Page 99 of Lilly

"What is the freelancer's number?"

He hands me the business card that Phillip gave him.

"I'm leaving now," I tell Dean. "And if I arrive at that hotel where my wife and daughter are and find that one or both of them are dead, you will meet the same fate. You can run, you can hide, but I will find you."

He's shaking even more now, his face white as a ghost.

"This conversation never happened. You will not repeat a word of what was said here today to anyone, including Phillip, or Katherine, or anyone else. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," he whispers. He raises his voice back to normal. "I understand."

I hit the button next to me and hear the click as the doors unlock. "Get out!"

Dean quickly opens the door and stumbles out. I take off, and I as look back, I see him keeled over, vomiting. A small part of me feels bad for him but then I consider what he did and any compassion I felt for him fizzles away.

He knew he was getting involved in something bad when he signed up for this, but he still did it. He wanted the money, the executive job, the perks. And I know if he'd been assigned to kill someone else, someone he didn't know, he'd have no problem doing it. He's not the good man he pretends to be. I can sense he has an evil side. Because I have one too.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lilly

"I've scheduled our massages, facials, and pedicures," Rachel says. "What should we do now?"

We're in our room, which is beautiful and overlooks the ocean. As I gaze out the window, I notice a pathway that runs along the back of the hotel. It's lined with flowers and small trees.

"You want to take a walk?" I ask.

"I'd love to." Rachel joins me at the window. "Oh, look at those flowers. They're beautiful."

"That's why I suggested it. I knew you'd like the flowers." I point to the bright pink ones that are just below us. "Reed gave me some just like those. It was to celebrate being done with finals."

My heart clenches as I think about Reed. I miss him so much. It's only been a few weeks since I saw him but it feels like a few years. I talk to him on the phone but it's not enough. I want to see him. He's only an hour away and yet I can't drive down and see him.

"Honey, I know you miss him." Rachel smooths my hair.

"I don't know why Dad is doing this. I know he's worried about Dean but why is he punishing me for that?"

She lifts my chin up so I'll look at her. "He's not punishing you. He's just trying to keep you safe."

"You and Dad keep saying that but then nothing ever happens. It makes me think you guys only say that stuff to make me do what you want."

"Lilly, no. That's not true. We would never do that. When we say we're concerned about your safety, it's because there really are threats that could be dangerous to you. Or to all of us, even Jade and Garret."

"Why? Just because we're rich? Lots of people are rich and not everyone lives like this. I went to prep school with kids whose parents had a lot of money and they weren't treated like this. They weren't stuck at home all the time. They didn't have to constantly check in with their dads if they left the house. They could do whatever they wanted."

"It's different for us."

"But why?"

She sighs and glances away. "It just is."

"I need a better explanation than that. Dad won't tell me anything. Garret won't. You won't. Why is everyone so secretive? What are you guys not telling me?"

She looks at me. "There are bad people out there. That's all it is. That's why we act this way."

"But who are these people and why are they coming after us and nobody else?"

"They come after anyone with money. We're a bigger target because your father is well known. These bad people might target you and me in order to get to him. That's why we always have to be careful."

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