Matteo (The Castillo Family, #3) / The Castillo Family (ePub)

Within weeks of my thirty-ninth birthday, I lost my thirty-ninth patient. Considering my specialty of pediatric oncology, it's something I should have gotten used to. But I never did.

That day, I didn't feel a thing as I called time of death. It continued into the next day and into the weeks after that. Without the lack of feeling, I couldn't stay. Not in oncology and not in Baltimore.

So, I'm back in Dallas after more than twenty years gone. Home, my mother keeps saying with happiness. Happiness I still can't feel more than four months after that day. I'm beginning to accept feeling isn't coming back, for whatever reason—it's gone.

Until the moment I walk into an exam room and look into her eyes. All at once feeling came rushing back as suddenly as it had disappeared.

Her name is Amy, and she's running from an abusive husband. She needs time and patience before she's strong enough for me to tell her the way I feel.

I'll give it to her. And hopefully, she'll grow strong enough to trust in me and fall in love with me the same way I've fallen for her and her baby daughter.

Just as everything is falling into place, he's back and intent on destroying our newfound happiness.

***Trigger warning for domestic violence on page. I apologize in advance to all those who've gone through abuse (I have as well, and it hurt to write.). This will break your heart. But I promise it will be put back together by the end.

Another warning for my long-time readers. I'm sorry to say this is a slow burn. Nothing else made sense after all she's been through. But I promise, it's still a me story and once we get there...it's all there. All the yummy bad/goodness is to be found as it is in every story I write.