Page 32 of The Devil's Secret

I stare back into those eyes.

“That guy, he really was my boyfriend. He’s been my boyfriend for years.” She avoids my gaze, wandering onto the floor. “I was only after your money. The more I make, the happier my bosses are. You were nothing more than a customer.”

My vision blurs, my entire body ringing, flames of rage sweeping over me until I’m consumed.

This can’t be happening. She’s fucking lying.

There’s no way she was pretending this whole damn time.

But what if she was? What if you finally let someone in, and all she did was pretend?

My grip on her weakens, my heart weakening with it.

She has the decency to look defeated.

I let her go completely.

“I’m sorry, Enzo. I—I hope one day you can forgive me.” Tears flood her eyes.

I smirk, staring at her with disgust. I can practically feel it dripping off of me in ripples. “There’s nothing to forgive. You’re forgotten already. A distant fucking memory I’ll gladly wipe away for good.”

“Enzo,” she softly cries. “Be happy.”

I take one last long look at the woman who managed to break through the cage of my heart, only to shatter it in the end.

I walk away.

When I return, and I will return, she won’t recognize the man I’ve become.

* * *

JOELLE

ONE WEEK LATER

As soon as he was gone, my body crumbled into a million tiny pieces. But I had to do it. I had to break both of our hearts. I had to let him think I’m a monster, a cruel one.

I wanted to scream out the truth, but I couldn’t. I had no choice. I lost the only man who’s ever given a damn about me. The only one who made me feel alive for the first time in so long, and deep down, I know I’ll never feel this way about anyone again.

My plan was well thought out. I knew the moment I sent Sienna to dance for him, he’d reject her and try to go find me in the back.

I was ready for him.

One of Faro’s men, the one from the night I killed Paulina, who stood back and watched while his friend violated me, was to pretend to be my boyfriend. When I told Faro the plan, he sent that guy. At least it wasn’t the other one.

The plan for Enzo worked. Too well.

I saw the pain rivaling with maddening wrath in those heavenly eyes. He hated me. I felt it. I betrayed him. That’s all he saw. All that I let him see.

Even if, in some alternate world, we could have had something, that died the moment I broke him. He’ll never forgive me. He’ll never trust me again. It’s no wonder I haven’t seen him since. Why would he come anyway?

I’ve kept it together at work, but at home, I shed my pain into the pillow, hating that I did that to him. The tears fall silently as they always do. I never let anyone hear me cry, not even myself.

Fixing my white, sparkly bra in the mirror, I’m ready to step out on stage. My hair falls with spiral waves, pinned on one side, and all I want to do is rip it all off. But instead, with one more quick breath, I head out. As soon as I do, I see him.

A panicked gasp falls from my lips as my gaze stays glued to him, seated in one of the areas closest to the stage, with Kora grinding on his lap.

He doesn’t notice me at first, but once he does, he grabs her hips, his features hardening with a glare riddling his face.

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