Page 124 of Timeless

When did Jack understand my tattoo? When the hell did he see Tae’s? How could Tae tell him that! Suddenly, Troy was at my side and I think it was because the meltdown I was having was clear on my face.

Oh, my god, how am I ever going to explain this to Jack!

He knew my past. My son knew my past!

Troy’s hand was on my shoulder.

“Uncle Tae said sometimes good people end bad people’s lives.” Jack kept talking and then a frown appeared on his face. “So, I can’t have the ring?”

I didn’t know what to say or what to do. I was just staring at Jack, I never wanted him to know that side of my life.

Jax lowered to Jack’s height and my heart was pumping so fast. I didn’t know what Jax was going to say because I sure as fuck didn’t know how to deal with this.

Then Jax handed Jack the ring.

Jack’s face lit up with delight. “Thanks, Dad.” His eyes were on the ring. “Can I ask you something else?”

Jax was still at Jack’s height. “You can just ask me, Jack, you don’t need permission to ask me something.”

Jack looked up from the ring. “I was going to ask Mom. But I’m not talking to her now.” He shot a dirty look my way.

“She won’t delete your show, Jack. I won’t let her.” Jax glanced at me, a small smile on his face.

I arched my eyebrows at that.

“You tell Mom what to do?” Jack’s voice went up in excitement.

Jax’s slight smile got bigger. “Yeah, I do.”

I scoffed and crossed my arms. Jax did not tell me what to do.

“Can you tell her that I don’t have to make my bed and that we have to have pizza every night for dinner?” Jack was having a field day with this. “Oh, and I never ever have to have her soup again!”

“So, that’s what he thinks of your cooking?” Troy said lightly at my side.

I threw Troy a glare. He had no idea what it was like to get vegetables into a six-year-old when sick.

“I don’t know if I have that much power, Jack.” Jax knew very well he didn’t.

I pushed Troy’s hand off my shoulder. I needed a drink. But I knew Jack’s stomach. “Jack, you hungry yet?” I walked to the kitchen. “Or you still not talking to me?”

“You know the rules, Mom.” Jack spun around with a smug look on his face.

I groaned. God, my rules always came back to bite me. I opened the fridge and my hand went to the wine. Screw it. I need something stronger. I picked up the vodka and turned around. Jack’s eyes were still on me.

“Mom, is there anything you want to say to me?” Jack mocked, doing a very good impression of me, with the crossed arms.

Jack was standing in front of Jax and it was the first time I had seen them together and both looking at me. While Jack was trying to get me to say sorry, I couldn’t say anything while they both were looking at me.

I was a sucker for one of them. How the hell was I going to deal with both of them?

“Mom, you aren’t allowed to drink that!” Jack pointed at the bottle and then took off from Jax toward me, jumping up on a bar stool. “Will isn’t here. And you still haven’t said sorry.”

Will.“Sorry, Jack.” It just came off my lips quickly. I knew I had to have the conversation with Jack about Will but I really wasn’t sure how it was going to go. I had told Jack the rules when it came to Will but as the years went on, I wasn’t sure if Jack remembered them.

I untwisted the cap off the vodka bottle.

“Mom, you aren’t allowed to drink that!”