Colton's Secret Son

A new panic leaped into her throat. “Pick him up? Where are you going to take him?”

“I thought I’d take him to Mac’s ranch. I haven’t had a chance to stop in there and say hello since I’ve been back in town.” He crooked an eyebrow up. “If you’re worried that I’ll steal him away from you, then you need to relax. I wouldn’t do that to him.”

Relax? How could she when his very presence there had shaken her to her very soul? How could she relax when he apparently wanted to step into a parent role, even though he’d walked away from her...from their love so easily almost ten years before?

“Then we’ll see you tomorrow.” She was ready for this conversation to end. She needed to go home and process just how much he’d turned her world upside down.

“I’ll send Cody out.” He headed for the house.

Allison got back into the car and finally drew in a deep breath. She’d always felt half-breathless when around Knox. He was ten years older than he’d been the last time she’d seen him, but those years had only made him more attractive.

He was deeply tanned, which made the blue of his eyes more intense. His light brown hair was clipped short, emphasizing his chiseled, handsome features.

Despite the shock of seeing him, in spite of the simmering anger that had marked their conversation, she had to admit that he still held some sort of sensual power over her.

She’d wanted to brush her fingers through his hair, feel the strength of his arms around her and taste his lips once again.

Foolish, foolish thoughts. She’d been devastated when he’d left her ten years ago. Ten years was a long time. She had no idea what kind of a man he’d really become, and the last thing she wanted was to allow Fort Knox back into her life in any capacity.

Jade’s front door opened and Cody came running out. Allison drew another deep breath to steady her emotions. Whether she liked it or not, Knox was back in her life for now. She just prayed he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Cody.

Chapter 2

Anger still ripped through Knox as he headed back to Thorne’s ranch. The only thing that tempered it was the remaining shock of discovering he was a father.

Knox had never known his father. Livia had divorced Tad Whitman when Knox was only two and then she’d changed his last name to Colton and moved to Austin. He wasn’t even sure if Tad Whitman was really his father. There had been rumors that Tad’s father had gotten Livia pregnant.

After that there had been a succession of stepdaddies and new siblings, but never a real father figure in his life on a permanent basis other than Mac. Knox wanted better for Cody.

Maybe Cody already had a father figure in his life. The thought gave him pause. He hadn’t asked if Allison was married and another man was raising Cody as his own.

She was certainly attractive enough to have caught some man’s eyes. He hadn’t been so consumed by his anger that he hadn’t noticed she was even prettier now than she’d been when they’d been an item.

Her dark blond hair had been pulled back into a messy knot at the nape of her neck, emphasizing her high cheekbones and sensual mouth. The green blouse she’d had on had toyed with her hazel eyes, turning them more green than gold.

And nobody wore a pair of jeans like Allison. The denim hugged her long, slender legs and reminded him of how much he had loved those sleek legs tangled with his.

He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and embraced his anger. It was far easier to sustain that emotion than drift into ridiculous thoughts of his past relationship with Allison.

He’d spent far too many nights in the past thinking about her, missing her and wondering what might have been if they’d made different decisions so long ago. He’d also spent many of those nights hating her.

Almost ten years ago he’d called her to see if the baby she’d had was his. She’d told him it belonged to an old boyfriend and she’d gotten pregnant during the time after she and Knox had renewed their relationship. He’d hated her then for betraying his love.

He’d already been reeling because of his mother’s arrest. He’d told Allison in the midst of that drama that he just needed some time and distance from her. He’d needed a couple of weeks to pull himself together and to make sure his siblings were doing okay. But with his younger sisters taken care of and the rest of the clan self-sufficient, Knox had left for Texas and gotten a job as a Ranger.

He’d never really intended to leave Allison forever, but it had taken him months to get his head back on straight after his mother’s trial and all that dust had settled. Life with the Rangers had been all-consuming and just about the time he felt it was right to reach out to Allison again, he’d heard she’d had a baby.

The timing was right for the child to be his, but then she’d told him it wasn’t and he’d been devastated. Her betrayal had been just another blow by a woman...one he couldn’t get past.

But this betrayal cut even deeper. Dammit, she should have told him about Cody. He’d already missed so much of his life. Not only had he missed out on the wonder of his birth, but he’d also missed Cody’s first step, his first word...so many firsts.

He took the turn into Thorne’s ranch a little too fast and dust kicked up as the back tires of his sports car spun out. He quickly righted the car and pulled to a stop in front of the attractive ranch house.

“Hey, are you looking for a second job as a race-car driver?” Thorne shouted from the door of the barn as Knox got out of the car.

Knox waited as his half brother approached him. Thorne’s dark skin gleamed in the sunshine and his smile eased some of the tension in Knox’s gut, some...but not all.

Thorne’s smile fell and he obviously felt the tension radiating from Knox. “What’s up?”

“Have you ever seen Allison Rafferty’s boy?”

“Sure, I’ve seen him around town with Allison. Why?”

“Have you ever noticed that he looks a lot like me?”

Thorne’s light brown eyes narrowed slightly. “Why don’t we go inside? This definitely feels like a sit-down talk.”

Knox nodded. The two men didn’t speak again until they were seated across from each other at the kitchen table. “I just found out that Allison’s son is mine,” Knox finally said.

Thorne’s eyes widened in surprise. “I had no idea,” he replied. “I remember there was some speculation and a little scandal when everyone realized she was pregnant, but I figured if the baby was yours you would be here with her.”

Knox fisted his hands on top of the table. “She lied to me, Thorne. Almost ten years ago she told me her baby’s father was an old boyfriend. She’s kept him from me for all these years.”

Thorne leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “Can you really blame her?”

Knox stared at Thorne in surprise. The last thing he’d expected was for his brother to defend Allison.

“Think about it,” Thorne continued. “You had pulled away from her when Mother was arrested.”

“I had to make sure all of you were going to be okay. I thought I was going to take physical custody of Jade and Claudia. I was more than a little out of my mind when I left, but I always figured I’d eventually wind up with Allison.”

“Did you tell Allison that at the time?” Thorne asked.

Knox frowned. “No, I just told her I needed a little break from her.” He hadn’t wanted her to know how crazy he was at the time; he hadn’t wanted her to see him as weak. And then he’d heard about the baby and it had been the light in a sea of darkness...until she’d told him the baby belonged to an ex.

“Knox, you were gone and the Colton name was being dragged through the mud because of Mother’s arrest. The whole town had turned against us. Is it any wonder she didn’t want to burden her child with anything Colton?”

Myriad emotions flooded Knox’s head and he rubbed a hand in the center of his forehead where a headache had begun to pound. No, it wasn’t any wonder Allison hadn’t wanted that. At that time, Knox hadn’t wanted to be a Colton, but she still shouldn’t have lied to him when he’d asked her point-blank about the baby.

“Allison is well respected in Shadow Creek.” Thorne leaned forward. “Now her reputation is stellar. She’s known as a great single mother, a savvy businesswoman, and is generous in charity work. She gained a lot of respect for nursing her sick father until he passed two years ago.”

“She isn’t married?”

Thorne shook his head. “From everything I hear she’s totally devoted to raising her boy.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Knox asked.

“Because she has a good life here and I don’t want you to blow into town and screw things up for her before you leave once again and she has to pick up all the pieces.”

“I have no intention of screwing anything up for her. I just want a relationship with my son,” Knox replied firmly. “Thorne, you have a great relationship with your father. You don’t know what it’s like not to have one in your life, but I do and I want better for Cody.”

“Don’t be a father to him for as long as you’re back in town and then forget about him when you return to Ranger life,” Thorne advised.

“I don’t want to be just a vacation father. I want to be in his life in a meaningful way until the day I die.” Knox’s heart swelled with love for the boy he had yet to really know.

Thorne grinned. “Then congratulations, it’s a boy.”

Knox laughed. “Thanks. I’m picking him up tomorrow and I thought I’d take him over to your father’s place. I figured maybe we could throw a couple of lines into the pond and do a little fishing.”

“You know Dad would love to see you,” Thorne replied and stood. “I’m surprised Allison agreed to letting you take him.”

“I threatened her with lawyers,” Knox admitted.

“Whew, you must have been mad. And now I need to get back out to the barn. I’ve been cleaning tack all morning.” Knox stood as well and on impulse gave his half brother a quick man hug.

“What was that for?” Thorne asked in surprise.

“For the hard talk and good advice.”

“Anytime,” Thorne replied and then he headed out the back door.

Knox sank back down at the table, his thoughts on his younger half brother. Knox had been five when Thorne had been born, but it hadn’t taken him long to realize Thorne didn’t look exactly like him. Instead, Thorne had the same dark skin and curly hair as their African-American ranch foreman, Joseph “Mac” Mackenzie.

Rumors had flown in the small town, and Livia, with her usual wicked machinations, had thrown her husband at the time under the bus. She’d transformed Wes Kingston, the father of her son River, from a dashing rancher to an abusive husband who eventually divorced her. Mac had stayed on as foreman at the ranch to be near his son. He’d even bought some of the land to ensure that he’d never be displaced.

Wes Kingston hadn’t been the last of his mother’s lovers or husbands, and each one had left her financially better off until she was one of the wealthiest people in the area.

Her last husband, Fabrizio Artero, had been a successful Argentine horse breeder. He’d been a decent stepfather and had doted on Jade until he’d been kicked in the head by a horse and died.

Knox got up and moved to the window to stare out at the pastures in the distance, his thoughts still consumed by the woman who had given birth to him.

Livia hadn’t made it into the inner society circles in Austin, but here in Shadow Creek she’d ruled as queen. She’d built a much-needed hospital, had funded most of the 4-H program and had thrown elaborate barbecues that had been the talk of the town.

Nobody had known the depths of Livia’s deceptions until she was arrested and indicted on charges of human and drug trafficking, among other crimes. Nobody had known that she’d been a ruthless general working for an organized crime group. She’d even been found guilty of murder.

She’d been under investigation by the FBI for years and they’d finally gained the evidence they needed to put her away forever. La Bonne Vie, the family’s beautiful mansion, their land and all the livestock had been confiscated by the authorities. The place had remained vacant since then.

Knox could only hope the authorities would find Livia as quickly as possible and get her back behind bars where she deserved to spend the rest of her life. He hoped his mother didn’t even know that he was back in Shadow Creek.

He turned away from the window and shoved thoughts of his mother out of his head. She wasn’t his problem anymore, other than the fact that her latest escapades had screwed up his job for now.

He went down the hallway to the bedroom where he was staying and sat on the edge of the bed as thoughts of a different woman filled his mind.

Allison Rafferty.

His blood warmed as he thought of how the sun had sparked in her hair. For a moment he imagined he could smell the apple and spice scent she’d always worn, the fragrance that had once represented tangled sheets, sweet sighs and lovemaking.

She’d been in his blood for years. She’d been his first lover and he’d once thought they would be together forever. There had been other women during the times they’d been broken apart, but none had touched him like she had.

He jerked himself off the bed. He didn’t want to sit around and think about Allison and what they had once shared. She wasn’t the woman he’d once believed was good and pure. Hell, half the reason he’d left town in the first place was to shield her from any evil his mother might bring to her life.

She was nothing more to him than a woman who had lied, who had kept the secret of his son for far too long. He’d have to deal with her because of Cody, but he would never, ever forgive her.

* * *

The next day, Allison watched the spring sunshine flood through one of the beautiful stained glass windows of the First Methodist Church of Shadow Creek. Reverend Johnson stood at the pulpit and droned on with his sermon about turning the other cheek and forgiveness, but Allison was too busy praying to pay much attention to what he had to say.

In less than an hour Knox would pick up Cody and spend the day with him. She prayed that Knox would keep his promise and not tell Cody that he was his father. She hoped Knox was in this for the long term and she desperately prayed that he wouldn’t break her son’s heart.

She’d never prayed as hard as she did now, with Cody wiggling in impatience next to her and a wealth of anxiety pressing tight in her chest.

She should have told Knox no. She should have held her ground and not allowed him to spend any time with Cody. Now it was too late to go back on it because she’d already told Cody, who was excited about spending time with Knox.

Normally after church she and Cody lingered and visited with friends and neighbors, but today they hurried to the car immediately after the service was over.

“I can’t wait for Knox to pick me up,” Cody said as soon as she was on the road and headed home. “I’ve never been to Mr. Mackenzie’s ranch before. What do you think we’ll do there?”

“I don’t know. But I’m sure whatever you do, you’ll have fun,” she replied. “And you know how nice Mr. Mackenzie is.”

“Yeah, he’s cool. Knox is really cool, too. Did you know he’s a Texas Ranger?” Cody’s voice held all the excitement of a boy anticipating a brand-new adventure.

“Yes, I knew that,” Allison replied.

When they reached their two-story house just off Main Street, Cody was nearly out of the car before she had completely parked. He raced to the porch and danced in impatience as he waited for her to join him and unlock the front door.

“I’ve got to hurry. He’ll be here in fifteen minutes,” Cody exclaimed.

“Make sure you hang up your church clothes,” Allison yelled after him as he scurried up the stairs to his bedroom.

In fifteen minutes, her entire life would change and she couldn’t begin to guess if the changes would be good or bad. She tucked her keys back into her purse and then walked through the living room and into the kitchen.

No matter what she thought of Knox Colton, he would now be back in her life. Her biggest concern was that he would be around just long enough to completely capture Cody’s heart and then he’d be gone once again.

He’d do to her son what he’d done to her. Even though ten years had passed, despite all the life that she had lived in that passage of time, she still remembered the anguish that had filled her heart when Knox had told her he needed time away from her. She’d been blinded by her hurt, and that’s why she’d lied to him in the first place.

There was no question that Cody could use a male figure in his life. Since the death of Allison’s father two years ago, there had been no masculine influences for him. She hadn’t considered dating. Raising Cody and running the family business had been enough.

She sank down at the table and wondered what on earth she was going to do with herself during the time Cody was with Knox today. For a little more than nine years her life had revolved around her son. On most Sundays they spent the day together, playing games and watching movies and cooking his favorite foods for dinner. Sundays had always been special for them because it was the one day a week when she wasn’t at work at the family construction business.

She didn’t even know if he’d be back by dinner this evening, and he hadn’t eaten any lunch. Should she make him a quick sandwich? She quickly dismissed the idea. Surely Knox knew that if he was picking Cody up right after church he would need some lunch.

She tried to shove her anxiety aside as Cody came into the kitchen. Church clothes had been replaced by a pair of jeans and his favorite blue-plaid flannel shirt.

“Looks like you’re all ready to go,” she said around the sudden lump in her throat.

He nodded and his eyes grew somber as he slid into the chair next to hers. “Will you be okay today without me?”

She looked at her son in surprise. “Buddy, I’ll be just fine. I might spend the day doing some girlie stuff.” A nine-year-old shouldn’t have to worry about his mother spending a Sunday afternoon alone.

“Girlie stuff?” Cody looked at her curiously.

She nodded. “I might take a nice, long bubble bath and then paint my nails and watch a sappy movie.”

“Sounds boring,” Cody replied. “What color are you gonna paint your nails?”

“I was thinking maybe purple with green sparkles.” She waited for it and she wasn’t disappointed.

Cody laughed. The wonderful, boyish sound filled the kitchen and wove a path straight to Allison’s heart. “You are not,” he finally replied.

At that moment the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Cody said. He shot off his chair and fight-or-flight adrenaline pulsed through Allison. She heard Cody’s excited voice and then Knox’s deeper one.

She took a couple gulps of air in an attempt to still her nerves. She didn’t mind sharing Cody, she just wasn’t sure she wanted to share him with Knox Colton. But she reminded herself that it didn’t matter what she wanted anymore.

She was just starting to rise from her chair when the two walked into the kitchen. “Don’t get up.” Knox waved her back down.

“Cody hasn’t had any lunch,” she said, as if that was the most important information he needed to know. He needed to know that Cody hated green peppers and that he sometimes ran too fast for his own safety. Knox needed to know that Cody had a heart of gold and cared deeply about others.

There were so many things he needed to know, but her voice failed her in that moment. She’d always thought her kitchen was large and airy, but it seemed much smaller with Knox’s presence.

He looked ridiculously handsome in a pair of tight jeans and a dark blue, long-sleeved polo shirt that hugged his lean stomach and emphasized his broad shoulders and muscular biceps. His black cowboy hat rode at a cocky angle on his head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll see that he gets lunch,” he replied and ruffled his hand on top of Cody’s head. Cody looked up at him with a big smile. “I planned on bringing him home sometime after dinner. Does that work for you?”

“I’d like him home by seven at the latest. He has school tomorrow. We should exchange cell phone numbers.” She hoped Cody didn’t feel the tension in the air. Although Knox’s tone of voice was pleasant enough, his gaze was cold as ice as it lingered on her.

“That’s a good idea,” he agreed.

“And then we’ll go, right, Knox?” Cody asked eagerly.

Knox laughed. Oh, Allison had forgotten the magic of his deep, wonderful laughter. “And then we’ll go,” he agreed.

For just a moment his gaze met Allison’s and the icy cold had been replaced with a warmth that stole her breath away. It was there only a couple of seconds and then gone.

He averted his gaze to sweep the kitchen. “You’ve got a nice place here.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “I bought this house after Dad passed away.” She’d been shocked to discover that her father had a substantial life insurance policy when he’d passed. It had been enough money to buy the house outright and had given her and her son some financial security.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he replied. “John was a good man.”

“Thank you. He’d been sick for a long time.” A hollow wind blew through her as she thought of her father.

“Grandpa Rafferty helped me build a birdhouse. It’s hanging in a tree in our backyard,” Cody said. “Maybe when we come home later you can see it and you can also see my room. But now shouldn’t we get going?”

Knox grinned down at Cody. “Yeah, let’s get going.”

Allison got up to walk them to the door. “I’ll see you this evening.”

“See you later, Mom. And don’t paint your fingernails purple and green,” Cody replied.

With that they were gone, taking half of her heart with them. The house had never been as silent as it was then, with only the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

She returned to her chair in the kitchen and stared unseeing out the nearby window. Not for the first time in the past two years, she wished her father was still there.

John Rafferty had been a single parent after Allison’s mother had died of cancer when her daughter had been five. He’d been both mother and father to her, and eventually good friend and mentor.

He could build a bookcase and braid her hair. He could renovate a kitchen and bake cupcakes for a school party. Unfortunately a heart attack had left him in a wheelchair and eventually his weakened, diseased heart had just stopped working.

Growing up, she’d spent much of her time with the smell of freshly cut wood as familiar as the sound of her own voice. After school and on the weekends, she spent time at the construction company her father owned, the same one she now owned and operated.

What a hypocrite she was, sitting there and missing her own father and at the same time half wishing Cody’s had never shown up in town.

Cody deserved to know his dad. She could only hope and pray that Knox took far better care of Cody’s heart than he had of hers.

With the day stretching out in front of her, she moved from her chair at the table to the one at the small kitchen desk. She opened the laptop and powered it on.

Every couple of days, it was usual for her to check out Everything’s Blogger in Texas, a wildly popular site that served up the gossip of the area. It was a guilty pleasure, just like watching the Real Housewives franchise once a week.

Today the cover story was of a Dallas socialite who had been arrested for drunk driving after leading the police on a dangerous chase.

The headline on the second lead story was Femme Fatale Still on the Loose. Allison clicked to read the article. It was a rehash of Livia Colton’s escape from prison with nothing new added to the story since her disappearance.

A slight chill ran across her skin as she thought of Knox’s mother. The last thing she had wanted was for Livia Colton to find out she had a grandchild. Allison had always known the woman was a hateful witch, but she hadn’t known how truly dangerous she was until her arrest and subsequent trial. Fear of Livia Colton had been part of what had made her lie to Knox about Cody’s paternity.