32. Athena
I was shocked beyond words at what I had seen and I couldn't move. Even breathing was hard as I felt sick. A wave of nausea hit me as I relived the scene and I shed tears of pain for both the mother and the daughter.
And then, my surroundings began to blur, the horrific scene dissolving into shadows. The cries of the child and the sobs of the mother faded, replaced by a voice—soft, familiar, warm.
"Athena? Wake up. You are safe. Wake up baby!" The voice, gentle yet firm, pulled me from the darkness, and my eyes shot open, gasping for breath.
Lorenzo Massimo’s worried face hovered over mine, his strong arms wrapped tightly around me, holding me close. His usually calm, piercing gaze was filled with an emotion I rarely saw in him—fear.
I also clung to him. I was relieved to
