Page 84 of One Breath After Another

Just ... understood.

“I could get my wife,” he suggested, tipping his glass her way when more tears spilled down Penny’s cheeks. “Or even Roz, if you want. I mean, it’s your call but—”

“It’s fine,” she rushed to say.

She didn’t want anyone to know something was wrong. Not when she wasn’t sure what that might mean for them to know in the first place. Or worse ... because she did know exactly what it would mean.

Her reply had Cross narrowing his gaze on her. “You’re lying.”

“What?”

“You’re lying to me. I don’t know why, maybe it’s not important. But you are lying, and that’s ... interesting.”

“Wh-why?” she asked, more confused than anything.

“Because that means something really is wrong. But if it was the kind of something Roz could handle, and she usually does with you, I know that for a fact, then you wouldn’t have just refused my offer to get her. So, something is wrong ... and it’s bad, isn’t it?”

Penny swallowed hard, unsettled with how the man had been able to read her without any effort at all. That was a gift most people didn’t possess—she also didn’t know what to do about it.

Except stay silent.

“Penny—”

“It’s fine,” she said again.

Nope.

It didn’t work.

He rounded the desk, taking slow, short steps until he stopped in the middle of the room. “You were doing well—Naz said so. He did mention you’ve been a little off for about a week. Since what, the day your trust and restitution was handed over, right?”

She didn’t reply.

He didn’t need her to, apparently.

“I heard your mother was there,” he said.

Cross stared at her like he knew ... but what?

How could he?

Who was he if he did know?

“No Roz, then?” he asked quietly.

Penny nodded. “Please.”

“Okay. Is it bad? Whatever happened ... is it bad?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you need help?”

“Everyone does,” Penny admitted. “They all need help because of me.”

He dragged in a heavy breath and scrubbed his hand back through the slick strands of his dark hair, peppered with gray only at the edges. “Then, tell me. Can’t I help?”

She hesitated. Only for a second. Then she thought ... what do I have to lose now? The answer was scary.