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“Sorry,” he says, letting go of me. “I wasn’t gonna be able to sleep either if I didn’t do that.”

I force some air into my lungs. I realize, as his fingers release me, that his other hand was wrapped around mine, locking the glass in place to keep me from dropping it. A necessary gesture for sure, as I probably would have.

“Yeah, me neither.” I lick my lips, tasting a bit of him still lingering within the crevices. “Goodnight,” I say.

He nods. “Goodnight, Detective.”

I take one last look into his eyes and smile in gratitude before stepping into the bedroom.

I hold my breath until the door is closed. Then, I let it out slowly, but hard. I lay my fingertips along my trembling lips, closing my eyes as the memory crashes through me.

I take a drink from the water glass, washing away the alcohol on my breath, and when I open my eyes again, I look over at my daughter lying in Milo’s bed.

I throw on a motherly smile and walk over to sit down beside her. “Come on, Char,” I whisper as I slide under the covers. “Drink?”

She extends her little hands to grab it, but I keep my fingers on it to hold it steady as she takes a sip. Once she’s done, I set the glass on the bedside table and kick off my shoes before sliding under the covers.

“Go to sleep now,” I say. “You’re safe here.”

I open my arms and Charlotte rolls into them. She lays her head on my chest and closes her eyes.

After a few minutes, she looks up. “Mommy,” she says, “your heart is beating really fast.”

“I know, honey,” I say, sighing. “I know.”

CHAPTER 20

MILO

Iopen my eyes, squinting against the morning light pooling in from my living room windows. For a second, I pause and wonder where I am. I look at the old coffee table and I notice the two glasses sitting next to an empty whiskey bottle.

Anna. I smile, remembering everything as I lick my lips. She’s still lingering on them like the sweet aftertaste of fresh fruit and ice cream.

A pair of sleepy blue and brown eyes stare at me from the far edge of the couch.

I twitch up to sit.

“Hello,” she says.

I blink and set my feet on the floor. “Charlotte…” I look at the closed bedroom door and back at the scope hanging around her neck. “Are you okay? Where’s your mom?”

She steps closer, and I flinch. She lays the scope against my chest and shifts the earpieces up onto her head. I relax and breathe, finding amusement in her little curious face. I get a better look at her in the light. She has my chin. My dimples. My god…

“It’s fast,” she says, listening hard.

“Yeah,” I say, catching my breath.

“Are you in love?”

“Am I what?”

My bedroom door swings open and Anna steps out with panic on her face. She exhales with relief when she sees Charlotte standing there, safe and sound.

“Char, what are you doing?” she asks.

I hold up a hand. “It’s okay. She’s just being curious.”

“She’s not bothering you?”