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“We can assign one of the teams to go with her, but I’m staying.” Tepes answered.
“Do I get any say?” Liv asked.
“No.” The men’s voices sounded like one.
The last one of Tepes’ friends glared at her in a way that triggered a primal warning in her brain. Something told her he might be more dangerous than the other four combined. He wasn’t as bulky as Austin or Brooks, but Dante’s eyes were cold dark pools so brown they appeared black. He seemed to evaluate everything like an object that needed to be eliminated. She honestly wasn’t sure if he was planning on helping her or burying her body somewhere it wouldn’t be found.
Liv stood and did her best to not look like she was about to cry. She knew that they were trying to help her and that she should be grateful, but she hadn’t slept in over two days and her brain just wasn’t up to fighting against the force of will that was these men. They might think she was a helpless burden that had no other options, but she would prove them wrong.
“Where are you going?” Tepes asked.
“I’m going to go to sleep.”
Austin looked at her like she was insane. “Darlin’ It’s not even six o’clock.” His southern tone practically dripped with condescension.
Liv straightened her back and gritted her teeth. “In the last seventy-two hours I’ve had less than six hours of sleep, worked two double shifts as a waitress, staked out a drug deal, gathered evidence on an assassination, attended court, and had someone try to kidnap me.” Plus wrested with Tepes and had a mind-numbing orgasm, but they didn’t need that reminder. “Excuse me if I’m tired.” Her voice cracked and she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold back the tears much longer.
She tried to stride away but, in her rush, she bumped into Dante. He gripped her arms for a second and his gaze sent ice down her spine. She fully expected him to keep her from leaving but instead he stepped aside and let her pass without a word.
“I didn’t mean… Sorry.” Austin muttered but she ignored him.
Tepes followed her into the hall, and she wanted to scream.
“Liv, I know this is hard, but I promise we know what we are doing.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean why are you trying to help me? Why won’t you just let me leave? I’ll get out of town, and you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”
“Luis knows I’m involved. If he finds you then we’ll be distracted from taking him down. So, we need a plan that keeps us both safe. Think of it like a two for one deal.” His tone was joking but she didn’t smile
Liv felt the guilt settle over her shoulders like a led blanket. She hadn’t expected a declaration of love or even caring but it would have been nice to know he thought of her as something more than a potential distraction. After what he had said in the living room, she knew he had no intention of hiding with her so keeping her safe would just be a job pulling people away from more important tasks.
“Just let me go.” Her words and tone were hollow.
Tepes stepped in front of her. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
“Unless this really is a kidnapping there isn’t much you can do to stop me.” She tilted up her chin and dug deep to stand her ground. “Go do what you need to do and don’t worry about me.”
“Don’t make me chain you to the bed.”
She chuckled. “As fun as that sounds I think I’ll pass since you already said you don’t want to fuck me.”
“I never said that.”
Hadn’t he? Her mind really couldn’t focus. She needed to get out of there and find somewhere she could crash. Maybe a motel or something. Once she had more sleep, she knew she could figure everything out. If he wasn’t going to do the smart thing and let her leave, then she would take the decision away from him. Like they were all trying to do to her.
“I don’t have the energy for these games. I’m going to sleep.”
He studied her for long seconds then stepped aside. “I’ll wake you if we need to move.”
Not looking him in the eyes she nodded. She hadn’t lied. She just hadn’t said where she was going to sleep.
Chapter9
Sean
