Page 121 of Powerful Deception

“So why the fuck are you crying? You got your fucking wish.”

“Because I changed my mind. I don’t want this to happen anymore.” Arianna says through her sobs.

There’s fear in her voice, but I don’t know if it's fear for my life or for her.

“It’s too late now, sweetheart. The bastard is as good as dead.”

“No! Please don’t do this! Please!” Arianna begs as they move closer to me.

From the sound of her heels, Roberto is dragging her and the closer they get to me the more Arianna screams.

“Shut up, you entitled bitch.” Gallo growls, this time a slap following his words.

She may have lied to me about every single thing and our relationship may be a sham, but once I’m free from this chair, I will kill the bastard with my own hands for laying a hand on her.

“Take the fucking gun and finish him.” Gallo orders and there is more scuffling.

“Wh-why? Wh-why does it have to be m-me?” Arianna asks him, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

Because he doesn't want blood on his hands.

He wants her to be the one to shoot me because then it will be her fingertips on the gun and not hers.

I should have given the bastard more credit.

“Because I fucking said so. Now do it!”

Another sob escapes from Arianna and echoes through the room

“Do it. Kill your father’s killer. Fucking do it!”

I sit completely still as Arianna’s sobs continue and she moves closer, a gun most likely in her hand.

Her beautiful face must be read and covered in tears. Her gorgeous eyes must be bloodshot.

My eyes open and when her dress comes into view, I can’t hold back anymore. I have to look up at her and talk her into doing what she is told.

Killing her father’s killer.

My voice cracks a bit as I speak for the first time. “Do what he says, Arianna. Kill your father’s killer.”

At the sound of my voice, she falls to her knees in front of me, the gun leaving her hands and sliding a few feet away.

I lift my head slightly, enough to catch a glimpse of her face and I see the despair that lays in her expression.

“Do it, Arianna.” I tell her once more.

She’s shaking her head before I can get the order out. “No. I won’t do it. I won't kill you.”

Time to give her my own truth.

“I wasn’t talking about me.” I say, looking into her eyes before looking over her shoulder to the cowardly man standing a few feet away. “I was talking about the fucker standing behind you.”

“Wh-wh-what?” She stutters standing back up and looking at Gallo.

“I wasn’t the one that killed Joseph Vitale.” I spit. “No, Detective Joseph Vitale was killed by the one and only, Roberto Gallo.”

35

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