Page 234 of Dante

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His hands replace mine on the buttons. He finishes them without a word.

"Thank you." My voice sounds hollow.

Dante nods. His eyes meet mine in the mirror.

"Are you ready?"

I want to laugh. Ready? How can anyone be ready for this?

But I nod.

We head toward the door.

Aria Sartori arrived yesterday from Italy. Valentino came with her. And Carmela, his mother. Aria's sister.

I watched them embrace Sophia in the foyer. Three women. Three generations of loss. Aria lost her son. Sophia lost her husband. Carmela lost a nephew.

They cried together. Held each other. Rocked back and forth like the motion could ease the pain.

I stood in the doorway. Watching.

I couldn't help.

I wanted to. God, I wanted to do something. Say something. Fix something.

But there's nothing to fix. Nothing to say. Nothing I can do that will bring Lorenzo back.

I'm useless here.

The thought has been growing for days. Taking root. Spreading.

I want to leave.

I want to run from this house. From their grief. From the weight of loss that presses down on everyone who walks these halls.

I can't help them. Not really. I can hold Sophia's hand. I can sit beside her while she cries. I can bring her food she won't eat and water she won't drink.

But I can't fix this.

I can't make it better.

And staying here, watching them suffer, watching Sophia break apart piece by piece—it's killing me.

But I can't leave.

Sophia needs me. She said so. Last night. Her hand gripping mine in the dark.

"Don't leave me." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Please. I can't do this alone."

So I stay.

And Dante needs me. Even if he won't say it. Even if he keeps his walls up and his secrets locked away. I see it in the way he reaches for me at night. The way he holds on too tight. The way he watches me like I might disappear.

So I stay for him too.

I need to be strong for everyone.

Even when I feel like I'm drowning too.

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