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He edged closer, knee to knee with her now.
“You understand nothing!”
“I can understand,” Victoria continued as though he’d never interrupted so rudely, “that you wanted to get back at her. And what better way than by going through with our wedding?”
To Victoria’s dismay, he didn’t deny it.
After a long moment, she said, “Clearly you’ve since decided that our marriage isn’t what you want.” Because Connor loved Dana.
When he finally spoke again his voice was icier than she’d ever heard it. “Spare me the psychobabble. The issue here is not Dana, it’s your commitment to Dylan.”
Her commitment to Dylan was not in question; he was her child, for heaven’s sake. And it was time Connor learned that.
“You don’t want to be married to me because I’m not Dana. I can understand that. But you need to understand that I’m not giving Dylan up. He’s—”
“I’m not going to give you a choice, Victoria.”
“You have to,” she said with grim satisfaction. “I’m coguardian, joint custodian, and I’m—”
“And I am Dylan’s biological father!”
Horror struck, she leaped to her feet. They stood face-to-face, both breathing raggedly.
“You’re Dylan’s father?”
He nodded.
“You can’t be! Michael is his father.”
She wanted to howl. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Dylan couldn’t be Connor’s baby.
Not with everything the way it was between them. The way it had always been, right from that very first meeting when she’d wanted him after one look and he couldn’t even remember her darn name. They could not possibly have created together the perfect being that was Dylan.
It was too cruel to be true.
“I’m his biological father. It’s my seed that gave him life. And I will do whatever I can to protect him. He’s my son.”
Just the sound of that possessive claim knocked the bottom out of her world.
Victoria put her fingers to her throbbing temples.
She wasn’t giving up her baby. Connor was going to have a fight on his hands like he’d never seen before. The fight for his company against Dana and Paul would be nothing compared to the war she would wage.
She flung her head back, and their gazes locked. “Even if that means throwing out his mother? Yes, I donated the egg that Suzy carried in her body. That makes him part of me. What do you think Dylan will think when he learns about that when he’s older?”
Connor’s eyes had turned to slits of dark ice. “I don’t believe you.”
“Why should I lie? It wouldn’t get me anywhere.” She stood toe-to-toe with him. If she let him win this battle it would be over. She had to convince him. “I can produce the donor agreement to prove that I’m his mother. And you’re not kicking me out of my son’s life because you’ve realized you can’t get over your worthless lover.”
Under her shock and the growing anger there was hurt that he thought her so unworthy of motherhood. But she was dammed if she would let him see how much she cared.
“I’m not in love with Dana,” he said into the hush that had fallen.
She studied him, looking for signs of subterfuge. “You don’t need to pretend with me.”
He grimaced. “I’m not pretending. I got over her a while ago. And it’s been surprising to learn how many people think I’ve had a lucky escape.”
A feeling of immense relief fell over her. If he wasn’t in love with Dana, and if they were both Dylan’s parents, then there was no reason for him to push her away.
Except that he felt she hadn’t been a very good mother.…
Victoria sank back onto the couch and dropped her head in her hands. “Dylan is more important to me than anything in the world.” Half-fearful of what expression she’d find, she parted her fingers and gazed up at Connor through the gaps.
The cushion lowered as he dropped down beside her. “But what about your job? That’s always been your number-one priority.” His face was stern, but at least he was listening.
“I love my work, Connor.”
How could she explain to him that her work was her security blanket? The thing in life that made her feel worthwhile. He’d think her a total nut.
So instead, she said, “Don’t push me out of Dylan’s life. He’s all I have left of Suzy and he’s the only child I’ll ever have.”
“You should have told me sooner.”
“I considered it. But I promised Suzy that I wouldn’t tell anyone. I finally convinced myself that you should know. But I couldn’t find a way to tell you. What stopped you telling me?”
