Page 90 of Lethal Threat

The water runs in the guest bath. The toilet flushes.Then the house falls silent. All I can think about is the ticking time bomb between us.

Punching my pillow, I try to get comfortable.Yeah. Good luck with that, buddy.

After half an hour of staring into the black expanse of the bedroom, I consider marching over there and telling her everything. Just ripping the fucking bandaid off. Unleashing the carnage.

But I don’t. Because it’s only going to cause her pain. Something I’d love to save her from ever experiencing again.

There’s got to be some way to fix this shit.

To save her from heartbreak all over again. To give us a fighting chance. Reaching for my phone, I dial up Marshall.

“It’s late as hell, I’m sorry.”

His voice is sleep-rough. “What do you need, brother?”

“To talk this shit through.”

* * *

Sierra’s still asleep upstairs when I carry my duffel bag of gear to the front door.

After, I jot a note on the pad on the kitchen table.

“I’ll be back tomorrow evening. Liam, Sophia, and my Mom’s numbers are on a piece of paper taped to the wall by the house phone. If you need anything at all, call them immediately. They’re doctors. Well, Mom isn’t, but you know she’s got you for anything else you need. We have a lot to figure out when I get back. Don’t do anything foolish. And DON’T touch the axe.

Yours, Cole”

Yours.

Damn.

I stare at the note.Yours.I’m in over my head. If Sierra leaves, I’m not sure I will survive.

My shoulders are heavy as I turn off the kitchen light and snag my phone off the charger. I give it one last check.

Damn. I was hoping for a text from Marshall. Even one from Cade. But nothing. No developments on tracking Sierra’s brother.

Things are about to get busy. Marshall is going on the training op with us, but the last thing he’s going to be thinking about is the intel he’s been working on aside from his other commitments.

He knows it’s important. But I’m not sure he realizes it might be my one chance.

I don’t have much time, but that doesn’t stop me from going to the guest room door.

The guest room is silent. I crack open the door and step into the darkness. Sierra’s small form is barely visible in the gigantic bed. The sight makes my heart constrict.

Lifting the blanket, I slide in behind her.

She sighs sleepily as I press my body against her back and wrap my arm around her. My heart throbs painfully behind my ribcage as I listen to her steady breathing.

When I kiss her cheek, she stretches against me. “Is it morning?”

“Yes. I have to leave for the training with the team soon.”

“But it’s really early.”

“Yes, it is.”

She rolls in my arms until she’s facing me. I tuck her into my shoulder. Gliding my hand up and down her slender back makes me never want to leave.