Page 99 of Safe With Me

“Yes, of course I love you. But I can’t do?—”

“Do this to me. You’ve said that,” I spat out, all the anger and fear that had been simmering in my gut now about to explode. “This may not even be Ted.”

“What are you talking about?” She squinted at me. “Jude said the same thing, but who else could it be?”

“I don’t know.” I clenched my eyes shut when Lila flinched back, not realizing how loud I’d been. “Maybe it is, but if he only just found you, he seems to know the town pretty damn well and how to slip past a bunch of parents and kids unnoticed.”

“Whatever it is—” she sucked in a breath as her eyes shone with tears “—you being with me is what’s making this person angry enough to come after a kid. If something happens to you or your sister, how am I supposed to live with that?”

“What if this were me? If someone were threatening me? Would you just expect me to walk away because I didn’t want you at risk, or would you leave me because you were afraid?”

Her face crumpled as she sank her teeth into her quivering bottom lip.

“No, I’d never leave you. But I have nothing to lose.” She shrugged. “It’s just me. I have no family other than Claudia and a cousin who lives hours away.”

“So my life is more valuable than yours? Jesus, Lila, that is such bull?—”

“Both of you, stop it!” Keith bellowed, raking his hands through his gray hair. “Sit, please,” he told Lila, pointing to the chair against the wall.

“I’m with Mike,” Keith said, his voice softer. “I don’t know for sure if this is your ex. This sounds like someone who knows the town well enough to go by unnoticed. Could he have been watching you all this time and only acted when you and Mike looked officially together? Maybe.” Keith shrugged. “But from what I understand of your history, I doubt he would have waited this long to contact you if he were here.”

Lila said nothing as she stared at the floor.

“And whoever this is,” Keith whispered, pressing on her bobbing knee, “if you run now, that’s what you’ll always have to do. I know you think leaving is going to protect the people you care about, but all it’s going to do is hurt everyone involved. Including you.”

Lila wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and kept her gaze on the floor.

“Your life is valuable. People would care if you left,” Dad said, looking between us. “None of us blame you for any of this.”

“And keep in mind. This—” Keith moved a finger between Lila and me “—this is the endgame for whoever is doing this. They want you fighting and apart.”

Lila finally raised her head and gave Keith a weak nod.

“And if all that didn’t convince you, this is an ongoing investigation. I really would prefer you not leave town right now. Since this is an official connected threat, I’d appreciate it if you made another statement.”

“I’ll take you down the hall,” Jude said, meeting my eyes with enough sympathy to make me want to crawl out of my skin.

Lila’s eyes lingered on mine as she followed Jude. Consciously, I knew she didn’t want to leave me and would only do it to keep me and my family safe. But it felt like I’d already lost her, the ache in my chest pinching so hard I could barely breathe.

I wandered around the station like a zombie for the next half hour, ignoring the stares from fellow officers and looks of pity from the admin staff after I walked my family out and waited around for Lila.

I trudged outside, leaning against the rail on the front steps when I spotted her come out of the doors.

“Torres said he’d drive me home again. I guess that’s what the rookies are here for?” She sputtered out a nervous laugh as she came closer. “I do love you. More than anything. And I wish we could go back to this morning, but?—”

“But why can’t we? You heard Keith. This is what they want. They want you away from me and gone. Did you come all this way just to give in?”

She shut her eyes for a moment but didn’t reply. Everything was too raw today to fight anymore. I’d end up saying things inthe heat of the moment that I wouldn’t mean, especially since I was two seconds away from begging her to stay.

“I love you,” I whispered as I took her face in my hands. “More than I ever thought I’d be able to love anyone. Do you love me?”

“Mike, please. You know I do?—”

“Just not enough to stay with me.”

“That’s not fair.” She shook her head, her jaw trembling when her gaze landed on mine. “You know it’s not that simple.”

“I actually believe it is. Because the way I feel about you, you bring me to my fucking knees, Delilah.”

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