I slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in my surroundings. The warehouse was quiet, except for the soft music playing in the background. I looked around, seeing that Liam's men were all asleep, scattered around the room. But a few of them were already awake, smoking and chatting quietly.
One of them noticed me stirring and got up to approach me. "Hey, Jackson," he said, his voice low. "The boss is asking for you."
I nodded, still trying to shake off the sleep. I got up, stretching my stiff muscles. As I made my way to Liam's office, I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. What did Liam want with me now?
I reached the office and knocked on the door. Liam's voice called out, "Enter."
I opened the door and stepped inside. Liam was sitting behind his desk, a serious expression on his face. But what caught my attention was the young man standing next to him.
The young man looked to be in his early twenties, with a nervous expression on his face. He was glancing at me with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
Liam stood up, a small smile on his face. "Jackson, I think it's time you met someone," he said, his voice dripping with significance.
The young man looked at Liam, then back at me. I could see the confusion in his eyes.
"Who is this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Liam stepped forward, his eyes locked on mine. "This, Jackson, is your son."
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. My son? What was Liam talking about? I looked at the young man, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of familiarity. But it was quickly replaced by confusion and uncertainty.
The young man looked at me, his eyes searching. "Is...is this true?" he asked, his voice shaking.
I was speechless. I didn't know what to say or do. I looked at Liam, hoping he would provide some answers.
Liam nodded, a small smile still on his face. "Yes, it's true. His mother was...an acquaintance of yours, Jackson. She passed away a few years ago, but before she did, she told me about you. She told me that you were the father of her child."
I felt like I was in a dream. A son? I had a son? I looked at the young man, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was a chance for redemption.
The young man took a step forward, his eyes still searching. "I...I don't know what to say," he stammered.
I took a step forward, my heart pounding in my chest. "I...I don't know what to say either," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
Liam stepped forward, his eyes locked on both of us. "I think it's time for you two to get to know each other," he said, his voice dripping with significance.
The young man looked at me, then back at Liam. "I...I don't know if I can do this," he said, his voice shaking.
I felt a pang of sadness. I didn't blame him. I was a stranger to him, a stranger who had just been revealed as his father.
Liam stepped forward, his eyes locked on the young man. "I think you can, son," he said, his voice soft. "I think you two need each other."
The young man looked at me, then back at Liam. He took a deep breath, then nodded. "Okay," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "Okay," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
Liam smiled, a small smile on his face. "Good," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "I think this is the start of something beautiful."
As I looked at my son, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was a chance for redemption. Maybe this was a chance for me to make things right.
But as I looked at Liam, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye. What did Liam really want? And what did he have planned for us? Only time would tell.
As Liam walked out of his office, I was left alone with my son. The tension in the air was palpable, but I was determined to make the most of this opportunity to get to know him. I had been waiting for this moment for so long, and I wasn't going to let it slip away.
My son, who I had just learned was 20 years old, looked at me with a mix of curiosity and caution. I could sense that he was trying to size me up, to figure out who I was and why I was suddenly appearing in his life after all these years. He was tall and lean, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into my soul. His dark hair was messy and unkempt, and his jawline was strong and determined.
"Hey," he said finally, breaking the silence. "I'm...I'm glad to finally meet you, I guess."
I smiled, trying to put him at ease. "I'm glad to meet you too, son," I said. "I've wanted to get to know you for a long time."
He looked at me skeptically, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Really?" he asked. "Then why haven't you been around all these years?"
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. I knew that I owed him an explanation, but I wasn't sure where to start. I took a deep breath and tried to gather my thoughts.
"Look, I promise I'll tell you everything," I said finally. "But for now, can we just...get to know each other? I want to hear about your life, about what you've been up to."
He nodded slowly, seeming to accept my request. "Okay," he said. "But you have to promise to tell me the truth. I want to know why you've been absent all these years."
I nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. "I promise," I said. "I'll tell you everything. But for now, let's just...start fresh, okay?"
He nodded again, and we sat down in the chairs opposite each other. I asked him about his life, about college and his plans for the future.
"I'm graduating soon," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I'm not sure what I want to do after that, but I'm thinking about maybe getting a job or pursuing a master's degree."
I listened intently, asking follow-up questions and trying to show genuine interest. As we talked, I could sense the tension between us beginning to dissipate. We were starting to connect, to form a bond.
At one point, he mentioned Liam, and I could sense a mix of emotions in his voice. "Liam has been like a father to me," he said. "He's always been there for me, supporting me and guiding me."
I felt a pang of jealousy, but I pushed it aside. I was glad that Liam had been there for my son, even if I hadn't been.
"That's great," I said. "I'm glad to hear that Liam has been a positive influence in your life."
We continued to talk, sharing stories and laughter. It was a tentative beginning, but it was a start. As the hours passed, I could sense the connection between us growing stronger. We were starting to form a bond, to build a relationship.
Eventually, Liam returned to the office, a smile on his face. "How's it going?" he asked, looking at us both.
My son stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "It's going good," he said. "We're just getting to know each other."
Liam nodded, seeming to approve. "Good," he said. "I'm glad to see that. You two need to get to know each other."
I stood up, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Liam. Despite our differences, he had brought me and my son together.
"Thanks, Liam," I said. "I owe you one."
Liam smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Just take care of him," he said. "That's all I ask."
I nodded, feeling a sense of determination. I was going to make the most of this opportunity, to build a relationship with my son and make up for lost time.
As we left the office, my son turned to me with a curious expression. "Hey, Dad?" he said.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"What's going to happen next?" he asked.
I smiled, feeling a sense of uncertainty. "I'm not sure," I said. "But I promise you one thing: I'll be there for you, no matter what."
He nodded, seeming to accept my promise. And as we walked out of the warehouse, I knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
We walked in silence for a while, the only sound being the echo of our footsteps off the walls. I could sense that my son was still trying to process everything.