I did sleep in his bed.

I didn’t realize I touched him, and while I have been known to talk in my sleep, he never mentioned it. Not that he had a chance.

Like he said, I’d been avoiding him, but not for the reasons he’s thinking.

I swallow, shaking my head as I answer his question in a copout way.

“I hardly know you,” I admit. “And you don’t know me at all.”

“But you want to know me, like I need to know you.”

My skin heats at his words.

Like he needs...

“You won’t like what you find.”

“I like enough already, and I’m not asking you to tell me all your secrets, even though you already know about my biggest one.”

Fuck.

“You’ve been out here every day, beauty. You’ve seen her, my daughter.”

My jaw clenches tight and I consider lying for the hell of it, but he saw me, right?

I give a jerky nod.

“You want to meet her?”

My brows slam together, the hope in his eyes causing my stomach to grow tight.

He’s gonna hate me.

“Come on.” He steps back, while I remain frozen in place. “I was only supposed to be grabbing her ball from my car. Let’s not make her come looking for me.”

“Too. Fucking. late.” Raven’s chuckled words float from behind me and I tense. “We found you.”

We? Oh no.

“Daddy!”

No, no, no.

Not like this.

Captain’s eyes instantly cut behind me and he backs up even more, beaming at the little girl I know is just behind me.

He bends down, and as he does, two more sets of footsteps grow closer.

They’re all here.

“Come here, Zo.” He crooks his finger at her. “Come meet our friend.”

My chest starts to ache, moisture building in my eyes and I force a deep breath.

I catch Raven’s eyes a moment and she frowns at my demeanor.

She takes a half step toward me, but then Zoey bursts past her and her eyes follow the little blonde who throws herself against her daddy’s chest. “Find you, find you!” She laughs.

Cap’s smile bounces to me, but his eyes tighten at the sight. He keeps his grin on for Zoey, reluctantly pulling his eyes back to her.

“Zoey.” He spins her around, and her eyes hit mine. “This is—”

Her eyes widen with her smile and she tugs free from him, running right for me.

I drop to my knees quickly and she wraps her little arms around my neck.

“Rora!”

I hug her back, my eyes rising to Cap as he pushes to his feet, in slow, methodical movements.

Royce and Maddoc step closer, while Raven stands frozen, eyes stuck on me.

Zoey pulls back, smiling at me. “I miss you, Rora!”

I swallow, forcing a smile, while tension threatens to knock me over. “I miss you, too, ZoZo.”

She laughs and pulls away.

“Hey, Zoey Bear,” Royce calls her. “Let’s go get some ice cream, huh?”

“Ice cream!” she shouts and runs away, but not before pausing and running back to rub her nose across mine. “Eskimo kisses!”

I force the tears in my eyes to stay right where they are. “And butterfly hugs.”

She laughs and runs away. “So much, Rora!”

So much, ZoZo.

Captain’s jaw clenches and he takes a step back.

My hands lift and slowly, I push to stand, my eyes bouncing between the three.

Maddoc’s glare is locked on me, while Raven continues to look from where Zoey ran off to me.

Cap though, he doesn’t look away. His eyes turn to glaciers, the sharp edges of his jaw growing more profound as he drops his chin closer to his chest.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking between the two. “There was no right time to tell.”

“My daughter knows who you are,” Captain rumbles. “How?”

I look to Raven and back to him. “Maria,” I whisper. “She’s my mother.”

Raven’s brows snap together. “You knew?”

“I told you.” My face contorts. “Discovering secrets was my purpose, remember?”

“How long,” Captain snaps.

My eyes snap his way.

When I don’t respond he pushes closer.

“How. Long. Have you known about her?” he forces past clenched teeth.

I swallow, admitting, “Long before you.”

You’d think I slapped him. I’d go as far as to say he was hoping for a different answer, that maybe there was one that wouldn’t build a wall between us, not that an us existed.

“What does so much mean?” he asks, now completely detached, no emotion to be found, not even anger.

“Exactly what you think,” I whisper. “It’s... how she tells me she...” I trail off, unable to say it.

It’s how she tells me she loves me.

She’s the only person that ever has.

“I’m sorry,” I tell them, my shoulders falling. “I don’t know what else to say.” I turn to Raven. “Don’t hate me, please. I’ll go, I won’t bother you guys.” My eyes cut to Captain and back to her. “But just... don’t hate me.”

“Go,” Raven says, her eyes slicing to Captain. Something passes between them before she looks back to me. “And make it quick, Victoria.”

With a slight nod and a heavy heart, I back away, unable to meet Captain’s eyes. “I expected this, so bags are already packed,” I admit. “I’ll only be minutes.”

I get a few feet before Captain says, “Well in that case, we’ll send someone to get them.”

My eyes cut over my shoulder, and I frown.

“You’ll be moved in, in less than an hour,” Raven tells me as she reaches for Maddoc’s hand.

I spin to face them once more. “You want me to stay?”

She looks from Cap to me. “I’m telling you to.”

Maddoc and Captain share a look, and then he and Raven walk away, leaving me and Captain alone.

“I’m sorry, Cap—”

“Don’t,” he cuts me off, stepping into my face, but I don’t cower.

He looks ready to say something, but I couldn’t guess as to what. His eyes give nothing away. The second the ice within them starts to thaw he jerks away, stepping from the trees before turning to look at me once more.

“Welcome home, beauty.” He spreads his arms out wide, the mansion taunting me in the distance behind him. “Might wanna sleep with one eye open.”

My forehead tightens as my pulse spikes.

Does this make me the enemy?

The tautness of his eyes screams the answer is no, he doesn’t want me to be.

Still, in the next moment, I consider running, disappearing, only the thought is gone as soon as it hits, because the cost of leaving this place is too high.

I’d lose everything I never had and always wanted.

I’d risk having the only people who’d ever made me feel like being myself was enough hating me forever. Allowing them to push me away when I’ve only just grown closer?

I don’t fucking think so.

They pulled me from my hiding places, and I’m glad.

I’m tired of dark corners, tired of the background.