Page 87 of Biker Orc Baby Daddy

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"Yeah," I whisper. "You do."

He sets the paper down. Carefully. Like it might combust. Then he covers his face with both hands andlaughs. This broken, disbelieving sound that turns into something between a sob and a hiccup.

"Sorry," he chokes out. "I just. I need a minute."

"Take your time."

He breathes. In. Out. His shoulders shake. I watch him pull himself together piece by piece. The way he always does. Methodical. Controlled.

Except this time it doesn't work.

"I'm hisdad," he says again. Looking at me now. Desperate for confirmation. "Cecie. I'm?—"

"You're his dad."

"I have a son."

"Yep."

"I'm afather."

"Are we gonna keep doing this or?—"

"How long have you known?"

The question lands like ice water.

I freeze. "What?"

"How long." His voice sharpens. Still wet. Still cracked. But harder now. "How long have you known he was mine?"

Oh.

Oh no.

"Gunther—"

"Because I've been. I've beenterrified. For weeks. Thinking maybe. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was seeing patterns that weren't there. Maybe I was just some. Somestrangerwho wanted so badly to matter that I invented a connection that didn't exist." He stands. Starts pacing. "And you. Youknew."

"I didn't?—"

"Didn't you?" He spins. "The dimple. The eyes. Thetimeline, Cecie. You knew I was Ridge the second I walked into Colum's office. Maybe before."

"I suspected?—"

"When?"

My hands fist in my lap. "The dimple. When Orry smiled at you. I. I started wondering. And you did too, Gunther. I knew it was you because you're the only man I've been with in a long time. I just didn't want to push you into fatherhood if you didn't want fatherhood."

"Wondering."

"Yes."

"Notknowing."

"No. Not knowing. Not for sure. Not until—" I gesture at the paper. "Not untilnow."

"But you suspected. And you didn't say anything."

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