Page 172 of Valentino

I walk out of the room in a rush and quickly dress, before going to my overnight bag. I take out two guns before setting them down onto the desk to collect extra ammunition. I snap open the barrel and check everything is loaded and ready to go.

I text Matteo.

Prepare.

He’ll be here soon.

With my gun in my hand, I stand at the window and look through the side of the drapes, the street is quiet and dark. A seemingly normal night, except that it isn’t.

She hasn’t come out to fight me; she doesn’t need to. I know what she’s doing in there.

I get a vision of Anna naked and the way she was looking at me. My heart constricts as my conscience drags me back to the reality of what I just did to her.

But she asked for it…. She got what she deserves.

I know Carlo better than he knows himself. Even if right now he doesn’t plan on hurting her, eventually, I know he will.

My heart twists at the thought, a heavy sinking feeling of regret is already swimming through my blood.

Stop….

That’s not your problem anymore.

I grip the pistol in my hands and drag a chair over to sit in front of the window. I imagine how this is going to go down, run through the possibilities of what could go wrong and how to ensure it doesn’t.

A deep sense of dread has filled my soul, but I’m unsure if it’s from what I just did or for what I’m about to do or whether I am going to wake up as the same person tomorrow.

Never in my life did I ever imagine that I would be sitting here waiting to kill my best friend, my grip tightens around the gun.

But he’s given me no choice…. I stare out into the darkness as my mind goes back to Anna in bed.

I’m just not feeling it.

She’s going to hate me…and who could blame her.

I hate myself.

But the reality is that she’s on his side, she’s always been on his side. I’m just the fool who’s been betrayed by both.

Not anymore.

Maybe tonight will be a murder suicide…I don’t even know if I want to go on…what’s the point?

She chose him.

It’s always been him.

The street below blurs and I close my eyes to try and recalibrate my hurt.

Focus.

I grip my gun with white-knuckle force.

And now, I wait….

ANNA

Dtt, Dtt, Dtt…. Dtt, Dtt, Dtt echoes in the distance and I frown as my eyes battle sleep, this dream is…. Dtt, Dtt, Dtt….