Page 59 of Caretaker

“You care about him,” I realized.

“I’ve known Clay for a long time. He’s a good guy.” He leaned forward until his sexy, full lips were close enough for me to kiss. “Besides, if she kills him, you won’t be the same. I don’t like seeing you in pain.”

“What are you, Rhys?” I asked.

I thought he might kiss me, and I wanted that kiss because it would make me forget everything else for a minute. And I needed a minute.

He didn’t kiss me. He straightened, then turned to press the doorbell. “We can’t kill her. In spite of everything, she’s one of us. And she’s troubled.”

I frowned. “I don’t want to kill her. I’m not a murderer.”

“And you can’t free Clayton from her influence. Only she can do that, and she will not.”

“She will if she dies.”

“We don’t know what will happen to him if she dies. He may die with her.”

I sighed. “Then why are we here, Rhys?”

He lifted an eyebrow. “To stop his pain. To give him a minute free of terror. To be a friend, Trinity.”

We could be his friend all day long, but Miriam was never going to stop hurting him. I wasn’t sure why Rhys thought this time should be different.

Until I got inside that house. Then I understood everything.

And I changed my mind about not wanting to kill Miriam.