He lifts his head, brows drawing together. “What?”

   “Yep,” I reply, trying to keep my expression neutral.

   I have no idea who she is or what she wants, but after reading a romance novel last night, I picture the same thing that happened to the heroine happening to me. Now this woman is here to tell Crow she’s pregnant from before he met me, and he’s going to be a dad.

   Just what I need right now.

   Wincing, I walk beside him back to her. It better not be the case, because I’m not dealing with any baby mamas.

   “Crow!” the woman yells out, smiling widely as she runs to him and throws herself in his arms. “I’m home. And I need the spare house keys. I accidentally left mine in my room.”

   “Heidi,” he murmurs, smiling. He puts her down and pulls me next to him. “That definitely sounds like you. This is Bronte. Bronte, this is my baby sister.”

   “Oh,” I mutter, eyes widening. Of course it’s his sister. Blonde. Attractive. Why the hell didn’t I think of that? This is the second time I’ve assumed something out of nothing and looked like an asshole. I don’t miss Crow’s smirk as he introduces us. I should be glad that it’s not an ex or baby mama, yet I still feel a little on the embarrassed side.

   Good one, Bronte.

   I need to control my jealousy around this man, because it’s really not that cute.

   “Nice to finally meet you, Heidi.”

   “You too,” she replies, glancing between the two of us. “My brother can’t stop talking about you, and I can see why—you’re absolutely gorgeous. I’d expect nothing else from Crow.”

   “I was thinking the same about you,” I reply, smiling.

   Crow fishes a set of keys out of his pocket and removes one. “Here you go.”

   “Thanks,” she replies, sliding the keys into her own pocket. “What are you both doing tonight? Do you want to come over for dinner?”

   Crow looks down at me, and I nod. “Sure, why not?”

   “Perfect. I’ll see you both around seven?”

   “Sounds good,” Crow replies. I ignore his gaze while Heidi clicks away.

   “You thought it was an ex-girlfriend or something, didn’t you?” He laughs, lifting me up and setting me down on my desk. “You should have seen your face.”

   “She’s young and beautiful,” I reply, raising my chin and shrugging. “And she was asking for you. It’s a valid conclusion.”

   “Even if someone came here looking for me, it doesn’t matter. I choose you over anyone, past, present or future, all right? You’re it for me, and my eyes sure as hell aren’t wandering,” he assures me, kissing my cheek. “Although you look cute when you’re mad.”

   He laughs as he walks away.

   Jerk.

   Still, his words are comforting to hear. He’s a good-looking man, and I know he’ll have women wanting him always. But he’s mine.

   And I’m not going to share.

   Nadia comes into the garage, which is a first, but the second I see the look on her face, I know that something is very wrong. Her eyes are red like she’s been crying, and her arms are wrapped around herself.

   “What is it?” I ask, getting up and going to her. I place my hands on her shoulders. “Nadia? What’s happened?”

   “It’s Billie,” she explains. “I’m so sorry, Bronte.”

   “Billie? What about Billie?” I ask, my heart in my throat. “I just spoke to her yesterday, and she’s fine.”

   “She’s gone,” Nadia whispers, swallowing hard. “I heard it over the police radio, and then I called my contacts to be certain and...” She takes a deep breath. “She was shot at your dad’s house. His address is what drew my attention first.”

   “What?” I whisper, shaking my head.

   “Police responded to shots fired at your dad’s address and they found her in front of the house. Do you know why she was...” Nadia can’t seem to continue as I start to fall apart.

   “It was because of me. I was such a baby and didn’t want to go back to my dad’s house to pick up the last box there. So I asked her to go for me. Why did I ask her? Why couldn’t I just do something on my own for once? Why...”

   Nadia pulls me in for a hug. “Shhh, stop that right there.”

   I just lost my dad, and now Billie, the girl who’s like a sister to me.

   This can’t be happening.

   I sit down on my chair and cover my face with my hands, just straight out sobbing. How much more of this am I supposed to take before I break?

   Cam comes out of the staff room and rushes over to me. “Why are you crying, Bronte? What’s wrong?”

   I’m crying too hard, I can’t even reply, so Nadia informs her.

   And then I have to watch Cam’s heart break in front of my eyes.

   She shakes her head in disbelief. “No, she can’t be gone.”

   She takes one look at my face, and starts crying with me, holding me. I don’t know who is comforting who, but we both need it.

   “This is all my fault,” I say to them both.

   “The only person at fault is whoever shot her,” Nadia replies, wiping tears away from my face. “And I know who my bet is on.”

   Nadia obviously assumes it has something to do with our case, and if that’s true then it’s my fault Billie is gone right now. Why would someone want to harm her? It makes no sense.

   What the fuck have I done, getting her involved in all of this?

* * *

   “I’m not going to let them hurt anyone else that I love!” I yell at Crow in the car. We cancel on dinner with Heidi and tell her we will make it up to her. When she hears what has happened, she understands instantly and sends her condolences.

   I know I shouldn’t take my pain out on Crow, but he’s the only one here and he’s the closest person to me in the world. I never thought a man other than my dad would ever be that for me.

   “I know,” he says gently, reaching over and taking my hand. “But this isn’t your fault.”

   “I should have just stayed away from her until this was over,” I whisper to myself, my hands clenching to fists. “I can’t believe this has happened.”

   It all feels unreal, like a dream. Or maybe I haven’t processed it properly yet. I feel numb, just when I was starting to feel again. I feel so damn guilty that it’s eating me inside. Billie was a good person, and she didn’t deserve this.