Page 96 of Forever Fake

“Ginny, I know you don’t see it now, but you’ll come to see me as your savior. I’m going to give you vengeance. Today. Right here and now. While I can’t kill your dead uncle, I can do the next best thing and kill Daddy. He never loved you and he’s going to pay for that.”

“No. Please don’t,” Gin begs. I’m not sure why she’s feeling so forgiving of her piece of shit parent right now, but she is.

“If you love her, you should respect her wishes,” I tell Oz.

“No one is fucking talking to you, Baron! Shut the fuck up or I’ll shoot you.”

“You don’t have the balls.”

“Want to bet?” His hand steadies and his tendons flex like he’s about to squeeze the trigger.

“No!” Gin shouts.

Oz spins her around and smacks her across the face with his gun. She crumples to the floor. He lifts her to her knees, again using her thick blond curls like a leash.

My teeth grind together so hard I wouldn’t be surprised if they crack. I need him to get his goddamn hands off of my wife. Even though I have my knife on me, I can’t do anything while he has that weapon pressed to her head. I won’t risk her getting hurt.

“Now listen to me, you ungrateful bitch, you’re going to kneel right here and watch me bring you what your heart really desires. Afterwards, you’re going to thank me by wrapping your pretty lips around my cock. I’m going to fuck your face while your soon-to-be dead husband watches. It’s the least he deserves.” Oz tugs on her hair until she makes eye contact with him. “Now tell me that you love me.”

Gin opens her mouth, but no sound comes out.

“I said tell me!” He presses the gun harder against her skull.

“I-I”

“You what? Let me hear you say it.”

“I l-love you.”

“Convince me, Ginny.”

“I love you,” she whispers, her gaze drifting to mine. My heart leaps.

“That’s more like it. Now look at your daddy.” Oz points his weapon at Pontrelli. “Say goodbye, Ginny, it’s time for Daddy to die.”

Oz moves both of his hands to his gun and pulls the trigger.

Gin screams.

Mrs. Pontrelli’s shrieks blend with her daughter’s broken sobs. She cradles her husband’s body. Gin lurches toward them.

“Ginny, get back here,” Oz warns. “Do as I say, bitch, or I’ll put a fucking bullet in you.” He takes aim at my wife, and time seems to creep forward.

My pulse slowly, deliberately pounds in my ears. Oz spews threats at Ginevra, and I just know that he’s unhinged enough to see them through. My body acts before my brain has time to catch up.

I throw myself toward my wife, to cover her body with mine.

A deafeningbangsounds just as my side explodes in white-hot agony.

The floor meets my face.

Darkness.

CHAPTER 46

Ginevra

Chaos.Chaos clashes all around me, tearing at my sanity. Mama screams and sobs over my father as his blood pools beneath his body and soaks the rug. Oliver’s yelling at me, but I can’t make out a single word he says. Then there’s another earth-shatteringbang. My heart wrenches, fearing the worst.