Even for her.
Even for love.
The question was: would Nora still be there when he finally figured out how?
Or would she realize she deserved someone who could actually put her first?
Someone who wasn’t irreparably broken by nineteen years of chasing ghosts and trying to save people he couldn’t save?
Carson held her tighter, as if he could keep her through proximity alone.
But he could feel her slipping away.
And he didn’t know how to stop it.
Not when the case demanded everything.
Not when justice was on the line.
Not when he was Carson Black, the detective who never let go.
Even when letting go might be the only way to keep what mattered most.
Chapter 21
Tuesday morning arrived with rain.
Carson woke to find Nora’s side of the bed empty and cold. He checked his phone—six AM. She was up early.
He found her in the kitchen, already dressed for her client meeting, making coffee.
“Morning,” he said.
“Morning.” She didn’t look at him.
“About yesterday—”
“Don’t.” She poured her coffee with careful precision. “Don’t apologize again. It doesn’t mean anything if nothing changes.”
“Nora—”
“I have my client meeting at nine. I need to prepare.” She picked up her mugand laptop. “Good luck with your surveillance today. I hope you catch Shaw.”
She disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door.
Carson stood in the kitchen, feeling the distance between them grow with each passing second. He wanted to go after her. Wanted to fix this.
But he had two hours before he needed to be in position for Shaw’s arrival. Two hours to make things right.
He knocked on the bedroom door. “Can I come in?”
“It’s your bedroom too.”
He entered to find Nora sitting cross-legged on the bed, reviewing documents on her laptop. She looked professional and put-together and completely closed off.
“I know I’ve been distant,” Carson started. “I know I promised to find balance and I haven’t. And I’m sorry.”
“I know you are. But sorry doesn’t fix anything.” She looked up at him. “You can’t help who you are, Carson. You’re a detective who gets consumed by cases. Who can’t let go until justice is served. I knew that when we got together. I just thought—” She stopped.
