Page 124 of Ruthless Beast

“I’m so sorry, Dannie. You know that I would move heaven and earth if I thought I could do this any other way. Right?”

“I know that. It doesn’t make this hurt any less. Where will you go?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Will I ever see you again?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, Ems,” she says, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I know. This is so fucking unfair,” I sob.

“I was looking forward to having our families together. Watching our kids grow up. Barbeques in the backyard. How is it possible that we won’t share any of that now?”

“I’m so sorry, Dannie. I don’t know what to say. I love you so much. Please forgive me.”

Both of us are balling now. The pain is excruciating.

“I will think of you every day for the rest of my life. I swear it.”

“You’d better, or I’ll haunt you.”

“It won’t be forever, Dannie. A few years, and then they’ll forget all about Lucas.”

“Yeah, sure. Because the mob forgets,” she sniffs.

“Oh, shut up, you fool.”

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

* * *

Lucas

“Are you ready?”

“No. But let’s do it anyway,” I smirk at Andreas.

“Promise me you'll get word to me one day. I need to know that all of this wasn’t for nothing.”

“Andreas, I plan on living to a ripe old age. We’ll laugh about this some day.”

“I hope so. Now, get in the car and let’s get you dead.”

“Such sweet words. Take care of yourself, Andreas.”

“Love you, brother.”

“Ditto.”

30

EMILY

“It’s all over the papers, hon. Can you believe the fuss? I guess you used to be a big deal, Mr. Miller.”

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