Page 145 of Thorns of Silence

I couldn’t break down in front of Dante.

His hands came to my shoulders and he turned me around, forcing me to face him.

“You’re upset,” he stated. He’d always been so perceptive, even way back when. “Want to tell me why?”

I swallowed, shaking my head. It made me a coward, but how could I possibly tell him that five years ago, he was mine. Five years ago, we were going to raise our family together, and then he disappeared. I believed he’d abandoned us, but now I knew he was kidnapped and tortured.

I should have had more faith in him.

Dante cupped my face, his eyes drilling into me. “I remember. You. Me. This cabin. Iremember,Nix,” he said as I stared at him wide-eyed, certain my mind was deceiving me or that I was misunderstanding. “That last day, you told me about the pregnancy. It was supposed to be the three of us dancing through life together from that moment on.”

He tightened his grip on me and my body almost collapsed as I fought back the tears but lost. It was one tear, then two, before I lost count and turned into a sobbing mess.

“I didn’t forget,” I admitted. His hands fell from my face and fear gripped my throat. “I’m sorry I feigned amnesia. I was so upset when you never came back. Then when I ran into you again, I was so bitter and angry. I thought you were pretending not to remember our time together. I’m so sorry, Dante. I’m sorry that I didn’t say anything. My pride made me stupid and blind. I’m so sorry for everything.” The force of my sobs shook my body, terrified that he’d hate me. Terrified that he’d leave me. “Please don’t—”

My knees gave out but he caught me, holding me in his grip as five years of anguish and pain broke the dam.

“Dandelion, finish that statement,” he said slowly.

“Don’t hate me. Don’t hate Skye. Please,” I mouthed. I tried my hardest to keep it together, but fear of losing him again and what that would mean when it came to our daughter shredded my heart to pieces.

“Listen to me, Nix.Hateandyouwill never be in the same sentence when it comes to my vocabulary.” He rubbed my back gently as I trembled. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. For Skye.”

“You know?”

“She’s ours,” he stated with conviction. “I remember that much. I failed you, but I won’t ever again. We still have so many years in front of us, and we’ll make it right for her.” He wiped my tears away, his forehead dropping to mine. “I have so many wrongs to right.”

“You forgive me for being so mean to you? You lost your memory and I shot you. Sprayed you with mace. Jesus, at every turn, I was meaner and meaner to you.”

“There’s no wrong you can do that I wouldn’t forgive. I need to earn your forgiveness.”

I didn’t deserve him, but I’d spend the rest of my life making it up to him. “You forgive me, dandelion?”

“There’s nothing to forgive.” Then I shook my head, wrapping my arms around his neck, my lips pressing against his. Pulling away, I met his gaze. “I kidnapped her, Dante,” I signed my admission. “She was adopted by Sasha and Branka Nikolaev. They’ll come for her, and they’ll kill us.”

I told him everything. From the moment Grandma took her from me to what I did in New Orleans. There was no shock in his eyes. No judgment.

Only the old Dante I remembered. From before.

Dante

I had never wanted anything more than her and our baby.

Five years ago that was taken away from me. Today, I’d be damned if I let that happen. While still a little fuzzy, the puzzle pieces were finally in place—in my mind and my life. I wouldn’t let anything get in my way again.

Not the Nikolaevs. Not the devil himself.

In the foyer of the cabin, I listened to Phoenix pour it all out. Her anguish. Her terror. I didn’t interrupt her until she was finished, her body heaving with the force of her sobs.

“I’m so sorry. My grandma planted the seed, and I believed you left us and didn’t want the responsibility. And then when I saw you again, I pushed you away. Again and again. Oh my God. Dante… I shot you.” She brought her hand to her mouth, stifling her sobs.

“It’s okay.”

She shook her head, and I had to fight to bottle my own emotions. Watching her in tears like this all but tore me apart. She looked at me, then frantically signed, “How can you even say it’s okay? It’s not.”

“All that matters is that you’re with me. You and Skye. I’ll fix everything.”

Her shoulders slumped for a moment before a new shot of determination filled her. She had to be the strongest woman I knew. “I should help you.”