Page 16 of Brandishing Betrayals

She shrugged a shoulder and didn’t give me much to go off. “Almost seems like you’re purposely keeping Luke too busy to see Marc,” I accused, leaning back in my chair.

Marcos shot me a look and shook his head.

I just shrugged a shoulder and waited. Once again, I was surprised when Maya didn’t rise to the bait. It was Luke that spoke up. “Uh no,” he shook his head. “I have friends, I have a life too. I’m trying to do both and see everyone,” he said so matter-of-factly, I turned from Maya and focused on Luke. “I’ve been spending every minute with Dad lately,” he said and glanceat his father. “And I love that, I do. But like… I’m missing out on my friends too.”

Marcos smiled easily, though I could see the hurt in his gaze. “I get it man. You’ve got a lot going on. We’ll figure it out.”

Maya watched Marcos, and I swore I saw actual concern on her face. “Football starts next week. You guys will see each other then, and Sunday dinners are open. We could plan on those?” She suggested, tossing Marc an olive branch.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Marc nodded.

Maya picked up her phone and slid to August. I saw two free weekends in the middle of the month. She set the phone down again and locked the screen. I noted she had it set to thumbprint scan. “We’ve got a couple of free weekends before school starts, maybe you and your dad can plan something fun for then?” she asked, looking at Marcos for confirmation.

Marc smiled and nodded, and Luke cheered. “Yeah. I’ll set it up with your mom. We’ll figure it out.”

Luke was so excited as he quickly finished his dinner. Once he bounced away from the table and headed out to the living room, Maya turned to me with a glare. “Don’t fucking do that.”

I smirked. “Do what?”

“Pit him against us,” she growled, finally showing a bit of emotion and anger, finally showing a hint of her old passionate self. “Luke is not a baby. He knows I would never keep him from his father. It was his idea at to move back here in the first place. He wanted to meet his father. He made that choice. I won’t keep Luke from Marcos, if that’s what Luke wants. He will also make the choice to see his friends if he so chooses.”

“Funny how yousaywon’t keep him from his father, yet you did… for nine years,” I said, leveling her with a glare.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marcos’s shift in his chair as he watched the two of us get into it. “Yeah, I did,” Maya glared atme. “I fucking left you and didn’t look back. I’m here because my parents need help and Luke wanted to meet his father. That’s it.”

I ground my molars and I clenched my jaw in anger. I wanted to strangle the life out of her for being such a selfish bitch.

“Enough,” Marcos grunted. He picked up his plate and beer bottle and walked over to the sink. He set his dishes in the sink and left the room. “Hey man, you wanna play video games?” he asked Lucas in the living room.

Maya stood from the table and started clearing her half-eaten plate.

I lashed out, standing and grabbing her by the throat. I wrapped my fingers around her neck and glared down at her, pulling her toward me. She gasped and clawed at my hands, immediately dropping her dishes to the table with a clash. I didn’t care. I pulled her toward me. When her face was inches from mine, I growled low, “I know you’re a lying cunt, but I will find out the truth, even if I have to kill you for it. I won’t allow you to hurt my brother, or take his kid from him.”

I squeezed her neck tighter. Her face turned red, tears welling in her eyes, and when she started struggling, I squeezed even tighter.

Her eyelids started to flutter. Her hands wrapped around my wrists first, as if she could pull me off her, before she reached down and grabbed the fork from her plate. Her movements were sluggish as she stabbed the fork down into my arm.

I hissed in pain as the tines of the fork broke through flesh. I dropped her immediately.

She began coughing uncontrollably after I let her go, as if she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs fast enough. She would have crumpled to the floor, if she hadn’t caught herself on the table first. Deep coughs left her chest heaving, as tears rolled down her face.

I shook my head in disgust and turned away from her. I walked out the backdoor, not looking back.

Maya

Igaspedandpantedforbreath as the backdoor closed behind Jason. That stone-cold mask he always wore, falling back into place after he choked me. My knees wobbled as I got to my feet. My neck hurt. I hoped it wouldn’t bruise. I worked in a women’s clinic. I couldn’t be showing up to work with bruises on my neck.

I couldn’t do this. I needed a minute to myself. The pain, not just physical, but the emotional pain was too much to bear. The utter look of hatred on Jason’s beautiful face, would haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.

Once again, my heart broke, as I thought of all the things I’d fucked up by running away to Chicago.

“Mom,” Luke asked from behind me.

I pushed myself up, forcing my wobbly legs to straighten. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes while my back was to Luke.

“Mom, are you okay?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, honey,” I croaked, my voice hoarse. It hurt to speak. I mentally swore, Jason had squeezed my neck so roughly, he actually hurt me.

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