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The door flung open. and somebody ran inside. I didn’t open my eyes to see who it was.
“Aria, love, breathe!” Nick’s panicked voice reached my ears.
He picked me up and put me in his lap, wrapping his arms around me.
“I am here, love,” he whispered. “Just breathe, okay? You will be fine.”
I felt a hand on my thigh, and I opened my eyes.
Gabriel was kneeling in front of me and Nick.
“Nick felt your panic attack,” he said quietly. “We are here, Aria. You will be okay.”
I kept looking at him, but I didn’t say anything. I didn’t even know what to say.
“Breathe, love,” Nick’s soothing voice reached my ears.
He kissed the top of my head and started rubbing my back.
Gabriel didn’t move. He rubbed my thigh and took my hand in his. My eyes didn’t leave him the entire time.
I started to relax in their arms. My heartbeat slowed down and I could finally take a deep breath.
“That’s it,” Gabriel said. “Breathe. You are okay.”
“What were you thinking about?” Nick asked me. “I felt strong fear coming off of you before your panic attack started. What happened, love?”
I looked up at him and gulped.
What should I say?
Nick was looking at me with love in his eyes.
Goddess, what did I do to deserve this man?
“Aria?” Gabriel’s voice pulled me back from my thoughts.
I looked back down at him.
“Why don’t you hate me?” I asked him quietly.
He was startled by my question. He looked at Nick, confused.
“Why would I hate you, Aria?” he asked and looked back at me.
“I was raised by a woman who killed your parents,” I said and sobbed. “She took away your family. What if I turn out to be like her? What if I hurt you?”
Gabriel stared at me, wide-eyed. He finally realized, didn’t he? He now realized that he should hate me.
“You are nothing like her,” he said, grabbing my shoulders. “Do you hear me? You are not her. The only way you could hurt me is by leaving me. You are my sister; my twin and I love you. I could never hate you. I will never hate you.”
I sobbed and looked down.
“I am sorry, Gabriel,” I said with a trembling voice. “I am sorry for what she did. I am embarrassed for her.”
Gabriel pulled me up from Nick’s lap and wrapped me in a tight hug.
“No, Aria,” he whispered in my ear. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You have nothing to be sorry about. You are not her. You will never be her. She did raise you, but you are not her. If anything, you are like our grandma. You are like our mom. You are loving, kind, compassionate, and understanding. You would never hurt anyone intentionally. That doesn’t sound like Grace to me.”
