Hot angry tears spill over my lashes. “You’re lying. You don’t mean that.”
“Am I, angel? How can you be so sure everything I told you hasn’t been a lie?” He stares at me, waiting for me to answer, “Because you can’t. I broke you, remember? I told you I work in cybersecurity, and we see where that lie has led us. Can’t you see, Luna, this isn’t a life for you, you have a life already, and I should have never disrupted it.”
“But you did! And now you’re dropping me after I killed someone? What sense does that make? What happened to Greg? Will Johnny come after me? You can’t end it and leave me in the dark, Dante!”
“It doesn’t need to make sense. It just needs to end. I told you you were safe, and that’s the truth. Nothing more to discuss.” It feels like a cold knife is plunged right through my heart.
Nothing more to discuss? That’s it? Am I not worth fighting for? “Take me home,” I say, barely holding it together.
I pull open the door he came from to find the garage. I stagger to the car we arrived in and open the passenger door.
“Wait, let me get you clothes—”
“Get the fuck in the car, Dante! I don’t want to see your face anymore. If you can’t control yourself, I’ll fucking walk.”
Dante’s nose flares, but he gets in the driver's seat. He doesn’t speak as he drives me back into the city, but I’m desperate, hanging on a thread waiting for him to say he’s kidding and that he didn’t mean it. But the closer we get to my apartment, a bitter feeling of dread settles in my heart. He pulls into the apartment garage, and my heart feels a million miles away from my body right now.
The car comes to a stop, and fresh tears fall. But I pull myself together and grab the door handle. “Don’t get out. Leave,” I say, my voice shaking. I step out of the car, slamming the door as I walk to the elevator access door. I don’t turn around, I won’t let myself break in front of him, and if I look at him now, I’ll fall to pieces.
I make it to the elevator, pressing the button for my floor, and somehow make it back into my apartment and into my bedroom before I collapse to the floor.
The sob that tears from my chest is raw, and my heart shatters. My chest feels like it's cracking in half, and the whole world is going to swallow me up.
My vision fades to black, but in the darkness, green eyes stare back at me.
Luna
One week later
Isit at Spines & Steins sorting the inventory as I have for the past couple of days. Olivia told me I need to get out of the house, so she gave me the tedious task of inventory, but I’m grateful for the mind-numbing work that keeps my mind elsewhere.
I told Olivia that Dante and I broke up. I didn’t give her any details, but I told her it was my idea. I made up a story about needing to focus on my book, and he had some personal things going on, so it just made sense to stop seeing each other. I also told her that Wolfy bailed on me at the last minute, so I spent the weekend at home, crying, too embarrassed to tell her the truth.
I mean, it’s notthatfar off from the truth, but I hate lying to her. I did spend all weekend curled up in a corner, wanting to die, and then another day destroying my apartment, finding and getting rid of all the hidden cameras Dante put up. That fucker put up ten, ten cameras!
I stopped crying by Monday, and now I just feel hollow. Like someone has carved my insides out, and I’m just a shell. I’m taking it day by day, but when I left Greg, I was determined to do better, tobebetter, but now I can’t even look at my computer without thinking about Dante.
That’s all I’ve done since that moment in the strange house with the beautiful library—since he told me it needed to end. I can’t even bring myself to get on VidTok,my safe space, because it’s been tainted byhim.
Every part of my apartment reminds me of him, and all the clothes I wear. I can’t look at myself without seeing him behind me, telling me how beautiful I am, and everytime I close my eyes, it’s his I see, staring back at me.
So that’s why I’m here—sorting books to keep my mind and hands busy, and trying to prepare myself to face hundreds of people in a week. I told Olivia I’d still attend the bookish ball, since there's no longer a threat of a stalker showing up.
“Hey, you okay?” Olivia asks, coming up behind me.
I turn to her, giving her a small smile. “It’s like I summoned you with my thoughts.”
“Oh, you’re thinking about me? I fill your every thought, don’t I?” Olivia flutters her lashes dramatically.
“My one and only,” I say, holding my hand out to her. “But to answer your question, I’m holding on. Better today.”
Olivia takes my hand, sitting down next to me. “I hate seeing you so down. You’re taking this much better than I would. I would have crashed out and exposed Wolfy for standing you up and Dante for breaking your heart. It’s the least they deserve.” I flinch a little when she says his name, and Olivia squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t kind of me, but I mean it.”
I chuckle, resting my head on her shoulder. “I know you do.”
But the more I sit there and ponder Olivia’s words, a deliciously dark idea forms in my mind.
Icouldexpose him.
