I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ve always suspected you weren’t the biological child of Virgil and the woman you called Mother. You mentioned your doubts too. We had your DNA crossed with Virgil, and it’s confirmed you’re not his son.”
“You had my DNA checked?” I stiffened in his lap. “When?”
“It was a long time ago. Back when you were in the facility. We didn’t know who you were, so it was one of the first things we did.”
“And you’re just now telling me?”
“You were already so confused, Cosmo, and despite that bit of information, we knew nothing else. What good would it have done to tell you the man you thought was your father wasn’t?”
“And now?”
“Now it’s different. You have a family you can still get to meet and know.”
“But how did I get to be raised by Virgil?”
He ran a hand down my arm. “I think Virgil was killing long before he became the Handkerchief Murderer. I believe he killed your mother and stole you that night. Your body…I mean, the toddler who was reported missing at the time was never found.”
My heart pounded hard in my chest. He’d figured out so much already. He was so close to unraveling the truth, but I couldn’t allow it. I longed to take a peek at the file to meet the family I’d denied myself since finding out the truth. It was too late for the truth for me.
I picked up the file and threw it onto the other side of the couch.
“Cosmo, don’t—”
“I don’t want to know. It’s too late.”
“It’s not. Your—”
“Hunter, please. I’m happy with you, and I’d rather not get to know strangers and worry about whether or not they’ll accept me.”
“Why wouldn’t they? You’re adorable and sweet.”
“Not to mention odd and strange. You call me that sometimes, remember?”
“Never in an offensive way.” He cupped my cheek. “You know that, right? Those little quirks made all the difference in how I viewed you and eventually fell for you.”
I shook my head. “Maybe some other time. I-I can’t talk about this right now. Can we please have some little time now?”
“Sure.” He kissed my cheek. “Do you want to play dolls or use your coloring books or something else?”
“Play dolls.”
He chuckled. “Of course, and let me guess who today’s doll will be.”
“Me!”
“Always you.”
His beaming smile was everything. I didn’t need a family. He was my family, and he was all I needed.