Revealed: His Secret Child Read Online Free Page A

waves.
    He’d always been passionate—about his career, his life and at one point about her. She could still vividly remember their lovemaking. But now that passion was channeled into anger. The fact that he hadn’t yet given vent to it gave her a clue as to how powerful it was.
    If he decided he wanted visitation rights she’d give him that, but only if he could guarantee that it would be permanent,that… Gillian threaded her fingers into her hair. Where was she going with this?
    He was still pacing and turning. Gillian kept her gaze on the table but she heard his step, felt his presence surrounding, suffocating her. If only he’d say something. Anything. Finally, the footsteps stopped.
    â€œHe’s my son.”
    Anything except that.
    The controlled, quietly spoken words, that simple statement of fact, contained a wealth of emotion. But they hadn’t been a question so Gillian said nothing.
    â€œHow dare you?”
    That, however, was most definitely a question. She looked up. He stood with his back to her looking out the window above the counter and she was grateful she didn’t have to meet his gaze. “I did what I thought was best.”
    He spun back to her. “Best?” He ground the word out, ice in his gaze.
    She had to force herself to meet that anger, feel that wintry animosity. “You didn’t want children. You broke up with me because I mentioned the word just once.”
    He shook his head in disbelief. “You were pregnant then?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œDo you remember that week we both caught a stomach virus?”
    â€œThe one I picked up on a trip to Boston and passed to you?”
    â€œI didn’t think I’d been that sick.” She lifted her shoulder. “But it interfered with the pill and I got pregnant.”
    â€œAnd you didn’t—” He turned back to the window. “I’m that boy’s—”
    â€œEthan’s.”
    He crossed to the table, leaned on his fists, his face close to hers. Her heart thundered but she wouldn’t back away from his intimidation.
    â€œI’m Ethan’s father.” His voice was lethally calm, but a bluish vein pulsed in his temple. “And you never once thought I had a right to know that.”
    She’d thought it a million times but common sense had always prevailed.
    â€œAre you my daddy?”
    Gillian’s heart plummeted at her son’s happy, singsong question. Inquisitive and bright with the hearing of a bat, he never missed a thing.
    For an instant, Max’s gaze fixed on hers and for the first time there was something other than anger in it. Was he looking for her permission? She shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “Not now.”
    His gaze hardened. “If not now, then when?” Max pulled out the chair next to Gillian, spun it so it faced Ethan, and sat leaning his forearms on his knees, putting himself closer to Ethan’s level. “Yes. I’m your daddy,” he said gently.
    So much for needing her permission.
    She watched her son for his reaction. Ethan frowned, stared at Max for a few seconds, and then smiled. “Come play.”
    Max glanced questioningly at Gillian. If he’d expected Ethan to be as stunned by the discovery as he’d been, he was very much mistaken.
    She stood. “How about I put your favorite movie on, honey?” Normally, Gillian discouraged the watching of TV. Today was not normal. “The one about trains.”
    â€œOkay.” Ethan headed blithely for the family room.
    When she got back, Max was exactly where she’d left him, sitting in the chair, staring at the doorway, forearms resting on splayed knees. “Did you have to tell him that?”
    He jerked upright. “I was hardly going to leave it toyou,” he said quietly. “He deserves to know before he turns eighteen.”
    â€œHe’s never asked.”
    â€œWell,