Apparently, he thought bitterly. He could never regret the one-night stand that had brought Alex into his life so unexpectedly last winter. At the time, he’d been stunned to learn he had a son with a woman he barely remembered. Now he couldn’t imagine a day, let alone a life, without the boy at the center of it. He’d fight for him with everything he had for as long as it took to ensure their family stayed together.

The thought of telling Christina that they might be in for a fight with the baby’s mother filled him with pain. They’d both submitted to the fantasy of letting Alex think of her as his mother. Why wouldn’t they when his real mother barely showed an ounce of interest in him?

Christina was amazing with him, as devoted to him as she was to Gonzo. They’d barely begun dating when Lori dropped the bomb on him about Alex, but Christina had rolled with it from the beginning. It was simple, she always said, she loved him, and she loved his son.

Gonzo got up and flipped on the radio, tuning it to WFBR, the station owned by the Feds. Then he went into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee that would be critical to remaining awake after the night without sleep. He got busy on his laptop digging into Willie Vasquez’s life and listened to the hate spewing forth from angry fans on the radio. But all the while, his thoughts were on the little boy he loved and the looming fight to keep him where he belonged.

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Sam arrived home in time to catch Nick as he was about to leave for the Hill. When she came in the door, his gorgeous face lit up with that sexy grin she loved so much.

“This is a nice surprise,” he said, approaching her, his intentions obvious.

She held up her hands to stop him from getting any closer and started stripping out of her foul clothes right inside the front door.

“Scotty and Shelby?”

“Left ten minutes ago.”

Removing the holster that held her service weapon, she put it on a table next to her badge and cuffs.

Nick’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open as he took in the striptease. “To what do I owe this unexpected show?”

“I’ve been Dumpster diving.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. That’s where someone tossed Willie Vasquez after they stabbed him to death.”

All the color drained from her husband’s cheeks as he gasped. “No...”

“Afraid so.”

“Oh my God. Scotty...”

“I know. That was my first thought too.” She picked up her clothes and sneakers. “Sorry, but I’ve got to take a shower.”

“Sure,” he said absently, still processing the news. “Go ahead.”

“Come up with me.”