Page 63 of Die for You
Nico is in the hospital.
Whomever attacked him ensured to beat him within an inch of his life as a message to me.
The thing is, I don’t know who would do this because I’ve made so many enemies over the years. It could be anyone, and that’s what scares me.
But what I do know is that Lenny is on my side—for once. I know he would never take our daughter if he somehow found out about her. But I’ve been so careful.
The clock on the bedside table in this shithole motel reads just after six a.m. I kick off the blanket and take a shower. Once dressed, I decide to go see Lenny. Hopefully, it won’t end up the way it did the last time I saw him.
First and foremost, I’m here to tell him about our daughter. But I also want to warn him that Gianna is done waiting in the shadows. Vince let slip that she has something planned, something that will guarantee Lenny’s demise—once and for all.
I don’t know what, but I don’t think she’s bluffing.
A small part of me wonders if perhaps she has Lettie, holding her for ransom, with the intent of using her when she needs to. I’ve kept Lettie hidden as best I could, but I knew sooner or later, Gianna would find out about her.
I don’t want to believe this as truth because I’ve done everything Gianna has asked. But if what Vince says is true, then she knows Lenny is my Achilles’ heel and that I’ll need some encouragement, like kidnapping my daughter, to do what she wants.
If I find out that this is the case, Lenny will have to fight me to kill Gianna because she’s mine. I will ensure she suffers in unimaginable ways before I kill her.
I must tell him today.
Grabbing my backpack, I lock the door and make my way down the stairs. The parking lot is poorly lit, and the flickering motel sign creates a strobing effect that hinders my vision.
I hear it before I feel being unexpectedly hit by an unfamiliar black car, which blindsides me.
Thankfully, my training kicks in, and I roll under an SUV, shielding myself from the car, which comes to a screeching halt before reversing, intent on finishing the job.
I peer out from under the SUV, hands splayed to the asphalt, my breathing labored as the car comes to a stop and the door opens.
Fuck…
I watch as black boots crunch the gravel, the owner resolved to finding me. The boots are big, so I assume my assailant is male.
He gets closer and closer until he is feet away from the SUV. I try my best to reach around and unzip my backpack to grab my gun, but I have limited space and can’t maneuver myself properly.
I have no weapon with a bastard hot on my ass.
He gets closer and closer, and just as he bends, I hear someone shout out.
“Hey, man, whatcha think you’re doing? That’s my truck.”
My attacker quickly retreats, returning to his car, which speeds off out of the parking lot.
With a sigh of relief, I roll out from under the SUV and bend low, using the other cars as coverage so I can limp off, undetected.
I’ve been hit on my left hip and leg, but nothing feels broken.
Once I’m on the road, I hail a cab and go to the only place I can. Suddenly, being hit by a car doesn’t seem so bad.
The security guard at the gates looks at me with interest when I approach his booth. “I’m here to see Lenny. Tell him Valentina is here.”
Lenny clearly doesn’t get random women appearing at his house after seven o’clock in the morning because the guard continues to look at me like I’m about to tell him a joke.
But when I arch a brow, indicating he’s wasting my time, he quickly picks up the phone.
He nods, never taking his eyes off me.
Once he hangs up, he exits his booth and walks over to a golf buggy. “I’ll drive you to the house.”
