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“Sure.” Juliet helped Paige onto the bed, kicking off her heels as she rounded the foot and took the comforter that was folded on the chair. She climbed onto the bed beside Paige, covering her up carefully. “How’s that?”

“Perfect, thank you.”

Juliet lay down, staring up at the ceiling, but Paige couldn’t take her eyes off her. She really was the ideal woman. Damn, she was going to miss this.

“Juliet?”

“Mm?” She didn’t turn to Paige. She just focused above her, tears slowly working their way down her cheeks.

“I do love you.”

Juliet inhaled a deep breath, her eyes closing as she puffed out her cheeks. “Get some rest. Your body needs it in order to heal.”

Chapter 22

TO BE LOVED

“How are you feeling?”

Startled by the voice coming from the open bedroom door, Paige grimaced and turned to face Juliet. “I’ve been better.”

They’d been back at the apartment for just over an hour, and Paige had decided to take Juliet’s spare room rather than share a bed with her. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but doing so would be a mistake. It would imply that Paige was staying, that she wasn’t worried about the day when James came barrelling through Juliet’s door. Sharing a bed with Juliet would only make this far more difficult than it needed to be.

“Can I get you something to eat? I was going to cook, but I think it’s best if I just order in.”

Paige shook her head, limping across the room to her hold-all. “No, thank you. I’m not really feeling up to eating.”

“Understandable.” Juliet cleared her throat, moving towards Paige. “Can I help you unpack?”

Paige lay a hand on Juliet’s wrist as she reached into the hold-all, stopping her. “I’m just going to leave it as it is for now. It’s been a long day, you know?”

“Then…can I hold you?” That glint in Juliet’s eyes didn’t go unnoticed by Paige, but it only broke her heart.

Paige shook her head. “It’s best if you don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s going to make all of this so much harder.”

“Make what harder?” Juliet frowned, but she reached out a hand and gently touched Paige’s face. “I want to help you. Please, let me do that.”

“I’m…leaving.”

Juliet’s face paled. “I…what? Leaving?”

“I’m leaving England.”

Juliet’s shoulders slumped as those words sunk in. “I…thought you loved me.”

“I do,” Paige said, shifting gingerly in her spot. Juliet caught the wince but hesitated as she reached out an arm to help Paige. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t stay in this country any longer. He’s going to kill me.”

“You think I’d let that happen?”

“I admire your confidence, and I adore how strong you are, but even you can’t stop him. And I’m not risking him finding me with you and hurting you. If he ever laid a hand on you, I would kill him.”

“Do one thing for me then, please?”

“W-what?”