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It will only be a matter of time before my past rears its ugly head, ready to burn down the already-scorched remainder of my life.

CHAPTERTHREE

ROYCE

My breath catchesin my throat when I see my own eyes staring back at me.

She has a baby.

Mybaby.

When the baby grins, the ground beneath me gives way. Those are my dimples popping out in her cheeks as she babbles words I don’t understand to Gia.

My plans go up in flames. Kidnapping. Revenge. Gone in an instant.

This changes everything.

It would be impossible for her to look so much like me and not be mine—especially when she looks like she would be about a year and a half old.

Could Gia have been pregnant?

Though I don’t think she would’ve been pregnant without telling me, she proved that I didn’t truly know what she would or wouldn’t do. The lies she told and the secrets she hid are more than enough to convince me that I never really knew her. Not the way I should have, at least.

The realization that I have a child I knew nothing about hits like a ton of bricks, creating a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I want to tear the baby from Gia’s arms and protect her at all costs. Gia can burn in hell for what she’s done here.

Although, maybe there’s a way to use this to my advantage.

Gia’s arms wrap tighter around the child like she’s scared that I’m going to take her away. She clears her throat. “What do you think you’re doing here?”

Her voice is as silky and smooth as it’s always been. A siren song that lures me in. Except this time, I don’t want to hear her sing for me. I want to wrap my hands around her throat and end the power she thinks she has.

“I was going to drag you down to my car, but apparently, it looks like we have other things to discuss.” I lean against the wall, gaze raking up and down her body as heat flares through mine.

Gia’s eyes narrow, anger flashing in them as her full lips press into a thin line. She puts one hand on her hip, her curves more pronounced than they used to be but still just as tempting.

Maybe I could kidnap her and seduce her.

Then break her heart like she destroyed mine.

Killing her would come last. I could have my fill of Gia first.

She would only try to twist it to her advantage, though. She’s always been cunning like that, looking for weaknesses and trying to exploit them. I should’ve seen that side of her long before I did.

The baby has the same deep sun-kissed tone to her skin that Gia does. She has a wild head of dark hair where Gia’s is straight, but there’s no denying that the baby is half mine and half hers.

Gia’s mouth opens and snaps shut. Her chest hitches and she takes a step back, her eyes dropping to the ground. When they meet mine again, fear and interest are battling there.

I stalk toward her, careful not to bash my knee on the long and low maple table. Tension coils through my body like a snake but I keep it restrained. I’m not ready to strike. Yet. “Whose baby is that?”

Gia holds the child closer, the corner of her mouth twitching when the baby laughs and squirms. “None of your business. Get the hell out of my apartment.”

“Not going to happen,” I say through gritted teeth. “Whose fucking baby is that, Gia?”

If she tries to hide the shiver that runs through her body when I say her name, she does a terrible job at it.

She stands taller, her soft jaw setting in a hard line. “I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing, coming in here and demanding answers about my life, but you’re going to get the hell out now.”

Chuckling, I move closer to her, my grin widening when she takes a step back. She’s scared of me. Though she might be trying to hide it, I can see the fear on her face. As she holds the baby tighter, she tries to mask it and fails.