“Our baby. Our child. Not yours, Siena. That baby is mine as well. When you’re making those decisions, it isn’t just you and the baby. It’s you, the baby and me. I’m part of that. Don’t start by trying to cut me out, because I can tell you, and you’d better listen to me, I’m not getting cut out. Not from our child’s life and not from your life. We’re working this shit out.”

She pressed her hand hard around her baby. His gaze dropped instantly, noting that small, protective, minute movement. His much larger hand covered hers.

“We’re better together, Siena. Look at us. The two of us. Together, watching out for our child. I’m the shield. The armor. I’m the one standing in front of you both. Shielding you from anything. From everything.”

God. God. She wanted him. She wanted him in her life. She wanted the crazy, macho, alpha leopard with his sexy eyes and velvet voice and hard, muscular body. She wanted his protection. She wanted all of it—except his lifestyle. Whatever that was. Because she didn’t know.

“Elijah.” She tried soft. Not defiant. She realized defiant brought out the leopard in him. The dominant. “I’m not trying to take anything away from you. I’m trying to understand. Maybe I’m not using the right words, but I didn’t know what kind of terrible things my grandfather was into. My parents were killed by a car bomb. I was kidnapped. I was used to deliver wine so a hit man could sneak into houses and kill people. I lived a lie for years. I will not do that again. I will not have our child doing that. So you need to tell me what I have to know.”

She reached out her hand and cupped the side of his face, running her thumb along his jaw. “Honey, I’d so much rather not know, but I can’t do that. I really, really can’t, so if you want me in your life, you’re going to have to tell me what I’m facing and let me make a decision.”

He stared at her for what seemed an eternity, abruptly pulled away and was on his feet, pacing across the room in long, angry strides, swearing in Spanish. One arm lashed out and for a split second she actually saw a paw as it swiped at the frying pan on the counter and sent it flying. It hit the wall with a loud crash and clattered to the floor.