Page 152 of Vicious Games

“Isn’t it?” she frowns. “How were we ever supposed to have a life together when I don’t even know who you are?”

I reach out and pull her by the wrist until her chest is flush with mine.

“You do know me. You know who I am, Frankie.”

“No, I don’t,” she shakes her head, voice cracking. “I don’t know anything anymore.”

“Frankie—” I choke out, tears starting to burn behind my eyes. “You do know me. You’re the only one who ever really has. I love you. Please don’t let something—”

“Something what?” she shouts, shoving her hands against my chest, pushing me back. “Something silly like your brother killing a priest and your parents covering it up?”

“Marcello did what he had to do. He was protecting his family,” I defend.

“Family,” she says the word like it’s suddenly a curse. “There’s that word again. I always wanted a family—one that would do anything to protect me, to keep me safe. But this… this?” She shakes her head. “Being a part of your family… scares me.”

“Frankie,” I say quickly, afraid of what she’ll say next—afraid she’ll say something she won’t be able to take back.

“No. Don’t say anything. I need to think. I need tothink,Lucky. Please, just… let me think.”

“What is there to think about?”

“Everything!” she yells. “And if you don’t see that, then we’re worse off than I thought.”

Just by the way she’s looking at me feels like someone just punched a hole straight through my heart.

“I love you, Frankie. I can’t lose you,” I say once her breathing has calmed. “How do I make this right?”

She looks at me yet again, so fucking heartbroken it feels like I’m dying.

“Just… give me some time. Just give me time to wrap my head around this.”

I’m about to tell her I’ll do anything to make it right, even give her all the time that she needs but a soft knock interrupts me before I can get a word out.

Stella peeks her head inside. “Hey,” she says cautiously. “Just wanted to check if you two needed anything.” But her worried gaze is only fixed on Frankie.

“Actually, I do need something,” Frankie says, wiping her tears. “Can you drive me home?”

“I can drive you,” I interject quickly.

But Frankie doesn’t even look at me. “Please, Stella. Can you take me home?”

“Of course, Frankie. Anything you need.”

As she tries to pass me, I reach for her wrist, gripping it tightly, not letting her take another step.

“Frankie… I can’t do life without you,” I say, voice broken.

“And I don’t know if I can do lifewithyou,” she replies, hammering the last nail into my chest. “Not like this.” She then lowers her gaze and takes a deep breath. “Tell your father I’ll keep my mouth shut. He doesn’t have to worry about me. Even if I told the cops the truth, who would believe me? I’m nobody in the grand scheme of things. And I’m certainly not important enough for him to worry about me opening my mouth.”

“That’s not true,” I croak. “You’reeverything.”

She stares at me as if those words bring her pain, and fuck if that doesn’t hurt me even more.

“Let me go, Lucky. Please… just… let me go.”

And I do.

I let her go, praying that, in doing so… isn’t the end of us.

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