I stared the caretaker down until the little body threw up its arms and shuffled off, muttering under its breath in what sounded like ancient Greek.

Whatever. I turned back to Josie and Dickface.

“My father was . . . he tried to keep the relationship hidden. He would leave the community and visit me and Mom every weekend—always a long weekend. Friday through Monday. When I was younger, I didn’t realize we were different. Mom was always honest about what Dad was. I didn’t realize that he had another family in his community—a pure one. Wife. Another son. I think my mom knew. I’m pretty sure she did, and I don’t think she cared. She loved him that much that she didn’t care that when he left us, he went to another family, one that his kind approved of.”

“Oh my gosh,” Josie murmured.

Colin was quiet for only a damn moment. “When she got pregnant with my older brother, things changed. My father ended up moving in with us. For a couple of years, I guess we were like normal mortal families. At least it felt that way to me.”

Now Josie was staring at him and I could see the sympathy all but pouring out of her. Fuck me. “What happened?”

Colin glanced up at the sky. “I was young. Daimons tracked my father home one night. They got hold of my mom and killed her just for sport. My father was able to stop them from getting to us, but my mom . . . she died defending my brother and me. She wasn’t trained or anything. She knew what they were, and she went down fighting. Because of her actions, it gave my father a chance to fight.”

“Sounds very brave.”

“She was brave.” He smiled faintly.

Josie looked like she was seconds away from pulling him into a bear hug. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.” He turned to her. “Anyway, that’s some depressing shit right there and you look like that’s the last thing you need right now.”

Oh, like he knew what she needed right now? The hand at my side closed into a fist. I was going to rip out Colin’s tongue and shove it up his ass. Possibly an excessive reaction, but what the fuck ever, it was going to make me feel real good.

Her hands stilled. “Is it that obvious?”

Colin tipped his head back. “Ah, you just look . . . like you could use a friend.”