Page 17 of Forbidden Bliss
Zack leans back in his chair with a grin. “So, Tristan. What’s new with you? Still trying to go on a date with a mountain painting?”
Bianca laughs and hits him on the shoulder.
I shrug, trying to keep my tone light. “Yep. Just gotta figure out where to bring her.”
No one laughs at my attempt at humor, but luckily, the server distracts everyone with more food. The aroma of decadent cuisine fills my nostrils, comforting and familiar. But underneath, tension still lingers.
Ava exchanges a nervous glance with Ethan before leaning forward and raising her eyebrows. “Isn’t there anything more exciting going on?”
Before I can respond, Ethan chimes in, his expression turning serious as he glances at Zack. “We found Willow.”
The table falls silent, all eyes on me. My heart skips a beat as I try to gauge the reactions of my siblings.
It wasmewho found Willow, and I never shared that information with any of them. My brain races to understand as I manage to speak. “We?”
Ethan’s shoulders fall slightly. “We knew where she was all along. She’s been in the wilderness, living with her brother and her little girl.Yourlittle girl.”
Pain shoots through the back of my neck. “If youknewall this, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Fiona clears her throat. “We thought it was best for you to find her on your own. We didn’t want to interfere like Dad did.”
Devin nods, focusing on me. “Dad was a jerk, Tristan. What he did to all of us… it wasn’t right.”
A chorus of agreement follows, the siblings all nodding. Once again, I’m reminded of the man our father was. Orchestrating people’s lives and making decisions that weren’t his to make—that was the name of his game.
Zack shakes his head. “Yeah. Dealing with the aftermath of what Dad did to all of us… let’s just say it’s taken a hell of a lot of therapy.”
Ethan sighs, rubbing his temples. “We all agree on that. Dad was a jackass, but we didn’t know how to fix this without making things worse.”
I swallow hard. “Are you fucking kidding me? I spent years thinking she didn’t want me. That she just left. I can’t believe you knew this whole time.”
Fiona reaches across the table, her hand covering mine. “Tristan, we’re sorry, and maybe we should have told you sooner. But it was up to you to find her and solve things. Not us.”
I yank my hand away. “So, you all just decided to walk behind my back and screw me over? You fucking saw how upset I was.”
Fiona sits up straighter and swallows. “We’re not matchmakers, Tristan. We decided it was best to protect her and respect her wishes. We always knew her heart would heal, and she’d reach out to you.”
Heat pours through my nostrils. “And what about me? Did anyone think about what I needed?”
Devin scrubs a hand over the stubble on his chin. “We did, Tristan. But sometimes, the hardest choices are the ones that hurt the most.”
They all had their reasons, their justifications, but it doesn’t make this pill easier to swallow. They kept this from me and watched me bleed my heart out while saying nothing. I crack my neck to the side, my fists tightening. I’ll never forget this.
Ethan leans forward, his gaze piercing. “We finally told you because the trajectory didn’t look good. You only looked more obsessed and depressed.”
Zack waves his hands back and forth before resting his forearms on the edge of the table. “Just for the record, I had no idea Willow was up there, and I definitely didn’t know about any baby.”
Devin arches an eyebrow in Zack’s direction. “Yeah, because you were out partying in Mexico with Bianca while we were trying to piece everything together.”
Zack bites the inside of his cheek before he lifts his chin. “Well, excuse the fuck out of me for going on a honeymoon.”
Fiona shakes her head and seems to reset herself as she focuses on me. “We also felt it was time. Not just for you and Willow, but for the little girl. Lana’s getting to the age where she understands things, and she deserves to have you in her life.”
A bitter laugh rises from my throat as I think of Hunter. “And what makes you think I can just walk back into their lives or that they’ll even want me there? I already went up there and her brother made it pretty damn clear they don’t need me.”
Ethan shrugs. “Who—Hunter? Why would you listen to a guy who believes hiding is a viable solution?”
My brain scrambles as I ponder Hunter’s retreat to the Sierra Nevada. Hmm. He was living in an enormous mansion in Vegas when I met Willow. What the hell is he doing up there in the mountains, anyway? Why did he leave town?