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I kneas done withhand came up to wrap around my throat He didn’t exert any pressure, he just held round and whispered, “I a my son”

“Very noble,” Hawke onna pay for the treatment your kid needs?”

I sed hard and didn’taze returned toin his eyes that see? Compassion? Respect?

I nearly laughed at the prospect This s

“Fine, we’ll play it your way,” Hawke murmured and he released me But he didn’t step away from me “What do you think will happen to little Matty when the cops show up questioning you about a o? A murder where a partial match to your DNA was discovered?”

Disbelief flooded s, then white hot fear as I understood what he was saying “The…the lab would never give the cops my DNA”

“You really think they gave it to me?” Hawke asked calmly

And I knew in that instant that he had ed to find my DNA It didn’t matter that he knew I hadn’t been involved in whateverabout Even if the cops couldn’t useo into foster care And if he went into the systeet him back

I leaned back against the counter for support asI couldn’t have coiven up so much, only to have this man take it away froled to draw in air as a dull roaring began in my head I tried to focus on a spot on one of the cabinets on the other side of the san to dim

“Tate”

The soft, gentle ry way it had been said before I wanted to hear it again And then I did, but it got better because the war seeped into a spot just above my elbows

“Open your eyes, Tate”

I shookfor me if I did And then sparks of electricity flared to life on my cheek and I sucked in a soft breath at the sensation I forcedhtly parted, his flinty blue eyes focused on me…no, not me, my lips

I didn’t move as Iover ht my hand up to close around his wrist But not to stop hie hi him to keep the pain and fear at bay for just another few seconds

Hawke’s eyes drifted fro hio dark as he released his hold on me I cursed my foolishness and quickly dropped my hand

“We’re leaving in the ,” he finally said as he stepped back

I didn’t say anything as he went back to the chair and sat down It took th and the will to move And when I finally did, I went to Matty’s roos Because like soelse had been taken away from me

Since Matty’s room didn’t have a clock in it, I had no idea what ti What I did knoas thatnext to ht and stumbled out of the bed I ripped the closed door open and scanned the small space and then felt my breath come out in a whoosh when I heard , but it took only seconds to find hi with Hawke at the kitchen table and he was talking excitedly about the Spiderman doll in his hands

“It was Daddy’s when he was little,” Matty was explaining as he s into different positions