Sarah took a deep breath and nodded.
“I don’t see your scars. I never really have. I thought you were beautiful from the first time I saw you, and that’s never changed and never will. I crave you like a goddamn addiction, and it wouldn’t matter what kind of scars you had,” he finished solemnly.
Sarah looked at his earnest, stubborn expression and sighed. “That’s because you’re crazy. The scars are there.” Her heart melted, belying her words. Dante was special, and he already saw past her scars. He always had.
“Emily’s right. If I try to look at you without a raging hard-on—which almost never happens, by the way—they’re not noticeable.” He tipped her chin up and Sarah looked into the depths of his eyes. He was telling her the truth, his truth. “We all have scars, sweetheart. Some are on the outside, and some are so deep inside us that they never heal. Yours did heal, and they’re a symbol of just how brave and resilient you are. Never be ashamed of them. They’re part of who you are.”
Dante’s words were so eloquent that it made her want to cry. “Are you forever scarred inside because Patrick died?” Sarah asked gravely, wondering if he’d ever get over the death of his partner.
“No,” Dante answered honestly. “I still hurt, and I’ll always miss him, but I think he would have wanted me to live my life the best way I can because he can’t anymore. He was a good man who didn’t deserve to die. But I’ll keep taking care of his wife and son the best way I can. I think that’s the best way to honor him.”
Sarah nodded. “I think so, too. How are they doing?” Sarah knew that Dante called Karen and Ben almost every day.
“Surviving,” Dante said regretfully. “Karen’s strong for Ben. And Ben’s an exceptional kid. Every day will get easier for them. They have each other.”
“Did they know you’re a billionaire Sinclair? Did anyone?” She’d wanted to ask him that since the outpouring of pleas had come in through her answering service. Now she understood why everyone had called. Dante Sinclair was an extraordinary man.
Dante shook his head. “I never wanted anyone to know, and after a while, it wasn’t important. I didn’t want to be judged worthy because of the family I was born into. I wanted to be judged on my own merit.”
God, he was amazing. Sarah couldn’t imagine any other guy who wouldn’t want to flaunt the fact that he was incredibly rich and born of one of the most prestigious families in the country. “Why do I have a feeling you somehow made sure Karen and Ben were going to be fine for the rest of their lives?”
“I did. I donated some money to them anonymously. I know Karen. She’ll invest the money, and she’ll have money from the police department. She’ll be fine financially, and Ben will be able to go to any college he wants, pursue his own dreams. Karen’s educated, and she wants to go back to work now that Ben is almost grown.”
“You’re amazing,” she told him reverently. “Do you miss your job? I know you can’t stay here forever.”
“I’m staying until this asshole is caught. I’ll be on leave from the department as long as necessary.”
The thought of Dante leaving ripped her heart to pieces. “It could take forever,” she told him sadly.
“Then I guess you’ll have to put up with my ornery ass for a very long time,” Dante grumbled.
She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Sarah decided to let tomorrow take care of itself. Dante was a gift to her, and she’d enjoy him while he was still here. She’d never regret being with him or the time she’d spent with him, because Dante had taught her so much, awakened her soul. She would always be grateful to him, even if it meant she’d suffer the pain of disconnecting from him later. Whatever the future outcome, she knew Dante had changed the way she looked at herself and life. Her brain told her that what they had experienced together would have to be enough, even though her heart was telling her something completely different.
CHAPTER 15
How the fuck did I let her talk me into this?
Dante had gotten used to doing some small things in public again with Sarah, but having her go back to teaching her piano classes and playing for the seniors at the youth center was way out of his comfort zone. The center was too damn open, and there were too many places to hide. It was also busy, especially on senior bingo night, and it was always open to the public.
His arms crossed in front of him, he sat in the fourth row of chairs set up in the music room, his emotions already raw from hearing and watching Sarah play. He’d locked the door after all the seniors had filed in, but he didn’t like having the door at his back. Also, he didn’t care for the fact that he wasn’t closer to Sarah. The eager seniors had arrived early, leaving him farther away than he wanted to be from his woman.
Glancing at his watch, he knew the impromptu concert would only last about five more minutes, but it was going to feel like a goddamn lifetime for him. Granted, almost everyone in the room was over the age of seventy-five except for Grady, Emily, Jared, and Randi, but he wasn’t worried about who was already in the room. His gut instinct was screaming at him to scoop Sarah up and take her away to a place where he could protect her. If her asshole attacker knew her routine, he knew that she taught classes here and was connected to the center. Dante was pissed off at himself that one look at her pleading violet eyes had made him agree to let her move on with her life. She was right in some ways. It had been a while, the perp still hadn’t been spotted, and she needed a normal life. Unfortunately, reason wasn’t his friend right now. He wanted Sarah to be safe.