Page 39 of Die for You

Lenny and I are toxic together.

We haven’t seen one another for weeks, and look at how our reunion went. How can I bring a child into that environment?

I can’t.

“Come home,” he says, interlacing our fingers.

“You know that I can’t.”

“We will fight Gianna together.”

Once upon a time, I would have opposed, but now, that sounds like heaven.

But I can’t be around Lenny. It’s not safe.

For any of us—our baby included.

Look at what he did to Nico.

He has a darkness within that matches mine, and together, we’re no good.

I want to be good.

I want to try.

And being with Lenny doesn’t allow it.

So I must let him go…and for good this time.

I don’t know where I’ll go, but what I do know is that I can’t be anywhere near Lenny.

He can never know about Lettie.

No one can know that she is our daughter because she will be hunted by my enemies.

She will be hunted by his.

“I won’t leave Italy.”

“So you’ll leave me?” He backs me up, placing me onto the counter.

He turns to face me, the anguish clear on his beautiful face.

“We don’t work together, Lenny. You know that as well as I do.”

“That’s fucking bullshit!”

“Too much has happened. Resentment from both of us. I can forgive, but I can never forget. And I’m certain you feel the same way. I know you feel as though I betrayed you.”

“Because you fucking did! You left, remember? You chose a side, and it wasn’t mine!”

“And that’s exactly what I’m talking about. This will always be a rift between us, one which I don’t think either of us will ever get over.”

He inhales slowly, releasing the breath just as slow. “I have proof. I wanted to show you later, but it can’t wait. Once you see this, everything will change. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I needed to make sure I had all the evidence I needed.”

He walks to the black backpack he dumped by the door and opens it, pulling out a laptop. He places it on the counter and waits for it to power up. Once it does, he scrolls through files, and I wonder what he’s about to show me.

Proof of what? What does he have that he’s so adamant can change my mind?