I’ve literally pissed away my captaincy trying to keep my crew safe.
Cap’s right, I should have gone to him and not tried to control everything myself.
Fuck.
I take the steps two at a time and stalk for the locker room. My fist meets the old metal locker before I step sideways and drop to the bench and plunge my head into my hands. “Christ above.”
I flick through every possible way that could have gone better, but I can’t grasp one scenario where I don’t come out worse off.
“I take it that didn’t go well,” Heids says, sitting on the bench.
“Nope.” I don’t raise my face from my hands.
“If it’s any consolation, I think you two are incredible together.”
That makes me lift my head, but it’s shaking even before our gazes meet. “Not that.”
“Then what?”
“Taking over Schmiddy’s callouts.”
“Ah, fuck.”
“Yeah, fuck.”
“So what? You pull your head in and let him run his dangerous shit show?”
My head is shaking again.
“Worse?”
“I’m on the desk for the foreseeable future.”
Heidi’s mouth gapes, her brows crashing down. “Oh, we are so screwed.” Now her head drops, and she runs a hand over her hair.
“Unless somehow he transfers out, or quits, there’s a good chance he’ll make captain since I fucked everything up.”
“Oh hell no.”
Heids looks enraged as she stands. “Over my dead body.”
Unfortunately, that’s a distinct possibility with Schmiddy in charge, and I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming. I didn’t think I’d have an oversight so severe it would put my crew at risk.
“Miles?” The new voice is soft, low, and worried.
I snap my head up, and the second she reads my expression it’s as if she knows what this means for us, at least here in the house.
“Are you alright?” She leans on the doorjamb and folds her arms over her chest, that bottom lip tugging between her teeth.
“Yeah, go back to your crew, Tennison.”
Her face moves with a hurt and confused gesture, but she swallows and pushes off the door and turns back.
I watch her walk away.
And I fucking hate it.
Chapter 26
