Page 62 of Criminally Yours

She leaned back. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m not ready.”

He held her as he panted. “Who hurt you, Sunset?”

Her face fell. “You did.”

“I’m sorry. I hurt myself that day and every day since, too.” His voice strained.

“Then what happened? Why did you leave me? What was wrong with me?”

“I can’t. You don’t want to know right now.”

He pressed his forehead against hers, but she pulled away. “Just tell me. Did you really hate me that much? Liss said you did it for love, but if you loved me, you wouldn’t have left. What did I do wrong? Was one night with me really that awful that you couldn’t bear to see me again?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Then tell me what it was like,” she shouted. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m falling for you again, and I know you’re going to hurt me, so just tell me.”

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, holding her tears at bay. The back of her throat burned and combined with the sense of shame that always accompanied her tears.

Her lips quivered as she attempted to push the pain away. “What is wrong with me, Strike?”

He cupped her face as she shook against him. “Your parents said that if I stayed, they’d ruin our lives. I ran to save you and give you a future. I ran because I had no other options.”

“They wouldn’t do that,” she protested. “You’re lying.”

But as Strike cradled her cheek, pain etched in the lines across his face, she knew this was why he’d been so reticent to tell her the truth. “I wish I were.”

“And the letter you mentioned?”

“I popped it through your letterbox the day I left. Your brother returned it ripped, saying you never wanted to speak to me again.”

At her gasp, Strike added, “I’m sorry. I thought you knew and just hated me.”

He carried her out of the water and lifted her away, turning her at the edgeto hide his body.

When he reached for her, she walked out of his grasp. “I’ll meet you in the tent. I need a moment to think.”

“I wish I could change the past,” he called out as she stumbled from the water, grabbing her hoodie and towel.

Her body sagged as she meandered back to the tent, letting her tears fall when she was out of his eyeline.

CHAPTER 27

Strike

He watched her go, her shoulders shaking. She tried to hide her sorrow, but she couldn’t, not from him.

Slowly, he dried his body, giving her time, before throwing on a jumper and joggers.

Her words about something being wrong with her pulled at his heart.

If she wanted to know the rest, he’d tell her, but no matter what happened once he’d told her, they couldn’t have a future.

She deserved someone who could give her everything she needed. He’d never be that person.

As he stood outside the tent, he pressed his palm to his cheek, wishing he was cupping her face again, clawing at the last remnants of her touch.

“Come and get warm, Strike. You can’t catch a cold. I still need your protection,” Millie said from inside the tent.