Page 47 of Lethal Threat

The silence in the house is deafening, but I can sense Sierra just down the hall. Thirty steps from me, to be exact.

Dangerously close.

There was no way in hell I could sleep with her in the same bed.

First, I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping and she needs rest desperately.

Second, I’m already behaving like a fucking idiot. Getting in bed together would only make this situation worse.

With a growl in my throat, I mound up the pillow and shove my face into it. Longest night ever.

No, that’s wrong. I’ve had longer nights when it comes to my past with Sierra.

Guilt is one emotion that I’m familiar with. Even misplaced guilt. Which is not what I have now.

This is straight up guilt. For misleading her. The rational part of me knows it’s for her own good. Temporarily. I still feel like a fucking heel.

“Aargh!” I bellow into the pillow.

Sierra deserves to know everything—the whole ugly truth of what drove us apart.

But it will hurt and hurt badly.

She’s fragile right now. The last thing she needs is to hear that story. Anyone that got blindsided by that could pop an aneurysm.

Can’t do it. She gets peace while she can.Even if the guilt breaks me.

I shove the tangled blanket off my legs and stand up. The floor is cool beneath my bare feet as I pace to the window. The storm has arrived. Snow’s falling in fat flakes, coating the grass and trees now.

When I check my watch, I confirm my suspicion. Three a.m. Regardless, I stride to the dresser to grab my phone. This is not a good time to operate in a vacuum.

Cade answers with a crisp, “Slaughter here.” It’s zero five-hundred hours in Virginia.

“We made it,” I say as I faceplant back onto the bed. “You probably figured that since you hadn’t gotten a distress call already.”

“You just caught me as I was getting ready for a run. Flight okay?”

“Uncomfortable as fuck.” I stretch a kink out of my back, roll over and sprawl my legs out. After I try to get comfortable and fail, I scrub my hand over my face.

Cade asks, “Shouldn’t you be sleeping? It’s early there.”

“Should be. Sierra is, I think. At least I haven’t heardher up. I tucked her in my guest room and ran before I did something that made this even more difficult.”

“You’re going on twenty-four without sleep. You’ve got to be tired. Can you rack out for a while before she gets up?”

“Not even close. My brain is spinning. I’ve hit the wired-second-wind phase of the operation.”

He chuckles. “Copy that. I know that feeling. Not that I know what it’s like to be in your shoes, big guy. But since you’re not going to sleep, you might as well tell me how things are between you two.”

Cade and Sierra have known each other for years through the Air Force. That’s how he and I met—through her—so he’s seen our story up close. Only when Sierra and I split, he and I stayed in touch.

He’s been a steady voice of reason. So I let loose of what’s bothering me. “I kissed her, Cade. Fucking hell. Not only did I do that, I grabbed her like she didn’t have enough shit going on.”

“Ah… um, not sure what to say to that, brother.”

“Thanks,” I mutter. “I see you’re going to be a lot of help.”

“I’m good at flying planes. Counseling not so much.”