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"Oh, Harry," Bella said, walking toward him

He threw out the palms of his hands "No, Bella I can’t Do you understand why? I’ots"

I stood rooted in place, stunned by what I was seeing I could count on one hand the nuruff exterior and ad Yet, here he stood, naked and exposed I didn’t knohat to feel Part of me felt embarrassed to witness it Another part wanted to help him, and didn’t kno It occurred to me that this time of crisis was a very bad time for him to have a mental breakdown, but I could lay the blame for that squarely on my shoulders I’d pushed him into this I’d deht hurt us all

Bella stood feet away fro in her eyes Her lower lip quivered "I know you’re a good olden heart shine ives h "Hope to feel like crap for the rest of my life?"

She took a hesitant step toward hiht can outshine the darkness around your heart"

"Nothing can fix me, damn it" A tear trickled down his cheek He scraped it aith an angry swipe of his hand "And what ?"

Bella took his hand in both of hers, and smiled at him as tears sparkled like diamonds on her cheeks "I have faith in you I have hope" She kissed his hand "Maybe it’s silly of htaround you makes me appreciate life after all the darkness and terrible deeds I’ve seen"

"Me?" he said in a tiny voice filled with confused wonder

She laughed and cried at the same time "Yes, you Can’t you see why, you silly man?" Bella leaned up and kissed him "The reason I know you’re not an evil person is because I could never love someone like that" Her eyes met his and held them "Harry, I love you"

My heart thudded, and I feltup as I witnessed Shelton’s stunned look As I watched him touch the lip Bella had kissed And it made me miss Elyssa so , and a royal pain in the ass of good ave her a kiss that made the petite dhampyrthe door behindwith a mixture of pain and joy

I pulled out my phone and texted Elyssa I love you and miss you I didn’t expect a response I just had to send it, to let her know she was on lier by the minute on this side of the world

Shelton had thrown back the covers, revealing true evil and corruption His father had framed innocent people But his revelations about Aerianas’s parentage also meant there may have been a connection between Vadaeer

I felt certain Vadaemos had lured Hooch into that deadly ambush, and allowed Shelton to escape Then he’d sent his daughter to raphic display on the table in the den, I told Nookli to display several naer, Vadaemos Slade, the Conroys, and Daelissa Vadaemos had helped Daelissa at one point, until she’d turned everyone against hi him for the massacre at Thunder Rock Vadaemos, in turn, had worked from the shadows for years, until he’d been driven to hide in El Dorado where Elyssa, Bella, and several others including me had eventually cornered and captured hi in the death of Elyssa’s brother Jack

If Vadaeer to Daelissa? Why would Vadae to do with the Glooraer used Shelton instead of so at Shelton’s track record, they kneouldn’t question evidence They kneas young, driven by lory Shelton possessed excellent bloodhound skills He also unknowingly offered hier froht see Shelton’s actions as those of ato protect his father, should the truth about their innocence coer knew his political ene them in prison, he maintained control I had to find out more about the Gloom Initiative and why it was so important to hiate his father He ht be the only person who could wrestle the truth from him In the meantime, I had other errands to run

I called Michael, and told hiures," he said "I knew the evidence looked too tight"

"Can you disprove it?"

"I don’t need to I just need to find who planted the evidence"

"You’re theup

My phone buzzed A text e fro about you The trial is dragging on, but I think I’m near the end Are you okay? I love you MUAH!