Page 64 of Scarred Ruin

Mina’s voice and her exclamation pulled at the corners of my mouth.

“Fred?” Isabel pressed her hand across her lips while she laughed.

“His snake. That’s Fred. He’s not as angry tonight, Papa.” She huffed and dumped more items into the basket.

“You’re right, baby girl. Fred isn’t angry at all.”

Mina’s attention was grabbed away as quickly as she’d given it to me, pulled by something colorful on the wall.

Which allowed me another opportunity to enjoy an entirely different view. While Isabel was trying to keep the puppy occupied, her delight obvious in her joyful expressions, I was reliving a darkness that had nearly consumed me almost five years before.

Not the pain of enduring a raging fire, flames melting my flesh, but in the agony of being unable to save someone I’d loved. My heart had died that night along with Anastasia, my soul becoming as charred as the remains of the building she’d been trapped in.

Yet as I stood in the middle of a pet store, watching a woman I barely knew allowing my daughter to feel completely normal for the first time in nearly her entire existence, I was touched beyond measure.

But even more, something had stirred that I’d long since believed dead, ignited with a different fire that still threatened to destroy while also offering sweet peace.

No matter the outcome, I would be eternally grateful for this special moment.

Just as Isabel had reminded me.

“Papa! Halloween costumes. For dogs! Can we please get one? Look. A bumblebee. He’d look so cute.”

“We don’t go trick or treating, Mina. You know that.”

Isabel’s glaring stare was yet another harsh reminder of all that I’d forced my daughter to miss. Her face fell as sadness slipped in. There were even tears in her eyes. “My friends go trick or treating. They have costumes already picked out.”

Dear God, I was a shit for a father.

As I’d experienced before, the lovely Isabel decided to intervene. I really should be furious with her, but she had a way of handling herself with my daughter that I’d seen with no one else.

“You know… The businesses in the historic district have an amazing Halloween celebration. Kids go trick or treating at each one. Completely safe and with the music and food vendors, it’s a lot of fun. We could… maybe go together and take Shadow. Pets are allowed. I could even dress up too.” Her face was as hopeful as my daughter’s.

Damn the woman.

“Pu-lease, Papa. I’ll be good. I promise.”

Of course she’d be good. While my daughter could be mischievous, I’d raised a little adult, often skipping out of the important things a child should be allowed to enjoy.

Isabel arched her eyebrow, her flashing green eyes dragging me through the mud.

I thought about her suggestion and of course the hopeful look on Mina’s face. Even though something inside said it was a very bad idea, I had a feeling I wouldn’t live through the night if I said no.

“Alright. That sounds like fun. Which means we need to find a costume for a lovely Russian princess.”

Mina clapped, shadows falling from her face. God, I wanted to give my little girl such happiness. “A Russian princess. That’s what I want to be.”

“Then I’ll help you with finding the perfect costume,” Isabel offered, but I sensed as soon as the offer was made, she was uncertain it was a good idea.

I’d remind her that she couldn’t disappoint my little girl. Or else.

There was no denying their special connection or the one I shared with the talented architect who would try to keep me at arm’s length.

She would fail.

Because there was no such thing as denying me.

CHAPTER 13