“I’m okay. I’m really okay, I promise?—”
Katie grips Gigi’s shoulders, her eyes still scanning for injuries. They land on the bandage visible beneath Gigi’s shirt collar and she stiffens.
“What happened?” Katie’s voice goes deadly quiet, and her eyes cut to me with pure murder in them. “What did you do to her?”
“It wasn’t him,” Gigi says quickly, stepping between us. “Katie, please. Let me explain everything. Can we sit down?”
Katie doesn’t take her eyes off me, but she nods. We head into a sitting room, and they settle onto the couch. I move to leave as this conversation doesn’t need me in it, but Gigi catches my hand.
“Stay,” she says. “Please.”
Who am I to deny her anything?
So I stay, sitting in a chair across from them, silent while Gigi tells Katie everything. The forced marriage, the revenge, the slow development of genuine feelings. Romano’s attack, the warehouse, the hospital. She leaves nothing out and doesn’t try to sugarcoat my actions or make me look better than I was.
Katie listens, her face cycling through shock, anger, and disbelief.
“So you’re saying you actually want to be here?” Katie asks skeptically when Gigi finishes. “You’re not being forced to say this with him sitting right there?”
“I want to be here.” Gigi’s voice is firm. “I love him, Katie. I know that sounds insane. I know you probably think I have Stockholm syndrome or I’ve lost my mind because god knows I thought the same.” She looks at me, pure love in those brown eyes of hers. “But I promise you, I’m choosing this. I’m choosing him.”
Katie looks at me for a long moment, and I meet her gaze steadily, letting her see whatever she needs to see.
“He hurt you,” Katie says finally. “He forced you into marriage, burned down your clinic, and took away everything you’d built.”
“He did.” Gigi acknowledges. “And he’s spent every day since trying to make amends for that. He’s not the man he was when this started, Katie. He’s better. He’stryingto be better.”
“And if he hurts you again?” Katie’s voice is sharp. “What then?”
“He won’t.” But Gigi looks at me again when she says it, and I see the question in her eyes.Will you?
“I won’t,” I say, speaking directly to Katie even though the promise is for Gigi. “I know you have no reason to believe me. I know my word probably means nothing to you. But I love your friend more than anything in this world. I would die before I let harm come to her.”
“You nearly did die protecting her,” Katie admits grudgingly, looking like she’s sucked a lemon.
“And I’d do it again.” Simple truth. “Whatever it takes to keep her safe.”
Katie studies me for another long moment then turns back to Gigi. “You’re really okay? You’re really happy?”
“I’m really happy,” Gigi confirms. She takes her friend’s hand. “Katie, I’m pregnant.”
Katie’s mouth falls open. “You’re—what the fuck? Pregnant? How far along?”
“Eight weeks. The baby’s healthy, and we’re both—” Gigi’s voice catches. “We’re really happy about it.”
I watch Katie’s face cycle through a dozen emotions in as many seconds. Finally, she lets out a long breath. “Okay. Okay, this is insane, but okay.” She looks at me again. “If you hurt her or that baby, I will find a way to destroy you,” she promises. “I don’t care who you are or what kind of power you have. I will end you.”
“Understood,” I say, even though I’m amused. “And fair.”
Katie nods once then turns her full attention back to Gigi, and they fall into the kind of rapid-fire conversation that only best friends can have. Talking over each other, laughing and crying, catching up on months of missed moments.
I excuse myself after a while, giving them privacy. Some things are sacred, and female friendship is one of them.
Three hours later, Katie emerges from the living room. Her eyes are red from crying, but she’s smiling. Gigi is behind her, looking lighter than I’ve seen her since all this began.
At the door, Katie hugs Gigi one more time, fierce and protective. “Call me every day,” she demands. “I mean it. Every single day, or I’m coming back here and staging a rescue mission.”
“Every day,” Gigi promises, laughing.
