A smile tugged at my lips. “I know, and I guess I do owe you an apology. It’s just that I have a hard time—”
“Trusting anyone other than Belle. I know. But you’ve formed a family of choice here, Liz, and you very much need to believe in and trust all of us.”
Family. It was something I’d long searched for, something that was finally within my reach.
And something Clayton could so very easily destroy.
I blinked back tears and stared out the side window for a couple of seconds. When I was certain my emotions were back under control, I told him everything Katie had said about the wild magic; everything except the whole baby thing. There was no real point in mentioning that, simply because—however much I might hope otherwise—the little girl I saw in my future might not be his.
“She also confirmed that I can’t permanently leave the reservation.”
“Which is a good thing, isn’t it? It means that Clayton can’t swoop in and spell you away.”
“In theory, yes.” Although given both Clayton and my father had hidden their presence from Katie, there was no absolute certainty.
He slowed as the lights ahead went red. “And the stuff about the wild magic protecting you? Is that what happened today?”
“Yes.”
“Which means Clayton can’t actually hurt you.”
“He can hurt me by hurting Belle. Or you. Or any of the others.”
Aiden frowned. “Do you really think he’ll go to those extremes?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know him. I’ve never really known him—he was my father’s friend and a second cousin. I had very little to do with him.”
At least until my father decided the best way to deal with a problem child was to basically sell her off to a friend desperate to have a wife young enough to have lots of children.
“Then you need to talk to someone who did,” Aiden said.
I snorted. “Like who? My goddamn father?”
“Well, no. I was thinking more along the lines of your mother.”
“What? Why?”
The lights went green. He slipped the truck into gear and took off again. “Well, if she’s now left your father because she was told what he and Clayton did, she may well not only welcome the contact, but the chance to make amends.”
“You don’t know my mother.” I couldn’t help the bitterness in my voice. “She and I were never close.”
“Which doesn’t mean she won’t be feeling some regret over the situation.” He glanced at me again. “What have you got to lose? Given you’ve been found by them and you can’t run anymore, you’ve got no real choice but to face up to your past—all of it—and move on.”
“Fine advice coming from a man still haunted by his.” It was out before I could stop it, and I silently cursed. I didn’t need to be stirring that up right now.
“She doesn’t haunt me,” he bit back. “Not anymore.”
I glanced at him. “So if she came back tomorrow—”
“That’s very unlikely to happen.”
It was said with a bitterness that spoke volumes and basically confirmed future heartache. “But if she did?”
“Then I’d deal with it.” He stopped in front of our café. “But it’s not my past causing us problems right now, and I can’t see the harm in reaching out.”
“I’ll think about it.” I undid the seat belt and leaned across to kiss him. “Are you coming around for dinner later?”
He shook his head. “It’s Dillon’s fourteenth birthday, and I said I’d be there for the celebration.”
Which was just another reminder that no matter what happened between us, that part of his life was something I would never share.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
I grabbed my backpack and carefully climbed out. The various aches protested the movement, and I walked somewhat stiffly into the café. I didn’t look back. Didn’t wave goodbye. The man was too astute and might have seen the brief sheen of self-pitying tears.
“And why might they be happening?” Belle said, as I locked the café door and hobbled toward her. “Or is that a stupid question?”
“The latter. Why are you on your feet—weren’t you told to rest that foot?”
“Yes, and I am, but I needed coffee and there was no one here to make it for me.” She limped over to the table and sat down. “I chatted to Penny, by the way. Everything went smoothly with the café today, and I asked Celia to work for the rest of the week. I figured neither of us will be up to running around too much.”
I nodded. “I’m heading upstairs for a long hot bath. I think we’ll do takeout tonight.”
“Excellent idea. But before you go—are you up to a session with the truth seeker and auditor?”
“Tonight?”
She nodded. “They want the files ready in the event of your father or Clayton changing their minds about the annulment.”
“My father won’t change his mind. Not now that he’s aware I can interact with the wild magic.”
“Yes, but it’s not your father who has to sign off on the annulment, and Clayton’s just as aware of your abilities.”
“True.” I hesitated. “Aiden suggested I ring Mom and get the gossip on him.”
She blinked. “You know, that might not be a bad idea.”
“I don’t know, Belle—”
“She won’t reject you, Liz. She never did, even if she wasn’t the most caring parent.”
I took a deep, somewhat shuddering breath. Rejection certainly was a fear, and its origin wasn’t the years of being told I wasn’t good enough, but rather the reaction of both my parents when we’d lost my sister, Cat. They’d blamed me for her death; hell, I blamed me, simply because, in the end, I hadn’t been strong—
“And if they’d actually listened to you—or actually believed your psi abilities just that once,” Belle cut in tartly, “your sister might well have survived. Her death is on their shoulders, not yours. I’ve long thought their over-the-top reaction was in part due to that knowledge.”
“You’ve never said that to me.”
“I did. You never wanted to hear it.”
Probably because
