She nods. I’d mentioned him a few times. “He was the one that found me listening.”
Lily blows out a breath. “Shit…”
“And we both know what Koen is involved with…” My eyes lift to find hers and she winces.
“Koenrescued you?”
“Koen wasthere,” I state as a matter of fact.
Did he save me?
Yes?Maybe?
I didn’t exactly stick around to find out what his intentions were. Somehow, I doubt the leader of the Irish mafia goes around breaking up trafficking rings in his downtime, seeing as how he’s likely profiting from them himself.
And the way his brother killed Lorenzo… I can’t get the image out of my brain; it’s on an endless loop. A horror movie I can’t shut off.It was gruesome.
No, there was something more going on, someotherreason they were there. Maybe I stumbled into a mafia turf war or something.
“Do you regret not telling him about Remi?” Lily asks, dropping her voice lower.
“No. If anything, what happened last night only reaffirms my decision to keep her a secret. Koen’s dangerous. He doesn’t even know me. If he knew about her, best-case scenario is deadbeat dad; worst case—he might try to take her from me…”
“Mommy!” Remi calls from the living room. I start to rise, but Lily stops me.
“Uh-uh, no way, lay your ass back down. You’re not going anywhere today.”
“I can’t miss work,” I protest.
“You can’t turn up looking likethateither… at the very least you need more sleep. Your eyes are bloodshot.”
I can’t argue with that.
“I can cover you at the studio today.” I open my mouth to argue but she cuts me off. “Nope. I don’t want to hear it. You can miss one day. Get your ass in that bed. I’ll get Remi ready and drop her off at preschool on the way to the studio.”
“Fine. But I want a Remi kiss before you guys leave!”
“Done.” Lily smiles, satisfied.
“Thanks, Lil.”
“Of course.”
20
MY LITTLE LIABILITY
KOEN
Now
“Anything?”
“No, Koen.” Liam levels me an irate stare from over his laptop screen. “I don’t have anything new since the last time you asked me—thirty seconds ago.”
I get up and pace the room.
“It might help if I had something more to go on other than ‘her name isn’t Rose.’ You wanna tell me how you know her? Maybe that will help?”
