LITMIR.BIZ

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he had one.

      And God knows what he would do to hang on to the baby.

      “Do you have any proof?” he asked. There was pure skepticism in his tone.

      “Some. I’ve researched all the adopted baby boys who were born in Texas on his birthday, and Caden is the only one I haven’t been able to exclude.”

      He gave her a flat look. “Who says your son was adopted? He could have been taken to another state, or across the border. His adoption could have been illegal. Or maybe there was no adoption at all.”

      Yes. And that possibility had caused her many sleepless nights. Not knowing what had happened was the worst.

      “I have my son’s DNA,” she continued. “I got it from the umbilical cord that had been saved after his delivery. The police kept that quiet so no one in the media would report it. They wanted to be able to use it when and if they found a baby matching my son’s description. But the police also gave me a copy of those test results, and I was hoping you’d let me compare that DNA to the baby you’re about to adopt.”

      His right eyebrow lifted, and he gave her a cold, hard stare to let her know that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

      “It’s best for all of us if we know the truth,” Bailey said, still trying.

      “Really?” he challenged. “Here’s what I do know.” But a sound cut off whatever he’d been about to say.

      It was a loud bang.

      A gunshot.

      Jackson’s attention went straight to the phone, but he turned the screen so that she couldn’t see.

      “Because you came here today, you might have endangered my son,” he continued, with his gaze fastened to the screen. “If what you’ve told me is true, someone could still be trying to kill you. So why the hell would you want to involve an innocent child in all of this?”

      Her eyes burned, and Bailey tried to blink back the tears. She wasn’t quite successful. “Because I don’t think anyone is still trying to kill me. Besides, I had to know if he’s my son.”

      “And then what?” Jackson snapped. He glared at her.

      That was the hardest question of all, because she couldn’t just walk away until she’d learned the truth.

      She swallowed hard. Even if Caden was indeed her son, Jackson Malone wasn’t just going to let her claim him. He no doubt approached fatherhood like he did his business, and that meant she was in another fight for her life.

      “Caden’s adoption is legal,” Jackson concluded. “No one stole him from you. His birth mother is an unmarried college student from Austin who couldn’t raise him, so she contacted a private adoption agency after he was born.”

      That was info that Bailey hadn’t been able to uncover. But it didn’t mean it was true. Maybe it was a story concocted by the woman who’d stolen Bailey’s newborn.

      His phone buzzed, and Jackson glanced down at the screen. He pulled in a deep breath and used the device to make a call. “Well?” he said to the person who answered.

      Since this was likely about the intruder, Bailey tried to listen, but she couldn’t hear the explanation that Jackson was getting. She held her breath, waiting.

      “My men have the intruder,” Jackson relayed to her when he hung up.

      Relief flooded through her. “He’s alive?”

      “For the moment. He was wounded when he tried to run. That was the shot we heard.”

      But he was still alive. Bailey went to Jackson and caught onto his arm. “Have your men question him. Find out why he was here. You’ll learn that he didn’t come here because of me. He’s probably a would-be kidnapper after the baby.”

      “The sheriff just arrived,” Jackson said, not addressing anything she said. He stared at the grip she had on his arm, and didn’t continue until Bailey drew back her hand. “And here’s what I’m offering. You have two choices. You can leave now and look elsewhere for your missing baby. That includes you never attempting to contact me or my son again.”

      Her relief over the intruder’s capture was short-lived. Bailey shook her head. “But don’t you want to know the truth?”

      Jackson shrugged. “I already know the truth, and Caden is not yours. He’s mine. Leave now, and someone on my staff will drive you back to San Antonio.”

      She couldn’t leave. She might be just a room away from her baby.

      “And if I refuse to leave?” Bailey challenged.

      Another shrug. “Simple. The sheriff will arrest you for trespassing and take you to jail. Your choice, Miss Hodges. Which will it be?”

       Chapter Three

      Jackson rarely bluffed, but that’s exactly what he was doing now.

      Part of him, the paternal part, wanted this woman as far away from Caden as possible. He didn’t want to believe a word she was saying. He wanted to dismiss those photos she carried around like emotional baggage.

      But he couldn’t.

      He wasn’t the type of man to live in denial.

      “Okay,” Bailey said. She nodded, drew in a long breath. “Have me arrested, but I’ll pay the fine, or whatever, and keep coming back. I’m not going away. I will learn the truth.”

      So his bluff had failed. She hadn’t backed down on her story. Still, that didn’t mean she was Caden’s birth mother. It didn’t mean anything other than she was a woman who didn’t give up easily.

      Well, she’d met her match, because he didn’t give up at all. Ever.

      He checked the phone to see the progress going on outside. His men still had the intruder pinned down, and he could see the sheriff and his deputies approaching the ski-masked man.

      Jackson wanted to be out there. He wanted to be the one who got answers from this SOB who had dared to break in to the estate. But he had to stay put. He certainly didn’t want to leave Bailey in the house with Caden. The first thing she would do is go look for the baby. She wouldn’t find him, but he didn’t want his staff to have to deal with containing her.

      In the distance, he could hear the siren of an approaching ambulance. It wouldn’t be long before the sheriff came inside to give him an update. By then, Jackson had to decide what to do about the brunette in front of him.

      “If this is some kind of scam,” he said to her, “I’ll destroy you.” Best to put that out there right up front. He might have toned down his ruthlessness, but he’d resort to a few old habits if this woman was out for money.

      “It’s no scam. I just want to know if he’s my son.”

      Jackson moved closer to her again, because he knew it made her nervous. The last time he’d gotten in her face, her bottom lip had trembled. He didn’t get any satisfaction at the idea of frightening her, but it might be the fastest way to get to the so-called truth that she claimed she wanted.

      He slid his gaze over her. All over her. And he mentally pulled back a little when he felt that punch of attraction again. Hell. Hadn’t his past taught him anything? He couldn’t live his life thinking below the belt.

      “Caden doesn’t look like you,” he pointed out.

      She touched her hand to her short, spiky hair. Yep, she was trembling all right. “This isn’t my natural color. I dyed it after the attempts on my life. I have black hair, like yours.”

      Like Caden’s.

      But he kept that to himself.

      “What color are his eyes?” she asked. Despite the trembling, she no longer seemed

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