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“Do you want to speak with her?”
Her head shakes ever so slightly. “Not really after she…”
“After shewhat?”
“Took the last bit of inheritance money I had.”
Fuck.“She stole from you?”
Her eyes drop. “Yes.”
“Is that why she’s back? To get more money?”
“Probably.”
“Do you want me to give her some?”
Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she shakes her head again.
“What do you want to do then?”
“I don’t know. After the way she talked to me on the phone… I hate seeing her that way. I hate it so damn much, knowing she is struggling and there is nothing I can do to make it better.” Her voice cracks.
My heart feels like Lana wrapped her fist around it and squeezed. “You’ve done everything possible to help her.”
“Then why isn’t it enough to help her stay clean? I’ve done everything. Paying, praying, pleading, yet she always goes back.” There is a sheen to her eyes that wasn’t present before.
“It has nothing to do with you.” I wrap my arms around her.
She places her head against my chest with a sniffle. “I’m so freaking tired of people hurting me.”
The tightness in my chest becomes unbearable. “I’m sorry.” For me. For Anto. And for everyone who has caused her pain in the first place.
The doorbell rings again, followed by hard pounding. Lana flinches against me.
I kiss the top of her head. “Let me go talk to her.”
“But—”
“Just allow me to do this for you.”
She sighs as I release my hold around her body.
“Stay inside.” I reach for the doorknob.
“Cal?”
I glance at her from over my shoulder.
She twists the fabric of her apron. “Thank you.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
Her bottom lip wobbles. “I know.”
I tip my head before walking outside. Antonella tugs at the sleeves of her long-sleeve shirt as if it can hide the track marks speckled across her skin. She looks thinner than ever, with her bones jutting out from underneath her shirt and her brown eyes nearly bugling from their sockets.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she snaps.
