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His eyes fluttered open again. He smiled—barely, but enough for me to see what hearing the word meant to him.

I kissed his cheek.

“Oh, Papá.”

His hand came up behind my head, weak but still warm.

“Te amo,” he whispered.

My voice cracked.

“Te amo, Papá.”

His mouth trembled.

“Te amo, mi niña.”

I pressed my forehead to his and tried to hold him there by force, as though loving him now could make up for all the years we’d lost.

As though calling him Papá enough times could make death wait.

Papá’s hand slipped from my hair and reached past me toward Lachlan.

Lachlan understood and moved closer.

Papá closed his hand around the back of Lachlan’s neck and pulled him down.

“I’ve kept her safe from these monsters.”

Rafael paused, struggling to breathe.

“Now you’re honor-bound to keep her safe from yours.”

Lachlan’s answer came firm and immediate.

“On my life, she’s safe.”

Rafael studied him for several seconds.

Whatever he saw was enough, and he loosened his grip.

Lachlan caught his hand before it fell.

Papá’s eyes returned to mine one last time.

“My daughter.”

“I’m here.”

His chest rose.

Barely.

“Papá.”

The breath left him.

It didn’t come back.