Page 75 of The Sinner's Touch

“We decided since you couldn’t be home for Christmas, we’d bring Christmas to you, Angel Girl.” Nik leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Merry Christmas,sestra.”

Dimitri unpacked lights he and Viktor strung up around the room while Lily began pulling presents out of a bag and placing them around the small tree.

“Do you want to help me decorate the tree?” Kade felt his heart turn over when she smiled. It was the one he loved, the one that was so big it took over her entire face.

“Do you even have to ask?”

He picked her up and sat her in the chair Lily pulled over. He took the bag handed to him and grimaced when he caught sight of the color.

“Purple!” Angel squealed and started pulling out the bulbs.

“Well, we just brought over the decorations you picked out at Target.” Lily smiled when Kade sidestepped her. He’d learned not to touch her without a lot of fair warning.

“And we brought Christmas Eve dinner!” Dimitri declared, sitting down in one of the chairs. His face looked strained. Kade knew he was still having issues with his legs, but Dimitri told him the physical therapy was helping.

“I made lasagna and homemade garlic bread.” Lily helped him set up the food, and Angel’s stomach growled.

“Don’t look at me like that.” She wagged her finger at Kade. “Your stomach would be vocal too if all you’d had was hospital food for two weeks.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Kade has snuck food in for her every day. His woman could eat.

“But before we eat, we thought we could do something for Angel, Kade, and Lily. Well, for us too, but mostly for them.” Viktor picked up the one bag no one had touched yet. He rolled over the little table they used to put her food trays on. On it, he placed seven small candles in glass holders. “I thought tonightbefore we break bread, we could say a prayer for those who are gone but not forgotten.”

Angel’s breath caught. She hadn’t expected Viktor, this big burly man who looked lethal, to do something so beautiful. Kade’s hand gripped her shoulder, and she looked up to see him staring at his brother. It was hard to define any one emotion flickering over his face. Suffice to say, he had no words.

Viktor set up the candles and handed the first lit candle to Lily. “You firstsestra.”

“I’m not sure…”

“Lily Bells isn’t Catholic.” Nik leaned into her. “We light a candle to remember those we’ve lost and to pray for those who are still here.”

“Oh.” She nodded and leaned down to light two of the candles. “One is for my father who died when I was twelve, and the other is for my twin sister who died when I was fifteen.”

“Is there anything else you want to say?” Nik asked softly.

“I miss them. Especially during the holidays. Laney loved Christmas. It was her favorite, and she’d start decorating the day after Thanksgiving. Mom used to get so aggravated when she’d find lights and decorations strung out all over the floor the next morning. My dad, I miss that he’s not here to see me graduate or to walk me down the aisle, but I know he’ll be there on those days. I take comfort in the fact that he’s always with me.”

Angel had no idea Lily had had a twin sister. That must have been so hard. It was like losing the other half of yourself. Losing Peter had been devastating. Losing a twin, Angel wasn’t sure if she’d have recovered.

Nik went next. “For Matthew. I would have loved to meet you, little one, but know you will never be forgotten by your uncles. We will cherish your memory every day for as long as we live. I love you,plemyannik.”

“It means nephew,” Kade whispered in her ear.

Tears sprang to her eyes. Nikoli’s words went straight to her heart and pried open the vault she’d built around the place where her son was missing.

Viktor took the match. “Matthew, you will be missed every single day, and we will honor your memory by keeping you in our thoughts. You will make us better and make us remember how short our time together is. I love you,plemyannik.” He lit the candle and handed the long match slowing burning down to Dimitri.

“We didn’t know about you before, little one, but know as you sit upon the laps of your grandparents and your uncle, the uncles and grandparents you left behind will love you. We’ll miss you and keep you safe in our hearts. I love you,plemyannik.”

Angel whimpered, trying to hold back her tears.

When Kade took the match, he clutched her hand.

“My beautiful boy, you were loved from the moment I knew about you. I was scared, but I knew I wanted you. You owned my heart, and you made me want to be better, to do better for you. I wanted to be a man you’d be proud of. I know I let you down in that regard, and it guts me. Your mother suffered because I couldn’t be the man I wanted to be. But that’s changed. I’ve become a better person.”

Kade let go of her hand and pulled out his wallet, reaching in to produce the smudged sonogram picture. A single tear slipped out of his eye as he caressed the photo with his thumb. He handed it to Dimitri, who blinked back his own tears, studying the small image.

“I promise you I will never hurt your mother again. I will protect her with my life and strive to be the man who is worthy of your love. I miss you, son, and I will love you until the day I die.”

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