“Someone should have told me,” he growled, not having to fake the anger he felt. What Mia didn’t know was that it was directed at himself. He’d been the one who hadn’t bothered to follow up with her. To make sure there were no consequences of their time together. For the past four years his son, his heir, had existed and he hadn’t known.

“I would have, except I thought you were dead,” she said sharply, then sighed. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be crabby. This is all so much. Too much. I don’t know what Danny’s going to think. All his life, I told him his father died before he was born.” She looked at him. “You’re not questioning your paternity. I’m not lying, but you’ll probably want to check this all out. It would be a big deal for any guy, but I’m guessing an even bigger one for a prince.”

She was telling the truth. Before sneaking into Mia’s room, he’d visited the boy. The child had slept soundly and it had been easy to check the small of his back. There, just to the left of his spine, was the small star-shaped birthmark all the men in his family possessed. The child was his, but better to play along and pretend to not be sure.

“I have never doubted your integrity,” he said. “But under the circumstances proof will be necessary. I’m sure we can arrange for a DNA test of some kind.”

“Circumstances?” she repeated. “You mean the one where you’re a prince and heir to a throne and I’m just some commoner from California?”

“I would not describe you thus,” he said, moving close and taking her hand in his. Her skin was warm and he enjoyed the contact.

Five years ago he’d claimed Mia as his own because it had pleased him to do so. Now he would claim her for other reasons, but the task would still be most pleasant.

“Great,” she murmured, then took a sip of her coffee as she carefully pulled free of his touch. “Let me recap. You might be Diego, and hey, an heir to the Calandria throne. You’re also not dead. In the short time we were together five years ago, I managed to get pregnant, because that’s just how my luck goes. Now you’re back and we’re parents together. Did I miss anything?”