Page 129 of Die for You

He has Francesco and Nico.

“No!” Valentina screams.

Her anguish merely feeds the monster that is Bria.

“Hurts, doesn’t it? To see the people you love suffer before you. I watched my father die because of you. And for years, I watched my husband be half the man he is because of you. You’re nothing but poison, polluting everything you touch.”

If Nico is here, then where is Lettie?

“Any final words?” she asks Francesco, but he doesn’t get a word in before she slashes his throat with the box cutter.

He drops to the floor, bleeding out and clutching his throat.

“No!” Valentina hollers, rocking back and forth in the seat.

Bria smiles at her pain. She turns her attention to Nico. “Time to eradicate your family tree and wipe your existence from the face of this earth.”

“Take me…I won’t fight you. Please don’t hurt him.”

Nico doesn’t fight.

He doesn’t beg.

And at this moment, I respect him profoundly.

But he willnotdie here today.

Lettie needs herpapa.

She needs both herpapas.

I need to get out of here, and I need to do so fucking now.

I think back to Gianna’s lessons because the bitch knew how to fight. What would she do in this circumstance?

I’m tied, but Nico isn’t.

We make eye contact, and I side-eye the table with the weapons.

He needs to be my hands when I cannot.

Valentina catches on.

Who knew this throuple would eventually come in handy?

“You’re a fucking coward. Your father would be disgusted by your behavior.”

Bria turns her attention to Valentina. “What did you say?”

“You heard me, you ugly bitch. All this because your father and your husband loved me more than you. No wonder you recruited cyclops. You’re both pathetic. Great empire you’re going to run.”

“My father loved me!”

“Too bad you didn’t love him enough to protect him. I mean, you fucking stole from him because why, he wasn’t giving you enough attention?”

“Shut up!” Bria roars.

“You shut up,” Valentina counters calmly. “I cannot believe this is the plot twist. A spoiled little brat ruins the story because she is throwing a tantrum. Boo-hoo, Lenny doesn’t love me.” She turns down her bottom lip, mimicking a whiny Bria.