Page 176 of Lorenzo

“Not today,” he agrees. “But I will remember you suggested it.”

“I didn’t—"

“I like where your mind is at, cara, but later,” he says. “First, work.”

Frustrating, sexy man.

I sit forward and lace my fingers together. “What kind of work?”

“We would like to hire you for another case.”

My smile fades slightly.

“We?”

“My family.”

I glance toward Mocha, who has settled beside Lorenzo as if he belongs there.

“And what does your family need investigated now?”

“The person who helped Rachel.”

I lean back in my chair.

“The person who set Alessio up,” I clarify.

“Yes,” he says. “We know she did not alter the footage or move Genevieve’s body alone. Whoever assisted her is still out there. Whoever targeted my son, my family, is still out there.”

“And you want me to find them.”

“Yes.”

I pick up my coffee again and study him over the rim.

“Why?”

He furrows his brows.

“What do you mean, why?” he asks, confused. “You did a good job for the first job, and we want you to continue.”

“You have people who can do this, don't you? You hired me the first time because you needed legally obtained evidence to clear your son. That is no longer the case. Unless you're planning on putting whoever this is behind bars.”

“No,” he says and leaves it at that.

“So why hire me?” I watch him steadily.

“You found Rachel when none of us knew she existed,” he says. “You saw things our people missed, followed them to the right places, and cleared Alessio in less than a week. We want to hire the person who's already proven she can solve this.”

“So this isn't some excuse to keep me close?” I ask. “This is just about results?”

He looks me in the eye and says something I don't expect. “Quite the opposite, actually.”

I lower the mug.

“What does that mean?”

“It means hiring you gives you a reason to put distance between us.” His gaze stays on mine. “You were very clear about your rules concerning clients.”