4. Nate
Chapter four
Nate
I leave the police station, my fists clenched, my jaw tight. The air outside is stifling, or it could be the rage simmering inside me. Janet, my secretary... How could she have done this? Betrayal doesn’t even begin to cover what I am feeling.
Liam had called me this morning with the news. “She’s the one, Nate, I’m sorry.” he’d said, his voice tense but certain. Clayton had backed him up with photos of her. There is my trusted secretary, handing a USB drive to Jensen Kirk, my biggest competitor. A damn USB. In that moment, it had taken everything in me not to smash the phone against the wall.
Now, standing in that small interrogation room with my attorney Tony, I watch her fall apart. She's crying and trembling but offers no answers. No real apology. It's useless tears. She isn’t sorry because she’s betrayed me; she's sorry because she’s been caught.
Her pitiful display disgusts me.
I’d hired her when she didn’t have much work experience, gave her a shot when no one else would. I’d treated her fairly, like I do all my employees, and this was how she repaid me. The betrayal sits heavy in my gut, festering. I gave her opportunities, respect, and she sold me out to Kirk like I meant nothing.
I’d left the station, my lawyer handling the rest. I couldn’t stomach looking at her any longer.
As I drive, my knuckles white against the steering wheel, I try to focus on anything else. But her face, the guilt, the fake remorse—it keeps playing over in my mind. How did I miss it? I should have acted when I lost the first deal. How had I let her get that close to something so important? The deal I’d spent months working on, gone. Just like that.
I grit my teeth, turning down a quiet street, my mind a storm of anger and betrayal. But then... something catches my eye.
What the—
A flash of movement—a little boy darting through the park, laughter trailing behind him. I almost don’t recognize him, but then I realize it’s my Max. My heart stops. I slam on the brakes, my car jerking to a halt as I stare out the window.
What on earth is he doing here?
My eyes scan the park, and there she is. Liz, running after Max, calling his name with a lightness in her voice that makes something twist inside me. She’s chasing him, her hair loose and wild in the breeze, her laugh carrying across the open space.
I feel a rush of anger—no, more than anger, fury. What is she doing with my son at the park without telling me? Without even asking?
I park the car, watching them from a distance. Max is grinning from ear to ear, his small arms flailing as Liz chases him. Boomer, ever the loyal dog, bounds behind them.
Max looks... happy. He’s laughing, his cheeks flushed, the kind of pure joy I haven’t seen in him in a while. And Liz, she’s right in the middle of it, her face bright and carefree, as if this is the most natural thing in the world.
I take a deep breath, trying to control the heat bubbling in my chest. I don’t want to admit it, but there’s something about seeing Liz with Max that softens the edges of my anger. She’s so at ease with him, like she’s always been a part of his life. It’s a feeling that makes me want to believe in something I’ve sworn off. That's something I can’t afford to let myself believe in again.
But I can't let this slide. I can’t let her take my son without asking for permission. Boundaries. They need to be set. Firmly .
I walk over, my shoes crunching against the gravel as I approach them. Liz is standing, a bit out of breath, her hand resting on Max’s shoulder. She doesn’t see me until I’m practically right next to them.
“Hi Max, why don’t you go play with the other kids for a minute?" I say, keeping my voice calm. The storm inside me is anything but.
Max looks between Liz and me, his brow furrowing. “
But—”
“Go on, buddy. I’ll be right here,” I say, forcing a smile. He hesitates for a second before nodding and running off toward the playground, Boomer at his side.
I turn to Liz, my expression hardening. She’s watching me carefully, her face falling as she sees the look in my eyes.
“Why did you take Max out without telling me?” My voice is low, but the anger cuts through each word like a knife.
Liz straightens up, her eyes narrowing.
“Max wanted to go to the park. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
“Well, it is a big deal, Liz. You can’t just decide what to do with my son without asking for my permission first.”
She blinks at me, clearly taken aback by my harsh tone. For a second, her expression softens, and then, immediately sharpens again.
“I didn’t realize I needed your permission for everything, Nate.”
“You do when it comes to Max,” I snap, more harshly than I mean to. “I’m his father. You can’t do whatever you feel like.”
Her eyes flare, and for a moment, I’m caught off guard by the fire in them. That fire—it’s... captivating. The way her anger makes her cheeks flush, the way her lips press together.
Damn it, she’s even more beautiful when she’s angry, and that only fuels my frustration. I don’t want this attraction to her, not now. Not like this.
“You’re overreacting,” she says, her voice rising.
“We only came to the park. We had fun. It’s not like I took him out of the country, Nate.”
“That’s not the point!” My voice raises, matching hers, and I step closer, the heat between us palpable.
“The point is, you don’t get to make decisions about Max without talking to me first. You're not his mother.”
She stares at me for a moment, her chest rising and falling, and for a split second, I see the hurt flicker across her face. But it’s gone just as fast, replaced by that same fire.
“You know what, Nate? You're right I'm not his mother. I'm sorry for overstepping. I thought I could bond with Max but clearly, I'm wrong.” She steps back; her voice steady but edged with anger.
“I didn’t come here to make things difficult for you. I thought I was helping.”
I open my mouth to respond, but she’s already turning away, her steps quick and determined.
“Liz—” I start, reaching out, but she doesn’t stop.
She raises her hand, hailing a taxi as one comes down the street. I watch, helpless and furious, as she gets into the cab and slams the door behind her.
The cab pulls away, and I’m left standing there. I watch her disappear down the road, the weight of everything crashing down on me. The anger. The frustration. And worse... the guilt.
I run a hand through my hair, turning to see Max still playing, completely oblivious to the tension that just exploded between Liz and me. My heart sinks as I walk over to him, plastering a fake smile on my face as I call out to him.
“Hey, buddy. Time to go.”
Max runs over, a question already on his lips.
“Where’s Liz?”
“She had to go,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. Max’s face falls, and guilt washes over me again. He looks up at me, his small eyes wide with confusion, and I feel like I’ve just ruined something good for him.
We head back to the car, and as I drive us home, Max keeps asking about Liz—why she left, when she’ll be back. I give him short answers, trying to stay calm, but the truth is, I’m not calm at all.
Because deep down, I know I messed up. And the worst part? I don’t even know how to fix it.
***
I pace the length of my bedroom, my mind a swirling mess of anxiety and guilt. Liz still hasn’t come back. It’s been hours, and she hasn’t even called. Every second that ticks by only adds to the gnawing feeling in my chest. I’ve called half the damn town, but no one has seen her.
She vanished after our argument at the park. The thought of her out there alone, angry and upset, sends my heart racing in a way that makes no sense.
I glance at my phone, the screen blank. No calls. No texts. My fingers hover over her contact, but I stop myself. Would she even answer if I called? After the way I snapped at her, I wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to speak to me again.
I run a hand through my hair, frustration boiling over. How could I have let things get so out of hand? She was just trying to do something nice for Max, and I bit her head off. I can’t stop replaying the way her eyes flared with anger, the fire in her voice when she told me off. She was right, every word she said.
The thought of her leaving, of her being gone for good, twists something inside me that I don’t really want to examine. It’s more than the fact that she’s Bryan’s sister and I’m supposed to be looking out for her. It’s something else—something I don’t want to name.
I stop in front of the window, staring out into the dark night. Where is she? What if something happened to her? My chest tightens at the thought, and I pick up my phone again, dialing another number. I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve called tonight.
"Hey, Tom," I say when the local shopkeeper answers,
"Have you seen a lady around mid-twenties today? About yay high, dark hair, looks like she’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders?"
Tom’s voice is casual, and it irritates me. How can he be so calm when I’m practically losing my mind?
"Nah, Nate, haven’t seen anyone like that today. Everything okay?"
I grit my teeth, forcing my voice to stay steady.
"Yeah, fine. Just checking."
I hang up, tossing the phone onto the bed. It’s not fine. Nothing about this is fine. I can’t even go out and look for her because Max is asleep upstairs, and I can’t leave him alone. I’m stuck here, pacing, helpless, while Liz is goodness-knows where.
A sudden noise pulls me from my thoughts, the front door creaking open. My heart leaps into my throat, and I’m down to the living room in seconds.
"Liz?" I call out, my voice sharper than I intend. I see her standing there in the doorway, her hair damp from the evening mist, her eyes tired but defiant.
She doesn’t look at me right away, her shoulders tense as she closes the door behind her.
"Where on earth have you been?" The words come out harsher than I mean, but I can’t stop them. I’ve been worrying myself sick, and the relief of seeing her standing there only fuels my frustration.
She turns to me, her jaw tight.
"It’s none of your business, Nate."
"None of my—" I cut myself off, pinching the bridge of my nose to keep from snapping again.
"It is my business. You’re under my care while you’re here."
Her eyes flash, and she steps closer, the fire I had seen earlier back in full force.
"I don’t need to be under anyone’s care. And right now, I’d rather sleep on the street than stay here one more night. You've made it clear how unwelcome I am here. I'll make things easy for both of us by my leaving."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I don’t know what to say for a moment, the shock of her declaration settling in.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, my voice softer now. I cannot let her walk out like this.
"Liz, you’re not leaving."
She lifts her chin, her eyes blazing.
"I am. I’ll figure something out, don’t worry. You won’t have to put up with me much longer."
I open my mouth to argue, but she cuts me off, her voice trembling. "You’ve made it clear from the start, Nate. You don’t want me here. You’ve been cold and distant ever since I arrived."
I want to deny it, but I can’t. She’s right. I’ve kept her at arm’s length, tried to maintain distance because... well, because being close to her scares the hell out of me. But I can’t tell her that.
"That’s not true," I say, but even to my ears, the words sound weak.
"Isn’t it?" She shakes her head, the hurt in her eyes cutting through me.
"Even when I was younger, you always acted like I didn’t exist. Like I was some nuisance to you."
I blink, caught off guard.
"Liz, I didn’t—"
"Didn’t what? Didn’t notice? Or didn’t care?" Her voice wavers for the first time, and I feel something twist inside me. She’s not only angry, but she’s also hurt.
"I wasn’t trying to push you away," I say, my voice quieter now.
"I just... I wasn’t good at socializing back then. Heck, I’m still not. I’m more of an introvert. It wasn’t personal."
Her eyes search mine for a moment, as if she’s trying to gauge the truth of my words.
I exhale, running a hand through my hair.
"Your presence has been... unsettling," I admit.
"But not in a bad way. At first, it threw me off but seeing you with Max..." I trail off, unsure how to say what I’m feeling.
"You’re good with him, Liz. He’s different when you’re around. Happier."
She blinks, her face softening a little.
"I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you, Nate."
"You didn’t," I quickly respond.
"And I’m sorry about today. I should not have yelled at you like that. I had a lot on my mind before I saw you at the park. My secretary... she betrayed me. Sold a deal I’ve been working on for months to my competitor."
Her expression changes, concern flickering across her face.
"Nate... I’m sorry. That’s terrible."
I shrug, trying to brush it off, even though it still stings.
"It’s behind me now. She is behind bars. But now I’ve got to figure out how to replace her, and... well, it’s not something I’m looking forward to."
After a beat of silence, Liz surprises me by saying,
"I could do it."
I stare at her, unsure if I heard her right.
"What?"
"I could be your secretary," she says, her tone serious.
"I mean, it’s better than sitting around all day doing nothing, or stewing over being annoyed with you. I came here to clear my head, but having a job might help. And I know I can be useful.”
For a moment, I assume she’s joking, but the look on her face tells me she’s not. I fold my arms, considering it.
"You’re serious?"
"Dead serious." She meets my gaze head-on, and something about the way she looks at me makes my pulse quicken. The fire in her eyes isn’t simply from the argument. It’s something deeper, something I’ve been trying to ignore ever since she showed up on my doorstep.
I hesitate, my mind racing. Liz is smart, capable. And most important, I trust her. If there’s one person I don’t have to worry about betraying me, it’s Liz. But working with her every day, seeing her, being around her—it unsettles me more than I care to admit.
"You’re not exactly little Liz anymore," I murmur, more to myself than to her.
She smirks, crossing her arms.
"No, I’m not. And that’s why I can help."
I find myself nodding before I even realize it. "Alright," I say, the word hanging in the air between us.
"You’re hired."
She smiles and darned it if it doesn’t send a wave of heat through me. I remind myself boundaries, Nate . But as she stands there her eyes remain locked on mine. I can’t help but wonder how long I’ll be able to keep those boundaries intact.