Ciprian's shoulders slumped when she mentioned Rowan, but he pushed them back again as if he was loathe to show any hint of remorse. His continued refusal to speak only crystallized Loma's anger into something unbreakable.
"You can't hide anymore. I see you now." Loma's breath snagged on the thorns in her chest. "I chose for too long to close my eyes to who you really are because…because I love you. But my eyes are open now. I'm not stupid. And I will never close my eyes again."
Ciprian shook his head. "You are my precious daughter…how could you ever believe I thought you were stupid. I just want to keep you safe. That's all I've ever wanted. Loma, please…I love you, too. More than anything in this world, I love you."
His words, so soft and full of tenderness, pummeled her like stones. Even after everything he'd done, even though she knew it was wrong, a small part of her wanted to open herself to the attack because it was all she'd ever known.
