It's funny, Liam thought. That was the moment he knew. He had seen Edward's glittering hazel eyes, he had heard his possessiveness about what was “his,” he had seen the arrogance and aggression in showing up here. But it was in that small comment, that throwaway cruelty, that Liam saw the man for exactly who he was.

“Don't you dare!” Lily shouted, her outward calm dissolving. “Liam is the most wonderful man in the world. He loves my daughter! Our daughter,” Lily said, gazing up at Liam with sheer panic, making his heart pound, because he knew she wanted it to be true, that she finally accepted the way Liam had felt all along—that he had always loved Rose as if she were his own.

“What?” Edward asked. “She's his daughter?”

Lily was shaking too hard to answer. Liam held her, rocking her in the front yard as the sun set, its orange rays making all the roses look as if they were on fire.

“I don't believe you,” Edward shouted. “She looks like me. She's the right age. I swear to God, I'm going to take her from you. I swear you'll be sorry for this.”

Liam tried to shield Lily with his body. He felt her quivering against him, her body trembling with sobs.

Edward's words, I'm going to take her from you, rang in Liam's ears. He wanted to take two steps and kill Edward with his bare hands. But he had to take care of Lily right now. He turned his back on the monster and led the woman he loved into her grandmother's house.

Rose was standing inside the kitchen door, her expression pure shock. She had never seen her mother like this. Liam doubted she had ever heard her mother raise her voice. He could see Edward through the kitchen door window, standing right by the wishing well, laughing.

“Why is that man laughing?” Rose asked. “While Mommy's crying?”

“Rose,” Lily said, falling to her knees and pulling Rose into her arms.

“Mommy, what's wrong?” Rose asked, her words muffled by Lily's shoulder—Lily was holding her so hard.

Liam had to get them away from the door. He shepherded them into the living room, sat beside them on the sofa. He held Lily while she cried, and Rose just looked up at him with confusion in her eyes. Edward was wrong. Rose looked nothing like him. Yes, her eyes were green, but they were warm, deep, crackling with lively intelligence. Looking into the eyes of Edward Hunter, Liam had had the cold sensation of a reptile, primitive and undeveloped.

“Tell me what's wrong,” Rose repeated. “That's the man from Rhode Island. Who is he?”

“His name is Edward Hunter,” Liam said.

“He's my real father,” Rose said. It wasn't a question.