Page 105 of Jetmir

He reached for Anya’s hand. “You all right, my angel?”

She let out a strangled laugh, taking his hand and pressing her cheek against it. “You were tackled to the ground, and you’re asking me if I’m okay.”

My chest tightened. My daughter… She loved this man. Fuck, why did it have to be a Tijuana? Anyone else I might tolerate.

Sailor stood and faced me. “What exactly were you thinking, Raphael?”

“I was protecting our daughter.”

“No, my diablo. Your daughter loves this man and it’s our job to support her. Not to linger in the past.”

The words struck like a slap. “He manipulated her. Kidnapped her! He even kidnapped the goddamned lawyer so their annulment wasn’t processed.”

My wife’s palm gently cradled my cheek. “I don’t know if you noticed, but our daughter is not a child.”

“He lied,” I protested.

“So did you.”

I frowned. “What?”

“You told yourself this was about keeping Anya safe.” She stepped closer, her petite form pressing against me. “But this is about a lot more than just that.” I opened my mouth, then closed it. “This is about your fear for me and your need to protect me.”

I stared at her.

She wasn’t exactly wrong. I even said it myself; I had to choose my wife over anyone else.

“You looked at him…” she continued, nodding toward Jetmir, “and all you could see was the ghost of Santiago.” My throat tightened. Again, she was right. I had spent three years convincing myself they were one and the same. “I did too at first, but he isn’t him. This is the man who would go to great lengths to fix his wrongs. A man who loves your daughter as much as you love me. Isn’t that what we should want for our children?”

“His actions hurt our son.”

“I know.” Sailor’s expression softened. “But he also procured the solution. Mateo Agosti would have never agreed to donate his corneas if not for Jetmir.”

My daughter gasped, her eyes wide as her eyes darted between her husband, her mother, and me.

“Wh-what?” she breathed. “Gabriel… he has a donor?”

“Yes,” Sailor said, smiling. “He’s already undergone surgery and is recovering. Everything went perfectly.”

Anya’s gaze locked on me. “You knew?”

“Yes.” My voice cracked despite every effort to steady it.

“And you, Jetmir?”

Her husband wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I was about to tell you when we were interrupted.”

She fell into his arms as Sailor rested her head on my shoulder.

“Our daughter is smiling again, Raphael,” she whispered, eyes glistening. She rested her palm against my chest. “Gabriel has his sight back. Let’s celebrate their happiness.”

I swallowed hard. “And if she’s made the wrong choice?”

Sailor smiled through her tears.

“Then we support her through it.” She looked toward Jetmir, who was helping Anya to her feet with a tenderness that made me pause. “Although I don’t think that will be required.”

I looked at my daughter and I feared my wife was right, as always.