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I’ve got mobile banking and plenty of money saved from working at Elli’s. I’ll figure it out, I always do. Taking a breath that doesn’t help, I grab what little dignity I have left and head back downstairs.

When I reach the bottom step, I notice Alessio by the door with Nathan and Zeno. He’s staring at me, burning holes through my face. I keep my eyes anywhere but onhim. If I look at him, I’ll break.And he doesn’t get to see me crumble.

“Go get her things,” Alessio barks.

“No need,” I say as calmly as I possibly can. “I don’t have anything to take.”

Nathan clears his throat. “You ready?” He sounds nicer than he should be, but there’s fear laced in his tone.

“I can manage on my own.”

When my hand lands on the doorknob, my eyes drop to the diamond sparkling on my finger. That stupid, shiny lie I let myself start to believe. Of course, I did. God, I’m such an idiot for thinking someone like me could have something that didn’t come with terms and conditions. I’m not sure what changed, but I know better than to stay where I’m not wanted.

A bitter laugh slips out before I can stop it. It’s the kind that scrapes your throat raw on the way up. I twist the ring off slowly, each turn peeling back another layer of whatever pride I had left. My fingers feel bare and empty now.

How fucked up is that?

I turn back to the trio with my chin held high, even though my chest feels like it’s caving in, andtoss the ring at Alessio.

Of course,he catches it with one hand, like we’ve practiced this move a thousand times.

“This doesn’t belong to me either.”

39

Liv

I walk for what feels like hours. My feet ache, I’m sweating like a sinner in church, and my shirt is basically stuck to my back. At this point, I’m one step away from stripping down in public. When I’m finally far enough away from his compound and closer to Center City, I cave and call a rideshare because it’s hot as hell, and I am not built for heatstroke.

Sliding into the back seat, I pull out my phone and text Ezra.

Me:Can we meet?

His reply is almost instant.

Ezra:Meet me atSatana’s. BackGrottoentrance.

Pulling up to the casino, I realize how different this place looks during the day. It was all flashing lights, loud music, and packed rooms at night. Now, it’s just dead. The main casino is still open but practically desertedback here, giving it an eerie, abandoned feel, and it is creepy as hell.

I pay the driver and slide out, looking around, but Ezra isn’t outside. My stomach tightens. Maybe this is a bad idea. I make my way to the door, testing the handle. Unlocked, that’s... convenient. It should be concerning, but I pull it open and walk inside. Immediately, I’m hit with metallic sweat and strong disinfectant that makes my nose burn and my eyes water. The place looks clean, but more like a cover-up kind of clean to erase whatever blood spilled here last night.

“Ezra!” I call out, my voice echoing a little in the empty room.

“Right here, Liv.”

I turn, and there he is, leaning against the empty bar with a bottle of gin in his hand, drinking straight from the neck. His grin is too wide, too eager. Something about it makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but I’m already here, so there’s no backing down now.

“You’re alone?” he asks, eyes darting around like he’s expecting someone to jump out and shank him.

“Obviously,” I say, crossing my arms.

He nods, gesturing for me to follow, but not without the bottle of gin. Everything in me screams, “Don’t go,” but I force my feet to move, following behind him. Heleads me into a dingy office with a wall of monitors showing every angle of the casino. It smells like stale cigarettes and old gym shorts.

My palms are clammy. Maybe it’s this damn hoodie, but I needed it. Nights get cold, and I’m already feeling raw enough.

I take a deep breath and rip the Band-Aid off because I know he knows something. “What happened to my mom?” I ask, even though my heart is pounding. “I know you said you were a kid, but you must’ve heard something. Maybe something was said growing up.”

Ezra’s fingers tighten around the neck of the bottle like he wants to crush it. His whole expression hardens, something dark flashing behind his eyes.