Harlequin Romantic Suspense January 2021

by Marie Ferrarella, Regan Black, Karen Whiddon

  “Finally,” Beth Rowson declared, her sharp voice matching the ice in her gaze. She swept past Eva, her disparaging gaze lighting on Jesse before she marched into the kitchen.

  Her husband, Ted, shook his head, his red-rimmed eyes full of emotion as well as censure. He dragged his hand through his perfectly coiffed head of silver hair, barely dislodging a single strand. He stepped into the foyer, stopping abruptly and eyeing Jesse. “Who are you?” he demanded.

  “He’s my bodyguard,” Eva answered for him. “Drew hired him a few weeks ago.”

  “Interesting.” Ted turned his attention back to Eva. “Why did he feel you needed a bodyguard?”

  She answered with the same words Jesse had given the police. “Ever since Drew announced his candidacy, he’d been receiving threats. Some of them included me and Liam. He wanted to make sure I was protected. I’ve given the police this information and they’ve promised to investigate.”

  “Threats. After what happened, it’s clear Drew was the one who needed the protection. What I don’t understand is why he didn’t hire a professional,” the elder Mr. Rowson pointed out. “Why a…biker?” The amount of disdain he interjected into that word would have bothered another man. But Jesse had heard it before and was used to it.

  Eva, however, had been born a biker. While she wanted no part of that lifestyle, she still had a fierce pride in her heritage. She stiffened, her expression going all regal and frozen. “Do you have some sort of objection to bikers?” she asked softly. “Because I know you haven’t forgotten who my father is.”

  Ted Rowson grimaced. He didn’t even have the grace to apologize or even look embarrassed. “You know what I mean,” he said. “Maybe my son would be alive today if he’d hired professional bodyguards instead of amateurs.”

  With that stated, he stamped down the hallway, following his wife to the kitchen.

  Eva sighed and shook her head. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and followed.

  Her mother-in-law had her back to the rest of them, rummaging in the refrigerator with a kind of furious intensity.

  “Is there something I can get you?” Eva asked, as politely as she could manage.

  Beth barely glanced her way. “Drew always made sure to keep some of my favorite yogurts in here. But I don’t see any.”

  “That’s because he only bought them when he knew you were coming to visit,” Eva gently pointed out. “I’m sorry.”

  With an audible gasp, Beth began sobbing. Her husband hurried over to her and gathered her into his arms. They stood that way for a few moments while Beth cried out her sorrow.

  Eva’s eyes filled too. Drew had been Beth’s son, at one time her baby boy, just like Liam was to her now. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the grief ripping through the other woman.

  After a moment, Beth stirred and moved out of her husband’s arms. She grabbed a paper towel off the roll on the counter and blotted at her eyes with it. Ted made his way back to the table, pulled out a chair and dropped heavily into it.

  Eva locked eyes with Jesse, not sure what to do. He stared straight ahead, as if he’d mentally vacated the room. She couldn’t blame him. She’d been married to Drew for two and a half years and during that time period, she’d seen Drew’s parents a grand total of five times. They rarely visited and Drew never went down to Houston to see them. Though she knew he’d planned to once he started canvassing the state for his campaign. Surely, he’d have managed to fit in a visit to his parents on his travels.

  Finally, Beth turned around, her face pale but composed. She looked at Eva, her lips pressed tightly together. “Tomorrow, we’ll take care of the funeral arrangements,” Beth announced, drumming her perfectly manicured scarlet nails on the kitchen counter. “I want to make sure Drew has the best.”

  “That’s not necessary,” Eva said, steeling herself. “I’ve already done all that. The funeral will be at Blackenstock Funeral Home. The arrangements are made. I’ll get you the details once they’re printed up.”

  The older woman’s perfectly made-up eyes narrowed. “I wish you had waited for me. I really wanted to approve the casket.”

  Battling the urge to offer to take her to the funeral home in the morning so she could approve of Eva’s choice, Eva managed to keep her mouth closed.

  When Eva didn’t respond, Beth turned to glare at Jesse, who’d parked himself in his usual position leaning against the wall near the kitchen entrance. “Do you have to lurk around like that?” she demanded. “Isn’t there something else you could do? This is a discussion among family.”

  Ignoring her, Jesse turned to Eva. “Would you like me to leave?”

  “No.” Though she couldn’t say it out loud, Eva desperately needed an ally. Even though Jesse couldn’t involve himself in the discussion, his mere presence gave her strength. And she knew if she wasn’t strong, her in-laws would roll over her like a steamroller on freshly laid concrete. Even Drew had been unable to hold his own around his parents.

  Abruptly, Beth pushed herself up and walked over to the sink, where she stood staring out the window. Her shoulders began shaking as she silently cried.

  In empathy, Eva’s own eyes filled again. No matter how overbearing the older woman might be, she’d adored her only son. When Ted made no move to comfort his wife, Eva went to her and wrapped her arms around her. She wasn’t sure what to say, so she said nothing.

  After a moment, the older woman angrily shoved Eva away. “Tell me, did he suffer?”

  “No. They said he was killed instantly.” Eva swiped at her streaming eyes, relieved to be crying. “No one saw it coming.”

  “Not even your bodyguard?” Ted Rowson asked snidely.

  Eva ignored him. She understood the need to lash out when in pain.

  “I want to know who you spoke to with the police,” Ted said. “I need to talk to him. I want my son’s killer caught as quickly as possible.”

  “So do I. I won’t feel safe until he’s caught. I worry about Liam.” Eva deliberately brought up her son. Though Drew’s parents hadn’t seemed keen on the whole role of loving grandparents, she’d never lost hope that if they actually spent some time with Liam, they’d grow to love him.

  But even after being reminded of his existence, neither of them asked to see her son. Part of her wanted to march upstairs and fetch him, forcing them to have some kind of interaction.

  If her head would quit pounding, she might have. As it was, all she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and try to sleep.

  “Do you have anything to feed us?” Beth demanded, using the paper towel to blot the black mascara stains under her eyes. “We’ve driven a long way. I would have thought your church friends would have brought casseroles and such.”

  Church friends. She knew now wasn’t the time to point out that Drew had rarely attended church unless it had been for a photo op.

  “I can make you a sandwich or something,” she offered.

  The older woman stared at her as if she’d suggested eating raw meat. “Never mind. I’ll just send Ted for something.”

  Eva nodded, the movement sending shards of pain through her head. “I’ll make up the guest bedroom for you.” Part of her hoped Beth would decline and state that she and Ted would stay in a hotel.

  No such luck.

  “Don’t you have a housekeeper to do that?” Ted asked, looking around curiously. “I thought Drew employed a full household staff.”

  Though she had no idea where he’d gotten that idea, Eva explained they employed only a nanny to help with Liam.

  Again, despite the mention of his name, neither of them asked to see their grandson. Eva wished she could understand why that hurt so badly. She guessed until she stopped being an eternal optimist, she’d be doomed to disappointment where these people were concerned.

  Forcing herself to move, she headed back upstairs, first to the lin
en closet and then to the largest guest bedroom, the one on the opposite side of the house from her room. Jesse occupied the smaller one next to the master bedroom and the nursery. The big room she planned on giving her in-laws.

  Of course, Jesse stayed right behind her. When she pulled back the comforter on the queen-size bed, he grabbed the other part of the fitted sheet. “Let me help,” he said quietly. “It’ll get done faster and maybe you can go lie down.”

  Hurting too badly to argue, she shot him a thankful look. They made quick work of making up the bed. “Thank you,” she told him. “How rude would it be if I left them on their own and went to bed?”

  “You’re in mourning too,” he said, his voice gruff. “No one in their right mind would expect a grieving widow to play hostess. If you’d like, I’d be happy to tell them that you’ve gone to bed and are done for the night.”

  To her shock, she actually considered taking him up on his offer. “I’ve still got to check and make sure Kara has bathed Liam before he goes to bed,” she said. “And I always read him a story before he goes to sleep.”

  “What about them?” he asked, gesturing toward downstairs. “Don’t they want to come see their grandson?”

  Staring at him, too tired to mask her sadness, she shook her head. “They just don’t find him interesting. They never have. I’m not sure why, but it is what it is.”

  “Would you like me to entertain them while you do that?” he asked. “Just let me know what I can do to help.”

  “I’d like that,” she said softly. “Take care of them for me. I don’t have the energy to deal with them any more tonight.”

  * * *

  Though he had no earthly idea what he could talk to them about, Jesse dutifully trudged back downstairs. Drew’s parents were discussing Eva, making no effort to lower their voices.

  “I’m telling you, she’s glad he’s dead,” Beth Rowson declared. “I knew she never loved our son.” With that, she began loudly weeping, repeating over and over that she couldn’t believe he was gone.

  When Jesse walked into the room, instead of finding Ted comforting his wife, he realized the older man had walked over to the front window and stood staring outside, his back to the room.

  Still crying, Beth didn’t look up when Jesse entered the room.

  “Excuse me.” Jesse cleared his throat. “Eva is putting Liam to bed. Would you like me to take you up to see him before he goes to sleep?”

  Wiping at her streaming eyes, Beth glared at him. Her husband remained at the window, not even bothering to turn around.

  “We’ll pass,” Ted replied. “We’re not all that fond of children.”

  For the first time ever, Jesse felt pity for what Drew must have endured growing up. “This is your grandson,” Jesse continued. “Not just any child. He lost his father, just like you lost your son. I think he—and Eva—could use all the family love and support right now.”

  At his words, Beth’s tears dried up and her expression went from devastated to furious. “Who do you think you are, attempting to lecture us on personal family matters? It’s none of your business what we do or don’t do.”

  Since she was right, Jesse shut his mouth and turned to go. Just as he reached the exit, Ted spoke, shocking him.

  “Liam is not our grandson. Neither Drew nor we believe he’s related by blood. Eva clearly slept with someone else right before she married Drew. All you have to do is look at the boy to see that. There’s not a trace of Rowson blood in that child.”

  CHAPTER 4

  After excusing himself and leaving the two elder Rowsons alone, Jesse kept hearing those words over and over inside his head as he climbed the stairs. Liam was not Drew’s son. As far as he knew, that left only one other man who might be the father. Blindsided, he wondered why the possibility had never occurred to him.

  Probably because he’d known Eva would have told him. He would have sworn she didn’t have a dishonest bone in her body.

  Now he had to wonder. If she would lie about this, who knew what other truths she might hide. Regardless, it was time for her to come clean. He did the math inside his head, remembering the last time he and Eva had made love. Hell, he’d never been able to forget it, lovesick idiot that he’d been. Now he directed most of his anger at her, though he reserved some for himself, for never questioning the speed at which Eva had conceived with Drew. Little infuriated him more than being treated like a fool.

  When he reached the doorway to the bedroom, he stopped short, swallowing back his angry questions. Eva sat with the towheaded toddler in his bed, a large picture book open between them. For the first time, he realized both Eva and Drew had dark hair. Eva’s was almost black. When Jesse had been Liam’s age, his hair had been the same almost platinum blond. While he knew it was entirely possible for two brunettes to have a blond child, Liam’s facial structure told the rest of the story. High cheekbones and a cleft chin. If Jesse were to dig out an old photograph of himself at age two and compare it with a picture of Liam, anyone would be hard-pressed to tell the two apart.

  Right then, what was left of his shattered heart crumbled into dust. How could Eva have done such a thing—not only passing off his son as another man’s—but denying Jesse the opportunity to know his own child?

  Simmering with a quiet fury, he parked himself out in the hallway where he couldn’t see them. He wouldn’t confront her in front of the boy. The boy who just might be his son. And if that was true, that meant Jesse had been cheated out of the first two years of Liam’s life.

  By the woman he’d thought he’d loved. Still did, actually. Sadly, he realized he couldn’t turn off his emotions so easily. Somehow, even in his angry confusion, he couldn’t stop caring about her, wanting her.

  Finally, Eva emerged from the nursery, closing the door quietly after her. “He’s finally asleep,” she said, smiling when she saw Jesse waiting for her. Something of his turmoil must have shown in his expression because her smile faded. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Where do I begin? Let’s see. I found out why the Rowsons don’t want to spend much time with Liam,” he drawled, careful to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

  “You did?” One perfectly arched brow rose. “You asked them?”

  “Sort of, yes.” Still he waited, giving her the opportunity to open up and tell him the truth.

  She shrugged. “I’m surprised they answered you. I can’t think of any excuse they might offer that would make sense. What did they say?”

  He decided not to sugarcoat it. “They don’t believe he’s Drew’s son.”

  Her mouth fell open. Rapidly collecting herself, she closed it. “Are you serious?”

  “I am.” He took a deep breath, trying to unclench his teeth. “And now, after I took a good, long look at him, I don’t either. So tell me, Eva. If he’s not Drew’s, whose son is he?”

  Now she wouldn’t look at him. Twisting her hands together, she avoided his gaze. “As far as I know, he’s Drew’s. Of course.”

  “As far as you know?” The sharp edge in his voice cut through the BS like a knife. “Come on. Is there a possibility that he’s mine?”

  She swallowed hard. “I don’t know.” But she wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  This response had him jamming his hands into his pockets so he didn’t punch the wall. “We made love right before you took off for greener pastures. Right before you told me you’d met someone else. You married Drew less than a month later. Refresh my memory, please. When exactly was Liam born?”

  “June 7,” she whispered. “And yes, if you do the math, it’s possible he’s yours. But it’s also possible he’s not.”

  He saw red. It took several deep breaths before he trusted himself to speak. “I see. Which means what? You were sleeping with both of us at the same time?”

  “Of course not.” Her head snapped up at that. “Leaving you brok
e my heart. Drew and I had been talking but not dating. I barely knew him. He took me out to distract me and I had too much to drink.”

  “Which means what? He took advantage of you?” He shouldn’t feel sympathy, not even the slightest twinge, but somehow he did. His love for her made him foolish and weak. Ruthlessly, he pushed it away.

  Looking down at the floor, she didn’t answer for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice trembled. “About a month later, I realized I was pregnant. That’s the entire reason Drew and I got married.”

  “I want a DNA test.” The request came out of nowhere, but the instant he spoke, he knew that was right. “I need to know if he’s my son.”

  Warily, she eyed him. “And then what, Jesse? What do you intend to do?”

  The question stopped him dead in his tracks. “I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. “But I can promise you this. If he is mine, I’m going to want to be part of his life.”

  She nodded, the pain in her eyes matching his own. “I understand.”

  “Do you? Somehow, I doubt that.”

  * * *

  Watching Jesse walk away, fury radiating from his very pores, Eva found herself battling the urge to go after him. Because he was right to be angry. The day she’d been dreading had finally arrived. Instead, she found her way to her bedroom, her entire body now aching as bad as her head and heart. Get some sleep, she’d thought earlier. As if that would be even a remote possibility now.

  Closing the door, she dropped down onto her bed and kicked her shoes off. She kept seeing his face, his handsome, beloved face, and the betrayal blazing from his eyes. She felt like she’d been sucker punched, so she could only imagine how Jesse felt. He’d looked at her like that only once before, as if she’d betrayed him, and that had been when she’d broken up with him and said she’d met someone else. She’d honestly had to use that excuse, knowing if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have had the strength to walk away from him.

  Even now, she’d wondered how she’d been so strong. And she didn’t understand what had possessed her father to send Jesse here after her. Had he somehow known Liam might be Jesse’s son?