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“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He wheeled around, eyes blazing. “A lot of good that does me and my daughter.”
My daughter. Notourdaughter.
“You stole my child. All because I put my pants in that dryer?” He thrust his finger as if the object were now offensive.
“No. That’s crazy.”
“Well, I can’t think of anything else I ever did wrong to you.”
I curled my fingers on the edge of the machine. “I-I think I made a mistake,” I whispered.
“Youthink?” He roared before smashing the teacup. Hot liquid ran all over the counter. Neither of us moved to clean it up. “You stole my life and youthinkit was a mistake?”
“If you had her, I wouldn’t have.” I hung my head. It was the truth. I was so tired of keeping a giant lie, especially now that I knew it was for naught. I didn’t want to be anything less than honest with Kane. “You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have taken her. That’s selfish, I know it is. But if I hadn’t had Penelope—”
“You’d be just like me.” His voice was lethal.
My heart ripped open at the pain in every syllable. The hollow feeling I got when I thought about a life without Penelope was nothing compared to his real torment. He’d lived it. And even though he’d only just found out, I wouldn’t discount his hurt. I imagined it was like a battering ram.
Tea dripped onto the floor. I reached for his hand to pull him out of the threatening puddle, but he was too far away.
“Dammit!” He punched the counter.
I flinched, certain some of the shards of broken teacup were in his knuckles. Then I leapt off the machine and tugged on his shoulders.
He was strong and solid. I didn’t know what he needed from me, only that I wanted to give. There was nothing I could say to make the situation right.
But I couldn’t stand to watch him suffer alone.
He tensed under my touch, but I didn’t let it deter me.
I cupped his cheeks and shook. “I was wrong about you. Wrong about everything when it comes to you. And for that, I am sorry.”
He still refused to look at me. “What am I supposed to do? Thank you for raising the daughter I knew nothing about.”
“That’s been the honor of my life,” I whispered.
His gaze jolted to mine. “And you decided I didn’t get that privilege.”
“I thought—”
“Yeah. Yeah. That I’m some abusive bastard. Wake up. Where were your instincts, and why didn’t you listen to them?”
“I did,” I said insistently. “From the moment I learned of Penelope myinstinctwas to protect her.”Don’t get angry, JoJo. Stay calm.When had that ever worked around Kane?
“Great job. You saved her from the monster.” He jostled to get out of my hold.
“I did. I just didn’t realize the wrong person was the monster.”
Alma.
She was the villain.
The person I’d trusted.
My sister.
