Page 49 of Under His Embrace

“But you don’t have to run a search or look him up,” the blond said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, struck with a sense of recognition. I’d never seen him before, but he looked familiar. Like… a younger version of me.

“Go on, Caleb. This conversation is for me and?—”

I stepped forward, unable to tear my attention from the kid. “Caleb?”

No. No fucking way.Of all the names this kid could’ve had, it had to be the one I swore I heard Chloe say when she was in that first room. The person she called as soon as she got her tampered burner phone back.

“Caleb?” I was rooted in shock, so confused and stunned by what had to be true.

“Yes.” Ethan frowned, volleying his focus between me and this boy.

Liam did the same, looking from me to him. “Oh…shit.”

It seemed that he’d made the same connection that I had. The tall, slim boy had my eyes. His nose looked like mine too. But his hair was like his mother’s.

“Yeah, I’m Caleb,” he said, sticking his chin up defiantly.

My heart raced. My chest felt too tight. Panicked and feeling like the rug had been pulled from beneath my feet, I gaped at this boy who had to be related to me.

“That’s my grandson’s friend,” Ethan said. “He’s been staying with us over his spring break while his mom starts a new job and gets settled in.”

“Oh,shit.” Liam repeated it with more conviction.

Starting a new job at a deli, I bet. And settling into a new home in New York somewhere, since she was always on the run from her stalker ex.

I couldn’t look away, more shocked than ever before.

“I know whoyouare too, Mister.” Caleb narrowed his eyes, suspicious and untrusting of me despite claiming to recognize me.

“What the…? You know whoIam?” I pointed at myself unnecessarily. He was just as locked in this surprised stare-down as I was. He had yet to look away from me, checking me out as though he doubted I was real and here.

“Yeah. I’ve seen lots of pictures of you. I never met you before, but yeah, Mister, I know exactly who you are, Mr. Franco.”

Oh, fuck.

Denial could no longer work. It was my instinct to think it couldn’t be possible. That my eyes were playing tricks on me. That this kid just happened to look like me. Not that he was mine.

“My mom always showed me pictures of you.” He crossed his arms.

“Your mom—” I choked on my dry throat and strained to swallow. “Your mom showed you pictures ofme.”

“Yeah. So I’d grow up knowing I had a daddy and what he looked like.” Caleb frowned at me, still so wary of my showing up here.

Daddy.

This boy, this kid, he thought I was his father.

The idea that I had a son nearly knocked me over. I felt blown away, so clueless and floundering for a shred of reality as I knew and recognized it.

I was a father?

I had ason?

As I steadied my breaths and stared at Caleb, I felt my heart cracking and swelling. I was a mess, unsure what to think or how to feel. Elation was my first reaction, but just as swiftly, anger.

I fumed while I wanted to rejoice that I had a son. I seethed, combatting the wonderful marvel of knowing I was a father.

---