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“If you can hear me, Harlan, know I’ll keep her safe. I’ll give her the life you wanted for her.” I have to clear my throat again before I say, “I’m sorry we couldn’t part on better terms.”
Silence falls over us, and minutes pass before Skylar walks closer to the grave. She kisses the tips of her fingers and presses her hand to the casket.
“You were the most amazing father, and every day will be less colorful with you gone, Daddy.” She has to pause as her voice threatens to disappear. “It was such an…honor to be your daughter.”
Sobs overwhelm her, and my fucking eyes begin to burn from hearing her heartbroken words.
It takes a moment before she’s able to speak again. “I’ll miss you so much. Say hi to Mom for me.”
When she turns around and walks back to me, I take hold of her arm and pull her against my chest. Engulfing her with my body, my eyes rest on Harlan’s casket, and I nod so they’ll lower it.
I press a kiss to her forehead before I lead her to Louisa’s grave a few feet away.
“What about her family?” I only think to ask now after the crazy few days we’ve had.
“We were her family,” Skylar murmurs.
She stops in front of the grave and stares at Louisa’s final resting place, then says, “Thank you for being a second mother to me, Louisa. I’m sorry you died because of me.”
Hearing the guilt in her voice pours ice through my body. Grabbing Skylar by her shoulder, I turn her so she’ll face me, and leaning down, I meet her eyes.
“You are not responsible for anyone’s death. Do you hear me?”
She shakes her head, her face threatening to crumble.
“Giulio died because he was O-negative. Your father and Louisa died because I put pressure on the fuckers. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.” I lean even closer so I have her full attention. “Lay it all on me,amo, but don’t for one second blame yourself.”
“If I hadn’t needed a kidney –”
I shake her lightly, stopping her sentence dead in its tracks before moving my hands to the sides of her neck.
“You had no choice in the matter. Everything that’s happened is because of decisions made by your father and me.”
When she just stares at me, I demand, “Do you understand?”
She nods before pulling away from me.
As I follow her back to where the Bentley’s parked, I let out a deep breath.
How the fuck am I going to undo all the trauma Skylar’s suffered because of Harlan and me.
Mostly me.
For the first time since I’ve fallen head-over-fucking-heels for Skylar, fear creeps into my heart.
Before this moment, I would’ve taken Skylar any way I could have her, but now I want her love.
I want her to want me, and I’m not sure that will happen.
We climb into the back of the car, and I let out a sigh, my mind racing to come up with a way to win her love.
Fabrizio steers the car toward the cemetery gates as Skylar looks out the window to where her parents’ and Louisa’s graves are.
I notice her hands are fisted on her lap, and reaching for one of them, I pry her fingers open before weaving mine through hers.
Lifting our joined hands, I press a kiss to her knuckles.
The only plan I can come up with is showing her everything I have to offer.
