Colton's Secret Son

by Carla Cassidy

  It took about an hour for the interrogation to be over and then Knox walked the sheriff out and Allison hugged her son close to her side. “I’m so very proud of you, Cody.”

  He looked up at her and a little line creased his forehead. “Mom, are you still gonna let me walk home from the bus stop? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  There was a part of her that wanted to scream no. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t want him to go to school at all, that she never wanted him to leave her side again. But that was something she couldn’t show him because she didn’t want him to live in that fear.

  “No, you didn’t do anything wrong and, yes, of course you can still walk home from the bus stop,” she agreed slowly. “A bad thing happened to you, but it’s over and we shouldn’t be afraid anymore.”

  “I’m not scared,” Cody replied. “I’ve got a new dad and you promised me hot ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch and I don’t want to be afraid of living my life.”

  Sometimes, Cody’s wisdom and grown-up attitude amazed her and this was one of those times. She kissed him on the cheek and then stood. “Come on, it’s about time for those sandwiches. and you can help me set the table.”

  They were in the kitchen when Knox joined them. “Anything new?” she asked.

  “Nothing that can’t wait,” he replied, letting her know that he didn’t want to speak in front of Cody about any information he’d gotten from the sheriff.

  They finished lunch and the afternoon was filled with people coming and going. Dalton and Brett stopped by to gather up their equipment and say goodbye, and after they left Wendall and Jim stopped in to get their things.

  “All’s well that ends well,” Wendall said as they walked the deputies to the front door.

  “If you or Jim ever decide to run for sheriff, you’d have our support,” Knox said.

  “No way,” Wendall laughed, and Jim echoed the sentiment. “Maybe you should run,” Wendall added.

  “Right now all I want to be is a father to my son,” Knox replied.

  At three thirty Cody asked if Josh could come over to play, and after a talk with the child’s mother, Josh showed up and the two boys went up to Cody’s room.

  It was only then that she and Knox finally got an opportunity to talk alone. “There were no fingerprints on the handkerchief,” he said as they sat at the kitchen table.

  “So, even if it was your mother, there’s no proof it was her.”

  “It was my mother,” he replied flatly. “They found a burner cell phone on Earl and it basically told the whole story. Earl drove the van in my mother’s escape from prison. He took her to the border, where she was supposed to pay him a large sum of money. She didn’t pay him. Instead she shot him and left him for dead.”

  He paused and took a sip from his coffee cup and then continued. “Apparently, Earl kidnapped Cody in hopes of drawing my mother out. He thought she would care.”

  “But she killed Earl and saved Cody,” Allison said.

  Knox frowned. “No, she killed a loose end. Mother doesn’t like loose ends. She tried to get rid of him once and it didn’t work, so she came after him again. The coroner said his gunshot wound probably would have killed him anyway. Apparently, he’d gotten no medical help for it and it was badly infected. But the stab in the back did the trick. There’s no doubt in my mind she killed Earl for herself, not for any love of Cody.”

  Allison didn’t attempt to say anything in an effort to make him feel better. “Do you think she’s still here in town?”

  “Who knows? She’s not my problem anymore.” He got up from the chair and carried his cup to the sink. “And now it’s time for me to get my things and get out of here. I guess we’re back on for our usual visitation times?”

  She nodded, not wanting him to go, but he’d said nothing to indicate that he wanted to stay. She got up from the table and walked with him to the bottom of the stairs.

  “I’ll grab my clothes and say goodbye to Cody. I’ll be right back.”

  She watched him climb the stairs and her chest ached. He was still the protective teenager who had captured her heart, and he was still the man she wanted in her life forever.

  When he came back down the stairs, he had the duffel of clothes that Thorne had brought to him. “I told Cody I’d pick him up after school on Thursday. I figured you’d want him here for the rest of tonight.”

  He walked to the front door, as if he suddenly couldn’t wait to get away from her. “So, I’ll see you Thursday afternoon.”

  And then he was gone, leaving only the faint scent of his cologne and an all-too-familiar heartache.

  * * *

  “Mom, we’re home,” Cody yelled as he opened the front door. Knox followed just behind him into the house.

  Allison came down the stairs and greeted them with a wide smile. “I’ve been waiting for you. Come into the kitchen for cookies and milk before you take your bath and you can tell me all about your adventures.”

  “Can Dad have cookies, too?” Cody asked.

  She nodded and smiled once again. “I already made the coffee.” It was so nice to see her face with only happiness radiating outward and without the stress and fear that had marked her features for too long.

  As always, she looked lovely in a casual, mint-green dress that kissed her curves as it fell to her ankles. And as always, Knox wanted her.

  They all gathered around the kitchen table where Cody entertained his mother with stories about his time with Knox. “We ate at the café and everyone acted like I was a superstar or something,” Cody said between bites of cookie. “People who I didn’t even know stopped by our table to tell me they were glad I was okay.”

  “I told him not to let it all go to his head, that his superstar status would only last a minute,” Knox said.

  “That’s okay, I just want to be a kid,” Cody replied. “After we ate, we went to Jade’s and rode. It was fun and Miss Jade said I could officially call her Aunt Jade now. Isn’t that cool? I not only got a dad, but I also got an aunt.”

  “Don’t forget Thorne. He’s now Uncle Thorne,” Knox said. “And there will be more aunts and uncles for you to meet and get to know.”

  Cody laughed with delight. “Our family is getting bigger and bigger, right, Mom?”

  “That’s right, Cody. Now get upstairs for your bath while I visit a few minutes longer with your dad.”

  Twenty minutes later, with Cody bathed and tucked into bed, Knox and Allison sat across from each other at the kitchen table. “He seems to be doing just fine,” Knox said. Cody is doing fine, but I’m not, he thought to himself.

  He wanted to be there every night to eat cookies and tuck his son into bed. And then he wanted to go to bed with Allison and make love to her and awaken in the morning with her, warm and sleepy in his arms.

  He didn’t just want her nights; he wanted her mornings and her days, too. He wanted to protect her and Cody, now more than ever.

  With the definite possibility that his mother was still in the area, he had no idea if either of them could be in danger or not. He had no idea if Livia might figure out an angle where she could use Allison and Cody to her advantage.

  He’d spoken with Bud about his concerns and had been grateful when the man had agreed to have his night patrol keep an eye on the house and do regular drive-bys.

  He realized Allison was talking and he’d been in his own head and wasn’t sure what she’d said. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

  “I was just saying that everything is back to normal and it feels wonderful. Cody appears to be just fine and I’m so grateful to have him home.”

  “I still want you to keep a close eye on him. I reminded him tonight that it is important for him to always be aware of his surroundings.”

  Her eyes darkened a bit. “Why?
Do you think something else is going to happen?”

  “No, nothing specific,” he hurriedly replied. “It’s just...she could still be out there, Ally, and nobody can guess what she might do next.”

  “I’m glad you had the talk with Cody, but I refuse to think about Livia right now. I’ve got my son back and things are going well at work. In fact, guess who came in to see me this morning?”

  “Who?” He leaned back in the chair, loving the way her eyes sparkled with gold and green shards.

  “The Billings brothers. They stopped in to tell me they were happy Cody had been saved and, while neither of them admitted anything, they told me they didn’t expect me to have any more trouble on my job sites.”

  “How did Brad’s nose look?”

  She grinned. “Like you punched it. Anyway, I’m also taking applications for some new help. George told me that there have been several calls for potential new jobs and he thinks I need to hire a couple more men.”

  “I’d like to put in an application.” His love for her quivered in his heart and trembled on his lips. Was it possible that finally, after all these years, it was time for them to get things right?

  He had no idea what she really felt about him. He had no idea if she blamed him for Cody’s kidnapping. But he knew he had to speak of what was in his heart. They would never get it right if he didn’t take a chance.

  “You want to work for the business?” she asked in surprise.

  “That, too. But, what I’d really like to do is put in an application to have and to hold you for the rest of my life. We belong together, Allison. I’ll never love another woman like I love you.”

  She stared at him. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but he’d hoped she would joyously jump into his arms, tell him that she felt the same way about him.

  “Are you saying this because you’re afraid your mother might do something?” she finally asked.

  “Absolutely not. You were right, Allison. I’ve allowed my anger and hatred of her to get in the way of my life. I’m not a little boy anymore and I have no need to please her. From here on out the only people I want to please are you, Cody and myself. I know what I want and it’s you...it’s always been you.”

  “You’re hired,” she said, her voice filled with joy. “Oh, Knox, you are so hired.”

  Happiness roared through him. He stood, grabbed her up into his arms and took her lips in a kiss that spoke of his fiery desire for her, of dreams they would share together with a love that was always meant to be.

  When the kiss finally ended, he framed her face with his hands. “I was so afraid you blamed me for the kidnapping. It would have never happened if I hadn’t come back here.”

  “I can’t blame you for Earl and your mother, but I will admit your mother scares me—that’s part of the reason why I didn’t tell you about Cody.”

  “She’ll never hurt us again, Allison. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure of it. I love you, Ally, and I want to marry you.”

  “And I love you and I want to be your wife.” Her eyes shimmered with tears of happiness. “I want to have you here each and every day. I don’t ever want to let you go again.”

  “And from this day forward I will always run to you and not away from you,” he promised.

  Her hazel eyes glinted with her love for him and he wanted to drown in it, in her. “Tomorrow, you can drive over to Thorne’s and get your things. Tonight I want to start our lives together. I want you in my bed and tomorrow morning we can tell Cody that he can be the ring bearer at our wedding.”

  “He’s going to be over the moon,” he replied. “Just like I feel at this very moment.”

  Minutes later, as he walked into the room that held the bed with the lavender bedspread and smelled of spicy apples and love, his heart was full.

  This was a brand-new beginning for them, one without any more regrets or recriminations. They would raise their son together in love. He’d be Allison’s lover, her protector, her husband, and he’d help her grow her business.

  She joined him in the bedroom and he gathered her into his arms. “We’ll get it right this time,” he murmured against her ear. “Nobody is going to stand in our way of living and loving each other for the rest of our lives. And if anyone tries...I’ll punch him or her in the nose.”

  She laughed and then they tumbled to the bed to begin their new journey together.

  Epilogue

  The ringing of hammering and the buzz of a saw filled the air. Cody stood next to Allison as a team of her men worked to build a dream tree house for him.

  A dream. That’s what she felt she’d been living for the past week. Knox’s face being the first she saw in the morning and the last one she saw before sleep was beyond wonderful.

  During the days, he’d been working with this crew of men and while he seemed content in his position, she had a feeling there were greater things ahead of him.

  She believed he might secretly have his eye on a sheriff’s badge, and she would fully support him if he decided to run against Bud Jeffries in the fall.

  Shadow Creek deserved a lawman like Knox and she knew that most of the town would also support him. But, fall was months away and she was just enjoying living in the moment with the two males who held her heart.

  She and Knox had spent long hours talking about their past, healing from any wounds and instead focusing on their future together. There had been no more information about Livia. She was still out there somewhere, with the authorities working hard to find her. But she wasn’t much of a conversation piece anymore between Allison and Knox. They had far more important things to talk about than a sociopathic woman on the run.

  “This is so totally awesome,” Cody exclaimed as he danced around impatiently.

  The tree house was almost done. The men were just putting on the finishing touches. Knox set the wooden rung ladder against the tree, tested the strength and then hammered it into place. He climbed up and disappeared into the wooden structure. A moment later, he appeared in the window, a huge grin on his face.

  “Come on up, son,” he said.

  Cody scrambled up the stairs and soon after he appeared with Knox at the window. “Mom, you should come up here.”

  “Not me. That’s strictly a man cave. But both of you stay where you are.” She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to take a picture. She was determined to capture every moment of happiness in their lives and had already taken more pictures in the last week than she had in the entire preceding year.

  George and the other men began loading up their tools as Knox came back down and joined her. “Can I bring some of my horses up here?” Cody asked. “And can I call Josh and have him come over to play? He’s gonna freak when he sees this.”

  “That would be fine,” she replied.

  Cody climbed down and raced toward the back door. When he disappeared inside the house, Knox pulled her into his arms. “Happy?”

  “Delirious,” she replied.

  “Cody is definitely happy, but I had a talk with him last night and I know what would make him even happier.”

  “A horse,” she replied.

  “No, something else.”

  She looked up at him curiously. “What?”

  He leaned into her and nuzzled her ear and then whispered, “A brother or a sister.”

  Her heart glowed and danced at the thought of having a baby, with him here and present with her. “You know how much I like to make Cody happy,” she said half-breathlessly.

  His warm blue eyes held hers intently. “You’re ready to have another baby?”

  “Oh, Knox, I’d love to carry another one of your babies. I’d love for you to place your hand on my belly and feel him or her kick. You’ll need to rub my back and make midnight runs to buy me butter toffee ice cream and c
heeseburgers.”

  “You aren’t scaring me,” he said with a laugh.

  “Then you can be with me in the delivery room and...” Emotion choked her. “Like you should have been with Cody.”

  “Nothing from the past matters anymore, Ally. I’m with you now and always,” he replied.

  She gazed into his warm, emotion-filled eyes and knew that Fort Knox had been cracked. He kissed her then, a soft, gentle kiss that spoke of enduring love and hearts forever bound.

  * * * * *

  If you loved this novel,

  don’t miss the next thrilling romance in

  the COLTONS OF SHADOW CREEK miniseries:

  COLTON UNDERCOVER by USA TODAY

  bestselling author Marie Ferrarella,

  available in April 2017

  from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

  And check out other suspenseful titles by

  New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy:

  OPERATION COWBOY DADDY

  COWBOY AT ARMS

  COWBOY UNDER FIRE

  COWBOY OF INTEREST

  A REAL COWBOY

  Available now from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

  An explosive new case...

  A suspect with a hidden agenda...

  and a Special Agent whose past could cost her everything!

  Keep reading for a sneak peek at the first episode of

  TOUGH JUSTICE: COUNTDOWN (Part 1 of 8)

  by New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy

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