Sins of the Innocent

by Jamie McGuire

  My mother wailed.

  I faced Lucifer, seeing Bex's expression as I turned. He looked exactly like my dad when he cried, his face crumbling as he watched me from the other side of the room, as I accepted my purpose.

  My back to my father, I looked to Morgan. Instead of seeing pain and suffering in twin black orbs, my friend's sweet russet irises had returned.

  I exhaled a breath of relief and peace that only came with completion. Some people waited their whole lives to know their purpose. Seconds from now, I would fulfill mine. With the tears and protests of my family swirling around me, I swallowed my fears of death and the unknown, and I surrendered to my fate. It was a beautiful feeling, second only to being loved by Levi.

  I thought about Eli's words, "You'll see her again," repeating them in my mind, holding on to them like a promise.

  Somehow, someway, I would find my way back to Levi.

  "I'm ready," I whispered.

  Morgan placed his hand on my cheek, and I closed my eyes, letting the world fall away.

  The End

  Thank you to my sweet husband for an abundance of things. Together, his good deeds and acts of selflessness could form their own novel. I love you.

  Thank you to my children for their patience and inspiration, and specifically, to Eden for the use of her name. Writing this novella was particularly difficult because of my choice to use her name for the child born to Jared and Nina. I hadn't imagined I would one day be writing a romantic scene with her name--even a tame one!

  Thank you to Jovana Shirley for working on the edits during her vacation. Your sacrifice is not lost on me! To Sarah Hansen for being so patient with me during the process of the cover design, and to Kelli Spear for taking time for a final proofread. I thank you often!

  Thank you to Megan Davis for EVERYTHING--for the listening ear, the shoulder to cry on, and the constant help and kindness.

  Most of all, thank you to Providence fans, who, six years later, are still interested in the story of Jared and Nina and their family. I hope you don't want to throw things at me right now.

  Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She attended Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

  Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with the international bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel, Walking Disaster, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. Beautiful Oblivion, book one of the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the New York Times bestseller list, debuting at #1. Beautiful Redemption and Beautiful Sacrifice, books two and three of the Maddox Brothers series, respectively, have also made appearances on the New York Times bestseller list.

  Novels also written by Jamie McGuire include: Red Hill, an apocalyptic thriller; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy; Apolonia, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including A Beautiful Wedding, Among Monsters: A Red Hill Novella, and Happenstance: A Novella Series.

  Jamie lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with her husband, Jeff, their three children, three dogs, three horses, and a cat named Rooster. When Jamie is not writing, you can find her hiking, running, or looking for a sweater.

  Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Tsu, and Instagram.