Daya shrugs a shoulder, looking a little unconvinced. “But don’t the diary entries say that John was getting aggressive, and Gigi said she was going to divorce him, right?” she questions. I frown. “Well, yeah, but I don’t think he would’ve killed her. He loved her too much.” “Couldn’t the same be said for her stalker?” Noting my expression, Daya sighs and rests her hand on mine. “Addie, I love you and I’m going to say this with all my love. But don’t project. I’m starting to get the feeling that you want Ronaldo to be the killer because in your head, that will criminalize your stalker, too. Please tell me that’s not why you’re seeking justice for Gigi. Because you’re looking for a reason to hate your stalker when in actuality, you don’t.” I pull my hand from under hers and look away. Uncomfortable feelings invade my body, preventing me from speaking right away. “T don’t need to look for a reason to hate him,” I grumble. Daya cocks a brow, unimpressed with my attitude. I sigh, a headache blooming right between my eyes. I rub at the spot, stalling as I try to figure out what I want to say. Because she’s not entirely wrong. Maybe I just want to be able to say that all stalkers are crazy, and that it’s not possible to fall in love with one. I want to be able to say it’s never happened before. And I want to say it’s absolutely impossible to find myself in a loving, passionate, and healthy relationship with a person who invaded every aspect of my life unapologetically. As much as I hate to say it, my shadow might not be wrong either. The man has a magnetism about him that rocks me to my core. He’s shifted my entire life out of balance. He scares the fuck out of me. But just like watching a horror flick, it thrills me too. He was right when he said that if he had approached me in the bookstore and took me out like a normal man, I would’ve fallen for him. The way he carries himself, the way he speaks, and his passion are irresistible. And he’s also right that if I had fallen in love with a lie, I would’ve been devastated. I just wish he wasn’t such a bad guy. But then he'd be a different man—a man you might not be able to love. Doesn’t matter. I refuse to love my shadow. And I’m not going to fuck him, either. What happened two nights ago was sexual assault and I’m not going to spin it any other way. “That’s not why I want justice for her,” I say quietly. My hand drops and I meet Daya’s soft gaze.