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Natalia thought of a laundry list of things that couldn’t be cured with some fucking plants. Melanoma was a relevant one.

Pressing the jar into Natalia’s hand, she continued enthusiastically, “Just slather it all over the burnt areas. It has aloe, of course, plus mint, comfrey root, honey... well, I can’t divulge the rest until you’re part of the family.” She winked.

Natalia had barely absorbed the family jab when the woman hit her with a lethal uppercut.

“My Sam would be so embarrassed that I said this, but who doesn’t find their old mom embarrassing?” she said with a chuckle to herself, while every muscle in Natalia’s body braced for impact. “But I haven’t seen Sammy so happy in a long, long time.”

Leaning in, she squeezed Natalia’s forearm before she could retreat to safety. “You’ve been a little dose of magic for her.” She smiled, but her expression was sad. “It’s impossible to watch your child experience pain. Since she lost Sofia, I have wanted to trade places with her a thousand times. To take on all that hurt so she’d never have to feel it again.” She wiped the corner of her eye. “You know how she is — so tough. Always carrying it all with a smile, but a mother knows.”

She ran her thumb so gently over Natalia’s skin. It was the most tender gesture Natalia had ever received. It was the epicenter of an earthquake. Against her will, warm tendrils lashed at her skin. The touch burrowed into her, curling around muscle and bone and marrow and heart.

“You put the light back in her eyes, mi vida.” She looked at Natalia with so much sincerity and affection, it nearly reduced Natalia to rubble. “Thank you,” she said, a fault line crack in her voice. She cleared her throat and removed her soft, warm hand from Natalia’s arm. “Well, that’s enough from a silly old lady. Go take care of our girl.”

With a little wave, she bustled away, leaving a stunned Natalia clutching the jar of family aloe. She stood there even after Samantha’s mother had gone back into her room.

Mind racing, she searched for the lies. Looked for the motivation the woman would have in putting on that sweet act. But her brain wouldn’t kick into gear. She couldn’t feel her body. Couldn’t string a coherent thought together.

Moving the way she imagined a ghost would, Natalia returned to the room to find Samantha sitting on the couch, freshly showered and wearing nothing but sweatpants. Her skin was even redder and angrier than before, a contrast to Natalia’s rather numb state.

Hair wet and slicked back, Samantha looked up at her like she wasn’t in any pain. As soon as she noticed the jar in Natalia’s hand, she smiled.

“I should have known that was on its way,” Samantha said, extending her hand to take the aloe when Natalia crossed into the open living room.

Natalia handed over the legacy salve and turned toward the kitchen. She needed a moment to think. Space to collect herself. Reaching for the glass bottle in the fridge, Natalia drank water directly from the vessel.

The moment wasn’t enough. When she turned back to Samantha, and her pathetic attempt to reach the fried skin below her shoulders, Natalia rolled her eyes.

“Just give it to me,” she demanded, setting the bottle down too hard on the counter. “You’re not a fucking octopus.”

Mercifully, Samantha handed the jar over and turned in her seat to give Natalia access to her back. She wasn’t in the mood to argue. Not about this.

Taking a scoop of the pleasant-smelling gel, Natalia smeared it gently over Samantha’s shoulder blades even if part of her wanted to use her nails and make her feel as uncomfortable as she’d felt all day. She lasted three seconds before she erupted.

“Were you ever going to tell me about Sofia?”

CHAPTER 36

Sam tensed, Natalia’s blunt question like an iron vice around her heart. Hearing Sofia’s name on her lips left her momentarily stunned, the air snatched from her lungs. She slowly turned to meet Natalia’s penetrating gaze, throat tightening.

“After all of these months,” Natalia seethed, her glossy eyes an odd contrast to her angry posture. “All the times you pushed me. Accused me of being closed off and meanwhile you were hiding a huge part of your life?” A vein in Natalia’s forehead beat to the rhythm of Sam’s racing pulse. “All this time you’ve been?—”

“She died,” Sam said, voice like a spider crack shattering thin glass.

Natalia’s expression changed, but it was no less hostile. “What?”

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath to slow her racing heart. She hated looking backward. Hated the way she couldn’t think of Sofia without going back to the day she lost her. Eight years of happiness trapped and inaccessible behind the wall of grief and pain.

Topless and slathered in a thick layer of aloe was not how she imagined having this conversation. She’d never imagined broaching the topic at all. Scooting over to give Natalia the chance to sit next to her on the couch if she wanted, Sam shook her head.

“Why would you want to know?” her tone was more defensive that she intended. “You’ve made it clear that you’re only interested in two things. Sex and the book rights.”

Natalia dropped the jar on the coffee table and crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, fuck that.”

“Are you saying that’s not true? Because I can?—”

“That’s an excuse and you know it.” Her tone was hard — and to Sam’s shock — hurt.

Getting to her feet, Sam pulled on the loose muscle tee she’d slung over the back of the couch. If they were going to have a blowout and end their entanglement, she needed to be clothed.