Page 116 of Captivated

Liliana barely even blinked.

“Take them out,” she repeated thickly.

“It’s what I do. I remove people, and problems. It’s what I’m good at, so that’s what they brought me in to do.”

“Why those two men, though?”

Joe’s gaze flashed with something Liliana found difficult to recognize. “Because your father made a promise after what they did, and what Rich did—Lucian doesn’t really seem like the type to break his promises, does he? Because they knew, Liliana. Because they covered up what he did to you. Because they needed to go.”

“And you did it,” she said. “You killed them.”

She wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about that.

Concerned.

Frightened.

Amazed.

Comforted.

She didn’t know how to deal with it.

“I did it,” Joe said, “and I would take care of Rich, too, but right now, I have to worry about you. So, please make this easy on me, and let me get you the hell out of here. We have no reason to believe he knows you’re here, so we can safely assume moving you again will just take you even further out of his path.”

Liliana’s throat tightened at what Joe wasn’t saying.

But she wasn’t dumb.

“You think he’s coming for me,” she whispered.

Was that why Rich had started approaching her again? Making himself known again in her life? Terrorizing her like he had?

Because he was coming back for more?

“I don’t know anything except how to keep you safe,” Joe said, “and so that’s what I’m going to do, if you’ll let me.”

It didn’t seem like she had a choice. Not that she would have made a different one if given the chance.

“All set,” Cory said as he came to stand beside the two, and dropped the bags next to Joe. “You need me to come along?”

Joe didn’t look away from Liliana.

She was still in his arms.

Still safe, despite knowing what he was.

Who he was.

“No, not for this,” Joe said, never taking his eyes off her while he spoke. “Just keep an eye out here for anything off, Cory. You know how to get in contact with me, should you have to.”

“Whatever you need, Joe.”

“You okay?”

For the first time in the two hours since they had hit the road, Liliana dragged her gaze away from the passenger side mirror. “Yeah, Joe.”

“You sure?”