Page 95 of Captivated

“Food is getting cold, Liliana.”

Fine.

Once she had made use of the bathroom, cleaned up a bit, and put on something moderately appropriate considering the time of day—and the fact someone was coming over—Liliana found Joe getting three plates ready in the kitchen.

“Pancakes are my favorite,” she told him.

“Good—you’ll have to find whatever you want to put on them.”

“Jam for me.”

He grinned. “I would have thought whip cream, or something.”

Liliana nodded. “Sometimes.”

He’d gotten dressed while she was using the bathroom, too, it seemed. Although she’d pulled on simple sweats and a beater, he was dressed back in his entire outfit from the night before. Leather jacket included.

That was Liliana’s first sign he wasn’t going to be there for very much longer. Her second was when he rolled up a pancake, and took a bite off the end. He probably wasn’t going to be there long enough to even eat with her, apparently.

Joe, seemingly noticing how quiet Liliana had turned, finished off the pancake, and then reached for her. She let him drag her into his embrace, and then he pressed a sweet kiss to the very top of her head.

“You trust me, right?” he asked.

She didn’t even have to think about it.

Liliana leaned back, and stared up at him. “Yeah, I do, Joe.”

“Good. Promise me you won’t ask too many questions today. Just do what you’re told—it’s all done because it’s for the best, love. It’s what’s safe. Once everything is settled, one of us will explain everything because it won’t matter then. Okay?”

The entire time he spoke, Liliana was quiet. A knot had formed in her lower back, though. A ball of tension that said more shit was going on around her than she realized. She was not, however, a stupid woman.

“This is all about Rich, isn’t it?”

“Questions, questions,” Joe said, cocking a brow. “And maybe that’s not one I can answer right now.”

She sighed.

“Fine,” Liliana returned, “after it’s done, will it be about him, then?”

Joe barked out a laugh. “No, everyone will be so over him by then, Liliana. Take that however you want, love.”

She didn’t need to.

He gave her the answer.

It was a knock on the apartment door that sent the two moving apart. However, that lasted just long enough for Joe to grab another pancake, and then press a quick kiss to Liliana’s lips.

“I have to head out now—you eat that food, and enjoy it, too,” Joe murmured against her mouth.

She couldn’t help but smile. “I will.”

“And no questions.”

Liliana tipped her hand back and forth as if to silently say, We’ll see.

He chuckled, and kissed her again. “I’ll be seeing you soon, Tesoro.”

But how soon?