Edge of Mercy (A Kate Reid Novel Book 11), Robin Mahle [freenovel24 .txt] 📗

“First of all, I love you and nothing will ever change that.”

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Now I can see that I’ve made you more nervous. Okay, here’s the deal. I’ve been thinking about this for some time. Pretty much since we got back from Rio.” He held her gaze. “Kate, I’m going to ask for a transfer.” He raised his hands. “It’s not for the reason you think. It has nothing to do with Fisher taking the lead role. He deserved it and I do not hold it against him.”

“A transfer? You’ve been thinking about this for months and have said nothing to me?”

“Only because I wasn’t sure. I’m still not, frankly, but the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe it would be best.”

“For who?” Her tone was harsh and louder than she had intended.

“Kate, you are an incredibly talented agent. You’ve proven that again on the Bishop case. Noah Quinn was paranoid about you because your talent far exceeded his. I think if we’re both being honest, we both can see that you would absolutely thrive if I gave you the room to do so. And I haven’t.”

Her shoulders dropped and she lowered her gaze.

“You know I’m right. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to stand in your way. I wanted you to join the Bureau because I saw it in you then. I still see it only it’s much stronger now.” He pushed off the desk and squatted in front of her. “But here’s the takeaway. If a transfer was to happen, I would want it to be close. I know I can’t go back to the Washington Field office. Jameson is in charge there now. But other offices would make it possible for me to stay here—with you.”

Kate’s eyes reddened as she held his gaze.

“Given the fact that I was recently demoted, I’m not sure what, if any other office, would want me on board, let alone as their senior agent. But Fisher thinks that given my record with the Bureau and a good recommendation from Cole, it could be possible.”

“I don’t want you to leave, Nick.” She reached for his hands. “I can’t do this without you.”

“Oh, yes you can. You’ve proven that time and time again. But I don’t want to leave you, Kate. And I know we can make this work. Somehow. It wouldn’t be easy, but people do it all the time.”

She nodded and wiped away a rogue tear.

Nick raised his index finger and stood up. He walked around his desk and reached for his laptop bag. Inside the bag, he retrieved a box.

Kate looked at the box and her lips parted slightly with a small gasp of breath.

Nick returned to her side and bent down on one knee. “I’ve had my problems with alcohol and I’m working on that every day. I’ve also had my problems with stepping back so you could do what you needed to do to learn and grow as an agent. I’m trying to fix that too.” He opened the box to reveal the stunning solitaire inside. “I am a flawed human being. But I am also so in love with you. Kate, will you be my wife?”

Tears ran down her cheeks with reckless abandon. She looked at the ring and turned her sights to Nick. He was the third man who had wanted to marry her. Kate had agreed to the first one, but it had ended before it began. The second man was murdered before he could ask, and it was only later she discovered his intentions. Now there was Nick. A man she loved in a way she didn’t think was possible. Here he was asking to spend the rest of his life with her yet he was also abandoning her for reasons she knew were right but struggled to accept.

His face shifted anxiously in the wake of her delay.

She held his gaze and her eyes smiled. “Yes.”

Nick exhaled. “Oh, thank God. You had me worried for a second.” He laughed and wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Kate.”

“I love you, too.”

THE END

About the Author

Bestselling author Robin Mahle lives in Virginia with her husband and two children. Her Kate Reid mysteries have drawn praise for grabbing hold of the reader and refusing to let go. And the intense, fast-paced style of storytelling led her to create another series, the Lacy Merrick thrillers.

You won’t want to miss the small-town cop with the unique gift in the Riley Thompson series. And now, Robin is thrilled to introduce you to Allison Hart, a sharp-witted P.I. from the Sunshine State!

With powerful leading ladies and action-packed thrill rides, Robin hopes to continue taking readers on roller-coaster adventures that will leave them breathless.

If you enjoyed Ms. Mahle’s work, please share your experience by leaving a review on Amazon.

Also by Robin Mahle

All the Shiny Things - A Kate Reid Novel (Book 1)

Law of Five – A Kate Reid Novel (Book 2)

Gone Unnoticed – A Kate Reid Novel (Book 3)

Blackwaters – A Kate Reid Novel (Book 4)

Endangered -A Kate Reid Novel (Book 5)

The Pretty Ones - A Kate Reid Novel (Book 6)

The Last Word – A Kate Reid Novel (Book 7)

Deadly Reckoning - A Kate Reid Novel (Book 8)

To the Bone - A Kate Reid Novel (Book 9)

The Kill Season - A Kate Reid Novel (Book 10)

Deep Blue Goodbye - An Allison Hart Novel (Book 1)

Lethal Passage - An Allison Hart Novel (Book 2)

Between Dark and Light - An Allison Hart Novel (Book 3)

Force of Nature - A Riley Thompson Thriller (Book 0)

Behind Her Eyes - A Riley Thompson Thriller (Book 1)

Bad Beat - A Riley Thompson Thriller (Book 2)

State of Denial - A Lacy Merrick Thriller (Book 1)

Shadow Rising – A Lacy Merrick Thriller (Book 2)

First Target – A Lacy Merrick Thriller (Book 3)

Ghost Nation - A Lacy Merrick Thriller (Book 4)

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