From the minute I learned I was her father, I knew I’d missed a lot.
But the more time I spend with her, I become more acutely aware of just how much.
Not just first steps.
Everything. Everyday.
For three years.
Why?
Why did my father distrust her?
Why didn’t she come to me?
Sure, my father was Don, but I could have done something, including help her escape if needed.
And why after four years would Ivan Vasiliev personally hunt down Eva?
The Bratva doesn't waste resources chasing random women across state lines.
There's something she's not telling me.
Something beyond my father's suspicions.
Eva always had layers.
It's what initially drew me to her.
There was mystery behind her hazel eyes.
But now those secrets threaten not just her life, but our daughter's.
“Fairies know the best hiding places,” Mirabella says out of nowhere.
“Really?”
She nods. “That’s what Mama says.”
My jaw tightens.
This child has spent her life running, hiding, living in fear because of whatever Eva's involved in.
What could be worth putting a child through that?
The urge to find Eva right now and demand answers burns through me. But Mirabella tugs my hand.
“Look.” She picks up a rock sitting next to us under the tree. “This one's for you. It's magic."
"Is it?" I close my fingers around it gently.
"Mmm-hmm. It keeps monsters away."
I swallow hard. "Have you seen monsters before, Princess?"
She nods solemnly. "The bad men."
Something breaks inside me.
