Just Tell Me You Love Me (Book 1 in the Just Series) *under editing*

Chapter 13

Arabella

I look at myself in the mirror.

I groan at my tear stricken face.

This is stupid, I thought to myself.

"Pull yourself together Ara!" I said out loud.

A knock on my door startled me.

"Just a minute," I called out.

I blew out a big breath and went to open my door.

It's Evelyn.

She smiled at me and said, "Lia is now sleeping in her room. I think all your activities today wore her out."

I chuckled. "She loved it. It's just too bad, I won't be able to take her back. I'll just have to think of something fun for us to do here. I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve," I said.

She smiled and nodded. "Just be patient with him. He'll come around," she said.

"Well, I'm going to start preparing dinner," she said.

"Can I help you?"

"No, mi hija, I've got this," she said.

"Ok, well I'll just go check on Lia."

I went to go check on Lia, I opened the door, and I stop on my tracks. Massimo is there kneeling over Lia's bed, holding her little hand.

"...Perdonami, mia principessa. I haven't been a good father..." He said.

I try to step back and close the door and leave him. I feel like I'm intruding. I'm eavesdropping on his private conversation with his sleeping daughter, but my feet is stuck to the ground. The scene before me, is heartbreaking. I didn't mean to make Massimo feel like he's been a bad father, because he is a damn good one.

As if sensing my presence, he turn towards me.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to listen. I came to check on Lia. I didn't know you were here. I'll just go..." I said and I start to close the door, when he stopped me.

"No, please it's okay," he said in a soft voice. He kissed Lia's little hand before getting up.

He walked towards me.

"I was going to look for you, after," he said softly.

"Let's go to the garden. I would like to talk to you," he said, grabbing my hand...leading me out of Lia's room.

I could see the pain and remorse in his eyes, and it takes all of me to stop myself from hugging him fiercely, to comfort him.

I try to pull my hand out of his grasp, but he just holds on tightly. I give up the fight, and just follow him out to the garden.

We reach the garden, and he continued to hold my hand not saying anything. So I decided to say something first.

"Massimo...I'm sorry..." I said.

He turns to look at me.

He shook his head and said, "No. Don't. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm sorry for what I said about everything. About your parents...I was just so angry, but that's no excuse. I was cruel. Please forgive me, Arabella," he pleaded.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it."

"You were right. I haven't been a good father..." I start to shake my head, and say something but he puts his finger on my mouth to silence me. "You are right. I've been wallowing in self pity and guilt. I've been blind for far too long. I've been so afraid of any harm coming to Lia, when I'm the one who has been harming her all this time...taking away her childhood from her. I thought that if I give her anything she wants, if I provide just about everything she needs, in the safety of my home, that it will be enough, but you're right. It's not, and it is wrong. I have never seen her this happy. The happiness in her eyes, no one can fake that. It is there," he said.