I swallow the lump in my throat, shaking my head, my heart racing in my chest. "I just can't be here. I'm happy in Chicago. My brother's there and Gianna has finally made friends in school. She—"
"Is that really the reason?"
"What else could there be?"
He scoffs. "It's not because her father is here?"
I can't stop my eyes from widening. "What—"
"Don't lie to me, Malia. I know who her father is." His face goes hard, his eyes grow cold and fierce. He's never looked at me like this before, it's unnerving. "It's Giovanni De Luca, isn't it?"
