Holding The Line: A romantic suspense that will get your pulse racing. Kierney Scott

in horror as realization sank in. He ran a hand through his hair. “Oh fuck, Beth.” In his hand he held the remains of the underwear he had ripped from her body. “Fuck, Beth, I’m sorry.” His voice broke from the strain of the emotion.

      Beth pushed herself up on her elbows. “It’s too late to apologize. For any of it. That is what I was trying to tell you.” She hung her head. They couldn’t take back anything that had been said or done.

      “Fuck,” he said again. “Oh Christ. I’m sorry.”

      Beth swung her legs around so she could sit up on the couch. “Don’t, Torres. I don’t want to talk about it. It happened, it’s fine. I just don’t want to talk any more. I’m done.”

      He ran a hand through his hair and swore again. “Let me run you a bath.”

      Beth shook her head. “No. Don’t you see? It’s over. If it wasn’t over the minute you crossed the border, it was over when I slept with Patterson.”

      Torres flinched at the mention of her partner’s name.

      The small movement was enough for her to realize why she had picked Patterson: because it gave the control back to Beth. It was Beth’s way of closing the door forever. “It’s over, Torres.”

      “Fine.” Torres buttoned his pants. “But I can’t leave you like this after what just happened. Let me take care of you. Let me run you a bath.”

      “No. It’s over. I don’t want you to run me a bath. I just want you to go.”

      “Beth, I’m sorry.” Shame marred his dark features.

      She shook her head again. “Stop saying that. Apologies won’t fix anything. They aren’t going to make us better. They’re not going to rewind the clock. It’s over.”

      “I shouldn’t have done that to you.”

      Beth’s head snapped up. “You didn’t do anything to me. We did something together. We said goodbye, Torres. I knew what was going to happen when I sent my sister and Alejandra away. We have a lot of history. We needed that closure. So don’t apologize for that. If you want to apologize for anything, apologize for leaving in the first place. Or better yet apologize for letting me fall in love with you.”

      Torres reached for her hand and she didn’t pull away. “I won’t apologize for that.”

      They sat in silence until Beth leaned over and kissed the slash on his cheek. “What are you going to do now? I mean not tonight. I mean in general with your life.”

      Torres looked down at the ripped panties in his hand. “I don’t know. I’m stuck. I’m dead after all.”

      Beth shook her head. This was one time when she hated her job. She hated knowing what was going to happen next. “Armando Torres is dead. Jessop will probably already have a cover chosen. It’ll take a few weeks to get everything in place but then you can start a new life somewhere. If you have any preference for state or preferred name, best to let him know now. Any idea where you want to go?”

      Torres laughed bitterly. “I don’t want to go anywhere. For four years, you were the home that I fought to get back to.”

      Beth’s breath caught in her throat. Pressure built behind her eyes. It was her turn to apologize. “Torres…” Her voice cracked. “I’m sorry too. About all of this. About everything. I’m sorry for all the mistakes I made. I’m sorry for your pain. I’m sorry I’m not the person you hoped I was.” She bit her lip to keep from crying. “I’m sorry that someone took our chance away.”

      Torres stood up. “Is this goodbye?”

      Beth grabbed his hand. She needed him to be in her life for another minute. Just sixty seconds that no one could take away. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his scar again. She didn’t dare kiss his lips, she wouldn’t be able to say goodbye if she did. But she had to say goodbye, because it was over. There was no coming back from their mistakes. They might be able to pretend for a while, but they would always be there, hanging between them, mocking their attempts at happiness. “Take care of yourself, Torres.”