Page 52 of Two for Joy

“That a threat?”

“It’s a promise.”

Paul stepped forward, but Fred pressed a palm to his chest to stop him. Romeo gave him a very obvious death glare, then turned back to Chad.

“I don’t agree with what you did.” Chad said to Romeo. “Killing those people … its unforgiveable. I’m not okay with it like people think. I think of you as two people just to handle it, the countdown killer, and Romeo.”

“I know.”

“I wish you hadn’t done it.” He looked up blinking back tears. “Why do you have to be a killer, Romeo?”

“I told you, it’s in my head, my biology.”

“Yeah, butwhy?”

“I don’t know. The universe wanted to play its biggest joke.”

“I can’t stop visiting, because if I do, then I’d have nothing. I don’t feel alone when I’m with you … and it was so easy to shut down the killer part of you, ignore it was there, all until this case.” Chad stopped and shook his head.

“You’re tired, you’re hurt, stressed—”

“Sometimes I wish you killed me in that farmhouse.”

Romeo’s mind blanked, he gawped, his eyes started to burn. He didn’t know what the emotion was, but he didn’t like it. His heartrate soared, his chest tightened, and his stomach cramped until he was nauseated.

“Don’t say that. You being alive means everything to me.”

“This isn’t living, though. It feels like waiting, but I have no idea what I’m waiting for…” He paused, then whispered. “Ineedyou.”

Romeo couldn’t tear his eyes from Chad. He saw the plea, the desperation. The detective was gone, and it was Chad begging for him to get out of there. To escape. Tears welled in his eyes, and his lip wobbled, and Romeo wanted to reach for him so badly, but couldn’t.

“Hang in there, Chad.”

“I feel like everything is spiraling out of control, and I don’t know how to slow it down, let alone stop it.”

“I need to know something.” Romeo said carefully.

“What?”

“Have you and your therapist ever discussed thebirdsand the bees?”

Chad frowned, then slowly shook his head. “No, we haven’t.”

“Never mentioned anything to do with that?”

“No, never.”

“Okay. I—I need to know if you’re…”

“I’m what?”

Romeo lifted his eyebrows, and left it unfinished, but he knew Chad understood the question when his good eye widened, and he threw himself back in his chair

“What?”

Romeo saw the heartbreak in his expression and knew in the instant Chad wasn’t the copycat.

“I’m only asking—”

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