Slade's Secret Son. Elizabeth August

two older women got along fine most of the time, but when they had their squabbles her mother would call. Finally, Lisa had set her fork aside and faced him levelly. “There is something I need to know,” she’d said.

      A terse edge in her voice told him that he was the source of whatever was troubling her. “What?”

      “When we first started seeing each other, you made it clear you never intended to remarry. And, at the time, I was willing to accept that. But things have changed for me. I need to know if we have a real future together.” Her jaw had tensed, a sign he’d recognized as an indication that this was difficult for her. “I need to know if there is any possibility that you will reconsider and we might marry.”

      “No,” he’d answered honestly.

      Anger had shown in her eyes. “You would rather continue to live with a ghost than with me?”

      “I have my reasons.”

      “I need more than an affair.” She’d risen from the table. “I do not want to see you again. I’ll call a cab to take me home.”

      Saying nothing to stop her, he’d simply sat and watched her walk out. Deep within he’d experienced a twist of regret, but he’d told himself it was for the best. She deserved more than he could give.

      Less than a month later she’d moved to Seattle to live with her mother and aunt. They’d kept their affair very private, even from his own family. Granted Boyd had known Slade had dated her, but even he’d been made to understand that their relationship was not an emotional one. So there had been no gossip at work nor any outsiders trying to get them back together. During the short time she’d remained in Lubbock, she’d avoided him as much as possible and, he admitted, he’d avoided her. There had been only one final encounter. He shoved that memory from his mind.

      “I got the impression she didn’t really want to be here,” Katrina mused out loud, jerking Slade’s mind back to the present. “Must have been something important. She certainly wasn’t here for a social call.”

      Slade had to admit that Katrina was right. So, why had Lisa come here?

      A blue pickup similar to Slade’s came down the driveway, parked beside Slade’s vehicle, and a man also wearing the badge of a Texas Ranger climbed out of the cab. “I swear I just passed Lisa Gray on the road,” Boyd Logan, a younger version of Slade, said, striding toward his wife and brother.

      “You did,” Katrina replied.

      “You chased her off again?” Boyd frowned at Slade. “I only met her a couple of times, but I was under the impression she was not only a terrific police officer, she was a good woman…strong, honest.”

      “I didn’t chase her off the first time,” Slade replied. “She just figured there was nothing worth staying for.”

      Boyd shook his head at his brother. “If you don’t learn to put the past behind you, you’re never going to have a future.”

      Slade’s jaw hardened. “I’m satisfied with my life just the way it is.”

      Boyd didn’t look convinced, but let the subject drop. “So why was Lisa here?”

      “She didn’t say,” Slade replied.

      Boyd raised an eyebrow. “She came all the way from Seattle and didn’t say why?”

      A part of Slade wanted to let Lisa go her own way, but a stronger part couldn’t. Katrina was right. Lisa wouldn’t have come here without a very strong reason. “Think I’d better find out why she came.”

      Boyd nodded his agreement.

      “Looks like you won’t have to go far.” Katrina motioned toward the road with twist of her head.

      The men turned to see Lisa’s car returning.

      “Boyd and I’ll just go in the kitchen and finish cooking dinner,” Katrina said, taking hold of her husband’s arm and pulling him along with her.

      Slade didn’t even acknowledge their departure. He was already on his way to meet Lisa as she climbed out of her car. “What’s going on?” He read the proud defiance on her face. “Must be something real important to make you overcome that pride of yours.”

      Lisa swallowed the lump of rebellion that had formed in her throat. “It is.” She steeled herself and met his gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

      Slade could see how much this was costing her. “Then tell me.”

      “I want you to know that I would never have come here if I’d had any other option.”

      “That’s pretty obvious,” Slade said, noting that the strain lines in her face were deepening by the second.

      Her jaw tensed even more. “I took a bullet three weeks ago. I was lucky. A quarter of an inch to the right and I would have been dead. My mortality is why I’m here. I’d never really come to grips with it before.”

      The thought of her close brush with death caused a spasm of fear for her to race through him. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

      Lisa read the honesty in his eyes. There was even a touch of warmth. That’s not going to last long. “Anyway, I realized that if I’d died…” She paused to swallow the lump that had again formed in her throat. “I never wanted to ask you for anything, but my mother is too old and not in a financial position to take on the responsibility of raising a child.”

      Slade’s gaze narrowed on her. “Child?”

      Lisa breathed a terse sigh. “Our son.”

      He had a son. A surge of joy, pride and excitement he’d never expected to ever experience mingled within him. These emotions were followed by anger. “You had my child and weren’t even going to tell me?”

      “You refused to open your heart to me. You’ve made it into a shrine to Claudette. I figured you wouldn’t want a child of mine. And I’m not asking you for anything for either of us right now. We’re doing just fine on our own. As long as nothing happens to me, you’ll never have to concern yourself about us. I just want your word that if anything does happen to me, you’ll see that Andy is taken care of.”

      “You’re joking, right? You think I’ll just walk away from my child?”

      Lisa was tempted to point out that he’d had no trouble walking away from her, but bit back the words. She didn’t want him to know how much he’d hurt her. “I didn’t come here to invite you into our lives. I came here because I want to know my son has a safety net.”

      “Our son. And I intend to be a great deal more than a safety net to him.”

      Lisa had convinced herself that while Slade would do his duty by Andy and see that the boy was looked after if anything happened to her, he would be perfectly happy to stay on the sidelines unless involving himself in Andy’s life became necessary. She had, in fact, been certain he would be grateful to her for not telling him she’d gotten pregnant and for allowing him to remain on his own. Apparently she’d been wrong on this point.

      “Where is he? I want to see him.”

      “He’s in Seattle with my mother.”

      Slade caught her by the arm and began pulling her along with him toward the house. “I’m calling my commander and telling him that I need a few days off. Then we’re booking the first flight to Seattle.”

      A spasm of pain from her healing wound shot through Lisa, but it was the way her body reacted to his touch that shook her to the core. After all this time he could still make her blood race. “Let go of me.”

      Slade heard the edge of pain in her voice. Coming to an abrupt halt, he released her. “I’m sorry. I forgot you’d been shot,” he apologized gruffly. “This has been a shock.” His jaw hardened. “I know I’m partially to blame for you not coming to me when you discovered you were