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“It’s not like that! He cares about me, Uncle Marc. He loves me.”

“Love?” He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “You’re young. You don’t know what love is.”

“And you do?” The words are out before I can stop them.

“Watch your tone, young lady.”

I stand, my hands clenched at my sides. “No, I won’t watch my tone. Not about this. You don’t get to dictate who I love. That’s not your decision to make, and you’re not my father! Controlling my life won’t bring them back.”

He stills. “Do not speak of your parents that way.”

“Why?” I demand. “Why are you so afraid to even mention them? You act as if their memory is something shameful to avoid.”

“Enough.” His face hardens into a stony mask. “We will not discuss this.”

“No, we will discuss this! You’ve never really told me anything about them.”

“I’m doing this in order to protect you. Some things are better left in the past.”

“No. They’re not.”

“As long as you are my responsibility, it is my decision.”

“Then maybe it’s time to let go.”

“You don’t mean that.”

Don’t I?

But the hurt in my uncle’s eyes stops me. He’s the only family I have left.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight with you.” I sigh, my anger draining away. “But I’m not going to stop seeing Sebastian. He makes me happy. Can’t you understand that?”

He is quiet for a long moment. “I don’t want to see you get hurt. The Barrons… they have a way of destroying everything they touch. They always have. What about Jason?”

“I don’t like Jason that way. I never did, and I should have never agreed to it. I did it for you.”

“Please. Come to your senses.”

“I have.” I fold my arms across my chest. “And I choose Sebastian.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“No, the mistake was thinking you could choose for me.” I hold his gaze, refusing to back down. “Sebastian loves me. He accepts me for who I am, doesn’t try to control me, and he won’t hurt me.”

“As soon as you’re not blinded by this Barron boy anymore, you will come running back to us.” He shakes his head. “Still, I hope you’re right.”

“Iam.”

He draws me into a hug. “When this all comes crashing down around you, I want you to know that I’m here. No matter what.”

I hesitate, then return the embrace.

“Good night,” he says.

“Good night.”

With that, he walks out, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I know he means well, but he’s wrong about Sebastian. He has to be. Because if he’s not…

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