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“I don’t think so,” I interject gruffly, my tone harsh and threatening.
Gianna immediately snaps her mouth shut, eyes darting around nervously.
While I’m typically curt and decisive, at least out of the public eye, I’m usually not this severe with Gianna.
“I suppose we could go in a different direction,” she suggests with a tremble in her voice. “But considering so many people are hoping you’ll get back together—”
“I’m not talking about your proposal.” I take several slow steps toward her. “I’m talking about you in general. I don’t think this…arrangement is going to work out any longer.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that your services are no longer required.”
She stares, mouth agape, disbelief heavy on her face. “You’re…firing me?”
I shrug, feigning indifference.
“You… You can’t fire me.”
“I can. And I did. Regardless of any loyalties my father may feel toward you, I don’t share those sentiments. You’re supposed tofixthings. Not make them worse. Killing Callie made them worse. Since then, nothing you’ve done has fixed your giant fuck up.”
“Thatyoustarted by falling under the spell of her pussy.”
“Therefore, I have no use for you anymore,” I finish, ignoring her statement.
“You…” She shakes her head, eyes turning fiery as she leans toward me. “If I were you, I’d reconsider. I know things about you and your father that could ruin you. Know precisely what’s on those recordings. Worse, Ialsoknow about your father’s involvement in the death of Prince Nicholas and his entire family during that ‘skiing accident’,” she threatens, using air quotes. “You don’t want that kind of information to get out. Anything Callie or Hayes may know pales compared to whatIknow.”
“I can’t deny that,” I admit with a long sigh. “You could certainly cause quite a bit of trouble for my father and me. Which is probably why he’s kept you on as long as he has.”
“Precisely.” She straightens her spine. “So if I were you—”
Before she can utter another syllable, I reach into the back pocket of my jeans and grab my knife, plunging it into her stomach. She gasps, surprise evident in her expression as she looks from my eyes to the knife protruding from her and back again.
“Y-you st-stabbed me.”
“Like I said…,” I begin as a devilish smile curves the corners of my mouth. “Your services are no longer required.”
I twist the blade, her pained scream echoing in the stillness of the air around me, causing birds along the bank to take flight. When I feel her go limp, the life slowly draining from her eyes, I yank the knife out of her, allowing her body to fall in a heap on the ground.
“You see, Gianna,” I begin as I lift the blade, admiring the deep red hue against the silver blade. “That’show you tie up loose ends.”
PartOne
Sacrifice
“Let us sacrifice one day in order
to gain our whole lives, perhaps.”
~ Victor Hugo
Les Miserables
ChapterOne
Esme
Nine Years Later
