Page 74 of Dangerous Secret

He struck Tyler? Rage filled her. She put my eye to the peephole again. Her little boy was crying. Her mother’s instinct took over, and she could only think of getting to her son. She opened the door.

“Thank God,” Ava said as she rushed past.

Harlow pushed the door to close it, but it bounced against a shiny black Ferragamo dress shoe. Her heart dropped to her stomach. She knew that shoe.

“No,” she screamed as she fought to keep Anthony out. Even though she put all her weight against the door to keep it from opening enough for him to enter, he was stronger.

“Mommy!” Tyler cried as his arms reached for her.

The door was pushed so hard that she stumbled, then tripped over Einstein and landed on her knees. Einstein yowled, and deciding he wanted no part of whatever was happening, he disappeared down the hallway.

The only thing that registered in her mind was Tyler’s cries, and she pushed up to her feet. Ava didn’t fight handing him to her, which was smart of her. Harlow was in mama bear mode, and nothing and no one was going to keep her from her son.

Tyler latched onto her like a spider monkey, and her heart rejoiced that he hadn’t forgotten her. “Hey, baby. Mommy missed you so much.” It was amazing to have him in her arms again. She inhaled his little-boy smell, her tears freely flowing down her cheeks.

“Leave, Ava,” Anthony said.

Harlow backed up until her knees touched the sofa. He wasn’t taking Tyler away from her again. As Ava walkedpast her, she smirked. Apprehension slithered through Harlow. What was Anthony up to?

She’d been so focused on Tyler that she hadn’t noticed Don Delgado standing by the door, staring at her with mean eyes. Her apprehension turned to stark fear. She’d known Don for years and had always been afraid of him. Too terrified to speak, she held Tyler close as she waited to learn why they’d invaded her home.

“You’re shaking.” Anthony smirked, enjoying her fear. “Sit.”

She wanted to refuse, but her trembling legs weren’t going to hold her up much longer. As if sensing her fear, Tyler burrowed into her as she sank to the sofa.

“It’s okay, baby. Mama has you,” she whispered. Not that she could protect him against these two men, but she would die trying.

Anthony stared down at her. “Who is he?”

“Who is who?” But she knew.

“Don’t play games with me, sweetheart. I’m not in the mood. Who. Is. He?”

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” Damn that tremor in her voice. He wanted her afraid of him, and she was.

“Last chance.”

She pressed her lips together, refusing to speak.

“Take the boy.” He stepped aside, making room for Don to approach her.

“No, please.” She tightened her arms around Tyler, but he was snatched away from her.

“Tell me who he is, Harlow, if you don’t want to watch Don break one of the boy’s fingers.”

Her stomach lurched. “You wouldn’t. He’s your son.”

Anthony shrugged. “He’s a means to an end.”

Who was this man she’d married? She’d learned to hatehim for his verbal and emotional abuse, but she’d never dreamed that he would hurt his own son. She looked into his eyes, praying that she’d see that this was some kind of sick joke, but all she saw was a soulless man.

“Mommy.” Tyler was sobbing and reaching for her.

She stood, intending to get to him. Anthony pushed her back down. “If you don’t answer the question, Don will break his finger. If you continue to refuse, he’ll break another, and another until you tell me what I want to know.”

Oh, God. “You wouldn’t.”

“You really want to try me, wife?” He nodded at Don. “Start with his pinky.”

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