Page 130 of Requiem for Love

She brushed his sleeve with her lips. “I like you like this. Emotions humanize you guys, you know? One day, maybe I’ll get something out of Giorgio.”

“I can’t even imagine that.”

Giorgio had a significant amount of trauma, but he was making progress. Considering what he’d been before, it could be argued that he was making strides, blood gloves and all.

“Adrián Delgano…” she softly sang.

“Yes, Ayesha…what is your new last name?”

“Lattimore.”

“Yes, Ayesha Lattimore?” he sang in return.

“I forgive you,” she said. “I forgive you with everything in me. Lavigne, and only Lavigne, is responsible for what happened that day. Curtis knew that if he hadn’t done what he did, none of the guys would have gone home, and that’s just the kind of man he was. That’s the kind of courage he left in my sons. I’ll always have a piece of him because I have them.”

He turned to her. “You forgive me?”

“With my whole heart.” She cemented the statement with a nod. “No matter what you’ve done in your past or why you did it, redemption isn’t for people who’ve never fallen. And you’ve always treated me well. You treated my son well. You brought me food when I was hungry, oily as it was.”

He softly laughed.

“You put yourself at risk to help my boys. You held me when I was lonely, and you were there when I needed closeness and comfort more than I knew at the time. Of course, I forgive you. Don’t let this guilt continue to eat away at you. If you were truly responsible, there would be no tears, honey.”

“Mrs. Lattimore?” Joel appeared in the patio doorway.“I’mhoney.”

She couldn’t explain how it felt whenever she looked at him. There would be no leaving Maui to go “home” because home was right there with her. She wouldn’t survive if he didn’t walk through the door one day. Loving Joel was a magnification of what she felt for him and Curtis combined. Sometimes, looking at him was enough to take her breath away.

“Sorry, honey,” she teased.

“Coming to bed anytime soon?”

Adrían stood and grabbed the mugs. “I think that’s my cue.”

“It doesn’t have to be.” Joel shrugged. “If you’re not done.”

Ayesha smiled.

“I think I’m good to go to bed tonight,” Adrían said. “Something tells me it’ll be the best sleep I’ve had in a while.”

“Because you got stuff off your chest?”

“No, because I got Ayesha to hold me.”

Joel glared at Adrían as he walked past him into the house, heading for the kitchen.

Ayesha sauntered over and took both his hands in hers. “Remember how you used to tease the guys?”

He frowned. “It’s not the same. You havehistorywith him. Maybe I’m getting soft. Why’s he in my house?”

“Because he’s not a bad guy.”

“You in love with him or something?”

“Hmm,” she stepped closer, “you sound jealous. Maybe I am in love with him. Maybe me and Adrían are going to run off together.”

As they walked inside, they turned off the heaters and shut the patio doors. Then Joel kissed her as he lifted her off her feet, his lips brushing hers, a direct contrast to how firmly he gripped her ass.

“You’re leaving me?”

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