Page 108 of Captivated

And he did.

“But,” Lucian said with a wave of his hand, “I resigned myself to the fact they got what was coming to them, and I don’t need the rest of the world to know it, too.” He pointed to his temple, and gave Joe a cold smile. “What matters is that I know it up here, and they knew it before they died. Sometimes, karma isn’t some invisible force, but rather, a man you pay to do the deed.”

All of this was fine and great, but Joe was still wondering why in the hell Lucian had called him here to begin with.

“Do you need something?” Joe asked, figuring it was better to get right to the point. “I was going to head out to Chicago—had a flight booked for tonight, actually.”

The earliest fucking flight he could get.

He still hated flying.

Lucian glanced over at Joe. “Spend time with her before you bring her back, I imagine.”

It wasn’t even a question.

Joe wasn’t in the business of hiding his intentions. “I would like to be able to do that away from all of this. Actually … I don’t know, take her out, and let her have fun.”

Lucian nodded. “I like you, Joe.”

Yeah, he kind of figured that out.

He still wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

“But,” Lucian said, “if you were willing to wait a day or two before getting back to Chicago, and Liliana, then I had an offer for you. I felt it was … appropriate, all things considered.”

Joe cocked a brow. “What kind of offer?”

Because at the moment, nothing was worth to him what Liliana was.

“One last mark,” Lucian murmured. “Rich, I mean. I’m sure he knows by now—he has to; he’s not stupid—that I’m coming for him. So, he’ll be looking for me, Joe. I expect him to be waiting or running from me.”

Ah, Joe was getting it now.

“And if I delivered the stupid fuck, what would you do for me?”

“Well, it won’t be very hard for you to deliver him, mind you. I’ve had someone watching him for a while. But I think he knows the guy is tailing him, too.” Lucian grinned. “I would let you have a little fun with him, and allow you to watch me kill him. Poetic, maybe. Or … maybe I just need a little more God in my life. That’s what my mother would tell me.”

Joe chuckled. “You drive a hard bargain.”

Because yes, Joe wanted to take that offer.

More than anything.

“Counteroffer,” Joe said.

Lucian frowned. “This isn’t that kind of deal, Joe.”

“Fact remains, I am giving you one. I give her the news.”

“Mmm.”

“What?”

“All of it, or just the Rich bit?”

Joe shrugged. “All of it.”

Lucian considered that for a moment, and then nodded. “Better you than me, I think.”