—So… you know —Bastien whispered.

—Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you come looking for me? Do you even know how much I missed you all these years?

—Kitty, I…

—No, don’t start. Why didn’t you look for me, Bastien?

—I did. As soon as I could, I searched for you. I saw you… coming out of your house. You looked just as sweet and beautiful as always. But how was I supposed to show up and say, “Hi, Kitty. It’s me, Bastien… and I’m a mafia boss now”?

—You thought I’d reject you because of that? Did you really have so little faith in our friendship?

—Kitty… if I brought you into this world, terrible things could happen. Like last night. I couldn’t drag you into a life where gunshots are normal—two or three a week. Where I don’t know if I’ll live another day… or if I’ll have to kill again. My hands are stained with blood. How could I ever want that for you? You deserve better. A man with a normal job… a peaceful life. To become a world-renowned designer. You deserve everything good in life