I don't know how long I stayed there on the floor. It could've been minutes or hours. Time felt weird, like it had stopped making sense.

But then I heard them downstairs.

My father's booming voice carried through the walls like thunder. "You have no right! No right to keep her here!"

I pushed myself up slowly, my knees aching from kneeling on the carpet. My legs felt shaky. But I made myself move toward the door.

"I have every right." That was Xander. Cool. Calm. Like he was discussing the ...