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“I will.”

“No, you’ll think about the wedding, think about Charm, think about embarrassment, and decide you can survive one more night.”

Crystal’s face tightened.

I took out my phone. “Give me yours.”

She hesitated before handing it over.

I entered my number and called myself. When my phone vibrated, I ended the call and returned hers.

“You call the police first. Then you call me.”

Her brows lifted. “Ryan.”

“I’m not offering friendship, Crystal. I’m making sure Lance never gets another woman alone with his version of love.”

Tears spilled over her lashes.

I looked toward the gardens until she recovered enough to speak. “Charm doesn’t know what he did to you.”

My attention returned to her immediately.

“No.”

“She doesn’t know about the investigator, the photographs, or Milwaukee. Lance doesn’t know that I discovered the full truth either.”

“Keep it that way.”

Crystal stared at me.

The command had left before I decided whether I had the right to give it.

“She deserves to know eventually,” Crystal said carefully.

“Eventually.”

“You don’t want her to know.”

“Never.”

“Why?”

“Because I know your daughter.”

“So do I.”

“Then you know exactly what she’ll do with it.”

Pain entered Crystal’s face.

“She’ll look at every photograph he used and make his choices hers. She’ll convince herself her illness almost cost me my career. She’ll decide loving her opened the door for Lance to attack me, and suddenly she’ll be carrying another thing that never belonged on her shoulders.”

“I would never tell her it was her fault.”

“You wouldn’t have to. Charm can build guilt out of fucking air.”

Crystal looked down. “She’s stronger now,” she said.