Page 195 of Empire State Enemies

We fall silent. I let out a loaded breath, the type that feels like it’s been gathering in my chest for weeks, maybe months, since I left New York. “Okay . . . so? Did you see him?”

Grace nods. “Yeah. He seemed on edge, actually. Kept glancing my way. I bet he was wondering if you’d show up.”

“Grace,” I sigh, my heart doing that stupid little flip flop thing. “He wasn’t wondering about me. He really wasn’t. A guy like him isn’t going to care about you or me. No offense.”

Grace hums. “I guess not.”

Silence stretches between us.Then, softly, Grace speaks again. “I’m sorry, Lexi.”

I turn to her, confused. “For what?”

“I know how hurt you are, even after all these months. But it won’t last forever, you know? Everything heals with time, Lexi. You’ll get there.”

Iwillget there.

The words echo in my head like a mantra.

As we stroll, I spot a couple glued to each other on a bench, engaging in what can only be described as a very enthusiastic, slurpy kiss. It’s sweet, in thatGet a roomkind of way.

“I’m fine,” I say, tearing my gaze away from the amorous couple.

“You are. And I don’t believe that we only get one great love in our lives.You’ll find a guy to love again.”

“I don’t love him,” I lie horribly, the words cutting into my throat.

“I know,” she says quietly, lying just as badly.

I glance over at her, sensing that she’s about to say more.

“Don’t,” I say, my voice cracking. “You’ll make me cry. Sorry, Grace.”

“Okay.” She nods.

For a second, I think the cold, hard thing pressing into my back is the pain from talking about him, like my body’s giving me a physical reminder of the emotional shit-storm raging inside me.

But when I realize it’s not, when I feel the hard metal digging into my spine, it hits me that there might be something worse than hurting over Connor.

I freeze, my breath caught in my throat. Slowly, I turn around, and the sight that greets me sends me stumbling back, a strangled gasp escaping.

“Hello, Lexi.”

“Deano?” I blink rapidly, my brain struggling to catch up as I take another shaky step back.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he growls, his voice dropping to a tone that sets my skin crawling like it’s covered in spiders. “Back in the city for a little visit?”

What the actual fuck? Has he been following us?

I’m so shocked, caught so completely caught off guard, that I don’t even register the gun until Grace screams, a high-pitched sound that pierces right through my brain.

She drops her bubble tea, and I’m dimly aware of the splash against my shoes.

“Shut the fuck up,” Deano hisses at her, glaring between us, his eyes wild and unhinged. The gun in his hand is aimed right at my chest.

“What do you want?” I ask, my voice trembling so badly I can barely get the words out.

“Must’ve been nice, Lexi, living it up while I was locked up,” he spits out. His beard is gone, exposing his weak chin that’s been hiding under all that scruff. But what he’s lacking in chin, he’s more than making up for in bulk, as if he’s done nothing but hit the gym.

“I had no idea you were in jail,” I tell him, and it’s the truth.