Page 145 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

“For three years.”

“And a couple of months.”

Cara took a deep breath. “Did you lie to me about it?”

“In a sense, yes, by omission.”

“Then nothing else matters.”

“It might, if you would let me explain, Cara.”

She doubted it.

“Let me go, Gian, I don’t belong here. You have a woman who can stand at your side, be in your bed, and whatever else you want, but I’m not her. I am not your wife. And I won’t pretend to be, when you want something different for the evening. I won’t be a goomah for a made man, and I certainly won’t be your whore.”

Gian released his hold on her arm, but it took a few passing seconds. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“You should have known it would. All lies unravel, eventually, no matter how good you are at telling them. And you’re so good, aren’t you? You made sure no one said a single word to me, but they all knew, didn’t they?”

“It wasn’t like that. They had no reason to speak up, and maybe some even thought you knew. Shit, at first, I thought you might have known.”

“Why would I have known, Gian? I knew barely anything about you!”

“I know.” Gian raised his hands high and wide, as if to offer nothing but air. “I do love you, Cara. You know that’s true. You have to know that’s true.”

“Do I? I don’t think I know anything about you at all.”

Cara blinked, and the tears she had been holding back made lines down her cheeks. She didn’t make a move to wipe the wetness away, instead, letting Gian see them, so he knew. She needed him to understand how much he hurt her.

It couldn’t be fixed.

He’d done this.

“I’ve not been in a romantic relationship with my wife from damn near the day we married, though you might not believe it, and I certainly wasn’t with her when I was with you. For what it’s worth, I have only loved you, ever,” Gian said.

“It’s not worth very much now.”

More tears fell, but she didn’t make a sound.

Gian didn’t try to stop Cara as she took those last few steps toward the elevator. She wished that she could say it was only relief in her heart as she did what she knew was right.

It still hurt like hell. Her heart shattered when she stepped inside. She broke apart as the doors closed.

That was her goodbye.

Gian deserved to see every fucking second of it.

He was the entire reason why.

Every single reason.