Page 67 of Beautiful Villain
“Just answer the question.”
“Yes,” I said.
The word tasted like acid on my tongue.
Her breath stuttered.Her face drained, then flushed, then went rigid like something inside her had snapped clean in half.
“So it’s true,” she whispered.“I was collateral.”
“No,” I said immediately.“You wereleverage.There’s a difference.”
She stared at me like I’d just proved her point.
“You don’t get to rebrand it,” she said, voice rising.“You don’t get to soften it because you decided that suits your own selfish goals!”She spat.
“I never decided to?—”
“Stop,” she snapped.“Just stop talking.”
I took a step closer.“Let me finish.”
“You think I’m expendable!”she shot back.
“That’s not true.”
“I hope it was worth it, Gianni.I hope your conscience keeps you up at night.”
Her words came out sharper now.Louder.She was pacing, hands threading through her hair, breath coming fast.
“I knew it,” she said.“I had a feeling.This was all too convenient.You justhappenedto be there when I ran from the church.You justhappenedto catch me.”
I stiffened.“Careful.”
“Did you hit me on purpose?”she demanded.
The room went dead quiet.
“What?”I said sharply.
“Did you?”
“No,” I said without hesitation.“This wasnotplanned.”
But doubt had already taken root.I could see it in her eyes, spreading, poisoning everything it touched.
“You planned this,” she said, voice cracking now.“You planned me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Youusedme.”
“I was going to trade a position, not a person,” I said.“And I didn’t go through with it.”
She didn’t let me finish.
“You don’t get credit for what youdidn’tdo,” she screamed.“You don’t get to decide you’re not a monster because I found out and you didn’t go through with it.”
Her voice broke completely then, the sound raw and ugly and devastating.She shoved at my chest when I moved toward her, hands shaking, fury and hurt tangling together.
