Page 64 of Consequences (Wicked Empire 3)

“No. It was my job to take care of her. And I failed at that. I’m sorry,” he said.

I tried again. “Erik—”

“Don’t,” he said, cutting me off. Something I could never remember happening before. In fact, I didn’t think I had ever seen Erik this serious. I went quiet, sensing that he needed to get the words out.

“I don’t have a family, no wife, no kids, no grandkids. And watching little Crystal, it was wonderful for me. And that she was lost because of my failure is a shame that I’ll never live down,” he said.

“Erik—”

This time, Davit put a hand on my shoulder, silently reminding me of what I had already realized.

Erik needed to say what he needed to say.

“I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, but I understand if you can’t,” he said.

Then he looked at Davit before he continued. “And I accept the consequences.”

I looked at Paulette and saw her reaction to Erik’s words, which only confirmed that mine wasn’t mistaken.

Then I looked at Davit, who looked at me, his communication clear.

I knew what Erik was asking me, and Davit had made the choice mine.

Not that it really was a choice.

Erik had spilled blood for Crystal, had fought for her.

The gratitude I felt for him, and Paulette, was something I’d never be able to repay.

“Erik, I only have one request,” I said quietly.

“Anything,” he said.

“Take care of yourself. Get better. She’s going to be crawling soon, and I wouldn’t want you to miss that,” I said.

Erik smiled, but his expression was nothing compared to Paulette’s.

“Thank you. Thank both of you,” I said.

There were no words for me to express what I felt for them, how much I appreciated what they had been willing to do.

And it struck me then, as I stood in a terrace apartment in Zurich, Switzerland, that had been converted to a private hospital, that I finally, truly had the family I had always dreamed of.

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