Page 82 of Criminally Yours

Her smile was reflected in his face, although his was shyer.

“Don’t work too hard at the gym. You need sleep so you can guard me.” It was the only way to convince him to get rest. “And put some joggers on. I’d hate to catch sight of your secret tattoo again.”

He cleared his throat and gave a half-hearted scowl. “You see too much. Goodnight, Sunset.”

“Goodnight.”

She closed her door and slumped against it.

She wasn’t going to get any sleep now.

What she needed was to walk. She always processed better when she walked alone, which would be impossible with a bodyguard tracking her every move.

CHAPTER 35

Strike

Strike cracked his neck as he shuffled around his room. Darkness touched the edge of his vision.

He’d managed three hours of sleep after his workout. It was enough to keep the exhaustion at bay for another day and ease the pain in his chest.

He wanted to sleep with Millie in his arms, like they had in the tent. But that was impossible. It was enough that she still spoke to him after the last twenty-four hours. She’d dealt with so much. He couldn’t stop thinking about what his therapist had said, either.

Visions of Millie married, but thinking about him like he’d always think about her, frayed his resolve.

“What’s going on, Bear?” he asked, throwing clothes on to prepare breakfast.

“Before we start, I want to let you know that Liss isn’t on speakerphone. We’re trying to respect your boundaries,” Bear replied.

Strike stopped drying his hair with the towel. “What’s brought that on?”

“Something Millie said to Liss. You’ve respected us andwhat we’re doing, albeit grumpily, while we’ve run roughshod over your needs. We could be better. Sorry.”

A smile crept onto Strike’s face. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

“Millie has been good for all of us. I’ve missed her.”

“Yeah, she’s the best.” He wrung his hands. “I told her why I left.”

“Really?”

“I want to speak to Mum and Dad today, too. I’ve kept too much from all of you, and it wasn’t fair of me.”

“Let me go somewhere I can’t be disturbed.” The sound of a door clicking was followed by birds squawking.

Strike proceeded to explain the highlights of his conversation with Millie.

“So it wasn’t anything I did? It wasn’t about getting away from me?” Bear stuttered.

Strike sat on his bed. “No! You were my best friend—well, you and Millie were. Leaving you was one of the hardest things.”

“I’d had people leave me and reject me. In my darkest moments, I suspected it was my fault.”

Strike dragged his nails across his scalp. “I’m so sorry. I hate that I added to your shit. I loved you, mate. I still do.”

“I love you, too.” Bear sighed. “I’m gutted about everything you went through. Your parents will get a lot from hearing this. But what next with Millie?”

“I’ve no fucking clue. She’s spoken to her family, and I think she believes me, but it doesn’t change us. We liked each other as teenagers, but we’re different people now. And besides, who could love someone as fucked up as me?”