I wanted to sit down, but the way he was stretched out, I’d have to sit next to him. It felt childish not to take the seat just because I was betrothed to him, so I sat next to him, and as he tucked me to his side, I instantly regretted it. I wondered if he’d been planning that move.

“Am I that awful?”

He might have intended for the question to come off as teasing, but his glow brightened a bit, giving him away. I knew with one answer I could break this man, but would it be the truth or was I saying it just to fight something I didn’t understand?

I closed my eyes. I wouldn’t lie to Lorne again. “No, but I’m… I don’t know who I am.” I opened my eyes and hoped he’d understand. “I can’t give away my freedom. Not after I’ve fought so hard for it. I’ve lived in fear for so long, hiding and hoping that no one would ever find me. And then Declan did. It was exciting and frustrating and scary on another level as I waited to leave, but then Jason… And Abaddon and…” The panic was rising up in me, and he gave my hand a squeeze. “My father came to talk to me.”

“He did?” He didn’t sound surprised at all. Instead, he started weaving his fingers through mine.

My heart fluttered and my breath stuttered and it was hard to focus on anything other than the touch of his fingers. This—this was one big reason why I had to stay away. Lorne holds my hand, and I lose it?

Next thing I knew, I was going to turn into my ex, Haden. All needy and calling and making a nuisance of myself.

Embarrassing.

I tried to pull my hand away, but he held on tighter.

I opened my eyes to see Lorne staring at me, a small smile on his face. He knew what he was doing. He always did.

“Your father came to talk to you?”

I almost groaned as he brought me back to the topic at hand.

My father. We’d been talking about my father. “Yes. He did.” It had gone worse than I’d imagined.

“What did he say?” I figured that knowing my father better than I did, he’d know what my father came to talk to me about, but he sounded genuinely curious.

I didn’t really feel like rehashing it, but I summed it up as best as I could. “That I need to take up my place and that it’s going to be hard because people don’t like me and—”

The smile was instantly gone, and I missed it. “Don’t listen to him,” Lorne said.

“What? I thought you’d—”