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She turned back to her pa-pa, watched as he ran his hands over his face and stared back at her bleakly.
Gio the Giant was dead. Ronald Caspari might not be perfect, but she still remembered the love. Her pa-pa holding her, protecting her, laughing with her.
“Pa-pa,” she whispered, shaking, realizing Ethan had slowly let her go.
Her father’s lips trembled. She took a step, and then he was there. Crossing the distance to her, his hard arms wrapped around her. He lifted her against him, and the scent and sounds of her childhood washed over her.
The father she had so adored. Could she forget his crimes? She couldn’t forget. But neither could she forget that he had saved her. Given himself and all he possessed to protect her. He wasn’t perfect, but he was still her pa-pa.
Ethan watched, crossed his arms over his chest, and glared at Gio. It was the look of a determined man, imposing his own will. If Sarah’s father ever hurt her again, if she was ever harmed again because of him, then Gio the Giant would be dead in fact as well as in fiction. It was a look the other man well understood, and over his daughter’s head, he nodded.
“I give to you my daughter,” Gio said huskily as Sarah finally moved from his arms. Taking her hand, he laid it in Ethan’s. “She is the light to my soul,” Gio continued. ?
?My treasure.”
Ethan smiled and pulled his woman close again.
“She was mine the minute she moved here and I set eyes on her, Mr. Caspari. I tripped over my own two feet and lost my heart.”
“You didn’t?” Sarah stared at him, shocked. “You didn’t. I would have seen it.”
“I covered it damned well.” He grinned. “But have no doubt, sweetheart, you were the first girl to make me fall. Head over heels.”
Gio Fredrico stared at the couple. Beau, he wouldn’t be pleased, but ah, his son, he was often too arrogant, too certain of life. He had wanted to protect Sarita between them. Having this man, so rough, so obviously a real man, hold his precious sister would grate on his pride.
But, his Sarita was safe. She was loved. And Gio had a feeling any man who attempted to take what Cooper deemed his would find himself perhaps knocking on the gates of hell. No, Ethan Cooper wasn’t a man to cross. But he was definitely the man for Sarita.
She was his child. But she was Cooper’s woman. And she was safe.
And, he brightened. Perhaps soon, there would be babies. Ah yes, Gio thought. Grandbabies. Life was perhaps about to get very, very good.
sheila’s passion
prologue
vengeance.
It had been so long coming.
So many years waiting, searching.
Hating.
Ah God¸ the hatred.
It was like a wound festering deep within the soul, growing more tender by the year, refusing to release the acrid bitterness that filled it.
And it all centered on one man. On a monster who had destroyed countless friends and family. Who had, with a single, thoughtless decision, caused centuries of traditions to be wiped out. Destroyed as though they had never been.
And there had been no price extracted for the betrayal.
There had been no punishment, no atonement; there hadn’t been so much as an “I’m sorry” or a sprig of flowers on the gravesites of those who had died because of the choices he had made.
And many had died.
A son had begun the slaughter as his father, the one so many followed, stood by, helpless, his loyalty centered on the daughter he had adored.
The daughter’s life had meant more to that father than the traditions that had sustained a people for so long. That daughter had held his loyalty, his entire focus, rather than the people who trusted him with their lives.
