“She knew who killed Marco and kept it from me,” I hiss.
“She kept Romano’s identity secret out ofterror,” Danny responds. “While it’s not right, her reasoning makes sense. You’rebothcarrying lies that poisoned everything.” He pauses, and I can feel him choosing his words carefully. “What matters more, Luca? Being right about who betrayed who, or getting her back?”
He could have punched me. It would have hurt just as much. I turn away.
“She could have ended my suffering,” I say, my voice raw. “Do you know what I could have done with that information? How much sooner could I have gotten justice for Marco?”
“And she’ll probably never forgive you for planning her murder,” Danny replies bluntly. “For making her fall in love with you while secretly intended to kill her. So yeah, you’re both carrying massive betrayals.” He releases a large breath. “The question is whether you’re going to let that destroy what’s left or whether you’re going to figure out how to rebuild from the wreckage.”
I finally turn to look at him. Danny’s face is impassive, but I can see the concern in his green eyes. The same look he had when I was spiraling after Marco’s death, when revenge was the only thing keeping me functional.
“Marco wouldn’t want you to destroy your chance at happiness for his memory,” Danny continues softly. “You know that, right? He’d tell you to forgive her, to understand why she was afraid, to choose love over being right.”
The mention of Marco makes my throat close up. Because Danny’s not wrong. Marco always chose compassion over vengeance, understanding over judgment. He would have understood why Gigi was afraid to trust me. He would have reminded me that I created this situation through my own cruelty.
But understanding doesn’t make the betrayal hurt any less.
“Get out,” I say quietly. “Please, Danny. Just…get out.”
He hesitates for one more moment then nods and leaves.
Alone again, I sink back onto the sofa and let myself feel the full weight of what I’ve lost.
Gigi’s trust. Her love. Any chance of the future we might have built if I’d been honest from the start about my changing plans.
And underneath all of it, the knowledge that Salvatore Romano has been laughing at me for years. Playing me like a puppet while I remained oblivious.
That, at least, is something I can fix.
Romano wanted me dead. He killed Marco trying to achieve that goal. And now that I know the truth, now that the scales have fallen from my eyes?—
He’s going to pay.
Every. Single. Drop.
But first, I need to deal with the woman currently locked in her room, terrified of what I might do next. The woman I love desperately despite the betrayal burning in my chest. The woman carrying secrets that could have saved me weeks of suffering if she’d only trusted me enough to share them.
I look down at my bleeding knuckles and make a decision.
Justice for Marco comes first. It has to. I’ve already failed him once by not protecting him that night. I won’t fail him again by prioritizing my personal drama over hunting his killer.
But after that…
After Romano is dealt with, after Marco’s death is finally avenged, then I’ll figure out whether there’s anything left of me and Gigi worth saving.
Or whether we’ve both destroyed each other too completely to ever find our way back.
23
GIULIANA
I scramble with the door handle, hands slipping against the cool metal as I frantically try to open the door. “Come on, come on,” I sob, before my trembling fingers close around the handle and I twist it open.
Flinging myself into the room, I slam the door shut behind me and sink against it, taking in deep breaths. I’m alone again. Trapped again.
I rush over and sink onto the bed, my legs giving out beneath me, and I press my palms against my eyes. My hands are still raw from the wall, dried blood cracking in the creases of my skin. The pain is sharp and immediate, grounding me in the physical when my mind threatens to spiral into chaos.
What have I done?
