Cinere by Yolanda Olson

Cinere is not a standalone. It’s advised to read Inferno before reading this novella.

I’ve always thought of myself as a damn good father.
The first three shouldn’t define what you think about me. It’s not my fault that they were fuck ups; I did my best with what I was given and I almost got it right.
I think I’ve learned enough from those mistakes to know that I’ll do better this time. After all, fate has decided to bestow a beautiful baby girl on me, and she doesn’t know what the others went through.
I’ve been doing alright with her so far. She loves me the same way she loves picking wildflowers out in the yard, but she doesn’t understand that sometimes, innocent love just isn’t enough.
Especially not for a man like me.
I don’t tend to fail much in what I do, and I don’t see the last few years as failing. I see it as learning from my missteps and becoming a better man because of it. Times are getting harder on me without someone special to warm my bed at night.
I’ve got another chance to do it right, and this time, I’ll be the man that my little girl deserves.