Page 129 of Five for Silver

Romeo nodded, almost frantically, before pressinghis lips to Chad’s. He didn’t tell Chad anything, not with words,but with his harsh grip and his brutal kiss.

They’d lost against Vincent Whitehall, but they werefar from down and out.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chad stared down at his murky reflection. Hebreathed out, and the top of his coffee rippled. Keeley waited,with patient kind eyes, she waited for him to speak.

The session so far had been one-word answersto her questions.

She prompted him to say more with nods, buthe couldn’t.

There were no words.

His throat had gone dry.

Merc lay on the floor by Keeley’s feet,chomping his rawhide bone. He kept stopping to glance at Chad. EvenMerc could tell he was only just holding it together. Josh and Allyhad rallied around him like they said they would. Romeo had stoppedpunishing himself by putting distance between them. He’d been moreoverwhelming than normal, and when a car pulled up outside theirhouse to throw a brick through the window, Chad had to anchorhimself to Romeo to stop him flying outside and chasing down thedriver.

“It might help if you talk,” Keeley tried.“If you can’t tell me in words per say, you could tell me inemotions and we’ll go from there.”

He didn’t drink his coffee, but it cooled inhis hands.

“Exhausted.” Chad managed.

Keeley watched as he touched his face. Thecircles beneath his eyes were dark, and his usually smooth jaw hadgrown patchy stubble he’d forgotten to shave off that morning.

“You’re not sleeping,” she said softly.

“I fall asleep, but my dreams wake meup.”

“Dreams about?”

“Marc, Tate, Vincent, Lucy,” Chad shook hishead. “It’s like my subconscious is attacking me, it wants to stopme from sleeping. It wants to punish me.”

“You speak about your subconscious like it’sa different entity.”

“It’s the detective,” Chad snorted tohimself. “He doesn’t want to go quietly.”

“The detective,” Keeley frowned. “Youmean…”

“Myself,” Chad clarified. “That part ofme... the one that’s supposed to be selfless and protect the publicand uphold the law. That part I failed.”

“You did what you had to do to survive—”

Chad held up his hand to stop her. “I don’twant to talk about Lucy.”

Keeley nodded.

“Cornered.” Chad said.

“Cornered?” Keeley tilted her head.

“You said I should say what I feel likeright now. I feel cornered.”

“It’s understandable. The press attentionshould ease … eventually.”

“Have you read what they’re saying about meon social media?”

“No.” Keeley said firmly. “You shouldn’tread that either. It’s toxic.”

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