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“You want the truth?” his whole tone changes. He keeps looking back at the cameras, then back to me, before he motions toward the couch.

I hesitate, but I sit because I need answers. I hope I don’t catch anything from sitting on this nasty thing. The brown couch is ugly as hell, the fabric stiff and questionable. Probably a bio-hazard. I fight the urge to cringe and wait for him to keep talking.

“Gualtiero,” he snarls.

No. No, that can’t be right.

“He’s the reason your mother’s dead,” he blurts out like he’s commenting on the damnweather. My stomach drops, and all the air whooshes out of my lungs.

“And why my dad’s rotting in fucking prison.” He adds.

My brain stutters, scrambling to keep up with the words flying out of his mouth. “What?”

He steps closer, too close. The walls feel like they’re closing in. “Your little boyfriend killed your dad, too.”

I swear my heart stops. “W-what?” Pure fucking panic slams into me. My hands start shaking. “Why?”

Ezra is lying. He has to be because Alessio was a teenager. I did the math; he wasn’t the one; that’s not possible.

But the look in Ezra’s eyes tells me that he believes it. His grin vanishes, and his whole face twists into something ugly and cruel.

“He didn’t tell you?” He tilts his head, his stupid voice is dripping with mock sympathy that makes me want to kick him in the balls. “Or was he too busy making you his whore?”

The breath leaves my lungs, not from shock. From fucking rage.Is every fucking man in my life tryingto be a mega-douche today.

“What did you just call me?”

Ezra smirks like he’s enjoying this. “Oh, no offense. Whoring runs in your fam—”

I don’t let him finish. My hand flies across his face, cracking so hard my palm stings. How fucking dare this asshole?

“You have no fucking right,” I snarl, my chest heaving. This was a mistake, and I need to get the hell out of here.

“Ohh, looks like I hit a nerve,” he barks, spitting blood onto the floor.

Good. I hope it hurts. I hope his mouth gets infected, too. Stupid prick.

I jump up and head for the office door, but before I reach it, Ezra grabs my arm and yanks me back, spinning me so fast I almost trip.

“You think you can just walk away from this?” Ezra seethes, full of fury.

The slap comes out of nowhere, and pain explodes across my cheek. “Stupid bitch.”

I stumble back, my brain blank with shock.

His lips curl into a sneer. “I’m glad your little fucking boyfriend killed her.” My breath catches, and my pulse is hammering in my chest. “You’re just like your mother,”he hisses. “A fucking slut willing to spread your legs for anyone.”

I rip my arm away, but his hand flies to my face again. I see it coming this time, but it still lands. My cheek burns, my ears ring, but I manage to punch him right in the throat.

He stumbles,gasping, but not for long. Another slap. Harder this time, making my head spin, and I hit my knees.

Pain radiates through my skull, but I shove it down. “You don’t scare me, Ezra,” I grit out, using the couch to haul myself back up. “I won’t be your punching bag.”

His eyes flicker with something wild, something unhinged.

“Why are you doing this?” My voice wobbles, but I need to understand. “We’re family.”

“Family?” He scoffs like venom is dripping from the word. “Your mother ruined everything for us!”