Say No More

by Rose, Karen

  ‘Blow out your candles, Mercy. I can see my children have been adding to your vocabulary.’

  ‘Nope,’ Mercy said cheerfully. ‘I learned that one from Karl.’

  ‘Hey,’ Karl protested, then shrugged. ‘Yeah, it was me.’

  Mercy gripped Rafe’s hand, then blew out the candles with one huge breath.

  Rafe leaned in to whisper in her ear, ‘You’re really good at blowing things. Out.’ He laughed when she elbowed him harder. ‘I said out.’

  ‘So who wants cake?’ Mercy asked. ‘Everyone but Rafe? Okay.’

  Rafe had to kiss her for that, because he was so damn happy that he needed to let some of it out or he’d bust. ‘Can I have cake now?’ he asked when she broke the kiss to breathe.

  ‘No,’ she said, even as she cut him a slice. ‘Now leave me to cut this cake in peace.’

  Quitting while he was ahead, Rafe grabbed his plate and his cane and moved to the back of the room where he could watch Mercy . . . glow.

  He wasn’t very surprised, though, when Tom Hunter joined him. The man had been trying to ask him something all afternoon, but one of them kept getting pulled into another conversation.

  ‘What’s up?’ Rafe asked. ‘Is Liza okay?’

  Tom shrugged. ‘You’d have to ask her.’

  Ouch. Okay. Rafe backed away from that little bomb. ‘What did you want to talk to me about?’

  Tom looked relieved. ‘I was wondering if you’d considered going into the private sector.’

  Rafe frowned up at him, confused. ‘Like . . . what?’

  ‘Like private investigating.’

  ‘Sure. Of course I have. But I’ve been advised not to make any huge career shifts for a little while longer.’ It had been his therapist’s suggestion and it had felt right to Rafe. He’d regained more flexibility and balance, and thankfully the pain was less, but he had a long way to go, both physically and mentally. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I have need of a PI.’

  Rafe gave Tom his full attention. ‘Is it Eden?’

  Tom huffed a mirthless laugh. ‘What else might it be?’

  Excitement sent a shiver down Rafe’s spine. ‘Did you find them?’

  ‘Not yet, but we’re close. If you’re interested in hearing more, we can meet tomorrow. Somewhere quiet.’

  ‘And Mercy?’

  ‘Don’t mention it to her for now. I don’t expect you’ll keep it quiet forever, but for now keep it to yourself. Let her enjoy her birthday.’

  And didn’t that sound peachy? ‘Is she in danger?’

  ‘Not to my knowledge. Tomorrow?’

  ‘Send me a time and place. I’ll be there.’

  ‘Thanks. Now I’m going to get some cake.’

  Rafe watched Tom amble back to the table and give Mercy a kiss on the cheek. Irina took the cake knife and shooed Mercy away from the table to ‘keep Raphael company’.

  ‘I’ve been dismissed,’ Mercy said with a chuckle. ‘What was that about? You and Tom?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Rafe answered honestly. ‘I asked him about Liza and he kind of blew me off.’

  Her brow lifted. ‘I think we’re done with blowing things off and out.’

  Rafe snorted. ‘Off, yes. Out, yes. Other blowing? Not a chance that we’re done.’

  She lifted on her toes to peck his lips. ‘Cake’s good.’

  ‘Did you get any?’

  ‘I licked my fingers.’ She demonstrated, sucking on all of her fingers, and he groaned.

  ‘You’re killing me here, Mercy.’

  ‘Good. You deserve it.’

  She was looking up at him with unfettered . . . something. More than fondness. More than affection. It was time.

  ‘I love you,’ he whispered.

  Her mouth fell open, then curved in a smile that was both wicked and sweet. ‘And I love you. I was wondering when I could tell you.’

  ‘I kind of figured it out myself.’ He set the plate on a countertop and cupped her cheek. ‘I’m so glad you’re here, Mercy Callahan. In this house and in my life.’

  ‘I’m happy to be here. With you.’

  They just smiled at each other, with no passionate kisses, no clawing at clothes. Just joy.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘For being willing to leave everything behind for me.’

  She kissed him then, slow but chaste. ‘I left nothing behind. I added on, like your father said. But if it came down to either everything or you, I would have left it all behind.’

  He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close, so that they leaned against the wall watching their families merge.

  Mercy rested her head on his shoulder. ‘We are going to need to start Christmas cards soon.’

  He looked down at her. ‘It’s May.’

  She waved a hand at all the people. ‘Look at this list. I hope you have good penmanship, because I’m not writing all those cards myself.’

  He wasn’t going to complain. ‘Together. We’ll do it together.’

  If you loved Say No More, be sure to read Say You’re Sorry, the first gripping instalment of the Sacramento series

  A serial killer is on the loose in California, leaving letters carved into the torsos of his victims.

  When Daisy Dawson fights off a masked attacker one night, she grabs a necklace from around his neck. What she doesn’t know then is that she’s found the missing link to a cold case that Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has been tracking for seventeen years. With Daisy’s help, he finally has the opportunity to get closer to the truth than ever before.

  But it soon becomes clear that Daisy’s attack was just the beginning. Now the bloodied bodies of young women are showing up all over the state. As Gideon tries to track down the killer, it’s clear he has a new target. Daisy is in more danger than they ever could have realised . . .

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