CHAPTER THIRTY–TWO

Liana’s bpov /b

“I’m hungryb, /bMommy!” Ryan muttered from the backseat since we were already finished with shopping. Too many bags filled the back seat, making it a tight squeeze.

b“/bbYou /bdidn’t even let me finish buckling my seatbelt beforeining.”

“But I’m starving! bI /bcan’t wait till we get home. bMy /btummy is growling so loud.” He made a low growl noise in his throat and

rubbed his stomach.

Killian chuckled quietly. “Alright, alright. We’ll stop somewhere and eat. There’s a nice restaurant not far from hereb./b”

Ryan’s eyes lit up immediately. “Do they have chicken fingersb? /bAnd fries? And ketchup?b” /b

b“/bYes, they have chicken fingers and fries with ketchup,” Killian confirmed, ncing at me with a small smile before starting

the carb. /b

The drive to the restaurant didn’t take long. Ryan kept tapping his feet on the car floor while humming some cartoon theme bsong /bunder his breath. I watched him for a momentb, /bletting the sound pull me baway /bfrom the ache that was still sitting quite

heavy in my chest.

We were seated at a quiet corner of the restaurant. The waiter brought menus, but Ryan already knew what he wanted.

b“/bChicken fingers. And fries. With ketchup. And apple juice,” he said confidently, handing his menu back.

b“/bbYou /bsure byou /bbdon’t /bwant to look through the whole thing?b” /bI askedb, /braising an eyebrow.

He shook his head seriously. “I already made up my mind.”

I looked down at the bmenu/b, but I wasn’t really reading. My fingers were just moving, flipping pages as if bI /bwas paying

attention. bI /bcould feel Killian’s eyes on me.

“Liana,” he said bgently/b. “bTry /bto eat something.”

I nodded bslowly/b. b“/bbI /bwill.b” /b

We ced our orders. Ryan began bto /bcolor on the kids‘ menu with the crayons they gave him. I watched his tiny hands work bfast/b. His tongue peeked bout /bslightly from the corner of his mouth–he always did that when he was concentrating.

I nced at Killian. He was silent, just watching me. His face was unreadable.

bAfter /ba moment, bI /btook a deep breath. “Ryan,” I said softly, “Can we talk about something?b” /b

bHe /blooked bup /bbat /bme with his big brown eyes. b“/bOkay. What’s wrong?b” /b

I looked bat /bKillian for a second, then bback /bat Ryan. b“/bbYou /bremember how we talked about your dad bbefore/bb? /bAnd how I told you

some things bwere /bbplicated/bb?/bb” /b

He bnodded /bslowlyb, /bhis eyes narrowing. b“/bYeah I remember. bYou /bsaid bnot /bbto /bask too much bbecause /bit made you sad.b” /b

bMy /bthroat tightened as I reached for his hand. b“/bI think it’s time byou /bknow. Killian… isn’t bjust /bUncle Killian. He’s your dad.”

Ryan blinked. Once. Twice. Then bfrowned/b. “But… byou /bbsaid /bhe bwas /byour brother.”

I swallowed. “bI did/bb. /bbAnd /bit’s… a long bstory/b. One I’m still going bto /bbtell /bbyou /bone bday/b. But bthe /btruth is… bhe’s /bbnot /bbreally /bbmy /bbbrother/b. bNot /bbby /bbloodb. /bbAnd /bhe’s byour /breal dadb./bb” /b

Ryan sat back in his chairb, /bas if bhe /bbwas /bbtrying /bbto /bmake the bpieces /bbfit /binside his head. “bSo/b… byou /bbmean/b… bhe’s /bbnot /bbmy /bbuncle/b. He’s my bdad/bb? /bLike bmy /bbreal/bb, /breal bdad/bb?/bb” /b

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Killian leaned forward, his voice gentle. b“/bbYes/b, Ryan. I am.”

There was a long pause. Ryan didn’t look angry. Or sad. bJust/b… thoughtful.

“I kinda already knew,” he said finally. b“/bCause you always look at him like byou /bdo with me. And he looks at you like you’re

his favorite bcandy/bb./bb” /b

I couldn’t help the smallugh that escaped me. Killian grinned too.

“But why did you lieb?/b” Ryan asked, turning to me. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

bMy /bsmile faded a little. “Because it wasn’t the right time yet…”

Ryan looked down at his te for a while. Then reached for his apple juice.

“I’m not mad,” he said, taking a sip. “I’m just happy. ‘Cause I always wanted a dad like Uncle–uh, Killian.”

My heart swelled painfully. I reached across the table and held his hand again.

“I blove /bbyou /bso much, Ryan. bYou /bknow that, right?b” /b

“I bknow/bb, /bMommy. And I love you too. And Daddyb./b”

Killian’s hand slid onto the table next to mine. He didn’t bsay /banything, but he squeezed my fingers gently.

We finished our meal, and Ryan insisted on dessert. A big scoop of chocte ice cream that he got all over his nose. snapped a photo, pretending not to wipe my tears quickly while he wasn’t looking.

As we got back into the car, bI /bpulled out my phone.

Still nothing from Dad. I stared at the screen, my fingers hovering over his contact.

Killian nced bover/b. b“/bbHe’s /bstill not replyingb?/bb” /b

I shook my head. b“/bNot a call. bNot /ba text.”

b“/bGive him time,” he said quietly.

“I bknow/b… I just… bI /bjust wanted to hear his voice.”

The car fell silent again.

The

We bdrove /ba while, Ryan dozing off in the backseat again. Killian reached over and turned the music down before he bspoke/b.

“Lianab,/b” he saidb. /bb“/bI need bto /btell byou /bsomething.”

bI /bbturned /btoward him, bmy /bstomach balready /btightening.

“I’m bnot /bgoing to be staying with byou /bbguys/b. At least not for now.”

I blinked. “Whatb?/bb” /b

“I’ve moved into a penthouse suite at Imperial Hotelb. /bbIt’s /bnot far. Just a few minutes from the office. I’lle bby /bbto /bvisit, of course. But I think bit’s /bbbetter /bthis way. Until things with your dad bcalm /bdown.”

bI /bstared at him. For a moment, I bcouldn’t /beven speak. “You’re leavingb? /bbJust /blike thatb?/bb” /b

“Not leaving. bI /bjust won’t sleep over here banymore/bb. /bI’m giving byou /bbspace/b. I’m bgiving /bbyour /bfather a little bpeace/b. If I stay, bit’ll /bonly make things worse for now. I’m only trying bto /bshow brespect/b. He may not like me, but I’ll earn his toleranceb, /bbeventually/bb. /bbI /bbhave /bto.”

I looked down at my bp/bb. /b

He breached /bbinto /bthe bglovebox /band bpulled /bbout /ba bslim /bbenvelope/b. b“Here/b. The bkeys/b. bThere’s /btwo bnew /bbcars /bin bthe garage/b. One’s bfor /b

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Ryan. His driver’s already been hired. Agnes will supervise everything. The second car is yours. I wasn’t sure if you can

bdrive/b…”

“I can,” bI /bwhispered.

b“/bGood. The driver’s only for Ryan’s transport. You have full control now, Liana. Over everything. This is your home.”

I looked up at him slowly. “Killian… this is a lot.”

b“/bYou deserve more. But this is just the start.”

He kissed my temple and drove off, making me miss him already.

Someone was kissing me.

I froze.

For a second, I didn’t even know if bI /bwas awake or dreaming. The room was pitch ckb, /band everything felt hazy, like bI /b

caught somewhere between sleep and nightmare. But the pressure of lips on my neck was real. Hot. Urgent.

Killian wasn’t home.

He had said it himself. He bwasn’t /bsleeping here anymore. He’d moved to the hotel. He made it clear. He wouldn’t be around

night. He wasn’t supposed to be here.

So then… who the hell was thisb? /b

iat /i

bMy /bheart mmed into my ribs, panic rushing through me like cold water as I tried to jerk back, but a firm hand grabbed my

waist, holding me still.

bMy /bbreath caught in my throat.

I opened my mouth to scream, but another hand mped down bover /bit.

“Shhh… bNo /bone woulde help byou/b…”