LITMIR.BIZ

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this trip. He wasn’t leaving until he’d met the child.

      In coming to New Zealand, he’d intended meeting his nephew, and this time neither Beth nor Kent would stand in his way as they had done since Mark’s birth. The boy deserved to know his family, and as soon as Nico made contact, he’d ensure the next step happened quickly—his father, Tim, would meet his only grandchild as he longed to do. Nico would do anything for his father.

      He pulled into the edge of the winery estate where Beth lived, then down her tree-lined driveway. When he reached the house, he left the car idling. He had a pithy exit line ready, but his attention was caught by another car and an older couple at Beth’s front door. He recognized her parents immediately, as they waved across to his car. Beth had said Mark was with them this weekend, which meant the boy was probably inside the house this minute. Triumph surged.

       Finally.

      He cut the engine, got out and made his way over to the older couple, Beth rushing behind him.

       Too late to keep him from meeting his nephew now.

      He held out his hand to her father. “Mr. Jackson.”

      Her father didn’t move as he took in Beth’s disheveled appearance, then turned to Nico, his face a picture of rage and disapproval. “So you’ve come sniffing around again.”

      Nico withdrew his hand, realizing a moment too late that he was dropping this man’s daughter home after having obviously loved her all night. Any father would be prickly. Nico squared his shoulders. “I want you to know—”

      Her father’s stance was rigid as he cut Nico’s words off. “You abandoned our daughter when she—”

      Tucking stands of mussed hair behind her ears, Beth inserted herself between them and grabbed her father’s hand. “Dad, Nico was just leaving. We don’t want to hold him up.”

      She glared at Nico—which was obviously supposed to be his cue to leave. Nico looked from daughter to father. There was something missing here.

      Mrs. Jackson looked flustered. “We just dropped in for Mark’s spaceship. It’s his favorite and he forgot to bring it for the weekend.”

      “Nico,” Beth said, eyes determined, “don’t let us hold you up. I’m sure you have a million things to do at the winery before you leave.”

      He held her gaze and found something deeper behind her determination. Her eyes had always been so clear to read, at least to him, and even though she fought now to keep her emotions covered, he could still sense a smothered desperation. Desperation to stop him.

      Nico crossed his arms over his chest. “Firstly, I’m not going anywhere until I’ve met my nephew—”

      “Nephew?” her father repeated, eyes narrowed.

      “And secondly,” Nico continued, “I want someone to tell me what I’m missing here that—”

      A small face peeped around the corner and lit up when he saw Beth. “Mummy!” He threw himself into her arms. “I forgot my space cruiser.”

      Beth picked the child up and held him tight, her strawberry blond hair buried beside his mop of darkest brown. Nico frowned. That picture didn’t seem right. He had always visualized Beth and Kent’s child to be fair, like them.…

      His stomach went into free fall and only his iron will stopped him stumbling backward as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. It couldn’t be possible, surely, and yet.

      The boy struggled to be let down and when Beth complied, he grabbed his grandfather’s hand and tugged. “Let’s go, Granpa. You said we could go to the park when I got my cruiser.”

      Mark’s eyes were the color of espresso, his face almost a replica of Nico’s own childhood photos. Could it be possible?

      His mind flew back to their last night together before Beth had left, making love in the vineyard, her body bathed in moonlight. To the nights before that. Had they used protection? Every time? Could this small child be the product of his and Beth’s love all those years ago?

      More than instinct told him he was right. Mark washis child, regardless of the age Kent and Beth attributed to him. Obviously a lie to keep him from the truth. To keep him from his son …

      As the body blow slammed into him and the world tilted, Nico struggled to remain standing.

       His son.

      He had a child.

      A small boy of his own flesh and blood. A thick ball of emotion filled his throat and he swallowed again and again, trying to move it. That perfect little person tugging on his grandfather’s hand was his. He’d wanted children so badly when he was younger, had wanted children with Beth.

      It seemed his wish had been granted—goose bumps broke out across his skin as he felt a sudden chill—it’d just happened without his knowledge.

      Mind reeling, he focused on Beth. “We have to talk. Now,” he said through gritted teeth.

      Frowning, Mr. Jackson looked from him to Beth and back again. “You didn’t know, did you?”

      “No,” Nico ground out.

      For a suspended moment, everyone seemed shocked, either by the secret or its release. No one spoke a word or moved a muscle. Even Mark seemed to notice the unnatural stillness and froze, barely blinking.

      Then, breaking the spell, Beth’s mother leaned over to kiss her daughter on the cheek. “We’d better get going.”

      Her father held out his hand, offering the handshake he’d rejected only minutes earlier. Nico took the proffered hand and shook it once in recognition that this man hadn’t been part of the conspiracy of lies and secrets. He was glad of that at least—he’d always respected Beth’s father, both her parents.

      He watched as the older couple bundled Mark into the car and drove away, too furious to dare look down at Beth.

      Once they were gone and there was no chance of upsetting his son—his son—Nico turned to the woman who’d betrayed him on so many levels. “Well?”

      In the distance, a falcon screeched as it flew up into the blue sky, possibly disturbed by the car carrying their son. Trying to hold back her panic at the menace in Nico’s voice, in his eyes, Beth’s gaze was momentarily drawn to the bird.

      Then, resigned to the confrontation that surely must follow, she drew in a breath of icy air and nodded. She turned and led him through the door into her living room.

      They were barely inside when he spoke through stiff lips, his eyes cold. “I want a paternity test.”

      Beth felt her throat constrict. Of all the reactions she’d expected, she’d never considered this one. “You’re questioning his parentage?”

      “Of course he’s mine,” he all but hissed. “But you’ll provide confirmation of the fact.”

      She nodded. It was a reasonable request under the circumstances, even if it hurt that he’d ask. “I’ll call a lab first thing tomorrow morning.”

      Then, all pretence of control gone, Nico threw his arms in the air and words exploded from his mouth. “How could you keep my son from me?”

      Beth stood her ground, refused to flinch but, oh, how could she explain the unforgivable? “If I’d had a choice—”

      Nico held up a hand, eyes blazing. “We always have choices.”

      Every muscle in her body went limp. He was right.She had to tell him, despite the consequences.

      At least part of the story—enough for him to understand. Heart racing, she walked on unsteady legs to one of the antique brown armchairs and sank into its soft comfort, trying desperately to compose words in her head. Words that had to make sense despite the trembling in every muscle

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