Shattered by Love by Dani René Page B

all I can do is stare at him. He’s perfect. Beautiful. I open my mouth, but I can’t form the right words. I can’t form any words .
    “Jayce.” My name comes out as a melodic sound.
    “What…?” The first word I utter is croaky. My brain feels heavy and I dart my gaze between her and the mini version of us. My son . He’s mine, there is no denying it. The ache in my chest that deepens when my eyes meet his, and it leaves me breathless. I have a son.
    Does he know who I am? No, he wouldn’t. I want to hold him. Hear him call me dad. Jesus, this is unbelievable. I am sure the pillar is about to crumble under my grip. When I turn to her again, there is so many emotions floating through her sapphire gaze, but the one that stands out is guilt.
    “Flash, can we talk?” With a glance back at him, I turn and walk away. I can’t do this. To be near her is a mistake. I need to think. My life has just been tilted in a way I couldn’t even imagine. “Please?” Her plea is whispered, and I twist around, pinning her with a glare.
    “What? So you can tell me how you fucking hid my kid from me?” I keep my voice low, but the venom in my tone makes her wince.
    “Jayce, can we talk somewhere private?” She reaches for me, but I step back. I nod, and my eyes lock on an innocent little boy. My fucking son.
    “Be right back guys.” She offers a smile, but I know she’s nervous, I can hear it in her voice. Heading to the room I was in yesterday, I open the door and let her follow behind me. As soon as the door clicks, I spin on my heel and push her against it.
    “You want to tell me why there’s a mini version of me in the reception area with another man?” The harsh tone of my voice sends a shiver over her.
    “Jayce, let me explain. After you left with Luke, I didn’t know where you were until—”
    “Fuck that Ivy.” Turning, I glare out the window. I want to punch something, anything.
    “When you left, I packed my bags and walked out of my father’s house. He didn’t know I was pregnant. When I found out I knew I couldn’t go back, I didn’t want to. Bryce helped me find a place to stay.” Her words a mere whisper from her lips, and I can just about hear her.
    Dragging my eyes toward her, I find her face stained with tears. I am so tempted to kiss them away, but my anger holds me back. My body radiating fury, and I know she can feel it.
    “So, you couldn’t find me after you found out?” My words hang in the air and I see her lift her head in indignation and I realize the feisty little Firefly is coming out.
    Anger flares in her pretty eyes, and she attacks. “You fucking packed up and walked out. After that you think I wanted you to be near my son? Our son. I had to protect him, I didn’t care about me, but he is my life. I couldn’t take the chance of you walking out again, because you can leave me, but you can’t just leave him. He wouldn’t understand. Fuck that, I didn’t understand Jayce, I didn’t fucking know what you were doing. You seem to do fine fucking half of LA, I couldn’t put my son through that, I needed to be strong for him.” The last few words taper off and she’s quiet for a few moments. The anger in her face melts away. “So much happened. Flash, please listen?”
    Her tone, a soft whisper that engulfs me with comforting warmth, the way it always did, but I am so closed off right now, anger rocks me.
    “Don’t you fucking call me that!” I bite back. I pivot to face her. “Yes, I fucked more than half of the women in California, and you know why? Because I couldn’t love anyone, I couldn’t fucking give my heart to anyone that wasn’t you.”
    Her breathing hitches and I stalk back toward her caging her against the door. As I lean in, the scent of her perfume invades my senses, and I am taken back to the time when I loved her. A time when I was happy. She peers up under wet lashes and my heart constricts to the point of pain. I still fucking love this woman with