Page 106 of Three for a Girl

“I haven’t changed my mind.”

“You said you were getting rid of her.”

“It wasn’t that easy.”

“But it was to go with her, turn your back on me and choose her.”

“I haven’t. I’ve chosen you.”

Chad scrunched Romeo’s keys in his grip. The crunch drew Romeo’s attention, and he frowned, getting to his feet. “Why have you got my keys?”

“I need to take your car.”

“Why?”

Chad crushed the keys. “Because I do.”

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the bridge he jumped from.”

“He? The killer?”

“I’ve missed something. I know I have, and I was…”

The rest of his words were robbed by his breathlessness. He tried to force them out, but his throat closed up.

Romeo tilted his head, squeezing around the table to get to Chad. “Was what?”

Chad pulsed his hands around the keys before lifting his gaze to Romeo. “I was wondering if you’d come with me.”

He could’ve asked Ally, knew she would’ve agreed, but he didn’t want her to go with him, he wanted Romeo.

The tight lines on Romeo’s face relaxed, and a sharp breath left him. He blinked. “You want me to come with you?”

“You can say no if you—”

Romeo’s lips twitched into a smile. “Are you asking for my help?”

“Yeah. I am, but if—”

“You need me and I’ll be there. You know that.”

“You sure?”

“Say it, say you need me.”

“I need you.”

Romeo grabbed his jacket off the desk, knocking the puzzle pieces onto the floor. “Then what are we waiting for.”

Chad turned on his heels and led Romeo out.

****

Romeo’s car was tucked away in the garage, and when Chad drove it out, he tightened his face when Romeo sat down on the back seat.

“Can’t be too careful.”

---