Bear straightens and leans against the opposite wall. “How long did it take to realise I didn’t give you any resistance?”

I hang my head, run both my hands over my hair, and grasp onto my nape. “Too long.”

“You fuckers finished now?” Spud barges into my office with a stupid grin on his face.

Bear eyes me before turning to him. “Yeah, Spud. We’re good.”

“Someone care to tell me what’s going on? I’ve seen you both go at it before, but that was different.” His eyes dart between us.

“He wanted to take off,” Bear states, glaring at me.

Spud’s eyes widen and the grin turns into a scowl when he turns in my direction. “Why?”

“I told her,” I state like a blunt force trauma.

There’s a sharp intake of breath and a slight pause before he replies, “The truth?”

“Yeah. The fucking whole fucked-up truth.”

“I’m guessing it didn’t go down well?”

“You think?” I answer sarcastically.

“Shit, man. Cait doesn’t even know what you two got up to. Why in the hell did you think it would be a good idea to tell Lizzie?”

“We have a son.” Anger builds in me when I state the obvious. Spud already knew about Kai, but said nothing about him. “She needed to know. I needed to be honest with her. If that life ever came back to bite me…” The words trail off as I am unwilling to finish my train of thought.

“So, the plan went well then?”

“Don’t fucking start with me, Spud.”

“Noah, calm the hell down,” Bear interjects.

The pressure in my head’s at breaking point. “Calm fucking down? I’ll tell you what, you have your fucking world shredded in front of your eyes. See how fucking calm you are. Arsehole.”

Bear’s phone ringing silences me as I fight for control of my sanity. Glancing at the screen, something flashes in his eyes before he answers.

“Hiya, babe… What? Slow down.” His gaze flicks towards me and drops to the floor. After drawing in a long, deep breath, he turns his back on Spud and me. “How long?”

I glance at Spud who’s not looking at me, hands dug deep in his pockets. When I turn my gaze back to Bear, the bottom drops out of my stomach. I take in every single change in his body language. He places a palm on the wall and drops his head. Every muscle in his body is taut.

“Yeah, okay. Try not to panic.” All his words are measured and relaxed, yet his body betrays him. “Go to your house, take Kai with you… No. Go. Now.” He ends the call. His hand slides down the wall, his stance shaky while dropping his shoulders before turning slowly in my direction. Every movement mirrors mine before I delivered the fatal blow to my relationship. Something’s very fucking wrong.

No words are spoken as he waits for me to take in everything about his expression. I want him to say something, anything. Seconds pass and he still remains quiet.

He finally breaks the silence. “Lizzie hasn’t come home, yet.”

She’s left?

My gaze lands on the cricket bat lodged behind the backpack. All self-restraint is gone. Grabbing for the handle, I yank it out, and barrel past both Bear and Spud and into the workshop. Blood thunders through my ears.

She left me.

I turn in one rapid movement and swing the bat full force into the glass panel. It cascades in tiny blocks to the floor, scattering like a million ice cubes at my feet. Bear grabs Spud’s shoulder as he moves towards the door. I glare back at them, daring them to get in my way.

She couldn’t get past what I was.

I swing the bat again into each glass panel, making my way up the wall. Each time the splintering and shattering feeds my anger, but releases the pressure inside. I’m fucking exhausted. My chest heaves as I pull my arms back to swing into the last panel, but something snaps in my mind. Bear told Layla to take Kai to her house.

She would never leave Kai.

The bat slips from my fingers and clatters to the floor. My fists clench and unclench at my sides and I try to steady my breaths by inhaling deep and long.

Bear comes over and places a hand on my shoulder. “Mate, you need to look at these.” He hands over my phone.

Two new messages display on the front screen, both from Lizzie.

Swiping my finger across the screen, I open the first one, sent two hours ago.

Lizzie: I’d forgive you for almost anything. I love you too much to lose you again. Can we talk?

My heart splutters but I don’t have time to rejoice. The words of the second text glare at me.

Lizzie: Come for me. I’m home.

Blazing rage burns in me. It was sent ten minutes ago. Layla’s call came through about fifteen minutes ago.

Lizzie’s not at home.

The prickles on my neck from earlier begin to make sense. Someone was watching me, and if that’s the case, it can only mean one thing.

WE LEAVE SPUD to clear up the catastrophic mess at the workshop and arrive at Layla’s within twenty minutes. A million scenarios play in my mind, but until we talk to her the facts are unknown. The knowledge doesn’t stop brutal images from running like a sick and twisted horror movie through my thoughts.

With a slam of the car door, I race into the house with Bear on my heels.

“What happened?”

“You.” Layla’s face is streaked with black makeup, her eyes puffy, and Kai sits on her knee.

I ignore her as small relief floods through my body at the sight of my son. Luckily he’s oblivious to the turmoil which surrounds him, the small grin on his face lighting up this dark world. Within a few steps he’s in my arms and clamped against my chest as if he were a baby. I breathe him in, taking every drop of strength his little body gives me, and my muscles relax a small amount. His tiny hands push against my chest and wide eyes light up as he leans back. “Da-dad.”

“Yes, buddy, it’s me.”

“Is Mu-mum wiv ‘ou?”

My breathing stutters. I have no idea where Lizzie is and it kills me I can’t give my son an answer. I shake my head at him, unable to find any words. He struggles against me. “What’s the matter, buddy? What would you like?”

“Watch telly.”

With him in my arms, we enter the lounge and I place him on the sofa. I’m grateful the TV is already on a kids’ programme, not knowing how to find it otherwise. “This channel okay for you, little man?”

No answer comes as he fixates on the bright, weird-looking creatures dancing on the screen. I give him a kiss on the head and stalk back to the kitchen.

Bear’s crouched down next to Layla, talking in a hushed tone. Her expression is one of fear, but her gaze is soft and helpless. I know how she feels. When it falls on me, it hardens. I lose any sense of delicacy with the woman whose vulnerable side has disappeared.

“I’ll ask this one more fucking time, Layla. What happened?”

“And I told you. You happened.”

If I were in spitting distance, I’m sure it would have followed the words, but her voice has lost the fight it had a few minutes ago. Unable to restrain myself, I stride closer. Bear unfolds himself to full height and presses his hand against my chest. “Noah, back off. I’ve got your answers.”

My gaze delves into his, digging for the truth. He better not be fucking with me. He raises his eyebrows, knowing full well what I’m doing, but never breaks my stare. “Happy?”

“Far from it,” I grind out, but I pull back from his hand, showing the trust I’m giving him.

“Sit down.” He gestures towards the seats around the table.

I glare at him for a few seconds before scraping a chair across the floor as I pull it out and sit down. Far from calm, I lean back, rest an elbow on the table, and splay my legs. The action is a contradiction to the blood thundering through every vein in my body, the tension strung in each muscle.