Fear clutched at my chest. “If Sarah comes for you, BJ and his family won’t be able to stop her.”
“It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I need to get on with my life. I need to get back to work, I have rent to pay, I have bills.”
“I’ll pay your rent and bills, Georgie.” My mother left me a large sum in her will, and I hadn’t touched it. I’d wanted to use it to buy a house, to set up a life for Tom and me. But I’d give Georgie as much as she needed if it kept her here and safe.
She shook her head. “It’s not about the money—Karson offered to pay it. In fact, I think he has because I haven’t had reminders … I have a life and friends I want to get back to. I miss Jodie and BJ, and I love you, Amy, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t see anyone else die.”
If Sarah still wanted revenge, there would be no life for Georgie, and the thought of losing her … “Does Karson know?”
“I told Michael.”
“And he agreed?”
She nodded and dropped her head, pulling her cardigan sleeves over her fingers.
“Michael said it was a good idea?” I pressed.
She looked up, peering under her long hair. “Not exactly, but he understood.”
“If Sarah finds out and she wants to hurt you, she will.”
“I know.”
“She will kill you, Georgie,” I repeated.
She sucked in a deep breath. “If I stay … I feel like I’m slowly dying inside. I don’t know much, but I do know in my heart I’m on this earth to help people, and I couldn’t do anything to help those girls or Leon. I watched as he killed them like they were nothing more than fucking bugs.”
“Please. I know it’s been hard, just give it a little longer.” I heard the fear in my voice. “I don’t want to risk losing you.”
She lifted her chin. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m sorry. I’m leaving tomorrow morning. I’d ask you to come too, but I know you’re stuck in this world whether you want to be or not. I don’t know how you stay sane.”
I picked up the book and showed her, lightening the mood. “I read dark romances. I’m used to morally gray men.”
Maybe that was partly true. Maybe the dark villain I enjoyed between the pages, with the miraculous tongue and impressively equipped cock who would destroy the world to save the heroine, was someone the little broken girl inside me needed to know was possible. Maybe she just wanted to be saved too …
God, it sounded like I needed a couch session or six.
A small smile filled her lips. “I read them too.”
“Oh, who knew you’re a closet dark-romance reader!”
“More like under the sheets.” Her smile grew. “It’s easier to fix the urges there.”
Laughter bubbled from my lips. “There’s probably a vampire or two floating around that could sort you out.”
“All those years on earth, you’d hope they knew what they were doing.”
“If you didn’t want to find out for yourself, you could ask Karson to bring back your memory with Ethan.”
She tilted her head to the ceiling and groaned. “I must have been so fucking drunk.”
“Drunk with lust,” I teased.
“Stop.” She groaned again. “Just because I’m leaving, there’s no need to torture me.” She stretched, her face serious again. “I better go and pack.”
Nodding, I tucked my knees to my chest and watched her walk out. A few minutes later, I went to the entertainment room and poured a vodka and soda water, and then another, and then another.
“Oh dear, I take it you’ve had a rough day?” Mary said, eyeing my drink.
