ared at the figure before her. It was as though time had folded in on itself, bringi

ci

e moon, his features just as sharp, just as breathtaking as she remembered. His dark hair fell loosely over his shoulders, and his emerald green e

ing left unsaid. Kamala's throat tightened, and before she knew it,

her vision. She hadn't meant to break so easily, but seeing him-after all thes

her, his expression softeni

way to anger. "I had to raise Kaidan by myself! I had no one! My parents ki

touch was as warm as she remembered, but it did little to soothe the ache in her chest.

tears streaming down her fa

new, Kamala, and I left because I didn't know what else to do. I'm not human. I

ieved he left because he didn't care, because he didn't want them. B

ispered, her voice trembling. "Y

ing with that guilt every day for the last eighteen years. I abandoned you both, and I'll

wanted to believe him. She wanted to forgive him. But the pain of the l

otion. "All these years, I've kept my distance, but I never stopped caring. I watched Kaidan grow up into the

ed by his confession. "

nto your lives after what I'd done. But when I heard that Kaidan wanted t

ifer ever thought about them, wondering if he regretted leaving. And

voice softening as she thought of their son.

dent in his eyes. "He's remarkable. M

er tears. "He really is. And he's kind

ious again. "Kamala, I need t

pent years resenting him, angry at his absence, but now... Now she understood. H

odded. "Yes.

g, his shoulders relaxing with relief. "Thank you," he wh

n she was carrying. For the first time in years, she felt a sense of

s still one

she asked quietly.

s you did. But I want to talk to him, to explain everything. Not tonight, though. I'm not ready

derstanding. "He's

his hair. "I know. But I'll wait as l

n eventually. Tonight, she wanted to savor the moment-the first time in nearly two de

been apart. Kamala told him about Kaidan's childhood, the milestones he had missed, the struggles she had

hed, and Kamala realized how late it had grown. She

y, glancing toward the house. "Kaid

ng and offering her hi

ool and refreshing against Kamala's skin. When they reached th

chance," he murmured, his

into his touch. "Than

her forehead, his lips lingering there for a mo

eaving only the faintest trac

She had never expected this-never imagined that Lucifer would return after all these years.

She peeked into his room and smiled when she saw him fast

into her own room and lay down, a sense of peace

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