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“As much as the pain and hatred I saw looking back at me in your eyes hurt, I understand. We’re still new and what I kept from you was a huge secret. One I never intended for you to find out. The thrill of setting the fire subsided when you came into my life. Even since the other day, I haven’t craved it. You’re what I crave.” He takes a deep, shaky breath.
“Dimitri.” My heart breaks seeing this broken man before me.
“No, Alex, I’m not done. I just need you to know I would never set a building on fire with someone in it. I’ve told you this already, my whole process, and that I only did buildings that were condemned. Ones I knew were eventually going to be torn down. I’m so sorry, and I’ll live my life regretting it, because it’s what tore us apart.”
This man, even though I’m mad, my heart still wants him, craves him. But he’s right, and in all the fires until this point, no one had been hurt. He’s being truthful. When Captain Olsson asked for my opinion, I’d researched and noticed that all the buildings targeted were condemned.
“Dimitri, I love you. This was hard, finding out this secret you’ve kept from me, and I needed to process everything. I still think it was stupid, reckless, and dangerous, but I can move past it if you are done with it.”
His face brightens as he gazes up at me, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Really, baby?”
I nod, and he jumps up, tackling me in the chair. He hugs me so tightly I can barely breathe and mumbles repeatedly how sorry he is.
Another arm surrounds us and we start laughing through our tears. Donovan has joined our hug fest.
“Now that you and D are sorted, what makes you think he was set up? Did you find something?” Donovan asks as we pull apart and they return to sit on the couch. The loss of their touch leaves me feeling empty. I want nothing more to make up with both of them.
“Yeah, okay.” I take a deep breath, recomposing myself. “Makeup sex can wait. Now we need to plan how to lure out the real criminal—Lionel Newton.”
Both Dimitri and Donovan go white. What did I say?
“What did you say his name was?” Donovan speaks up.
“Lionel, you knew that.”
“Nah, what’s his last name?” He scoots forward on the couch.
“Newton.”
“Is his father Hanson Newton?” My eyes drop to his clenched fists.
“Yeah. How did you know?”
Chapter twenty-nine
Alexis
“Because he’s my sperm donor.” Donovan’s words are short and stern, his eyes dark and his fists clenched.
“What?!” I ask in disbelief. My Donovan is related to Lionel?
“Why didn’t you tell me? Another secret. Just when I let my guard down and forgive you, something else comes out.”
“No, darlin’, please, it’s not a secret I was keeping. It didnae even dawn on me until I heard the last name. I didnae put two and two together. Hanson met my maw when she was young, promised her the world, then left her broken and pregnant. He’d send her money over the years to support me, but only if she kept his secret. You see, he was married already. My maw was poor, and the money helped her provide what I needed. She was able to bring us to the states when I was a teenager, but still, he didnae try to see us. Not until he caught a glimpse of me playing ball in school. At that time, my maw had heard whispers that he had a son, Lionel. But I never saw a picture of him. My father keeps attempting to be in my life, thinking he can buy me by sending money and reaching out, but I want fuck all to do with him. As my maw would say, I didnae come up the clyde in a syrup tin. I used to send the money back, but then he’d just keep sending it. Finally, I got bored of playing ping pong and started donating it to a single mother’s charity, in my maw’s name, then I’d send him a copy of the receipt just so he knew I didn’t accept it.”
“So you never knew what Lionel looked like?” I ask softly.
“Never. There was never an ounce of curiosity to search for him or his family online. The only reason I know what Hanson looks like is from an old picture my maw had. That’s the honest truth.”
“Okay. I believe you.”
“Thank fuck. But now, back to what Lionel has to do with the fire.” He steers us back on track, changing the subject. I don’t blame him for not wanting to talk about a man who didn’t want anything to do with him or his mother. My heart aches for him, knowing a father and son bond as a child is just as important as a mother and daughter bond.
“I couldn’t shut off what you shared with me at the coffee shop, Dimitri. You said you had your lighter until you ran into Lionel at the gym, and he threatened you if you continued to see me.”
“Yeah,” he replies.
“Is it possible he knew your secret? I told you all I felt like someone had been watching me and now I believe there was—Lionel. Could he have been following you?”
