“No, he says that he didn’t and I believe him. He had a brief relationship with her mother before leaving the states for a while. Apparently, they never reconnected at any point and he had no reason to believe he might have fathered a child.”

Almost idly, my aunt says, “Lee…Lia.”

Grimacing, I say, “Apparently her mother had a nasty sense of humor. I think it was her way of having the last laugh on Lee.”

“Is he the reason she suddenly developed a conscience and turned herself into the police?”

“He is, although I don’t know how he convinced her to do it.” Actually, I have good idea, but my aunt probably doesn’t need to know. Whatever his methods, he achieved a semblance of justice for Lia and I can’t bring myself to care about how he went about it.

“And her stepfather?” I know what she’s asking. Of course, there is no way she’s lived in North Carolina her whole life and never heard the rumors about Lee. If any of them were to be believed, then killing a man, especially one who hurt his daughter, would all be in a normal day for him. Did he do it? Do I care? Hell—fucking no, I don’t. The bastard is burning in hell now and I could give a shit as to what put him there. If Lee avenged his daughter by killing Jim Dawson, then he’s officially my new best friend.

“I know nothing about that,” I say truthfully. Lee is certainly not about to bring me into his confidence—nor do I want him to. All parties involved, including the police, were more than happy to close that particular case with little fanfare.

“How did Lia find out if you didn’t tell her?” my aunt asks, still looking slightly shell-shocked.

“Fate is a complete bitch. Lia went to school to take care of her registration for the coming semester. Lee had already paid her tuition and she found out. She went to his office thinking it was a mistake. Lee thought she was there because I had finally told her about him. He had already said too much before he figured out she had no idea who he was. So, he told her the rest. She left his office very upset. He called me in a panic to let me know. When I got home, she was packing.” Slumping back into my seat as my gut once again churns, I run an unsteady hand through my hair as I admit, “She told me she could no longer handle the secrets between us. She wants to know everything that happened with Cassie.”

Fae tenses at the mention of Cassie. She has been a taboo subject between us for eight years. I’ve never told anyone the full story of what happened the night she tried to kill me. No one had a clue how volatile our relationship had turned in the month leading up to that night. Cassie had been an Oscar-caliber actress to the outside world, but behind closed doors, she’d given free rein to her manic tendencies and I had been her target—her sick obsession. “I’ve tried to never push you about Cassie and I won’t now. I will say though, if you want a future with Lia, you have to tell her. You can’t move forward with her or recover from your addiction without sharing that load. You turned to cocaine as a coping mechanism. It will continue to be that for you until you deal with what pushed you in its direction to start with. That is the first step you must take. We can work on the rest after that.”

“I don’t suppose I could just text her?” I ask, only half joking.

My aunt tosses a sugar packet at me. “No, absolutely not.” To my horror, her eyes begin to water. I suppress the urge to run, thinking I can’t possibly deal with another emotional scene right now. “You really love her, don’t you? I mean, not just that, you’re in love with her.”

I consider it a small victory that I don’t flinch as I answer, “Completely and absolutely. I can’t lose her.”

Seeming much more confident than I do, she assures me, “You won’t. She might be upset right now, but she loves you as well. I’ve never been one to believe in soulmates, but if such a thing exists, you two are surely it. She brings out a side of you that I never thought I’d see.”

“A nice guy?” I quip.

“You’re ruining this moment for me,” she complains with a smile. “What I actually meant was that I see the boy in you before the man was forced into survival mode. You were always a serious one, but you had a big heart. That part of you was gone after Cassie. It took Lia to bring it back.”

“Well, let’s hope she’s happy with what she has uncovered,” I say lightly even though I feel a fresh surge of anxiety. I had managed to distract myself from my earlier panic while talking with my aunt, but it’s back now and stronger than ever.

“Everything you’ve been through is a part of who you are, Luc. We all have moments in life we’re not proud of. I don’t know what happened in your last days with Cassie—that’s none of my business. But, you need to share it with Lia so you can finally be free from carrying the burden by yourself. It’s not a sign of weakness to need someone to help and support you.” With a laugh, she adds, “And to kick your butt when you deserve it. I have a feeling that Lia can handle the job.”

I smile, thinking my aunt knows Lia very well. “No doubt about it,” I agree. We both finish our coffee, making small talk. Truthfully, I’m dragging my feet like a pussy and talking to my aunt gives me a convenient excuse to do it. Her knowing look, when I continue to stall, lets me know she’s well aware of what I’m doing but is too nice to call me on it.

“If it’s okay with you, Luc, I’m going to talk to a friend of mine who runs an alcohol treatment program. I know cocaine is different, but some of the withdrawal symptoms are similar I would imagine. Unless you plan to enter a facility to withdraw, which of course I would recommend, then we need a plan. I think Jeff would even see you on an outpatient basis.”