Page 198 of Obsessed by My Ex's Mafia Uncle

“Atelia…” I drag myself backward again across the sand, every movement dizzy and twisted. “Please.”

She laughs, and fear claws so fiercely through me I almost throw up.

“You know,” she starts softly, lifting the gun lazily toward me, “I genuinely tried to like you.”

Everything freezes inside me.

“You were almost sweet.” Her mouth twitches strangely. “Annoyingly sweet.” She wipes blood from her cheek with the back of her hand. “And for a minute there I almost convinced myself maybe I could survive it.”

My pulse is pounding harder now as pieces begin sliding together in my head slowly.

“You are trying to kill me?” I ask, shaking. “Why are you…” I pause, only one reason coming to mind but it still doesn’t feel concrete yet.

“Robert.” Her eyes shine strangely beneath the moonlight. “He’s the reason I’m going to kill you, Christine.”

“Atelia…” My throat burns. “Why?”

It clicks.

Atelia sees the realization happen in real time and smiles.

“You love Robert?”

“Love him?” She repeats softly, as if the phrase itself is insulting. “Christine, I built my entire fucking life around that man.” Her voice rises suddenly.

I flinch, clasping Blue tighter.

“I stayed when everybody else left. I buried bodies for him. Lied for him. Killed for him.” Her chest heaves now, her eyes glassy with fury. “I watched him destroy himself after Lily died and I stayed anyway.”

Atelia starts pacing now, shaking her head to herself like she’s arguing with ghosts only she can see.

“But it was never enough.” She laughs bitterly. “It was never enough for him to look at me the way he looked at her since college.”

My heartbeat slows, dread crawling into my veins inch by inch.

“Atelia…” My voice comes out smaller now.

“You know what the funny part is?” Her eyes snap toward me suddenly. “I killed her for him.”

“What?” My breathing catches, halting.

“She was weak.” Atelia shrugs shakily. “Always crying, always needing him.” Her lip curls slightly. “And she was making him weak too.”

“You killed…”

“Yes, Christine, I did.” She smiles faintly through tears. “I killed them both.” Her voice softens strangely.

My stomach locks fiercely.

Blue starts crying louder, terrified now by the sound of Atelia’s voice alone.

“But then he mourned her anyway.” Atelia’s expression twists. “Do you know what that does to a person? Watching the man you love destroy himself over somebody you already removed?”

I can’t breathe properly anymore, every instinct in my body is screaming to run.

But there’s nowhere to go.

“Atelia…” Tears burn my eyes now. “Please.”