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A chill lances through me. My whole body starts to shake.

“That’s not Franco’s,” I blurt as my mind races. The words sound weak even to me. I don’t know if I believe themor if I just need them to be true.

Franco scoffs. “I’ll own it. Our mother gave me that six months ago. It fucking broke when I was planting the bomb on the plane.” He glares at Matti, voice curling into a snarl. “And for your information, I took outMikey. Emily was collateral damage, but I promise you, she’s no fucking saint.”

My breath locks in my throat. Everything inside me goes still, then shatters into white noise.

Franco didn’t want me to look for Emily.

He never asked what was on the flash drive.

Matti and Vin were at One Pearl Park Plaza before I arrived, and the only person who knew that I knew about the address was Franco.

Franco showed up at the law office even though I didn’t tell him I was going there.

He didn’t stop that guy from fucking with me.

And Emily told me emphatically not to involve him.

I stare at Franco, my pulse pounding, as the shattered pieces click back together, creating a new horrifying version of the truth.

I feel sick. I can’t move. I can’t speak.

Matti’s voice cuts through my thoughts, measured, deliberate. “So when Aurelio asked you to kill Mikey, you thought he would finally respect you, finally bring you into the family.” Matti says the words slowly, and I know they’re more for my benefit than Franco’s. He wants me to understand.

Franco barks a laugh. “Please. That fat fuck had no idea it was me. He never assigned me to do shit.”

I feel the blood drain from my face. Franco’s words slice my heart open, the smug look on his face salt in the wound. Because if Aurelio didn’t tell him to do it, then that means—

“You did it on your own, hoping to impress Aurelio,” says Matti, his voice sharpening into a blade. “Anything you won’t do, you fucking maggot? You suck his dick too, or does he prefer it when you bend over?”

Franco smirks. “Fuck you, Matti.” He waves his gun, punctuating his words. “You’re the one still serving that delusional old fuck, using your stable of whores to do his dirty work. The person I work for is much higher up than he is. I don’t give a shit about impressing Aurelio.”

“If you say so, Franco.”

Franco’s gaze flicks to me, and he smirks. “Let me ask you something: what is it about my sister? I hear you like to stick your dick in whores nonstop, including this one here.” He grabs Valentina by her hair and yanks her to her feet, locking her in another chokehold. “You got her in training or something? Because as long as I’ve known her she’s been nothing more than a dead fish who’s only fucked maybe two guys in her life. Did you know that she hasn’t been fucked in years? She was so bad, the last boyfriend threw her out after he cheated on her for years.”

My face heats with shame. I can’t believe he’s using my ex against me, like it’s my fault. He just voiced all of my worst thoughts about myself, all my insecurities, the reason I feel like I could never be enough for anyone—and he did it in front of Matti.

Matti clenches his jaw. “If you value your life, Franco, you will never talk about my fiancee. Ever.” His voice softens, and I know he’s again talking to me, though he’s looking at Franco. “But if it puts your mind at ease, I do know that. I know everything there is to know about her. And I know more than you think about you, too.”

Franco twitches. “You don’t know shit.”

Matti shrugs. “Thereisone thing I don’t know: why did you decide to dump Aurelio? What changed?”

Franco exhales sharply. “What changed? Nothing changed. I just stopped pretending after I was strung up in your shitty dungeon for weeks, and Aurelio did nothing. Fuck him. Fuck all the Demonios. If you were smart, you’d get out, too.”

The door from the parking garage behind Franco bursts open.

My heart practically stops as Aurelio’s large frame fills the doorway as he limps into the vestibule leaning heavily on a cane, his presence sucking the air from the room. Panic shoots through me like a lightning bolt, the vibration almost audible.

“I do nothing because you are a piece of shit, Franco.” Aurelio’s heavily accented voice is low and thunderous. Franco jolts, jumping to the wall and dragging Valentina with him as Aurelio continues. “You shouldn’t need to be rescued like some bitch woman. If you are a man, you handle your business. Right, Matteo?”

I’m trying not to hyperventilate. Aurelio, Franco—it’s impossible to breathe in here. I let go of Matti and grip the suitcase handle with both hands, trying to stay upright.

And then there’s Matti. He knew that Franco killed Emily, right? When did he know? Did he know the whole time, the whole time that I was desperate to know what happened to her? He let me believe it was him, and he kept the truth from me. So much for ‘no more secrets.’

Despite being crushed into a small space with so many other people, I have never felt more alone in my life.

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