Page 65 of Taking Care of the Target

But with how late it was, he worried they were already too late to stop it.

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Vince closed the door to Cassie’s bedroom and worked the zipper on the duffel bag. He wished they had time to enjoy one last night together.

While he was wishing for shit, he wished everything could be different, actually. Now he had to rip away the future she’d planned, and he had a feeling she wasn’t going to make it easy. He’d turned on the TV, hoping to drown out the noise if she started yelling and freaking out.

What was he thinking?Of courseshe was going to freak out. Maybe he should go the tranquilizer route. Slip sleeping pills into her drink.

If he’d gone through with the original plan, it would’ve been easier. Now there were so many messy emotions involved.

He rounded the corner of the hallway. Cassie’s gaze was on the smashed tomato in her hand, her features completely drained of color. She had the knife raised like she’d forgotten to slice.

“Cassie?”

She swung the knife toward him, the blade glinting in the light. “Don’t come any closer.” Her voice trembled, and a tear ran down her cheek.

Vince put his hands up in front of him and took a slow step in her direction. “What’s wrong?”

“Stop right there!”

He froze, trying to figure out what was going on. He’d expected yelling, just not quite so soon. She shouldn’t already be mad. Unless…

“Why do you look so confused?” she asked, her voice an open wound. “You remember what happened, right? I just did. Mr. Rossi blew that guy’s head off, and you just stood there and watched. He pulled the trigger like it was nothing, like he’d done it before.”

Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, and a couple more tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Look baby, it’s not what you think.” Vince took another step, and she thrust the knife in his direction. It wasn’t a very big knife, maybe four inches, but he’d rather not get slashed with it all the same.

“Don’t youdarecall me baby! Have you been…what? Playing with me? I told you everything. I fell in love with you.” Her eyes darted wildly around the room, from the counter to her left to the one on the right. She didn’t look behind her, but she was no doubt realizing the fridge and wall blocked her in, no possible escape route.

Working to keep his voice calm, he said, “I’ll explain, but we don’t have a lot of time. I’m guessing you remember everything?”

“Yeah, unfortunately for you I do.” She glanced at the door, most likely calculating her chances of leaping across the counter and making it there before he did. She wouldn’t. Especially not in that sexy getup.

“Listen to me, if you leave here, you’re dead. I’ve got a plan, but you need to let me explain.”

He could see the cracks forming—she wanted to believe him but wasn’t sure she could. He thought he’d felt guilt before, but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming rush he experienced right now. “Do you remember last night when I told you that I love you? I meant that. Cassie, you’ve got to believe me. It the most truthful thing I’ve ever said.”

Her bottom lip trembled, and another tear slipped down her cheek. It made him feel like the lowest piece of shit ever.

“I always liked you, even when we worked together,” he said.

“You never showed any interest.”

“I talked to you whenever I could. I nearly asked you out a dozen times. Surely you noticed the way I looked at you?”

A flicker of doubt crossed her features, and he grabbed on to it.

“But you were smart and sweet, and I didn’t want to involve you in my life, with my crooked family and the business they run on the side. Hell,Ididn’t even want to be involved in my life.”

“Is that supposed to make it okay that you all kill people? Like, well, at least you don’twantto do it.” She took a step backward, and he fought the urge to close the distance again. If he could just get her to a place she felt safe, he could talk her down. Make her see.

“I’ve never killed anyone. I ran the restaurant—the legitimate business. But whenever Bobby got into trouble, Carlo would bail him out, and then he’d disappear before paying him back, so I’d have to repay his debts by convincing people to pay theirs. Most were scared enough of me that I didn’t have to get physical with them. I still felt horrible every time, and I told my uncle I didn’t want to be involved in that side of the business. But when you got out of the hospital, I overheard him and his boys talking about killing you.”

Cassie’s eyes widened, and she gripped the knife tighter, her arm shaking with the effort. “Carlo Rossi sent you here to kill me.”

Not a question. She knew. Might as well give it all to her. Then hopefully she’d believe him. “I volunteered, actually.”

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