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"It serves its purpose,” he drawled.

"Which is?" she asked.

"Security." There it was again. Everything with Soren seemed to come back to protection—or control. Heck, maybe it was both.

"So—" she asked carefully, "when can I leave?"

She was met with complete silence, and Luca suddenly became fascinated with his phone.

Soren took another sip of coffee. "When it's safe."

"I don't know what that means,” she breathed.

"It means there are people looking for you."

"But why? I haven't done anything,” she insisted.

"I know." He stood in the corner of the kitchen with his arms crossed over his massive chest, and all she could seem to do was ask a lot of questions and stare at him like he’d lost his mind.

"Then why am I in danger?" Lily questioned.

He set his mug down. "Because you can identify faces."

She frowned. "I only saw yours."

"And mine isn't the one that concerns me,” he grumbled.

The room grew quiet. "I don't understand."

"You don't have to.”

She set down her mug of coffee and put her hands on her hips. "Actually, I do."

His gaze held hers. "The less you know, the longer you live."

She hated that answer. "I have a job."

"You had a job,” he corrected.

"I need to find one then,” she said.

"No, you don’t,” he breathed.

"I have bills to pay.”

"I'll handle them."

Lily stared at him. "No."

"No?" he drawled.

"I don't need your money,” she hissed.

"You do,” he insisted. “And I have plenty of money, so it’s not a problem.”

"I absolutely do not need your money. I don’t care how much you have,” she insisted.

Soren looked her over and sighed. "You have less than four hundred dollars in your checking account."