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She jerked. “How do you know about her?”
“CPS... My daughter...I called her Annabelle...for our Annie.”
“Oh God.” Her head spun. She was raising Julio’s daughter?
“Wasted life. Broke Mama’s heart. Mama...pious Mama...in heaven...sent you… to...Annabelle.”
A moan escaped Arianna. “I love her. I love my Annabelle.”
“Keep her. I...I...” He coughed, spitting up blood. “Left...let...letter...”
His eyes closed. His chest rose and lowered as he struggled to breathe.
“Take your place,” the Captain ordered. “Landing at Mercy’.”
Not bothering to hide her tears, she sat and buckled in. Her hands crossed, she prayed to his mama and hers to help Julio.
They landed on the familiar helipad. Leo jumped out of his seat and unstrapped the stretcher, pushing it to the door. Rafael helped him lower it out of the copter.
Arianna followed behind them.
Already, the Mercy’s nurses were running toward them.
Arianna bent over Julio, the man who’d made her suffer so much. Through the tears blurring her eyes, she saw the charming teenager who’d taught her to love and to hate. She touched her lips to his cheek. “Vaya con Dios, Julio. I promise I’ll take care of Annabelle.”
She heard his moan. “Rina,me amore.”
Two nurses grabbed the stretcher and ran to the elevator another held open for them, Leo by their side.
Arianna collapsed against Rafael’s chest sobbing. He held her tightly, stroking her back.
A moment later, Leo returned and watched her with concern. “Something I should know?”
“Later,” Rafael snapped. “All aboard.”
He helped her into the copter, sat her in her seat, and watched her buckle in.
“Ready to go?” he called.
“Ready,” Leo answered.
The copter lifted and soared into the sky. Relief washed over Arianna. She glanced through the window at the scenery she liked so much, Miami’s high-rises, the ocean extending to the horizon, and then her gaze settled on Rafael’s profile, his broad back, and strong hands that could be so gentle and loving when skating over her flesh. Once more, he’d saved her from the bitterness of her past and had given her a chance to soothe Julio’s last moments and find peace.
