She squeezed his hand. “Just say it, Rafe.”

“Quill Romero is dead.”

She jerked back like she’d been slapped, the color draining from her face. “What?”

“Her body was discovered sometime during the night.”

Mercy’s eyes were filling with tears, her breaths shallow and too fast. “How?” But he could see she already understood. She covered her mouth to muffle a sob. “Because of me.”

“No, honey. No.” Rafe gathered her close until she was halfway on his lap. “We don’t know that yet. It appears to have been a robbery.”

Mercy’s body shook as she tried to quietly cry. “Why? Why would someone rob her?” She clung to him, both arms around his neck, and he pulled her fully to his lap. One of these days he wanted to hold her like this when her heart wasn’t breaking, but that wouldn’t be today.

“Did she know that you were leaving for Sacramento yesterday morning?”

Mercy could only nod against his neck. “And now she’s dead because of me.”

“No, it’s because a sonofabitch is obsessed with you, baby. You can’t blame—”

She shoved away, glaring at him. “Don’t you dare tell me not to blame myself. I loved her. I loved her, Rafe. And she’s dead and it’s because of me.”

“You aren’t responsible for anything Ephraim Burton has done.”

“Aren’t I? If I’d cooperated six weeks ago and helped Gideon’s boss find him, then he couldn’t have killed her. And if I hadn’t fought him in Eden, he wouldn’t have hurt me so bad and Mama wouldn’t have tried to smuggle me out and she’d still be alive, too.”

He stared at her. “Mercy. Listen to yourself.”

“I am,” she hissed. “I am listening to myself and maybe I don’t make sense to you, but this is how I feel, so don’t you dare tell me it’s wrong.”

“You’re right. I don’t have the right. I might have the right to my opinion, but not to force it on you.”

Mercy’s gaze lingered on his for a long moment, so full of pain that Rafe felt his own eyes sting. “I have to tell Farrah,” she whispered.

“No. Her captain is on his way. He flew out first thing after Miss Romero’s body was found. He wants to be here for her.”

“How much longer will we need to wait? I don’t think I can keep this from her.” Then her eyes narrowed. “Your mother knows. That’s why she snapped at Sasha.”

He nodded once. “Mom overheard Tom and me talking in the office. I didn’t want you to hear it in front of everyone. I thought you might need some quiet to process things, and that’s hard to do with an audience.”

She pursed her lips as the tears began to flow again. Clearly, her anger was gone, and it looked like it had been replaced by a sadness that was bone deep. But there was something else there, something soft and grateful. “Thank you. I appreciate it. That can’t have been an easy secret to keep.”