THE WAKE
~SIMONE'S POV~
The march to the cemetery passed in a blur. Rows of black cars snake up the hillside to the Alejandro family plot where generations of my ancestors rested.
Now my father would join them, far too soon.
As we approached the gravesite, Nicholas kept his promise and allowed me a moment alone by the casket.
The guards maintained their distance…close enough to catch me if I ran, far enough to give the illusion of privacy.
I placed my hand on the polished wood. The sun beat down mercilessly, making the black pearls at my neck warm against my skin.
"They think they've won, Papa," I whispered. "But I'm still your daughter."
A memory surfaced, unasked but crystal clear…me at twelve years old, small hands trembling around the grip of a pistol. My father stood behind
