Mother by Fate. Tara Taylor Quinn

don’t like it,” Lila said again.

      “She needs this, Lila. She deserves it.”

      “I know.”

      “It doesn’t put the Stand at risk.”

      “It puts you at risk, and you are a huge part of the Stand.”

      “There are other counselors who would be equally as good at coaching victims.”

      “You’re part of our family.”

      “I have to do this, Lila.” There, she’d said it. “There’s something about Nicole. I...need to do this.”

      “I think I knew that.”

      “So you’ll give me whatever support you can?”

      “I’ll do more than that. I’m alerting the team and I’ll make sure that wherever you are, Sanchez or someone from his department will be right behind you.”

      “Thank you.”

      Lila took a couple more seconds to issue severe warnings. To extract promises that they both knew Sara might not be able to keep.

      And then Sara hung up.

      She was sure-footed as she crossed the cool decking on her way back to Michael Edison. She was doing the right thing. The only thing.

      Her biggest doubt was the little extra spring she felt in her step at the prospect of having a few more hours with the handsome bounty hunter.

      It made no sense. She’d been married to a liar once. It wasn’t a road she was going to travel again.

      Ever.