Free Fatal Obsession (Black Widow Book 2) by Christina Ow

one was willing to tell her why.
    Elaine shrugged then turned fully to face Tasha, “I’m going to be gone for a month and you won’t be able to reach me. Call Mike if you need anything, or if you feel sick again.” Call Mike? Yup, her sister didn’t care for her husband at all. “I’ll say goodbye to brainiac when Mike picks him up from school at the end of the day.” She hugged Tasha and whispered, “Head up, eyes open.”
    Stay alive . Why did she just think that?
    Elaine pulled away. She turned, took a few steps and stopped in front of Tom at the entryway and stared—or glared at him. Tasha couldn’t see because Elaine’s back was to her, but the scowl, reddening face and clenched fists on Tom’s rigid body made her believe it was a glare as he glared back at her. Then Elaine walked past him, turning slightly so as not to touch him as she went by him and disappeared behind the wall. The opening and closing of the door signaled her departure. Tasha was left alone with an enraged husband and she wasn’t sure how to handle it.
    Nervously she rolled her lips into her mouth and began, “Tom…”
    “You want to know why you cheated on me? It’s because you are a faithless whore!” he yelled, turned around, rushed to the steps and stomped upstairs. His bedroom door banged shut, echoing in the whole house and inside her chest.
    His bedroom door. A room they did not share. She had a son who was not Tom’s. Her son bore the names of his true father. She’d cheated on him and he hated her for it. So why were they still married six years after their relationship clearly broke down?
    She fell back onto the couch, cradling her head in her hands as she rubbed her already aching temples.
    “What am I missing here?”
     
    ****
     
    Damien stood outside the school building, watching for his son to come out after the final bell rang—finally. He had hoped VS would be the one fetching him, but he’d spotted Uncle Mike sitting in his car across the street and he’d clearly seen Damien also. It made him worry that she was still sick. He wanted to go ask after her, but he was sure he wouldn’t get anything from the stone-faced mercenary. Damien wasn’t sure about meeting his son in clear view of this guy—well, not only this guy but Dale’s team alsoand expect their exchange to go unnoticed. He was sure his cousin was hiding behind a bush close by ready to pounce. He never gave up that easily.
    “Dad!”
    Damien felt his whole mood brighten at that. He lifted his gaze to see his son run to him, his backpack bouncing on his back, his arms pumping at his sides and the biggest grin on his face. Day two of finding out he was a father and he loved the feeling it gave him. He felt fear too, because from now on his every decision would influence the kind of man his son would grow up to be and he was afraid of making a mistake and destroying his future. He squatted and like he’d seen VS do the day before, held his arms open and prepared to be barreled into. DJ didn’t disappoint, slamming into him with so much force, Damien wobbled on the balls of his feet.
    He chuckled, returning his son’s fierce hug. Day two and he loved his son with depths he didn’t understand. Damien tried to pull away, but DJ just tightened his grip around his neck. Then he lifted his legs, effectively sitting on Damien’s lap. Worry began to set in. Something wasn’t right.
    “DJ?” his son didn’t respond, just hugged him tighter. His first instinct was to stand, pull him away and demand what troubled him. But he’d come here with a plan and their current position worked well for him.
    “DJ, where’s my phone,” he whispered in his ear.
    “Pocket at my back,” DJ whispered back but his voice was teary. That made Damien’s chest clench.
    Discreetly, Damien swapped phones, replacing his with one he’d bought and programmed for DJ that morning. After zipping up the pocket, Damien went with his first instinct. He stood, holding DJ to