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Gripping the handles, she takes off in a whirlwind, leaving behind tire marks and shattered dreams.

A scream tears from my butchered chest, and I drop to my knees, fisting my hair. A fallen king who failed his kingdom, betrayed by the woman he wanted to make it bend at its knee for her.

By the time I recover, I pat my chest in a desperate attempt to keep my ass alive. I refuse to leave this world without exacting revenge on the woman I gave my tainted soul and wished to make the queen of my empire. What a fucking joke I am.

Ripping my shirt, hysterical laughter bursts out of me. No blood leaks from my chest. No bullet through my heart.

I stare at my pendant, bent and glowing, searing my skin from the bullet that lies at my feet, blowing the last of its smoke—used and empty, just like the promises between us.

Rage courses through my veins, boiling my blood, I fume.

She can’t hide from me.

I wanted to lay the world at your feet. Now I will bring you to your knees, begging for mercy.

Throwing my head back, I clutch a fist around the pendant that saved my life.

Calmer than ever, I drag in a lungful of air filled with purpose.

I could call the entire manpower I have at my disposal, but I won’t give her the satisfaction of having me in a tizzy.

I won’t rush my revenge. She won’t see it coming. And then it’s my time for payback.

Run, Luciana, but you won’t escape me.

My hands tremble on the handles as I speed down the highway through blurry eyes. Riding without crashing takes all my focus. I need to get away from him as fast as possible. I know exactly what I did, but it doesn’t matter. Enzo thinks I aimed for his chest to kill him, but I did the only thing I could to save his life.

The camera registered the shot so the asshole, Adamo, will know it’s not my fault. It wasn’t a risk on my part. My aim is impeccable. I can take someone down from two damn miles. I had no problem hitting his pendant from such a short distance.

Tears stream down my face as I drive down the empty road in the middle of nowhere until I reach the small airport where the private jet waits.

As I hop off the bike, I look back. Imagining the life I could have lived and leaving the man I love behind root me in place for agonizing moments.

He will never forgive me and probably will hate me, butnot more than I hate myself. This is not a fairy tale ending with a happily ever after. That’s not for me.

I will forget about him when I land in Italy and continue to work, going on with my life like I didn’t just give my heart and body to someone else.

On the deserted tarmac, every step I take toward the jet feels like I’m slogging through cement. I am afraid I can’t pull off this ruse. I should return and let him punish me for my deeds and then take the world apart so we can be together.

Fucking stop, Luciana.You tried to find a way, but there simply isn’t one. Our sneaking around would have been discovered.

How could I have a damn secret relationship, a long distance one, when I must avail myself to another man every second of every day. And Enzo is not the sharing type. The thought of him clenches a fist around my heart, squeezing the life essence that I remain hollow, a wandering ghost while roaming among the living.

For the first time in my life, I chose someone else over myself, even though it doesn’t seem that way. But it’s not just someone—it’s him.

It’s done.

Go home. The thought is flimsy compared to what I’ve experienced. His arms have felt like home for the first time in my life. All I can do now is embrace misery instead––my new lover.

The flight attendant welcomes me, and I slump in my seat, buckling myself up.

“Bring me the hardest stuff you have to drink.”

I have to numb myself so that by the time I land, my mask won’t crack. As the jet takes off, it feels like destitution has replaced my life force. I’ve left all the dreams I didn’t know I could have behind.

Another tear slides down my cheek. I brush it with the back of my hand, erasing the proof of my weakness.

Pull yourself together. You chose your path a long time ago.