Page 115 of Sacrifice the Knight (Checkmate 6)

And now Zeke is facing me.

“I didn’t hide it from you, Mom. I just didn’t show you yet, since I never expected he’d actually show, and I didn’t wanna ruin your buzz so soon.”

“Buzz?” Zeke’s eyes flicker between me and Mac. “What buzz?”

“None of your busi–”

“Mom’s dating someone good,” Mac speaks over me. “She found something you could never give her. She’s happy, and if you fuck with it, I’ll fuck you up.”

“Mac.” I grab his arm and pull him back, but when my back brushes against a solid chest, I jump into the air in fright and spin. I find Eric standing in silence, his eyes narrowed, his chest large and filled with adrenaline. He stares at Zeke, but he makes no threats. He says nothing at all.

“Him?” Zeke points. “Him? The guy yousworeyou weren’t fucking?”

“He and I were nothing when you came in that time. I didn’t lie to you because lying would imply I give a shit about what you think.” Calmly, I shake my head and fold my arms. “I don’t hide from you, Zeke. And I’m not scared of you or your opinion. If you want to spend time with our son, it will not be while you’re swearing at me or in front of him. If you want to spend time with him, it’ll be done right here where I can watch. And if you text him again when I’m not around to monitor, I’ll go back to the police station and ask for that restraining order they suggested when you broke my door. I’m in charge here, and there’s nothing you can say or do that’ll convince anyone that Mac is better off with you. You have too many dings on your file. Too many arrests, too many charges, too many court dates.”

He lifts his hands and takes a step back. “I’m not trying to take him, Kat. But I’d like to spend time with him. I swear I’m changed.”

“But men don’t change,” I add in a bored tone. “Leopards don’t lose their spots, Zeke, they just cover them when it suits. And after so long, I highly doubt you’ve changed. Perhaps you’ve realized the amazingness you’re missing out on by not knowing him, but your foundations won’t have changed.”

“Give me a chance,” he pleads. “Fully monitored time right here in front of you. I’m getting on, and I know I’ve wasted so much time on bullshit. My fuckin’ heir is sitting in this diner without his father in his life, and I know now that it’s all my own fault.”

“He’s sitting in this diner, Zeke. But he has fathers here, too. So if you’re only here for the title, you can go.”

“Him?” He points in Eric’s face. “You date for a week, and he’s calling him Daddy?”

“No.” I cast a glance toward the kitchen, toward Stefan’s deep stare. To Franky, who stands behind Stefan. Then to Ray, who sits twelve or so feet from where we stand. Even Meg sits in a booth with her baby and her man, the one who takes Mac in and teaches him how to make a sweet jewelry box in the shape of a heart. “My baby has never been without a father figure, Zeke. We have Eric now, and we love him, but he’s not here so he can be my son’s daddy. We never needed a man. Wechoosehim because we want him, but we don’t need him.”

“You act like I’ve been replaced! You act like he was conceived without me.”

I scoff. “He practically was. Iwishhe was. You’ve done nothing but drag us down since day one. I already said you could take a seat and hang out. I’m not stopping you from getting to know our son. But you’ll do it right here where his family can watch. Then maybe someday, when you’ve earned it, you can get ice cream without me watching.” Bravely, and for the first time since the first time, I reach out and touch his arm. “I want you to do better. I want you to see how amazing our son is. I want you to bask in his awesomeness. And as much as I don’t like you, you’re his father, so at leastsomeof that awesomeness had to come from you. I want you guys to have a healthy relationship, but fourteen years is a long time, and at this point, it’s not about me and you. It’s about you and him.”

It takes a few minutes, a few stops and starts, a whole heap of awkwardness, and Stefan’s strength to pry the shotgun from Franky’s grasp, but I stand at the hallway entry and watch my son and my ex try to bond over homework.

My tables are covered, my customers the most understanding in the world; my boss has a deep hatred for my ex, but my boyfriend has pure adoration for everything I do.

“That was really brave of you.” His arms rest around my hips, and his lips press to my temple. “I’m proud that you didn’t shove a pair of tongs up his ass and tell him to fuck off.”

“Are you mad?”

He jolts against my side and pulls back to catch my eyes. “Mad? Why?”

“Because I didn’t tell my ex to fuck off. You’re kinda signing on for a lifetime of ex-boyfriend troubles.”

“No.” He pulls me back in and folds his body around mine. “He’s smiling, babe. I could never be mad about something that makes Mac smile.”

“He’s smiling because he’s roasting his own father with subtle jabs, and Zeke is too dumb to read between the lines.”

“I know.” Eric chuckles. “He’s so fuckin’ witty, it terrifies me. I’m not worried about Zeke. But I’m concerned about the lifetime of ‘you’re old’ roasting I’ll cop because your kid has no filter.”

I turn in Eric’s arms and press my cheek to his heart. “Well…you were starting high school when I started kindergarten.”

“Uh! Stop it!”

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