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I take the bracelets from my mother, caress their beauty. “They were Grandma’s?”
“Yes. The only thing of value she owned, and no matter how bad things got, she never sold them.”
“So they’re real gold, then?”
“They are, but they wouldn’t have fed us for long. They aren’t that valuable.”
I continue to stroke them and then slip them onto my left wrist. “They are to me.”
The gold burns against my flesh, but in a good way. Grandma Didi’s strength, Mom’s strength—my own strength—pulses through me.
Mom and Dad say no more.
Is this the end? Truly the end?
Do I know everything now?
The image of the tower invades my mind. The fire, the falling rubble.
No.
I don’t yet know everything.
But I’m stronger. I have the strength of my mother and grandmother and the women who came before them.
And I’ll survive.
Chapter Forty-Four
Brendan
I ring the doorbell at Ryan and Ruby Steel’s house.
Their housekeeper, Michaela, opens the door. “Hello, Brendan.”
“Is Ava here?”
“Yes. Won’t you come in?”
“Thank you.”
“She’s in the library with Mr. and Mrs. Steel. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
Michaela disappears down a hallway. I shove my hands into my jeans pockets and wait in the foyer. I can’t stop thinking about Lauren Wingdam, her son Jack—who may be a distant cousin of mine—and Pat Lamone and the circumstances of his conception.
Did Lauren tell him? I never thought I’d feel sorry for the guy, but damn…
Ryan Steel strides toward me. “Brendan.” He holds out his hand.
I shake it firmly. “I came to see Ava. I heard she left the bakery in the middle of the day, and I was worried.”
“She’s with her mother.”
“May I see her?”
“That’s up to her. She and Ruby need a few moments, though.”
“All right. I’ll wait.”
Ryan simply nods.
“What’s going on?” I finally ask.
“Reality has hit Ava hard the past few days. I gave her some information about my heritage, and Ruby just enlightened her about her own.”
“I take it that it’s not pretty.”
“Far from it. I assume she told you about our conversation?”
I nod. “She did. I suppose I should tell you what I found out this morning.” I quickly relay what Dad and I learned during our visit with Lauren Wingdam.
“God…” Ryan rubs his forehead. “I can’t… No. My mother wouldn’t do that to her own child.”
“What do you mean? You don’t think that Wendy orchestrated Lauren’s rape…”
“One thing my mother was a fanatic about was her children. She protected me at the cost of my brother. And now I have this sister who I’ve never met. Who apparently isn’t just a sister but a cousin as well. My God, Brendan. You must think our family are monsters.”
“No. I don’t think that.”
“How can you not?”
“You’re not them, Ryan. You had no choice in who your mother was or who your father was.”
“I know. It took me a while to get to that point, but I did. That’s a huge reason why we chose to keep all this from Ava, her sister, and her cousins. We wanted to forget. We wanted to have a normal family. But it wasn’t in the cards.”
“Ava would appreciate that sentiment.”
“I’m not talking about the tarot.”
“I know you’re not, but she’d see it that way.”
He smiles weakly. “She would. You know her well.”
“I do.” I clear my throat. “I’m in love with her, Ryan. I’d like to have a life with her. A family. Children.”
“She’s still very young.”
“She is, and I respect that.”
“After what she’s learned about her heritage, she may not want children.”
“It didn’t stop you and Ruby.”
He shakes his head. “No, it didn’t. We wanted to share our love and our good fortune with children. And we got lucky. Ava and Gina are both wonderful. So smart and talented.”
“Yes, they are.”
“But Ava…”
“Is her own person, for sure. She and I haven’t discussed children. Or even marriage. But she does share my feelings, Ryan.”
“I know she does.”
“You do?”
“Of course. I’m her father. I see the way her face lights up when you’re around, or when she talks about you.”
I try not to beam too brightly.
Ryan rakes his fingers through his slightly gray hair. “When you mentioned three rapists, I couldn’t help thinking… But my mother wouldn’t do that to her own child.”
“You’re going to have to tell me what you’re talking about here. I’m lost.”
“It’s another dark part of Steel history. My mother—not my mother. After all these years, I still do that. Daphne’s half brother, Larry Wade, Ruby’s father, and Bryce’s father worked together for decades in…”
“Human trafficking,” I say. “I know.”
“Right.” He nods. “Anyway, the three of them often… Please don’t make me spell it out for you.”
“They worked together. I see.”
“Yes. They assaulted Daphne when she was a teenager. And Talon. And who knows who else.”
My bowels cramp up. God. Just the thought…
“But they couldn’t have harmed Lauren. My mother would have never allowed harm to fall on her own child.”
