The Mafia Heir’s Hidden Child

7- A Seat At The Table

Parker regretted agreeing to the arrangement almost immediately.

Three days into representing Sutton Holdings, she already felt like she was losing control.

Too many hours trapped across conference tables from Maxton Sutton.

Too many sharp looks that lasted a second too long.

Too many silences heavy with six years of unfinished history.

And somehow—

that was the worst part.

Because he had behaved perfectly.

No threats.

No pressure.

No mentions of Luca.

No pushing boundaries.

Maxton Sutton—who had built an empire by forcing the world to bend around him—was suddenly patient.

Careful.

Controlled.

Which made Parker trust him even less.

Because men like Maxton didn’t stop hunting.

They just changed tactics.

—

She sat alone in one of Sutton Holdings’ private conference rooms, reviewing financial reports for the federal investigation, when her phone buzzed across the table.

Sophia Calling.

Parker answered instantly.

“Everything okay?”

“Mostly,” Sophia replied, sounding stressed and entertained at the same time. “My battery died, Theo’s stuck in traffic, and I currently have Luca with me.”

Parker straightened immediately.

“Where are you?”

“In the Sutton building lobby.”

Parker froze.

“…What?”

Sophia sighed. “We were supposed to meet for lunch. I texted you like six times.”

Parker glanced at her unread notifications and muttered a curse.

“I’ll be right down.”

She grabbed her purse—

but the conference room door opened before she reached it.

Maxton stepped inside.

One look at her face and his entire expression sharpened.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“That answer usually means the opposite.”

“I have to go.”

His gaze flicked to her purse, her phone, the tension in her shoulders.

“Why?”

Parker hesitated half a second too long.

And Maxton noticed.

Of course he noticed.

“Sophia’s downstairs,” she admitted tightly. “With Luca.”

Silence.

Then—

“I’ll come with you.”

“No.”

Too quick.

Too defensive.

His eyes narrowed instantly.

“Parker.”

“I can handle it.”

“I’m sure you can.” His voice stayed calm. “I’m still coming.”

She hated that there wasn’t time to argue.

—

The elevator ride felt suffocating.

Parker stared straight ahead while Maxton stood beside her, one hand in his pocket, radiating quiet control.

Neither spoke.

But tension filled every inch of the space between them.

By the time the elevator doors opened into the lobby, Parker’s nerves were already frayed.

Sophia sat stretched across a leather bench near the windows, sipping iced coffee like she wasn’t the source of Parker’s current emotional crisis.

And Luca—

Luca was kneeling on the polished marble floor beside a massive display case.

Completely captivated by a miniature black sports car.

The second he spotted Parker, his entire face lit up.

“Mom!”

He jumped up and sprinted toward her.

Parker caught him instantly, hugging him tighter than necessary.

“You scared me.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, kissing her cheek.

Then immediately pointed behind her.

“Look at the car.”

Parker turned—

and realized Maxton had stopped walking.

Completely still.

Watching Luca.

Not casually.

Not politely.

Watching him like gravity had shifted.

Luca slid from Parker’s arms without hesitation and walked directly toward him.

Fearless.

Curious.

Trusting.

Parker’s pulse spiked.

“ This one’s my favorite,” Luca announced proudly, pointing at the model car.

Maxton crouched beside him slowly.

“Yeah?”

Luca nodded seriously.

“It’s fast.”

“That your only qualification?”

“Yes.”

Maxton’s mouth twitched.

“Fair enough.”

Parker stood frozen.

Because the interaction was effortless.

Natural.

Like something terrifyingly instinctive had clicked into place between them.

Luca pressed closer to the glass display.

“I like race cars.”

“Clearly.”

Maxton pointed toward another model farther down the case.

“That one’s better.”

Luca gasped dramatically.

“No way.”

“It’s faster.”

“It’s ugly.”

“It’s a classic.”

“It looks old.”

“It is old.”

“Then I’m right.”

Sophia snorted into her coffee.

Theo had once told Parker that watching Maxton negotiate billion-dollar deals was less impressive than watching him argue with children.

Now she understood why.

Luca crossed his arms stubbornly.

“Mine’s cooler.”

Maxton leaned slightly closer.

“You’re objectively wrong.”

Luca narrowed his eyes.

“You sound like my mom.”

Parker nearly choked.

Sophia outright laughed.

And for one impossible second—

Maxton smiled.

Not the polished corporate smile.

Not the cold controlled one he wore in meetings.

A real one.

Warm.

Unrestrained.

It changed his entire face.

And Parker hated the way it affected her.

Because suddenly she wasn’t looking at the ruthless heir to Sutton Holdings.

She was looking at a man kneeling beside a little boy who looked exactly like him.

And God—

he looked like he belonged there.

Maxton glanced at Luca again.

“Tell you what.”

“What?”

“We settle this properly.”

“How?”

“Lunch.”

Luca’s eyes widened instantly.

“With fries?”

“With fries.”

Luca whipped around so fast Parker barely had time to brace herself.

“Please?”

She opened her mouth.

Ready to refuse.

Ready to shut this down before it got worse.

But Sophia beat her to it.

“Oh, this is absolutely happening.”

Parker shot her a murderous glare.

Sophia smiled sweetly over her coffee.

“Don’t be selfish.”

—

Lunch happened in Maxton’s private executive dining room.

Because apparently billionaires had those.

Parker objected the entire walk there.

No one listened.

Now she sat at the far end of the long table while Luca sat beside Maxton sharing a massive chocolate dessert neither of them needed.

“Too much syrup,” Maxton declared.

Luca looked offended.

“There’s no such thing.”

“There absolutely is.”

“Nope.”

“You’re five seconds away from a sugar coma.”

“I’m strong.”

Maxton leaned back in his chair.

“That’s bold talk for someone with whipped cream on his eyebrow.”

Luca gasped and wiped his face immediately.

Sophia laughed into her drink.

Parker tried not to smile.

Failed slightly.

And then she noticed—

Maxton was watching Luca with something dangerously close to affection.

Openly.

Unapologetically.

Their son.

The thought hit Parker so hard she almost looked away.

Because this—

this easy teasing, this instant connection, this effortless warmth—

was what she had kept from both of them.

Not maliciously.

Not intentionally.

But the guilt still cut deep.

She watched Maxton hand Luca a napkin without thinking.

Watched Luca accept it automatically.

Watched the two of them fall into conversation like they’d known each other forever.

And suddenly Parker understood exactly how dangerous this was becoming.

Because Luca liked him.

Fast.

Too fast.

And Maxton—

God.

Maxton looked wrecked by it.

Like every second beside Luca was both healing something and destroying something else at the same time.

Then Maxton glanced up.

Caught Parker staring.

For one suspended moment, neither spoke.

But something passed between them anyway.

Grief.

Longing.

Recognition.

The ghost of what could’ve been.

Then Luca shattered the moment completely.

“Can I ask you something?”

Maxton turned back toward him instantly.

“Sure.”

Luca swung his legs under the chair.

“Why don’t you have kids?”

Parker nearly inhaled wrong.

Sophia went still.

Even Theo looked up from his phone.

But Maxton answered calmly.

“Never had the chance.”

Luca frowned like that answer genuinely bothered him.

“That’s sad.”

Something flickered across Maxton’s face.

Something painfully human.

“Maybe,” he admitted quietly.

Luca thought about that very seriously.

Then looked down at his fries.

And in the softest voice imaginable—

said,

“I wish I had a dad.”

The room went completely silent.