“No.” A furrow gathered between Julia’s eyebrows as she tilted her head. “We fell in love while I was still married to Jeremy, but we didn’t get together until after the separation.”

“Then why are you suppressing memories of Ryder? Is there some secret about your relationship?”

Ryder shifted in his seat. What kind of game was Brody playing? He’d obviously figured out Ryder was Shelby ’s father. Why was he pressing Julia now? Ryder wanted Julia to remember the pregnancy on her own, not like this. Growling from the back of his throat, he stood up, looming over Brody.

“You can’t disturb her now unless you want to cause some damage to her psyche.” Brody turned his smug smile on Ryder.

Ryder clenched his fist, ready to smash that smile to smithereens, but he didn’t know a thing about hypnosis and he wouldn’t do a thing to jeopardize Julia’s safety.

“How about it, Julia? Are you keeping a secret from Ryder?”

“My pregnancy.” A single tear rolled down Julia’s face. “I found out I was pregnant with Ryder’s baby before he left for his next mission, but I didn’t want to tell him. I didn’t want to hold him or trick him. He’d already told me he didn’t want children.”

Had he really said something so stupid? After meeting Shelby, he couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t want to have children, a perfect little tomboy with gleaming curls.

“So you hid the truth from Ryder, and he’s been hiding the truth from you.”

Ryder uncurled his fists and flexed his fingers. He’d strangle him instead.

“When Ryder walked back into your life on Silverhill’s main street and saw Shelby, he must’ve known she was his daughter. And he kept the truth from you. Why do you think he did that?”

“Stop it, Brody,” Ryder said through clenched teeth.

“I don’t know.” Julia pinned her hands between her knees and began rocking.

“Maybe he lied to you because you lied to him. Maybe he has plans to take Shelby away from you, an unfit mother who has panic attacks, a black hole for a memory, and a dangerous man stalking her.”

Ryder crouched behind Brody’s chair and hooked an arm around his neck. He hissed in his ear, “Bring her out of it now, you piece of garbage. And when this is over, you’ll have another black spot on your record with that psychology board.”

Brody choked and clawed at Ryder’s forearm. “Okay, okay.”

Rubbing his throat, Brody intoned the words to bring Julia out of her hypnotic state. As he encouraged her to remember everything from the session, he shot a vindictive glance at Ryder, hovering at Julia’s side.

Julia’s eyelids fluttered open and she crossed her arms over her chest, gripping her upper arms. Her gaze slid from Brody’s triumphant face to Ryder’s tight one.

She sat forward, her wide eyes brimming with distrust. Ryder ran his hand down her back, but she bristled at his touch.

“I’d say that was a very successful session because you finally discovered the identity of Shelby ’s father.” Brody snapped his notebook shut and stood up.

Ryder lunged for Brody and grabbed his shirt collar.

Julia yelled, “Stop. He’s not worth it.”

Ryder shoved him back and wiped his hands on the thighs of his jeans. “I’m filing a complaint against you.”

Smiling, Brody straightened his shirt. “Go ahead. I didn’t record this session. It’s one disgruntled…patient’s word against mine. She was in a hypnotic state.”

“I’m not coming back, Jim. It’s over. I don’t think you ever had my well-being as your top priority.” Julia rose from the sofa and rubbed her pale, tear-smudged face.

“I protected you, Julia. People don’t get amnesia just because of a bump on the head. You wanted to forget. I knew that. I spared you memories of a cheating spouse and a man who didn’t want you or your child, and he proved that when he came waltzing back into your life. Why didn’t he admit to being Shelby ’s father? Either he doesn’t want her or he wants her all to himself. Think about it. Ryder McClintock showed up in town only a few weeks after the stalking incidents began. Maybe he’s trying to drive you crazy so he can snatch Shelby away from you.”

“That’s enough.” Ryder thrust his arm out as if to deflect Brody’s words.

“You see, Julia. He’s a violent man, just like your ex-husband. They’re spies for goodness sakes. They live in a violent, turbulent world. You don’t need that. Shelby doesn’t need that.”

Ryder pushed past him and threw open his office door, startling a man reading a magazine. How did Brody know Julia planned to call it quits with him before the session started? He had an agenda from the minute they walked into his office.

Ryder’s trained eye scanned the room. He stood on a table and felt behind the speaker in the corner while Brody’s next patient stared at him with an open mouth.

“What are you doing?” Julia hung back by Brody’s office door while the doctor hovered over her shoulder, his brow wrinkled.

Ryder’s fingers trailed along the top of a picture frame until they stumbled on a device tucked into the corner. He yanked out the mini camera and microphone and held it up.

“Spying on your patients before they even come into your office, Brody? I think that board of yours is going to be very interested in this.” He dangled the camera from his fingertips, swinging it in front of the waiting patient. “Don’t you think?”

The man tossed his magazine on the table and grabbed the doorknob. “What kind of office is this?”

“See ya, doc.” Ryder pocketed the electronic device and followed the man out into the hallway.

Julia clicked the door behind her and leaned against it, closing her eyes.

“Julia, I wanted to tell you, but I wanted you to remember first. Of course I knew Shelby belonged to me the minute I saw her. You and Jeremy didn’t even sleep together at the end of your marriage, and I knew damn well you wouldn’t have gone back to him after I left.”

“ Shelby doesn’t belong to you. She’s mine.” Julia shoved off the doorjamb and marched toward the elevator.

Ryder stared at her stiff back. Great. She misinterpreted his patience as deception. By giving her time to remember their love, he’d driven a huge wedge between them.

“I WANT another riding lesson with Ryder.” Shelby planted her pink sneakers in the carpet and folded her arms.

“Not today, Shelby.” Julia tossed a couple of water bottles in the backpack, followed by two granola bars, a light blanket and her cell phone.

“You promised. Ryder promised.” Shelby thrust out her lower lip and bunched up her arms tighter.

“Promises get broken. People lie.” Julia swung the backpack over her shoulder and stalked to the front door. A small sniffle stopped her dead in her tracks.

She ventured a look over her shoulder just in time to see a big, fat tear wobble on the end of Shelby ’s lashes and her lip tremble.

Julia spun around and dropped to her knees in front of Shelby ’s shuddering frame. Folding her arms around her, she said, “I’m sorry, honey bun. Ryder’s busy with his brother today. You’ll have another riding lesson later this week. Ryder doesn’t break his promises and he doesn’t lie.”

He just withholds information.

Julia wiped the tear from Shelby ’s face and took her hand. “Let’s take our hike to The Twirling Ballerinas. When you have your sleepover at Clem and Millie’s tonight, you can pick out one of the kittens.”

Shelby ’s face brightened as she rubbed the back of her hand across her nose. “I want the black and white one.”

“Okay. Clem will let us know when the kitty is ready to leave its mama.”

Julia’s grip tightened on Shelby ’s hand when they left the house and made their way toward the start of the trail.

“Too tight.” Shelby shook her hand free of Julia’s and skipped ahead.

Julia had to shed the fear that Ryder intended to steal Shelby from her. She knew her overprotection of Shelby bordered on smothering and she didn’t want to be that kind of mother.