Fabric shifting.
The unmistakable sound of a child being lifted into strong arms.
My heart stopped.
No.
He was leaving.
Actually leaving.
My cane struck the edge of the desk as I moved too quickly.
Pain shot through my hand, but I barely noticed.
“Mr. Rafael, wait!”
For the first time, panic broke through my composure.
Silence.
He had stopped.
I could feel it.
Tess remained quiet in his arms, making no effort to resist.
The realization hurt almost as much as losing her.
My hands trembled.
“I...”
The word barely formed.
“If that’s the price...”
My throat tightened.
“If that’s the sacrifice I have to make, then fine.”
A long silence followed.
“I’ll marry you.”
The words left me in a rush.
Before courage could abandon me.
“I’ll marry you,” I repeated, my voice cracking. “As long as I can stay with her. As long as she’s safe and loved.”
A painful breath escaped me.
“That’s all I care about.”
“Good.”
Rafael’s voice settled back into that terrifying calm.
