Page 117 of It's a Wonderful Knife

Mona sighed, her cheeks pink. “Part of me does want to tell you. I’m sick to death of being afraid all the time.”

“Afraid?” I asked. “Of what?”

“Of being judged.” Mona shrugged. “Of Dakota being judged.”

“I see.” I nodded.

“It was different times back then.” Mona grimaced. “These days probably no one would blink at what I’m about to say.”

I had an inkling of what shemightbe going to say, but she needed to say the words. It would be good for her to do it. Symbolic.

Mona looked around, her cheeks pink. “Dakota is…” She winced. “Dakota is… L… Leo’s son, not Ezra’s.”

“I had a feeling.” Royce nodded.

“Did you?” Mona’s laugh was self-conscious. “And here I thought I was such a great actress.”

“You are. But there were little things.” Royce shrugged.

I nodded. “I agree. A lot of things make sense to me now. Leo is so loving and protective of you and Dakota. You’re his family, even if it’s not on paper.”

“I like hearing that.” Leo smiled. “They are my family.”

“Do you think Ezra suspects?” Royce asked.

“I think he has moments when he wonders,” she said. “But he never really cared about having kids. He just wanted to have the money that came with marrying me. I needed him, and he needed me. It was more of a business arrangement than anything else. In order to claim my inheritance, I had to allow myself to be handed over to a man I’d never have picked in a million years.”

“He doesn’t seem to care about the farm,” I said.

“No. He just wants me to sell and move into the city.”

Leo sighed. “It’s not even that he wants to sell really. He wants me gone, that’s what he wants. If the ranch sells, he figures I’ll go away too. He’s jealous of me, even though he doesn’t really want Mona or Dakota.”

“How did Jax know something so personal?” I asked, frowning.

Leo winced. “I got drunk one time with him. Apparently, I spilled my guts. Jax could be fun, and I was stupid. I trusted him with a secret that had been burning a hole in my soul for decades.”

“When I threatened to fire him about a year ago, he threw that in my face.” Mona sighed. “I was terrified he’d tell Ezra, and Dakota’s life would be ruined.”

“But he’s still your son, Mona. The farm is still his by rights.” Royce frowned.

“Yes. But I wouldn’t want Ezra to reject him or tell him he’s a bastard child or something.”

“I find it interesting Jax didn’t spill your secret tonight.” I shook my head. “He’s a more complicated person than I gave him credit for. He was actually willing to take the fall for Chloe. I find that mind-boggling.”

Mona wrinkled her brow. “I agree. He comes off like a shallow, cocky type of man, but then he does something like risk his own life to save Dakota’s. I… I can’t help but feel grateful. He did so many shady things. Whether he blackmailed me to keep his job or not, I’ll always be thankful to him.”

“So are you two just going to live forever this way?” Royce asked, looking thoughtful. “Pretending to be less than you are?”

“I’m still afraid if the truth comes out about Dakota, Ezra will be cruel to him.” Mona bit her lip.

I shrugged. “Ezra is cruel to Dakota now.”

“That’s true,” Leo said. “It’s painful to watch.”

I sighed. “My dad was a hard man, and I… I think if someone had told me that the man who seemed to hate me wasn’t my real dad?” I swallowed hard. “I think it would have been a relief. I’d have given anything to hear that man’s toxic blood didn’t run through my veins.”

Royce rubbed my back. “I’d probably feel the same way if I’d been in your shoes, Max.”