Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “No!” he shouted, then groaned. “I did it again. Just . . . don’t leave. Please. I’m sorry.”

            “And I said it’s okay. Listen, I—”

            He cut her off before she could tell him about the conversation she’d overheard. “But I’m not okay,” he said hoarsely. “Please. Let me say some things. I need to say this.”

            The agony in his voice stunned her into silence.

            “I was scared,” he said in a rush of words. “Really scared.”

            Her heart softened, and she hated that it did. Hated that she wanted to soothe him. To tell him that everything would be all right. That she’d come back. That they could go back to the way things had been before she’d shown him Fritz’s picture.

            But they couldn’t go back. Eventually it would eat her up inside. So she forced lightness into her tone that she did not feel. “That I’d been kidnapped by aliens or something?”

            His eyes narrowed. “No. By a killer who had you in his crosshairs yesterday morning.”

            “Oh.” She winced guiltily. “I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I left a note on the fridge.”

            “Yeah,” he said bitterly. “I read it. ‘Tom, I’m moving. Don’t worry, I’ll keep paying the rent.’ Which was the last thing I was thinking about.” He exhaled, visibly trying to calm his temper. “Will you at least tell me where you’re living?”

            She hesitated, tempted not to tell him. But that would also be childish. “Karl’s company keeps an apartment in Granite Bay for VIP clients. Top-of-the-line security, a guard in the lobby. A gated, guarded parking garage. Cameras everywhere. It’s very safe.” And because she needed to reclaim a little of her pride, she lifted her chin. “You don’t need to worry about me anymore. I can take care of myself.”

            “But I liked taking care of you. You’re important. You’re my—” He went abruptly silent, as if realizing he was about to say the very wrong thing.

            Too late. “Your friend,” she said, trying so hard not to sound bitter.

            He took a step closer. “Because we are. Aren’t we?”

            Liza took a step back, her eyes filling with tears. “I need more than that.”

            He flinched, then shook his head helplessly.

            Get this back on track. Back to business. “Did you get the copy of the photo ID that I sent you? The one that William Holly used eighteen years ago to get that Eden tattoo?”

            “I did. I’ve already got it printed out and tacked to my bulletin board. Thank you.”

            “You’re welcome, but I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Mercy, Gideon, Amos, and Abigail.”

            “I know.” He looked at his feet for a moment before lifting his gaze, filled with hurt. “Will you tell me where you went today?”

            “I promised the artist that I wouldn’t. The FBI scared him into moving away the last time you visited.”

            “I didn’t visit him,” Tom said defensively. “It wasn’t me who scared him.”

            “I know. I meant ‘you’ in the sense of ‘you FBI guys.’ I won’t expose him. I promised.”

            “You also promised you’d live here with me,” he blurted out. “But you e-mailed me that you placed an ad for someone to sublet your side.”

            “Oh, that’s why you swore at me,” she murmured. “You saw my e-mail.”

            “I have to approve whoever you choose.” Now he sounded arrogant, but she could still hear the hurt underneath. “It’s in your lease.”

            She knew that, and it was a fair requirement. “If you don’t approve them, I’ll continue to pay the rent myself.”

            “And not live here?” he asked, stunned. “How can you afford to pay rent on two places?”

            “It’ll cut into my savings, but it’ll only be for a little while. I’ve applied for dorm housing starting in July and there may be financial aid for that.”