She splintered with a cry, her body clenching around him. The sensation dragged him over the edge, and he buried himself deep as he came, her name a prayer on his lips.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. After a heartbeat, she cupped his face, pulling him down for a kiss—soft and sweet and filled with everything they couldn’t say.
When they finally broke apart, she smiled. “You were right.”
“About?”
“I stopped thinking.”
He grinned and rolled to the side, pulling her against him. “Anytime you need me to shut your brain off, sweetheart, you just say the word.”
She laughed—quiet and genuine—and burrowed into his chest.
And for the first time in a long time, Sinner felt a sensation close to peace.
It wouldn’t last. Outside these walls, a storm was brewing.
But when it hit, he would be standing with the woman he would singlehandedly fight an entire army—or a deadly terrorist—for.
* * * * *
Sinner didn’t sleep.
He couldn’t—not with Opal’s body warm and trusting against his and the mental image of Cipher’s hands on her branded into his brain.
At 0500, he gave up pretending. He eased out of bed, grabbed his phone and walked out to the car for a moment of privacy.
As he strolled to the vehicle, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle of pills. He shook a couple into his hand andswallowed them dry. He wasn’t sure if anyone was watching but he had to keep up the front.
After he slipped behind the wheel, he pulled out his phone. Dante answered on the first ring. “You’re up early.”
“Tell me about the scene of the stabbing.” His voice was gritty from lack of sleep and a hardcore need for answers.
“The FBI processed the office. They ran the blood spatter, fingerprints, the works. It’s him. Daniel Sheen. Cipher.”
The confirmation hit like a gut punch even though Sinner had already known. He’d fucking known the second Opal described the man.
“Son of a bitch.” He dragged a hand through his hair, his scalp prickling with foreboding.
“Con wants a call. He’s looping in the whole team.”
Sinner’s jaw locked. “Copy.”
“In the meantime, command is the same. She goes to work. Ash and Mason are already en route. They’ll watch over her.”
“Why not me, goddammit? She’s my partner,” he bit out.
“Con’s orders. You go to the job site and wait for the team call.”
His jaw locked down so hard he couldn’t respond. Con knew he was too close to this to keep a clear head. How could he? He couldn’t lose her.
He ended the call and stared at the phone in his hand. The urge to put his fist through the side window was so strong his knuckles itched.
He went back inside and found Opal getting ready for work.
She sliced a look at him. “What’s going on?”
“The FBI swept the scene.” He breezed to the small coffeemaker and filled it with coffee and water as if it was just any old Tuesday.
