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He isn’t fucking grinning now.
“You are always a dramatic little cunt,” he growls.
I don’t answer.
I just tilt my head and stare at him with unblinking eyes.
I probably look unhinged. But I am deadly calm.
“What, you got nothing to say? I thought you would have a tome of things to say to me.”
I ignore him and walk over to my husband, holding out my hand for his gun. Dante’s eyes study mine, then he hands it over to me. I walk back to Jeremy and press the barrel of the gun into his forehead.
“What are you gonna do? Kill me? You don’t have it in you.”
I tilt my head, then I smile and see the fear enter his eyes.
“Fine, you want me to apologize? I apologize.”
I don’t say anything, just press the barrel harder against his skull bone.
“I’m sorry. I’m a prick. I shouldn’t have done what I did. Look, there’s gotta be something I can say and do to fix this.”
He’s panicking. His voice shakes, and his words come rapidly.
“Shut the fuck up,” I say, and his mouth clamps closed.
I remove the gun from his forehead and shove it under his chin.
He winces and starts to cry.
I make eye contact, lean forward, and smile. “I win.”
He closes his eyes and waits for the bullet that doesn’t come.
Shooting him would be too easy, and he doesn’t deserve easy. I know I’m not the only one he has done this to.
I walk back to Dante and put the gun in his palm. His fingers close over mine for a moment, and our eyes meet.
“Take your time with him,” I say. “And make sure he knows exactly why it’s being done.”
My husband’s eyes gleam with darkness and reverence.
“Your wish is my command, my love.”
He kisses my forehead. Then he takes off his jacket, hands it to Caruso, and starts rolling up his sleeves.
I walk out of the room and down the concrete corridor to the elevator. Behind me, the screaming starts, but I don’t look back.
I win.
55
DANTE
Dawn breaks along the horizon, and I close the file in front of me on the library desk.
I've signed a lot of papers in my life, but none have cost me what these will cost me this morning.
