“She is kind,” Lily said, her eyes quickly filling with tears. “She's nothing like him.”

“I know,” Liam said. He held her hand, stroking it, trying to soothe her. “Lily, I heard what you said to him.”

“The whole Point heard,” Lily said.

“No. I mean, I heard what you said about me. About Rose being ours.”

Lily's tears spilled over. “Do you think he'll believe that? Will it keep him from coming after her? I should never have come back here. In spite of how I feel about Maeve . . .”

“Lily,” Liam said, holding her, making her look him in the eye. “She is ours.”

She shook her head. “But she's not . . . if he forced her to have a blood test . . .”

“In every way that matters,” Liam said, “she's our daughter. I was with you when she was born. I helped her come into the world, and I put her on your stomach for you to hold. I felt like a father that day, Lily. And I've never stopped feeling like one ever since. Rose's father.”

“You've been there for her,” Lily whispered.

“I've tried,” he said. “All I've ever cared about was being there for you and Rose.”

“You promised us you'd look after us,” she cried. “Liam, I tried to push you away for so long. I didn't trust you, didn't trust the world. But I've never forgotten that promise, or that you were there at the beginning. Yours were the very first eyes Rose ever looked into.”

There were stars burning in the sky, so bright they couldn't even be dimmed by the white moonlight, and he felt they were shining for Lily and Rose now. “You're my family,” he said, kissing her hand. “You and Rose.”

“You're ours,” she whispered.

“That's what you were getting at, when you said to Edward that Rose is our daughter. I knew that was what you meant. No matter what the obstacles, we've been a family since that first day.”

“You've been with us at the hospitals. You've paid Rose's hospital bills,” she said. “I never thank you enough for that, because, in so many ways, it's been the least of what you do. You look over us, Liam. Even when I haven't let you be close, you've stayed right there. I've always known that all I'd ever have to do is call you. And you'd come.”

“Even more than you know,” he said.

“I used to think she was born with heart defects because I let my heart be broken,” Lily said.

“I've always known you had a broken heart,” Liam said. “And I've wanted more than anything for you to let me try to help you heal it.”

“You have,” she whispered.