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The cell phone drops from my hand and crashes to the floor. Tessa comes to take my hand, and Audrey takes the other, the guys flanking them.
“What’s this, a welcoming committee?” Tyler’s voice is rough, and his eyes glisten. He hefts the little boy easily, as if he weighs nothing.
“We were worried, fucker.” Zane nods at him. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” Tyler looks straight at me. “I gave it some thought and decided I’m done running. That I should stay and talk this over with Erin. Besides, I promised Ash I’m staying.”
Asher snorts and grins.
“Tyler…” I press a hand to my stomach. I think I might get an ulcer like my mother with all that’s been going on. “Where did you find him?”
“This little guy?” Tyler sounds bemused. “Right around the corner where I was parking my bike. Says his name’s Jax. Strange, huh?”
I nod, biting my lip because I want to laugh hysterically or sob. Maybe both. This isn’t the way I’d imagined them meeting.
Jax snuggles closer, one little arm hugging Tyler’s broad chest. Tyler stares down at him, a strange expression painted on his face, caught between tenderness and confusion.
“Thank you for bringing him back,” I whisper.
“Mommy.” Jax lifts his head and smiles at me.
“Is he yours, then?” Tyler’s eyes harden.
“Yes.”
But Tyler makes no move to give him to me, and Jax seems way too comfortable where he is.
“Tyler, man…” Rafe starts toward him, but Tyler lifts a hand, stopping him.
“Is he…?” Tyler swallows hard and glances back down at Jax’s tousled head resting on his shoulder. “Dammit, Erin, he looks a lot like me.”
“He’s your son.” I take a step closer, then another. “I should have told you. I’m sorry. I’m—”
Tyler unfolds a long arm and snags me around the waist, drawing me to his side. His scent of musk and pine mingles with the leather of his jacket, and it calms my racing heart. I put my arm around him and the other around Jax’s little form, who’s so content where he is he doesn’t even ask me to pick him up.
“So this is Jax.” Tyler sounds thoughtful, and I don’t know what he’s thinking.
“He likes you,” I mutter.
“He’s a cool kid.” Tyler grins. “Besides, he won’t let go.”
“I won’t, either.”
Tyler chuckles, a low, rumbling sound in his chest, and hugs me tighter. “I sure hope not.”
Does he mean it?
Then Jax lifts his head again and gives Tyler a solemn look. “Are you my daddy?”
I wait, my heart thumping
.
“Yeah,” Tyler says, his voice gruff. “Yeah, I am.”
“You’ve come back.”
Tyler nods, and his lashes look wet. “Yeah. It took me a long time, I know, but now I’m here.” He gazes at his son’s face and smiles. “And I promise I’ll stay.”
