The skin on Shawn Russell's neck suddenly met with a startlingly hot liquid.
The hand gripping the little one's shoulder paused. Suppressing his initial urge to push her away, he gently cupped her small head and tilted his own slightly—a gesture of unprecedented tenderness.
Shawn lowered his gaze, realizing she was crying. She wept silently with her eyes squeezed shut, her tiny brow knit in distress. Crystal tears clung to her long, trembling lashes.
Normally, he despised the weak, weeping displays of others, yet right now, his heart inexplicably softened. It was in this precise moment that Shawn clearly understood one thing: the daughter who shared his blood was completely different from the rest of the world. He could be cold, ruthless, and merciless to outsiders, but toward the soft little creature in his arms, his icy demeanor melted away.
For Shawn, this was a truly magical and entirely novel sensation.
