Page 180 of Forbidden Fate

Hawk’s expression darkens. Daniela looks between us.

“Of course,” Hawk says softly.

That scares me more than if he yelled. “What does that mean?”

“It means what I’ve known for a long time.” He drags a hand over his face. “Dad isn’t the man you think he is, Robbie. He never has been.”

I drop my jaw. Cruz hinted at something similar.

“What do you know?” I demand.

Hawk shakes his head. “You know Dad and I don’t mesh.”

I grab his shoulders. “What aren’t you telling me, Hawk?”

Daniela takes Hawk’s hand once more. “Please,” she says, bringing him back down to the sofa with her.

Hawk looks at her and then back at me. “Robin, I’m sorry. This isn’t about Dad and me right now. It’s about you and what you’ve been through.”

I draw in a breath. Exhale. Close my eyes. Count to ten. Hawk is keeping something from me, but I need to let it go for now. Not forever, but for now.

I open my eyes.

“I need you to understand that I know what Cruz did,” I say. “I’m not excusing it. I’m not romanticizing it. I’m not sitting here pretending he’s secretly innocent because he has a tragic backstory.” I start pacing. “When I was in Colombia, things happened fast. Too fast. He was dangerous, and he was kind. He was my captor, and then he was my escape. He lied, but he also told me the truth when he didn’t have to. He touched me like⁠—”

Hawk’s off the couch again. “He fucking touched you?”

And Daniela’s trying to anchor him again. I’m not sure it’ll work this time, so I sigh. Best to rip the bandage off.

“We had sex. It was complicated, but it was consensual.”

This time Hawk does punch the wall. The plaster cracks beneath his knuckles.

Daniela goes to him. “Honey, please.”

But Hawk’s eyes are on fire. “With the man who helped kidnap you?”

I flinch.

“Hawk…” From Daniela.

“No, don’t Hawk me.” His voice is low but furious. “Robin, what the hell?”

“I meant for it to be transactional.”

The room goes very still again. Hawk looks like I’ve slapped him. Daniela’s face fills with pain. She knows. She’s been in the same situation.

“It was before I knew everything,” I say quickly. “Before I knew about Eagle. I was trying to survive. I thought maybe if he wanted me, if he cared, if I could make myself matter to him… It might protect me.”

Daniela’s eyes soften. “Oh, Robin.”

I shake my head. “But it wasn’t like that. That’s the problem. It started in my head like that, but it didn’t feel like that. It felt…”

I look away.

Real.

I can’t say the word.