THIRTY-FOUR.

“He's not worth it, Alessandro,” I whisper, stepping away from him.

“It’s too late. He's as good as dead. He put up quite a fight and I admire his strength. But he's a monster, Farfalla, and I can’t let him back into society. He doesn't belong in our world—in Savannahs’ world. Why can't you see that?” He looks at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

I swallow thickly, “because murdering him won't take back what he's done to me.”

“I know that, but knowing he can't hurt you or another vulnerable female makes the air I breathe much cleaner.”

I scoff, shaking my head. “So, this is for your benefit, not mine?”

I should have known.

“What will I, personally, gain from killing him, Farfalla?”

“The thrill. It’s what you do, isn’t it?” I state incredulously. “You forget that I had to watch you murder a man in cold blood while I was locked up in your wine cellar.”

I take another step away from him.

“And yet, you still defy me at every turn.” He smirks, taking a step forward. “Someone