“No, he did not.”

“Why?”

“It’s a long story, one your mother and I hoped to shield you from, but I see maybe it’s time you knew. But first…about your brother.”

“What about him?”

“Not about your brother so much as mine. I thought I’d saved him from my fate. Turned out, I had nothing to do with it.”

“How would you know that?”

“I’m going to ask that you keep what I’m about to tell you between you and me. You can tell Ashley if you want to, only because I don’t condone secrets between married people. But if you do so, she must keep it confidential between the two of you.”

“Wait, wait, wait… You don’t condone secrets between married people. So you think I should tell Ashley…”

“I do, but in your own time. That’s not what this is about.”

I swallow. “You’re freaking me out a little, Dad.”

“I’m sure I am. Here goes.” He inhales. “We didn’t find out until we were adults that Ryan is only my half brother.”

A brick hits me with a dull thud. Finally, I speak. “Uh…what?”

“He’s a Steel, but my mother wasn’t his mother. Your grandfather had an affair. Well, according to him it wasn’t an affair so much as one time with an old flame.”

“Why would he do that?”

Dad scoffs. “I gave up trying to figure my father out long ago. He always claimed everything he did was for my mother and the four of us kids.”

I can’t wrap my mind around what he’s telling me. Uncle Ry? Only my half uncle? Of course, not really my uncle at all, if you want to get technical. No real Steel blood flows through my veins.

“Let me make this long story short for now, since we’re in the middle of your wedding party. All that time, I thought I’d saved Ryan from being abducted and abused, but in reality, he was never in any danger. His birth mother arranged my abduction, and Ryan, who was her son, was never supposed to be harmed. He didn’t get away because I saved him. He got away because of who he was.”

“So this woman…” My brain hurts from trying to put all this together.

“The woman was insane,” Dad says. “Certifiably insane and obsessed with my father. Apparently an evil genius, as well.”

“Evil genius?”

“A very high IQ, and definitely evil.”

Dad’s words race around in circles in my head. What is he talking about? I open my mouth to speak, but I have no idea what to say.

“It’s all related,” he says. “I don’t have time to get into the specifics, but I suppose it’s time you knew ev—”

“Talon!” Mom rushes into the office.

“What is it, blue eyes? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Yes. But it’s Ashley’s new stepfather. He… I don’t know. He just dropped his drink and—”

I stand and rush out the door. The big party has broken up, obviously. Ashley. Where is Ashley?

“She left,” Brendan says, Ava next to him. “They took your mom’s car and headed to Grand Junction. We figured it would take an ambulance too long to get here.”

“They’re… Wait…what?”

Brendan continues, but his voice is low and distorted, as if everything is in slow motion. “They’re rushing Dennis to the hospital in Grand Junction. It’s the closest. Dee went with them because she knows the shortcuts to get off Steel property.”

“Stop, stop, stop!” I shake my head, trying to put two and two together in a seemingly impossible equation.

People are murmuring among themselves, a white-noise buzz that I can’t decipher.

Brianna runs to me. “Dale, thank God. Where were you?”

“In the office with Dad. What’s going on?”

“Dennis dropped his drink and started slurring his words. Aunt Mel says—”

Then Aunt Mel is there, beside Bree. “It looks like a stroke, Dale,” she says. “But I could be wrong. He’s so young.”

Aunt Mel is a doctor. She’s not wrong.

“I need to go. Which hospital did they go to? Never mind, I’ll call Dee on the way.”

“Call us,” Aunt Mel says. “Please.”

I nod, sprint to my house, and hop into my truck.

I dial Dee quickly.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Ashley

Diana’s phone rings.

“Get that, will you?” she says to me.

I nod. “It’s Dale. Hey,” I say into the phone.

“Baby, are you all right? I’m right behind you. Ask Dee which hospital she’s heading toward.”

“Yeah. I mean, yeah. I’m fine. We’re going to St. Mary’s.”

“How’s Dennis?”

“He’s… I don’t know, Dale. I just don’t know.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at the ER. Tell Dee to drive safely.”

“Quickly but safely,” I say.

“Right. I love you.”

“I love you too.” I set Dee’s phone down on the console.

Mom is crying in the back seat. Dennis is awake but unresponsive, as if he wants to respond but can’t. He’s not paralyzed, so maybe Dale’s aunt is wrong. Maybe it’s not a stroke. But it’s something, and whatever it is isn’t good. He’s clutching at his chest.

“He’s coming,” I tell Dee. “He was in the office talking to your dad.”

She nods. “He’s probably only ten minutes or so behind us. Dale knows these roads better than I do. He’ll get there quickly.”

Thank God. This is crazy. So crazy. The party was great. I was having fun. The band was awesome, and I was getting to know some of the members of my new family better.

Mom was glowing. So happy. She’d finally found her love.

And then…

Dennis dropped his champagne flute.

“Hey, clumsy,” Mom chided him, laughing.

I watched the whole thing from only five feet away.

She bent down and picked up the flute, handing it to him. He reached out, shaking, and took it.

“We’ll just call you butterfingers.” Mom laughed again.