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"Why didn't she tell er in his voice I figured it would appear at some point, because let's face it, I just dropped a hell of a bomb in his lap and then detonated it

"You made it clear to her that you didn't want a relationship," I tell him with my Brannon chin lifted in the air, and he actually winces at the reminder "You broke her heart because you couldn't let her inside, and she didn't want to burden you further with a baby"

"A child never would have been a burden," he growls at me, even more pissed now He takes two steps toward the chair and sits back down He extends his handperhaps to take ain in a show of fatherly affection, but then decides against it, dropping it back down to the ar to me now?"

Good question I'and hard whether or not to do this, but as theabout Brian Brannon I'd read everything I could about hiuy And here I ithout any family left except a distant aunt and a handful of cousins I didn't know all that well, and I just wanted to have someone

I was simply lonely

And even rand adventure I felt that Brian Brannon was a wondrous chapter just waiting to be read in my book of life

I cough slightly to clear my throat "I didn't know about you until just beforeti, she told me about you I was just as shocked as you are now"

"But you said she died ten o," he says softly

I want to say I hear a slight degree of skepticism in his voice, but I don't see it in his eyes I have no clue what he uess I'll find out sooner or later before I walk out of here So I tell him the truth "I was scared, to be honest Not sure you'd believe h from Hartford about three ht ti froht"

My voice trails off, as I', but I still have souess

He's having none of it, though "Thought what, Lexi?"

"I don't want to ," I assure him hastily I see a flicker of annoyance in his eyes, but I keep barreling forward "I was hopingI don't knowmaybe we could have dinner every once in a while"

"You want dinner?" he asks slowly

Skeptically

"I don't want yourmy eyes

Brian offers a syiving me a warm squeeze "You want a family"

My head drops and I stare atmy eyes hard so I don't cry I nod and say, "And you seemed like the type of man ould want to know"

Another squeeze to my shoulder, and when his hand falls away, I look over at his out, staring up at the ceiling He expels a s and murmurs, "Well, I have to sayI don't know that I've ever received such a shock before in my life"

Brian's head turns and his eyes come to rest on me "I'm at a loss"

"I understand," I say quietly "It was a shock when she toldabout you, only that you left when she was pregnant"

"I swear I didn't know," Brian says as he sits up and leans toward me "I swear to God I didn't know"

With a nod of understanding, I tell him, "I know She admitted she never told you"

"I have to tell Gray," Brian says with a heavy sigh, and I can't tell if that's because I've just thrown him for a loop or because I've just complicated his life in a very bad way

"I don't want to impose," I interject, all of a suddenthan Brian I've read up on my half sister as much as I have on my father, and Gray Brannon is a powerhouse Genius-level IQ, gorgeous, and driven Frankly, she scares the crap out of me

"You're not i to be hard for her to take She's pregnant, overworked, and I daresay, a bit emotional"

"We can take a paternity test," I blurt out, because even though he hasn't uttered a single word of doubt, he surely can't be taking everything I'store and it's in my purse I've already done my swab You can do one too and we can send it off It takes a feeeks for the results to come in"

Brian sood idea, but I can see you have my chin and nose I also have no reason to doubt your ood wo to be"

"I aain "I thought about writing you, but I couldn't be sure you'd ever see it So I thought face-to-face was the best"