“Use it as fuel, store what you can to unleash on Daniel one of these days. Not recklessly. But make sure he pays for all the hell he’s given you.”
When my dadsaid he wanted a beach day in December, I thought he’d lost his mind.
“You live in California now,” Lucian chuckles. “People still go to the beach in December.”
The sky is clear, the sun warm but not harsh. A breeze rolls in from the water, carrying salt to my nose.
Lucian and I set up an umbrella and lay out our towels. I go for a swim while he stays with our things, stretched out on the sand, just soaking up thesun. The water is colder than I expected, but refreshing. It wakes every nerve in my body.
By the time I make it back to shore, my limbs feel loose and heavy. I collapse onto my towel, the damp fabric of my swimsuit clinging to my skin. The sun immediately starts warming the cold water still dripping from my hair.
It’s a strange kind of balance. Cool skin. Warm air.
Nice.
“It’s a beautiful day.” He says.
I shove my sunglasses over my eyes and tilt my face, like a sunflower stretching towards the sun. Letting the rays soak into my skin.
“It is. Are you going to go for a swim? I can stay and watch the stuff.”
“I’ll wait a little bit.” He glances over at me, smiling. “I’m trying to enjoy every moment I get to spend with you. Especially now that you’re no longer an initiate. I know I was hard on you at first, dropping you in the middle of everything going on at Blackmoore. I just didn’t want to be accused of nepotism when I knew how strong you were. I wanted all of them to see exactly what I see in you. ”
I huff a dry laugh.
“I think it’s pretty obvious I didn’t gain anyfavorjust because you’re my dad. The total opposite. It just put a huge target on my back.”
“Not everyone in the Guild sees it that way.” He shrugs. “It might have seemed like it, but it was a struggle, to not step in and help.”
His gaze drifts back out to the ocean. “As your father, every instinct I have says to protect you, to fix it. But I also knew you needed to find your own footing.”
“Surviving is my strong suit.” The corner of my mouth twitches.
Lucian turns to me, giving me a warm, almost proud smile. “I wish you’d never had to learn that skill, but it made you resilient. It shaped the woman you’re becoming.”
I stare out at the waves rolling toward the shore. Soft and lazy. Somehow a force but calming. Neither of us speaks, just watching the water. Then Lucian adjusts slightly.
“You know, I still remember that night. The last time I saw you.”
I turn my head toward him.
“I had to work late.” He continues. “So, by the time I came to tuck you in that night, you were already in bed. Fast asleep.”
I prop myself up on my elbows. I’ve heard pieces of this story before. But never like this.
“I went into your room to check on you. You were sprawled across the bed sideways.” A small smile touches his mouth. “You had one sock on and one sock off. Your blanket was halfway to the floor.”
“Sounds about right.”
He nods. “I gave you a kiss on the forehead and watched you sleep for a few minutes. I remember just sitting there listening to you breathe. It was so peaceful, like time didn’t exist in your room.”
The wind rustles the umbrella above us.
“I knew you wouldn’t stay little forever,” he says. “One day, you’d grow up, leave home, build a life of your own.” His jaw tightens. “I just didn’t realize that would be the last time I’d get to see you that small.”
Silence settles between us again.
“The thing that bothered me most, was that I couldn’t remember the last time I held you as a little girl.” He shakes his head.
