will tell you that?”

Jack looked up at me. “No, it’s in the documentary. It is the biggest unsolved murder in the criminal world. The killer is called the king. I don’t know what that means. But I solved the murder.” Jack spun on my lap. “Dad did it.”

I closed my eyes. How could my six-year-old son put the links together and I didn’t? I can’t believe I had been letting him watch that documentary! I looked at Jax. Okay, now was a good time for him to start telling his son he wasn’t a killer.

Jax’s eyes locked with mine, and I read his expression. He was giving up. I knew what he was thinking. He thought he had failed. Well, he could give up if he wanted. I didn’t get to give up. I didn’t get to run when things got hard. Jax had murdered other criminal figures. I knew that. But now our son knew it.

Jax was glaring down at the ring.

Jack was waiting for Jax or me to say something and I knew Jax wasn’t going to. He was too busy glaring at the ring, I guess thinking that the ring had cost him his son.

“Okay. You are banned from that documentary,” I said firmly.

“Mom!”

“Don’t, Jack. Don’t even say another word.” I looked over my shoulder. “Troy, can you get the remote and delete it?”

“Mom!”

“Stop, Jack.”

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