Page 40 of Darkness Falls

"Yes, Callie. That's exactly what I think happened. Martin was the only male out of the four founding families who had an heir. He would have been able to take leadership from Gabriel. The council has always valued ensuring the legacy of the society over everything. There were rumors swirling around that if your father and I didn't have a child within the next year, they would be transferring the leadership to Martin. You know Rogue was always the most important thing to Gabriel. He took you, and he killed those poor people because he knew he was at risk of losing his power. Everyone believed you were mine because I was secluded for so long."

"I thought the Stones moved in order to get away from Rogue. And hold the hell up. You said they lived in Braxton Falls?"

"Yes, they moved to Braxton Falls to try and live a normal life outside of Rogue. The fact that you ended up living in the same town makes me believe fate was trying to reveal the truth to you. They tried to distance themselves, but no matter what theydid, they would always be tied to the society. Founding family members don't just get to walk away."

"He killed them and stole me," I repeat under my breath, still trying to wrap my head around this entire ordeal. Suddenly, I feel so fucking angry. "You had this suspicion the whole time, and you didn't tell me?" She bows her head down and looks at her lap. "HOW COULD YOU?" I yell.

"Callie..." she whispers, her voice so soft I can barely hear her.

"NO! You don't get pity from me right now. YOU KNEW he wasn't my real father. You knew the truth, and you let him hurt me my entire life!!"

Tears stream down her face, and she reaches her hand out to try to comfort me. I don't want her comfort. "I'm so sorry. I wanted you so badly. Your parents were already dead, and all I ever wanted was to be a mother. I thought I could protect you."

"He dangled a baby in front of you, and you just went along with it?" My lip twists up in disgust, and I have to ball my fists at my sides to try to keep my anger in check.

"Yes, Callie. I went along with it because the alternative was him killing you. He gave me an ultimatum, raise the baby, or watch as he killed you. I made a choice, and I will never regret choosing you."

"You could have told the council."

"What do you think would have happened if I told them? Your father would have denied it. He would have told them I was suffering from some sort of mental illness. I was secluded for months, and we were actively trying to conceive. Everyone knew I hadmiscarried before. I could have easily been pregnant and hid it from them. You know how manipulative your father was. If I turned on him, he would have locked me up somewhere and raised you on his own. I tried to be as loving and supportive as I possibly could to you because I knew you would need that from me."

"You knew that he would be cruel to me just like he was to you!"

"I thought he would soften up since he had his legacy secured, and everyone believed you were our child. Nobody ever questioned it."

Of course, no one questioned it. If they did, my father would have killed them too. "I can't be here with you right now. I need time to process all of this."

She reaches out and grabs my hand before I'm able to walk out of the room. "I understand you're upset, LeeLee, but please know that you are MY daughter. I love you more than anything in this world. I know I've failed you in so many ways, but you will always be the best thing to ever happen to me."

"You should have told me sooner," I admit as tears fall down my face.

"There was no right time to tell you something like this. I was hoping that when you got away at eighteen, you wouldn't come back. You were gone for so long. I thought you were safe."

I rip my hand from her grasp. "You thought I was safe? I was living my life on the run! I was always looking over my shoulder, waiting for someone to come and take me back to him. I was afraid to make any realconnections with anyone. I’m so fucked up that one of the few people I willingly let into my life ended up being just as evil as my father."

"You found love, though, Callie. You were able to open yourself to find love with these men and Avery. I'm so sorry. All I ever wanted was to be a good mother to you."

"The issue isn't whether or not you are a good mother. You were the best person in my life. It's the fact that for almost 25 years, you let me believe I was somebody I wasn't."

"How can I make this better? Tell me what to do, and I will do it, LeeLee."

"I can't be here with you right now," I tell her as I storm out of the room with my body running on autopilot. I don't know where I'm going until I burst through a doorway and see the one person I know can help me right now.

Chapter 19

Barrett

Callie pushes her way into my room, slamming the door behind her. She stands at the edge of my bed with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Take it away."

"Take what away, princess?"

The look on her face is enough to rip my heart in two. I know I shouldn’t have been invading her privacy, but I watched her and her mother talking after she told me to leave the room. I did extensive research on Gabriel and Rogue, and I never would have guessed that Callie wasn't Gabriel’s biological child.

"I feel so much fucking pain right now, and I need you to take it away. You're the only one who can make me feel without losing my shit. I'm so close to falling over the edge, Barrett, so please take it away for me." Her eyes lock on mine.

I know exactly what to do, so I say the only word she needs from me right now. "Beg."

"What?" she questions, almost as though it takes her mind a moment to process my abrupt shift.

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