His Secret Past Read Online Free PDF Page B

was on the bed but she was by the open window with one leg hoisted out the opening. Her pale eyes flared wide and her mouth dropped open.
    “What the hell are you doing? You plan to jump from the second story?” he growled.
    Without answering she looked out the window then back at him.
    He could see the decision in her mind as clear as if she’d said it aloud. She was going to jump. Cursing under his breath, he flew across the room and lunged at her before she could follow through. Looping his arm around her waist, he yanked her back inside and maneuvered her onto the bed, using his body to pin her. He hated using his strength against her of all people, but he had no choice.
    “Get off me,” she shrieked as he flipped her onto her stomach.
    As she struggled underneath him, he fought the guilt pumping through his veins. The need to protect her won out. “Will you just stop for a second?” he asked through gritted teeth.
    “What the hell is the matter with you? Why are you doing this?” She thrashed underneath him so he kept his weight against her, pressing his knee against the back of her legs.
    Leaning down so that his mouth was next to her ear, he fought the shame of his actions and words. “If you fight me, I’ll tie you up.”
    At his statement she immediately fell limp. “I hate you,” she whispered so low he almost didn’t hear her.
    Her words shouldn’t carry so much power, but they pierced his chest like a sharp, unforgiving dagger.
    “Why are you doing this?” Her voice cracked on the last word.
    He ignored her question. “If I move are you going to try to run again?”
    “No,” she ground out.
    Without pause he stood up, freeing her.
    She rolled over and jumped from the bed. As she backed away from him, it was hard to miss the anger—and fear—etched on her face.
    He let out a low curse. The last thing he ever wanted to do was scare her. “Someone just broke into your house and tried to kill you. Kill you. If you leave, I can’t protect you. And if you go to the police everyone you care about will be in danger. Everyone. Do you understand what I’m saying?” When she didn’t respond he continued. “I need to take care of something and you have to come with me. It won’t take long.”
    She eyed him cautiously and he could see a battle raging in her head but she finally spoke. “Fine,” she bit out. “Where are you taking me?”
    As they passed a menagerie of pictures on the stairs of Alexis and her—their—son, he forced himself not to react or pause. “I’ve got to take care of something but it’ll only take half an hour max, I promise.”
    “We’ll see,” she muttered.
    He didn’t blame her for being wary of his promises, but didn’t comment. When he spotted what he assumed was a recent school picture of the kid, the band around his chest tightened with painful precision.
    Even if she wanted to deny the child’s paternity, it would be impossible. The boy had the same dirty blond hair and dark eyes as him. Now that he could see him up close there was no doubt. He had the same olive complexion as Alexis but other than that small difference, it was like looking at pictures of himself when he was younger. Not that he had many of those. His mother hadn’t been very sentimental. Hell, he’d been lucky if she’d shown up once a week to make sure he had food. His throat clenched impossibly tight as a foreign rush of emotions threatened to bubble up. He shoved those thoughts away.
    “ This is why you need me to come with you? That guy’s body is underneath there, isn’t it?” She motioned toward the back of the vehicle.
    The body was covered but she could see the blanket visible through the rearview window of the vehicle.
    Clenching his jaw, he nodded and opened the passenger door for her. “Why can’t we call the police?” she asked as they pulled out of the garage.
    “It’s not safe.”
    “The police aren’t safe? You’re the one who just killed a man.” Her voice