Moirai

more than a decade later, he'd barely changed.

I shook my head no, in denial. It couldn't be him. He was dead. I was certain he was dead. My mother had buried him, at least I thought she had. I could still remember the funeral as though it were yesterday. Could he have another brother? I sat frozen as he slowly walked closer, and the room seemed to spin with his movements. As he approached I saw how tall he was, just as my father had been, slightly over six-foot. The resemblance was more than uncanny. I didn't want it to be my father; knowing he was alive meant the worst thing possible. He wasn't the man I believed in all those years. One hand held my fork, the other reached down, gripping Joshua's thigh as I tried not to tremble. I was not ready for this.

I'm not going anywhere. I was thankful that I could hear his thoughts, know he spoke the truth and that it was something only we shared together. I gave the faintest of nods and quickly averted my eyes, but it was too late. He now stood to the right of Zarrah and fast approached us.

My breath caught in my throat, and I dropped my fork. It would have clashed loudly had the room not been pure chaos. Each moment seemed to last a lifetime and all I could think was what I would say to a man I thought had died more than a decade ago.

His eyes never left mine and even as I tried to look away, I could feel his intense gaze. He stopped and paused as he reached Chloe, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. She turned around surprised and then relieved. “Oh good, you're here.” Chloe turned back towards us. “This is my husband, Gavin.” Staring up at him, I felt a chill course through my body as I stared into his eyes. They were darker than I remembered.

“I know,” I nodded. My eyes narrowed, and my hand grabbed the fork, stabbing the meat on my plate before shoving it into my mouth.

Zarrah frowned, glancing at her father, and then at me. “What does she mean, she knows?” Zarrah questioned, half forgetting I sat across from them.

Gavin sighed, resting his hands on his wife's shoulders as he stood behind her. “Olivia is my daughter.”

“Was,” I corrected him, refusing to look up at him. “I wouldn't call us related anymore. You died when I was five.”

“Olive.” His voice was soft, tentative. It made my blood boil.

“Don't!” I screamed, my voice piercing through the noise and above it. Slowly, people turned from their seats, curious what caused the commotion. “Don't ever call me that,” I warned him. “We are nothing, you and I. We're certainly not family.” I spat at the idea, disgusted.

“We are family, whether you want to see it or not,” Gavin answered calmly. He was a little too calm, considering he hadn't seen me, his daughter, in more than ten years. I was shocked! “You owe me a thank you.” He stared at me. I avoided his gaze. “Both of you together, that's my doing,” he boasted, proud of his accomplishments. “I know you're angry, I get that, Olivia, but, if it weren't for me, you'd be dead or married to some Levi guy.” My face paled and I lost my appetite.

Joshua cleared his throat. “What are you talking about?” This involved him as much as me.

Gavin smiled. “I thought you'd want to know, Josh. You were a good kid, your mom and I best friends when we were younger. She knew my predicament. Eventually, I'd have to get Olivia out of Genesis and who better to trust than a friend. Seems fitting that you both became friends, didn't even have to force it.” He looked smug.

Joshua's face turned red as he stood up, jumping up and over the table, throwing a punch at Gavin's face. Gavin didn't have time to move. It landed square on his jaw. “You're a coward!” he spat, “leaving your wife and daughter behind. Don't pretend you know her or anything about us.” Joshua's voice was laced with anger and hatred as he threw another punch at Gavin only to find his arms being restrained by the guard that was supposed to protect me.

I stood up, no longer hungry and wanting nothing more than to be far from Torv and even farther from Gavin. I couldn't watch the fight and didn't want Gavin to see the tears that were threatening my eyes. My heart ached as I headed for the nearest exit out of the cafeteria which seemed to be miles away. I was turned around. Finding a door, I pushed it open, realizing I was in a back stairwell. “Just great!” I screamed, slamming my hands against the wall in frustration. Swallowing the building anger, I ran up the stairs, one flight at a time until I felt myself out of breath. Then I walked the remainder to our floor. Pushing the door open, I headed through the long corridor and around the corner only to see the guard hovering in front of Joshua's door.

“I'm going to have to report you.”

“So do it!” I could hear Joshua's retort as I slowly walked down the length of the hall towards his room. “Gavin is a jerk.”

“He is,” I breathed, knowing it was true. I approached the open door, giving a knock.

“I was wondering where you've been.” Joshua gave me a weak smile. “Seems I'm under house arrest.” He gestured towards the guard standing outside the room.

“Fighting isn't condoned in Torv,” Kelvin answered. “I'd have ignored it if it wasn't in front of the entire cafeteria. My hands are tied.”

“So what does that mean?” I asked, coming to sit on the bed beside Joshua.

“In most circumstances, you break the rules and you’re sent into the militia.”

“Okay.” That surprised me. “Joshua isn't a citizen of Torv though,” I reminded the guard, “so does that mean he'll be sent home?” I hoped that was what it meant. I didn't want him to be forced to join Torv's military.

“In all likelihood, yes.”

I leaned in, brushing my lips over Joshua's as my fingers played in the nape of his neck. “So I guess our vacation to Torv will be cut short.”

“No,” Joshua sighed as he pulled back slightly before leaning in, taking another taste. “You came here for a reason, you should finish what's been started.”

“You mean kill Gavin?” I joked.

“Well, at the very least beat him to a pulp.” He smiled between kisses. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I whispered against his lips.

“Do you think it's true?” He sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned his forehead against mine.

“Which part?” I asked. “That he kept me from marrying Levi Keller?” I blanched at the thought. “I should be so grateful.” I smiled as Joshua's eyes shined. “Doesn't mean I'm forgiving him.”

“He doesn't deserve your forgiveness. Not for what he did, leaving you, making you believe he was dead. All he knows are lies.”

I was there when his casket was lowered into the ground. I grieved for him. The man I believed a hero was not the same man I had met just minutes ago.

“I want to go home.”

“All in due time,” he whispered against my ear before pulling back. “You know after this you and Jaxon are going to Genesis.” I didn't answer right away; it was something I wasn't ready to talk about. “I could come with you.”

“That's not part of the plan.” I smiled, knowing in my heart it was what I wanted. My feet dangled off the bed as I brushed my shoulder against his. “Our risk would increase tenfold if you came with us.”

“You don't trust me?” Joshua was surprised.

“No!” I laughed, shaking my head. “Quite the opposite. I don't trust myself,” I clarified. “With you and me back in Genesis, it'll be like old times. We can't act like we know each other. It's going to be tough enough getting me inside the walls without rousing suspicion.”

“Jaxon's taking care of it.”

“That makes me nervous.” I laughed anxiously. “Besides, you have your part and I have mine.”

I felt his lips graze my cheek as he pulled me back against the mattress.

We shouldn't be talking about this where they can hear us. I'm not sure we can trust them yet. With Kelvin standing guard and reporting on Joshua's behavior, we couldn't take any chances that they'd learn our plans.

I felt his lips set fire to my heart as he kissed a path across my neck and down to my stomach. My fingers tangled in his hair, and I pulled him up to my level. We're not doing this with the door open. I grinned.

Actually, we were. Joshua laughed, pulling back slightly as he rested his head beside mine on the pillow.