“Kate.” Randall’s tone was firm. “You’ve never compromised your principles to further your own agenda.”

“Maybe not. But I didn’t take a stand against the firm when they used me to promote their new brand after the John Lyons scandal. I could have said ‘no’. But my ego was stroked. And I hoped it would give me some leverage with the partners. Instead, they’ve used my image when it suited their purposes. And they’ve discarded me when it hasn’t. I’m now viewed as a liability.” A rock had lodged in her throat. It was called truth. Why hadn’t she seen this before?

“Why don’t you think this over? You’ve been through so much. We don’t want to lose you.”

“I don’t know about the ‘we’, Randall.” Her tone was dry. “You are the only person who has tried to convince me to stay.”

“I don’t want to lose you.” His voice was soft. But the words echoed in her ears.

And they scared her. He scared her.

She knew he wanted her.

And she knew she had wanted him.

Still wanted him.

But their desire for each other had sprung from a circumstance fraught with pain, loss, peril. It had forced them through tremendous lows and highs.

It had been a rollercoaster.

And she hated rollercoasters. The thrill was over before you could catch your breath.

“You haven’t lost me.” She kept her tone light. “I’m going to be a few blocks away at Eddie’s office.”

“Kate, you know I want to support whatever decision you make—”

But. She knew it was coming.

“—But have you really thought this through? What it would be like to mount a defense of people accused of terrible crimes? Are you really up for that?”

She took a deep breath. “I can’t do this anymore—” she gestured to her now-empty desk “—and not have it mean something. I don’t know why I ended up going through everything I did, but it changed me, Randall. In ways that I can’t explain.”

“I understand, Kate. Believe me, I’ve been changed, too.”

She did believe it.

She just was afraid that they both had changed so much that there was nothing to keep them together.

Except sexual attraction.

And as tempting as that was—she inhaled the crisp cotton of Randall’s shirt—it had ended disastrously for her and Ethan.

Her heart wasn’t prepared to go through that again.

She pulled her attention back to his question. His concern touched her. He was afraid for her.

Even after she had tried to push him away.

“Everything that has happened to me at McGrath Woods has had one overriding theme: the need for justice for those who have been victims. I want to help people who have been harmed, Randall. I want to protect people so it won’t happen again.”