Page 97 of Don't Let Go

I ran my tongue back and forth across my front teeth in thought. How was I going to get away with this?

“There you are!” someone said, grabbing my arm and yanking me deeper into the kitchen.

“What the hell!” I tugged, but instead, fingernails dug into my arm, making me yelp in pain.

Chloe pulled me in closer until her mouth was close to my ear. “What are you thinking? We’re taking you home.”

“No,” I cried, protesting by slapping her with my free hand.

Tyler grabbed my other arm and held it firmly with his hands. I felt like I was under arrest, and they'd haul my ass out of that house with me kicking and screaming.

“I’m chill. Let me go,” I said, giving them what I hoped was a look of innocence and not murderous.

Tyler let me go and rubbed my arm where he held me. “I don’t want to hurt you or force you out of here, but you can’t go through with this.”

Chloe had no shame in sinking her claws in me. “I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone. I needed to be at your side every second.”

I kicked Chloe in the shin, making her release me. “I’m not a delicate flower. I cleaned up blood from a murder scene when I was eight. It’s my birthright to seek revenge.”

Chloe frowned, looking disappointed by my words. “No. You were not raised like this, Rory. What would your dad think?”

I slapped Chloe across the face. “Don’t you speak to me about my papà.”

“Let’s keep this party going!” Paolo shouted from the other room. The music had been turned down so we could hear people talk around us. “Who wants to ride with me in my sweet new Lamborghini?”

“That’s tight,” Vincenzo said. I knew his voice anywhere after that horrible ride out in the middle of nowhere.

My eyes darted from the doorway to Chloe, then Tyler. “This is my only chance. Neither of you have siblings. You don’t know this pain.”

Tyler scoffed, shaking his head. “I don’t know your pain? Both my parents are dead.”

Chloe squished her lips to the side. Her eyes pierced into mine as if looks could kill.

“I can’t live with myself if I don’t do this.” I pushed past them toward the doorway. It was an animal-like instinct to reach Paolo and shoot a bullet into his chest.

Tyler took a single step forward. “Can you live with the aftermath?”

A bitter laugh slipped out. It sounded inhuman. “Guess we’ll find out.”

In one fluid motion, I hiked up my dress and grabbed my gun. In a single heartbeat, my finger clicked the safety off, and I held the gun to my side while melting into the crowd. Once I was a few bodies deep, I knew Chloe and Tyler couldn’t reach me without drawing attention to us.

Paolo and Vincenzo reached the front door by the time I made it halfway through the living room. His other cousin, Marcos, I believe, was nowhere in sight.

As I shadowed them outside, the blonde girl at Paolo’s side kissed him and glanced at him as if he hung the damn moon.

I gagged and placed my finger on the trigger.

“Paolo!” I shouted.

He turned, giving me a smirk. “Rory, baby. How’s your family doing?”

I stood tall, not allowing weakness to show. “Funny you should ask. Why don’t you find out? We’d all be better off once you’re in the ground.”

He laughed. “Oh, yeah?”

My arm raised, pointing the gun at Paolo’s face. “I know it was you who murdered Lizzy!”

Tears prickled my eyes, and I blinked to keep them from falling.

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