“I couldn’t go to the funeral,” I say, “so it still feels a little unreal. I’m just trying to come to terms with it.”
He nods with apprehension and puts an arm around me.
“It was a bad day …”
“The worst.” I don’t need a reminder of the official lowest time of my life. Hearing your baby’s heartbeat fainting away is not something I wish upon my crudest enemy.
“But we will be better,” he gruffs.
“Yes, we will.” I shake my head to get rid of the sad thoughts and look at the man sitting next to me.
“It’s Valentine’s Day …” I say in a more cheerful voice. “Will you help me to organize a nice dinner for the asshole that holds my heart?”
“No can do.” I give him a pleading puppy-dog look.
“Don’t look at me like that!” I keep on staring, trying to make the sad eyes even sadder until he gives in.
“Ug, it’s gonna cost you, young lady.”
“Anything … I’ll do anything!”
“That’s a very dangerous thing to say to a guy,” he laughs and then winks at me. “I might just take you up on that offer sometime.” I roll my eyes and stick out my tongue at him. My handsome brother-in-law knows how to cheer me up.
I take a last look at the tombstone and give a little smile
Xander Blackburn, loving father, husband, and hero
written on one side
Miranda Blackburn, loving mother, wife, and angel
written on the other side. And at the bottom in big curly letters
Together again!
According to my brothers, Dad died with a huge smile on his face, peacefully. I’ve wondered over the weeks if it was because I told him I forgave him … or because I told him about my pregnancy. Whatever it was … I’m just glad he died happily even in that circumstances.
Tears build up in my eyes and slip down my cheeks again, but I don’t even bother to wipe them away.
“No, little Bambina (Italian = girl), no more tears. Today is a happy day.” He grabs my arms, pulls me up as if I’m a delicate snowflake, and brushes the tears from my face with his thumb, his blue eyes filled with love, giving me strength.
I may not have peace in my heart, yet, but I know I’ll get there. I’ll get there with the help of my demonic angel, and the rest of my loving family, those that are blood-related … I look at Alejandro … and those that are not.
“But first I need to give you this.” He holds out a dark pink envelope and I take it with a frown. Another letter. The words ‘my angel’ are written in thick black letters on the front. I turn it around and pull out the card inside.
“I don’t know what you did to my brother, ’cause it seems that he lost his balls judging to this effeminate behavior,” he sneers. “But fuck, what do I know? It’s not as if I’ve experienced a love like yours before.” His head angles to the side and he wipes the last tear from my cheek, a softness lingering in those ice-blue eyes.
“I believe, one day you’re going to fall even harder than him,” I whisper. “You’re going to make a special girl as happy as he makes me.”
“That won’t happen. I was raised to follow a certain less elaborate path,” he says with a seriously grim voice. “It has no happy ending.” I don’t know what he means, but it can’t be anything good. For the first time I realize, he’s also hiding a very broken boy behind his walls.
“It could have … if you want it to,” I try to give me hope.
“Even if … revenge always ends badly.” Is he also seeking revenge? From whom? For what?
No … I don’t even want to know.
I start reading the card:
You’re going on a treasure hunt. Read the cards, listen to the songs, follow the clues, and relive the memories good and bad.
You’ll understand how I feel about you at the end.
First, you have to go back to the place where I first saw you but also almost lost you. We’ve both lost part of ourselves there, but it’s also the place where I realized what you are to me – my angel.
I will always fight to keep you safe. Like you will always fight my demons.
My heart hitches and I gulp in a big breath of air. Cocky bastard.
So this is what he meant with his message it’s a treasure hunt and I have this gleeful suspicion that he’s the freaking treasure.
“So, little sister, ” Alejandro asks as he helps me into Kiara’s car – I borrowed it since mine is a wreck. “Where are we heading?”
“The haunted house.” I know what Damion’s trying to do, he wants me to face my fears … my losses … and the only way is to face the place where it all took place … head-on.
He hands me another card. I open it with trembling fingers. Damion has this effect on me.
Angel with a shotgun The Cab.
The song you sent me – it also played on the radio just after I got the message that you’ve been kidnapped. The words made me realize just what I was fighting for and I found the strength I needed to win the battle.
Alejandro puts on the song and I imagine how I would have felt if the roles were reversed.
I swallow the burning feeling of tears in my throat – only now grasping the devastation he must have been in, the frustration, anger, rage, fear, helplessness … and the lyrics penetrate my soul, just as it must have done with him.
I’m an angel with a shotgun … shotgun …
Get out your guns, battles begun, are you a saint or a sinner …