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the foyer, her neck straining as she looked up. “Uh, Levi. This place is huge. Why do you need it for just you?”
    She looked at him and froze. His face had paled, and she wanted to take back her question. “Oh, God. You’re married. You’re married, and that’s why this is so weird between us. Why I’m all alone here and you didn’t introduce me to anyone other than as your friend.” She took a step back, her hands shaking. No. This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Not to her.
    Levi’s body twitched, as if he’d physically snapped out of what he’d been thinking. “No, Faith. God no. I’m not married. Not anymore. Fuck. I’m doing this all wrong. I cannot believe I did this wrong.”
    She licked her lips, her heart aching. She didn’t even know why she was feeling that way. It wasn’t as though she knew the man in front of her. He was just Levi, no one important to her. And if she kept that in mind, then it wouldn’t hurt.
    “I’m not married, Faith.”
    “But you were.”
    He nodded. “I was. And the reason my house is so big? It’s for my daughters, Faith. I have two daughters.”
    Her knees gave out, and she would have hit the ground if he hadn’t caught her by the elbows.
    “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice shaky.
    “Are you fucking kidding me?” she exclaimed. “You’re a dad, and you didn’t think to mention it? What the fuck were you thinking? How could you keep that a secret?”
    He helped her stand, and she quickly pulled away from him. He kept his hand held out then looked down at it, confusion on his face. “It’s a long story, Faith.”
    “No. They are your children. They aren’t a long story.” Oh, God it hurt. She’d been the long story, the forgotten child, the one that no one loved. She’d be damned if she’d have a hand in making that happen to two little girls.
    “You’re right. They’re my children. Juliana is ten, and Arya is six. I married their mother, Lynn, because it was the right fit with my family. She seemed like a nice woman, and I wanted children.”
    “Sounds like a love match,” Faith mumbled. God, why was she acting like this? She wasn’t with Levi, despite the bond that had formed between them. She had no claim on his future or his past. She didn’t even want him. Yet look at her, acting like some jealous girlfriend. This was not her, and she needed to stop acting like this. Though in all honesty, she was feeling the pain for his children more than this other woman in his life.
    “It wasn’t. Not by far. And when we were married and Lynn got the money and title she wanted? She changed. I hated her, Faith. I still do. But I love my daughters. By the time it became too much to deal with and I was ready to leave with my girls, the Conclave called.”
    Faith winced, remembering what had happened when the Conclave called Dante. They hadn’t given him a chance to say no, hadn’t given him a chance to be with his mates. He’d fought for his freedom and the right to live as a dragon rather than another enslaved member of the Conclave.  She’d died because of it—not that she wanted to think about that just then. “And once the Conclave called, you didn’t have a choice,” she whispered.
    Levi reached out to cup her face, and she didn’t pull back, surprising herself and him from the look in his eyes. “I didn’t have a choice. I had to leave my daughters with a woman I hated because, if I didn’t, those in charge would have killed them. I had no grounds to take the girls from Lynn, and despite the fact that she and I weren’t meant for each other, she is still their mother. I divorced Lynn so she couldn’t hurt my family, and I did everything in my power to keep my girls safe. Then I met you, and the Conclave went fucking crazier and attacked Dante and the rest.”
    “That’s true but still doesn’t tell me why you didn’t mention the fact you have kids and an ex-wife.”
    “Because I was so used to keeping them secret to keep