I grab the baseball bat from beside my bed. Eric left me more than just trust issues when he disappeared. I creep toward the door with the bat in hand.
Through the peephole, I see Alessio swaying, his hair a mess, eyes bloodshot.
What the hell?
I set the bat against the wall and open the door. “Did you drive here like this?”
He barrels past me into the apartment, bringing the sharp scent of expensive scotch with him. “Where’s Austin? Keshia?”
“Keep your voice down.” I shut the door softly. “Austin’s exhausted and sleeping. And Keshia’s out.”
She’d almost canceled her date after Austin’s scare, but I’d practically shoved her out the door. One of us deserves a normal night.
“Good.” His hand drags through his hair, leaving it sticking up wild, eyes darting around like he’s hunting for something. Then he fixes on me. “I know, Nina. I know Austin is mine.”
I feel like I’ve been caught naked in a spotlight.
My secret. The one that’s been consuming me. It’s out. He knows.
I sink onto the arm of the couch, my legs suddenly unsteady. “You know...”
He takes a step closer, and I can see the desperation in his eyes, the need for confirmation even though he claims to know. “Are you going to deny it?”
I could lie. Should lie. It would be so easy to tell him that he’s seeing things, that he’s lost his mind. I’ve been carrying this secret for six years. What’s a few more?
But Austin was in the hospital today, and I’m bone-deep exhausted from pretending. From being the only one of his parents who knows, the only one who carries the truth of what really happened that night. The secret has been eating me alive, and I don’t have the energy to feed it anymore.
“No.” The word scrapes out of me like a confession. “I’m not denying anything.”
He lets out a long exhale. “I did a DNA test.”
And there goes my moment of relief.
“A DNA test? How?” I push off the couch, anger sparking through my exhaustion. “When did you have access to his DNA?”
“That’s not what matters right now.” His jaw tightens.
“Not what matters?” Fury spikes so fast I see red. “You violated my son’s privacy. You took something from him without permission, without even telling me.” I’m pacing now. “Tell me how the hell you got his DNA, Alessio.”
He has the grace to look uncomfortable. “Does it matter how?—”
“It matters that you went behind my back. It matters that you made this choice for all of us without asking.” I stop pacing and face him. “What gave you the right?”
“You lied to me.” His voice hardens. “You told me he was your ex-husband’s.”
Heat floods my cheeks. “And you told me you didn’t remember me at all. Guess we’re both liars.”
The words hang between us like a challenge.
I should throw him out right now. But I can’t. Because he’s not wrong.
He moves toward me, and I sidestep him, heading for the kitchen. If we’re doing this, I’m doing it on my terms.
“Sit.” I point at one of the kitchen chairs. “You want to have this conversation? Fine. But you’re going to sober up first.”
“I’m not that drunk.”
“Sit down, Alessio.”
