“I wish you were right.” The words were hollow. The echo of a man who had already surrendered his future in a bid to rectify his past. One arm came away from me, and I heard a drawer open behind me before his other arm released me completely. I walked two steps away before slowly turning to face him and the gun pointed at my head. Dante used his other hand to pull back the slide and c**k the gun, making me flinch when the bullet clicked into its chamber. Fear poured down my cheeks. “Please, Dante. Please don’t do this.” My chin quivered as I stepped backward, one tiny step at a time. I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. How could this be happening? How could my life be over when it had only just begun? I was swarmed with heartbreak and regret for myself. For Liana. Even for Dante,
