“No, I don’t. I’ve talked to him a few times, and he hasn’t mentioned it. That’s not something he would let go.” I wipe my hands on my jeans and take another deep breath. That’s true. I hadn’t thought of that. “Olivia,” Victor’s voice drops an octave, and I turn my attention to him. He grips my chin gently. “We will get through this. I promise everything is going to be okay.”
“How can you promise that?” I whisper. The look of hurt that passes through his eyes briefly makes me regret asking.
“Because I will die before I allow anything to happen to you, ever.” He rubs his thumb along my bottom lip and I almost tell him I love him, but catch myself.God, I want to tell him.
“That can’t happen either,” I say instead, making him chuckle softly.
“So, we’ll make sure it’s him instead.” He leans forward and drops a kiss on my lips. Getting out of the car, he walks around to my side and opens the door. Victor grasps my hand in his and we walk to the front door.
“Can we please just say it as soon as we get in there? If I keep thinking about it, I’m going to lose my mind.” I keep my eyes focused ahead because I’m afraid he’s going to say no, but out of the corner of my eye, I see him gazing down at me.
“We will do whatever you need, treasure,” he assures me.
I exhale and give him a small smile. “Thank you.”
He knocks on the door and Connor answers it within a few seconds with a huge smile. He looks between the two of us with a tilt of his head. “What’s up with you two?”
Caroline walks up behind him and I share a look with her before I look back at him.
“Donovan is back.”
Connor jerks back like I slapped him. “How the hell do you know who Donovan is?”
I look up at Victor. Now that I’ve said that, I need him to take over. He nods slightly at me, understanding the look in my eyes.
“Can we go inside and we’ll explain?” Victor asks. Connor looks between the two of us, then our linked hands, but he opens the door. Caroline immediately walks over to me and hugs me.
“Are you okay?” she whispers in my ear.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. We walk the rest of the way into the house and I look around trying to find Bec, but I don’t see her. This is going to upset her more than anyone.
“I need you to start explaining,” Connor says.
Everyone is here. Ansley was sitting in Lincoln’s lap on the couch, but they both stand. Ansley looks from Connor to me. She steps closer to me.
“Is everything okay?”
Julian shares a look with Victor and I can tell he must already know, or at least suspect. Bass walks over and wraps his arms around Caroline.Where the hell are Bec and Bailey?
“Donovan is back,” Victor says before I can ask. Bass tenses behind Caroline.Did she not tell him about the flowers?
“Who’s Donovan?” Ansley asks.
I feel Victor’s gaze on me and swallow once, then twice. Looking at Ansley because she’s the one who asked, I answer. “He’s my stepfather.”
Victor wraps his arm around my shoulder, then pulls me into his side and gives me a look that says he’s proud of me. I want to give him a weak smile at least, but I can’t even muster one. I glance around the room. Ansley and Lincoln are looking at me in confusion. Connor, Julian, and Bass have turned to stone, while Caroline is crying, which doesn’t take much these days. She is about to pop. She doesn’t know everything, but I did tell her he was my stepfather. That he abused me, and I ran away, but it seems he’s found me.
Connor finally takes a deep breath and looks between Victor and me. “This is why you’ve known Liv all her life,” he says.
Before Victor can answer, Bec and Bailey walk out from the hallway that leads to the bedrooms. They both stop and glance around the room.
“What’s going on?” Bailey asks. Connor turns toward them, his hands are clenched into fists. He looks pissed and worried. Heknows this is going to upset Bec, but he doesn’t answer Bailey’s question.
Bass steps forward. “Donovan is back,” he says.
Bec’s face turns white and her chest visibly shakes. She glances at me, seeing the truth in my eyes. I have to force myself to breathe normally so I don’t have a panic attack here and now, but if Victor stops touching me, I probably will.
Connor steps forward, his eyes assessing Bec, and her eyes snap to his. “You knew?” he asks her. I close my eyes.Shit. Is this going to cause a rift between them?I don’t know if anything is going on between them or not. She is still staying here, and he’s obviously recovered.What will this do to them?
