"Hey, look at me," Daddy says softly, guiding my gaze back to his with a gentle hand on my chin. "Thank you for telling me this. Now I want you to listen carefully."
My heart hammers, and I stay still as I wait for his next words.
"Seeing Aziel again didn't bring back buried emotions because there are no buried ones. I let go of him and all the emotions I had a long time ago. There's nothing left. Well, maybe there's still anger, but nothing more. I don't love your brother, Sebastian. Not anymore."
Hope.
That's what takes root in my heart and starts to expand. I know it's a dangerous thing, but I can't help it.
"You're not doomed to be second to him, Sebastian. There's no ghost you have to share space with. And you know how I'm so certain about that?"
"How?" I ask in a low voice.
Daddy takes my hand and places it over his heart.
"Because Aziel doesn't have a place in my heart. Not even a corner. But you? With every passing day, you're claiming more and more pieces of me."
The tears I was holding back fall, and I launch myself at Daddy.
I want it all.
Every part of his heart.
All mine.
Just like every part of me is his.
Chapter twenty-eight
Ezrah
Imeant what I said to Sebastian. Seeing Aziel again doesn't change anything between us.
I understand his feelings. It probably feels weird to be with his brother's ex-husband. Initially, that was also what stopped me.
But Aziel is someone from my past, Sebastian is my present and future.
We moved to the bedroom earlier and are currently cuddling, but none of us has fallen asleep yet.
For some reason, every time I close my eyes, I see my father. The fear from earlier… that I wouldn't be able to protect Sebastian, just like I couldn't protect my mom, still has a hold on me.
"What are you thinking about?" Sebastian asks as he plays with the hair on my chest.
"My father."
His hand stills, but after a moment, he continues to caress me.
"You've never spoken about him. Or at least not in front of me."
"Not only with you. I don't like talking about him, or even thinking."
"But something reminded you of him?"
I take my time before I answer him. Do I really want to dive into the topic of my father? Usually, the answer would be no, but tonight I feel a bit frayed around the edges.
First seeing Sebastian's car swerve off the road and hit a tree, the panic of almost losing him again, then meeting Aziel after all this time... mostly it's the fear of losing Sebastian that lingers.
I tighten my arms around him and answer honestly, "My father wasn't a good man."
