.

      Dr. Walsh squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t be so quick to judge. Give us a fair shot.”

      “Okay.” She would. Even though she knew neither Nick nor Dr. Walsh could understand what she was going through.

      When she’d come home with visible bruises, Kara had told her folks she’d been beaten up in the school parking lot by a bunch of girls she couldn’t identify. It was a lie. She couldn’t tell anybody the truth. Ever. Her parents had made her come to the RCVC, and she didn’t fight it because she was afraid, if she did, somehow they’d find out what really happened, and she couldn’t let anybody know that.

      Because what had happened was all her fault.

      NICK SMILED and spoke to each teen as they left, even Nato and Hector, who grunted, “Later, bro,” as they headed out. Then he crossed to the door and closed it.

      “That went well, don’t you think?”

      Count to ten. Twenty. Now, turn around. “No thanks to you.” His voice was deadly calm, which was how it got when he was angry. This was too much to expect of him, and he was going to tell her so. Because he was around her again, he hadn’t been sleeping well, or eating or anything! The idea of working in this group with her was outrageous.

      “Excuse me? I thought I contributed pretty well.”

      “Tell me the real reason you did something as unprofessional as volunteering to be the second counselor and then springing it on me in front of all these kids? You of all people know how important first impressions are with crime victims.”

      “You were great with them.”

      “Answer the question.”

      “I already told you I couldn’t find anybody else.”

      “Why didn’t you warn me?”

      She raised her chin. “I knew you’d object. And try to find a way to keep me out. I couldn’t let that happen.”

      “When did you get so underhanded? You used to be an open book.”

      “It wasn’t underhanded. It was expedient. I would have won in the end, anyway.”

      “Of course, because you run the place.” He threaded a hand through his hair. “Why the hell did we think we could do this? Work together?”

      Her faced reddened. “I know where my head’s at. Under no circumstances am I going to let you run my life any longer.”

      “Any longer? What does that mean?”

      “Nothing.”

      “Tell me.”

      “Back off, Nick.”

      Maybe he should. “Maddie, this isn’t going to work. We can’t be together for…what—” he glanced at the clock “—a few minutes without arguing.”

      Pivoting to face the chair, she picked up her journal. “You’ll have to do something about that then.”

      He grabbed her arm and whirled her around. “I can’t work so closely with you. How many different ways can I say that?”

      He expected retreat. Instead, she stepped toward him. “Get over it, Nick. Rule number one around here is we do what’s best for kids. My being in the group is good, if for no other reason than I was there to take care of Kara while you finished up with the others. And you know very well some kids react better to women than men and vice versa.”

      “I can handle them all.”

      “No, you can’t. You’re going to have problems with Nato Keyes and Hector Santos.”

      “Are you criticizing my counseling skills?”

      “No. I’m only pointing out why you need the second counselor. Accept the idea that you’re not playing this alone.”

      “Fine, I’ll accept another counselor. Just not you.”

      “There’s no other choice! For God’s sake, don’t you think I’d have jumped at it if there was? I tried to get someone else and couldn’t. We’re in this together, no matter how much you dislike it.”

      “Do you like it?”

      “Are you kidding?” She looked horrified. “I hate it. I hope that’s some consolation.” She circled around him and reached the door before he stopped her with his words.

      “It’s not, Maddie. It’s no consolation at all.”

      Her back still to him, she said, “You’ll have to find a way to deal with it. So will I.”

      And then she was gone.