Dad refused to acknowledge our conversation, and promised if I ever uttered the name around my mother I'd be in trouble. He didn't elaborate as to why the name was triggering for my mother, but I'd chalked it up to Dalton being a possible ex from her past-and a reason why Mom still woke up screaming some nights. He also didn't explain what he'd meant by me being in trouble, given that I'm nineteen, but I was too shook and confused to try and pry for an explanation.

As I stood in my aunt's living room now, the thought of asking her about Dalton crossed my mind, but if the name was enough to send my mother over the edge, I couldn't imagine how Aunt Ashley would react.

"Thank you so much for watching them, Danni." Uncle Chris kissed my temple on his way passed, thrusting their newest addition, a pitbull puppy named Max into my arms. "We appreciate you."

"It's ridiculous that you even have to get us a babysitter." my fifteen year old cousin cousin, Maliyah commented from the middle of the staircase, glaring at the back of her father's head. "I'm fifteen. I can watch Jayden and take care of myself."

Aunt Ash shot a pointed look at her daughter as she passed the staircase. "We gave you the oppturnity twice and you made us regret it both times. Therefore, you are in need of a babysitter."

Maliyah mocked her, and Aunt Ash crossed her own arms and matched her daughter's attitude. "What was that, Mal?"

"At least its you." Maliyah huffed as she met me at the bottom of the staircase and snuck in a quick side hug. "I don't know if I could deal with your mom or dad right now."

I laughed. "Oh, come on, they're not that bad."

"Girl, all your dad does is talk about football. My dad does too, but girl, yours never shuts up about it." she frowned. "And your mom is so moody lately because of the pregnancy."

I shook my head in amusement as I saw my extraordinarily well dressed godparents leave. As soon as they were out the door, their eight year old son zoomed into the room with silly string and started spraying us.

"Ugh, Jayden!" Maliyah whined, rushing across the room as she dug the stick substance from her hair. "It took me hours to straighten my hair."

He stuck his tongue out childishly at her then threw his arms around me and looked up with a childish grin, "Hi, Danni!"

When it came to genes with both of my godparents kids, Uncle Chris' definitely dominated. Both kids had beautiful, rich dark skin. Though it was a few shades lighter than my uncle's, they were no doubt his kids. They'd also inherited his height, as Maliyah was already my height and Jayden close to it, and Jayden no doubt favored his father in every possible way. Even his features mirrored his dad's. Maliyah, however, did look a little like Aunt Ashley. She had green eyes and her hair was far straighter than her brother's. The biggest similarity between Mal and her mom though? Their attitudes.

"Hey, there, little man." I ruffled his hair. "Look at you! I swear you grow a little more every time I see you."

"That's 'cuz I do!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Did Dad and Mom tell you I got honor roll!"

I set the puppy down on a pee pad and threw a hand over my chest. "No way! I'm so proud of you!"

His attention span fizzled and he took off down the hall, Max at his tail. I waited until I heard him playing at the end of the hall to join Maliyah on the couch.

"So?" she flipped her phone over on her lap and leaned forward with a maniacal smile. "Who is he?"

What in the world was this girl talking about?

"The guy from the photos." she stated it as if it were obvious. Drawing the conclusion I had no idea what she was talking about she asked, "You haven't been online the last couple days?"

Honestly, I'd been so caught up in Dalton and my dad's reaction that I hadn't even bothered to try and frequent social media as I usually did.

"Girl." she exaggerated each syllable as she scooted closer and pulled up the article.

I swear my soul left my body when my eyes fell on the pictures. I snatched the phone from her and stared at the photos in horror.

Eighteen years of paparazzi, I shouldn't have been surprised one had been hiding out in the parking lot of my college. But here I was, gaping at the photos they'd snagged of Sebastain and me Friday and Monday. The first photo could undoubtedly be mistaken for a romantic embrace. It'd been when Sebastian had invaded my space to lean down and whisper that Dalton had been watching me in my ear. But because of my inability to not trip over air, both of his large hands were position on my hips, his lips inches from my ear, and my own expression awestruck and red from the sudden proximity. The second was when I'd been leaving and I'd touched my fingers to his forearm. From the angle the photographer had caught it from, it looked like a flirtatious brushing against his skin.

"So?" Mal asked. "Who is he? Because he looks like he could wreck any person that tried to mess with you but also wreck your—"

"Finish that sentence and I'm taking your phone for the rest of the night." I interrupted before she could finish.

She rolled her eyes and slumped back against the couch. "You know I'm right though. He's a wall of muscle, probably like six foot five and all those tats? Girl, he's my dad's worst nightmare and so so hot."

I shook my head. "He isn't my boyfriend, Mal."

"Not yet." she smirked. "But girl the way he's looking at you in the second picture and touching you in the first, mmm, girl he will be. Y'all just don't know it yet."

"He's got a reputation, Maliyah." I sighed. "Not a good one."

She grinned. "Even better. Got yourself a sexy ass bad boy."

"I get the feeling he'd break someone's neck for calling him that." I mumbled. "Seriously, though, Maliyah, he's not someone I want to be involved with."

"What'd he do?" she asked, curious. "Or what is it you think he did?"

I shrugged one shoulder and stared at the photos again. "Annie and I were warned freshmen year about him. People talk a lot about him, I didn't do a deep dive to see if it was true. They said his mother died when he was a teenager and his father is in prison for a drug bust and manslaughter, and he skated by not joining his father because he was a minor."

Maliyah made a face. "Yikes."

"Yikes is right." I agreed with a shake of my head. "There's been this dude stalking me on campus and he, Sebastian, stepped in to scare the guy off. That's it."

She swooned a little at that. "Okay, but that's sweet and cute."

"You need a boyfriend." I muttered, then reconsidering, added, "On second thought, no you don't. Boys are trouble."

She leaned into my side and giggled before saying, "Especially sexy, tattooed ones."

*

Once I was sure both kids were asleep, I sat at the edge of the couch and stared at the articles with Sebastian and me and obnoxious headlines until my vision began to blur. Of course Uncle Chris and Aunt Ashley decided that'd be the perfect time walk in. I shut my phone off and started to wipe at my cheeks, but both of them frowned and Uncle Chris asked, "The kids were that bad? I mean, I know they make me wanna tear my hear out half the time, but I didn't think you'd do you like that."

Despite my emotions, I smiled and shook my head. "The kids were great. Just in my feelings. I'm fine."

The couple exchanged a long look that spoke a thousand words before Uncle Chris kissed Aunt Ash, then hugged me and headed for their room at the end of the hall. Once we heard the door shut, Aunt Ash shrugged out of her jacket with a quiet, "Do you want to tell me what's going on, Danni?"

"No."

"Is it the new baby?" she crossed the living room to where I sat on the couch. "I know it's a bit of an adjustment for everyone, but I thought you were excited."

"I am." I assured. "It's not the baby."

I turned my phone back on and handed the phone over to her so she could see and read. Once she'd processed it fully, she asked, "Is this actually your boyfriend?"

I answered with a quick head shake.

"Okay. Just more crap for the headlines. Nothing new." she brushed a strand of hair off my face. "Is this what's been bothering you?"

I swallowed the knot in my throat. "The reason Sebastian, the boy in the photo, is in just an intimate position is because he was trying to warn me that someone had been stalking me the last week."

Aunt Ash stiffened. "Oh no."

"He scared him off, or we thought he had, but the man, he's relentless. He keeps coming back, even with Sebastian threatening him."

Aunt Ash stared at me for a long time before she whispered, "Is he someone that your parents know?"

"I think so." I breathed, cautious. "When Sebastian and I went to Dad Monday, he. . . he reacted really strange and told us to not say anything to Mom."

My aunt grew so still I almost reached to check if she was still breathing.

"Danielle, what did the man look like?"

"Blonde. Green eyes." I felt my heart starting to race seeing her expression. "He. . . he said his name was—"

She didn't give me a chance to say it, but grumbled a very bitter, "Dickhead" under her breath.

I blinked, confused. "What?"

"Danielle, has he touched you? What did he say?"

I'd never seen my aunt look so panicked in my life. "No. Sebastian was there both times. He wouldn't dare. The first time he told me to ask myself why I didn't look like dad. The second he mentioned something about asking my mom about who I was, and was angry that Mom and Dad never told me about him. There was another man with him the second time too. Fat, ugly, and couldn't keep his eyes to himself. He provoked Sebastian and only shut up when Sebastian pinned him to the truck."

Aunt Ash shot to her feet and squeezed her eyes shut. "Shit."

"Aunt Ash, what's going on? Who is he?"

She buried her acrylics in her hair and called for her husband. Uncle Chris joined us, now dressed in a Star Wars tee and sweats. "What? What's going on? Is everything okay?"

She met my uncle's worried gaze and breathed, "Dalton."

I hadn't said the name to her, and hearing her say it despite that simple fact had me starting to freak out even more.

"No." Uncle Chris looked away from her and at me. "Dammit."

"Who is he?" I asked. "Why did Dad say not to tell Mom? Is he dangerous?"

My aunt didn't hesitate to answer. "Incredibly so. He is a piece of gutter trash and he needs to stay away."

"Who is he?" I could hear my own voice rising. "Aunt Ashley, who the hell is he and why won't anyone tell me?"

"Danni—" Uncle Chris started.

"Don't you dare, Christopher." Aunt Ash growled.

He didn't back down. "She deserves to know. She needs to know."

I looked between the two, until my uncle finally crossed the room to me and held my forearms, as if he were certain I'd collapse the minute the words left his mouth.

"Danielle, that man, Dalton, is very dangerous." he said. "He. . . he hurt your mother and you. Danni, he's. . . Dalton is your father."