Page 76 of Captivated

I rub my thumb against her cheek. “I should’ve done that.”

“Everything happens for a reason. Our story was meant to be written this way.”

“Two puzzle pieces finally finding the perfect fit?”

She gives me one of her sweet smiles that makes my heart fucking grow with how much I love seeing it. I want to make sure I give her a reason to keep smiling like that.

“Yes. Exactly,” she whispers, and her eyes water again.

“Please don’t cry,piccante.”

“It’s because you’re being sweet and I’m happy.” She caresses my cheek. “Don’t worry.”

“I’ll always worry about you. I want to make you happy, not sad. I don’t want to cause you pain.”

“We don’t know the future, Nico. Maybe you or I will do something stupid one day, thinking we’re helping the other or trying not to worry them. The only way we can combat that is with honesty. I promise to be honest with you, even when it’s hard.”

“I appreciate that. I promise to always be honest with you, too. Which is a good segway in telling you that after I found out your brother was in trouble with the McLaughlin family, I’ve had someone watching over your house every night to make sure no one came to harm either of you while you were the most vulnerable.”

“That’s really sweet,” she says, surprising me.

“It is?”

“Yes.” She laughs, then sobers quickly. “Is that how you knew I was dancing again?”

“It is.” I nod. “It’s also how I knew you were there again tonight.”

“Since you saved me, I’m glad you had me followed. Are you still going to have me followed now?”

“Not if you’re with me all the time to keep you safe myself.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes, I’m more than okay with that,” she says, leaning forward to plant a kiss on my cheek. “I’m scared for my brother, Nico.”

“What happened today? You made the drop with the money at Lucky’s Pub, but you came back alone.”

“I gave them the $3,000 in cash I had and then wired them the $85,000 I got for the car you gave me.” Her eyes shift away and I urge her back to look at me with a little nudge of her jaw.

“Hey, it’s okay. You know I did it on purpose, right?”

“Yes, I know. I figured it out when you didn’t ask me why it wasn’t in the driveway.”

“I was surprised you didn’t march right over to me to either hand me the keys or the money you got for it just to spite me.”

“I knew you’d refuse the keys, and I chose to accept the gift, telling myself the argument wasn’t worth it.”

“You’re so fucking cute.” I give her a quick kiss on the lips and her cheeks turn pink with a pretty blush. “Keep going. What happened when you were there?”

“They told me my dad wasn’t who I thought he was. My dad wasn’t a nice guy, but I never thought he was abadguy. He told me he was going to turn state’s evidence on the family because they framed him for some stuff. He said the three of us would go into witness protection and move out west to start over.

“He lied to me, Nico. He was killing his way to the top. And the supposed FBI agents we were with at the motel when he was killed were just hired muscle to protect him while he did whatever he was doing. I mean, how was he going to explain his lies to me if his plan worked and we were still in Boston and he was boss?” I can see the panic in her eyes taking over. “Was he going to get rid of Sean and I? Did he even want us? Was hegoing to ship us off somewhere and pretend he’d meet us later and then never show? Or worse?”

“Shh, baby.” I rub her back until she relaxes again. “I’m so sorry, Cassie.”

“And Sean knew. He found out last year when he met those guys and he never told me.”

---