Page 112 of That Last Secret

“You’ve worked your way up the ladder and earned everything you’ve been given because you worked hard for it. I’ve never known an officer in any of my units to put their job before anything else.”

I give him a curt nod because he’s right.

No one on the force cares more about their job than I do.

That’s because I don’t have what they have. They have families, wives, and things to go home to. They have lives outside of work when I’ve made my job my entire life.

That immediately makes me think about Emiline. Do I now have someone to go home to? Is she my person? Is there a future there?

“Can I let you know soon?” I ask him.

“Of course. Go home, sleep, and we can talk about it later.”

I offer him a quick goodbye and make my way out the door.

My brain’s running faster than my feet can walk me to my truck.

I think about this new offer. About Emiline and what’s truly going on between us. I think about what my future might look like if I say yes to this job and make things official with her. I also think about what her brothers will think about all of this.

I pull my phone from my pocket and text the one person who I know can talk me through this mess in my head.

I need a boxing session later tonight.

Silas

See you there at 6pm.

“Did you get any sleep today?” Silas asks. “You seem more sluggish than usual during our warm-up.”

“No,” I answer honestly, unscrewing the cap to my water bottle and taking a long swig. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Did you get in that much trouble meeting with the chief this morning?” he jokes.

I look him dead in the eyes with a blank look on my face.

“Oh shit.” His expression turns serious. “Is this a conversation we should have had over drinks?”

“No. I needed this. I needed to just think about things. You know, talk things through with you.”

“Aww, you love me.”

“Shut up.”

I sit down on the edge of the boxing ring, and Silas joins me.

A few moments pass before I finally have the courage to say something.

“He offered me his position.”

“No way. That’s amazing, Bennett. You should be so proud of yourself.”

“I am,” I answer, but my tone lacks emotion.

“Now tell me why you don’t seem happy about it.”

“A lot has changed.”

“You mean what you have going on with Emiline?” he asks.

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