Page 119 of Shadow

And telling her the truth would destroy that.

Yep, he was a coward. “Just—” Asher stopped. His throat was tight. “Just that I care about you. More than I should. More than is professional. More than—” He paused. “More than anything.”

Not the full truth. Not the confession. But true enough.

Daphne’s expression softened. “I care about you too. Too much.” She searched his face. Her fingers traced along his jaw. The touch left trails of heat on his skin. “Were you about to kiss me out by the barn?”

He sighed.

“Because you didn’t, and I thought maybe I’d read it wrong.”

“You didn’t.” He took a breath. “I stepped back because I wanted to kiss you too much. Because I didn’t trust myself. Because—” He stopped. “Because you deserve better than me making promises I’m not sure I can keep.”

Daphne touched his face. “You’re not your dad, Asher. You’ve proven that. Over and over. You keep your promises. You protect people. You—” She paused. “You put yourself at risk for this case. For truth. For justice. You’re trying to do the right thing even when it’s hard.”

She believed that. Believed he was good. Believed he was honest.

“Daphne—”

“I know you’re keeping secrets,” she said quietly. “I’ve known it since the first day. Something you’re not telling me about the syndicate. I know.”

Asher’s heart stopped.

“But I trust you,” she continued. “Whatever it is—whatever you can’t tell me yet—I trust that you have a reason.”

He blinked at her. “Daph⁠—”

A shout from upstairs. Female. Destiny’s voice. Sharp and panicked.

“You lied to me!” The words carried down through the vents, through the open stairwell. “All these years, you lied!”

Then Roger’s voice. “Get ahold of yourself, Mom.”

“Get away from me!” Destiny again. Louder. “Don’t touch me! Don’t you dare touch me!”

The sound of something hitting a wall. Hard. Glass shattering.

Asher was already moving, Daphne behind him.

They hit the stairs at the same time, taking them two at a time. The sounds from upstairs getting louder. More violent.

Roger shouting now. “Mom, please! Just listen! Let me explain!”

“Explain what—that you’ve known all this time? What game are you playing?”

Asher reached the top of the stairs. Turned left. Destiny’s and Roger’s bedrooms were next to each other, the sound coming from Destiny’s. Door closed.

He barreled into the room.

Shards of the bedside lamp lay on the floor—hey, that was expensive—and glass littered the carpet.

Roger stood in the doorway of the connecting bathroom, hands up. Defensive. Blood on his cheek where something had hit him.

Destiny stood in the middle of the room, holding another lamp. Ready to throw it. Hair wild. Eyes wilder. Face twisted, her chest heaving. Mascara running down her cheeks in black streaks.

She rounded on Asher, Daphne.

“Get out!” Her voice was raw. Broken. “Get out!”