Ah, I see... a much more profound question. I totally agree with your feelings I would want her to know that whatever our blood ties, I love her - period. Well said.

As for whether she wanted proof, I suppose I'd feel vulnerable and unsure if I'd be as comfortable and secure in her love if she needed proof of paternity.

As it turned out in the story, Brynne needed an organ donor so that question was more or less side-stepped - Sometimes I allow my characters the free will to be themselves and I simply write down what I see - I did this in Dark Code - there's some divergence between the narrator and me - I mean, even though I used direct narration in the first person there's daylight between Matt and me.