LONDON
Ihaven’t been called into the captain’s office yet, so I can only assume Miles took the full brunt of our consequences.
Still, we’re on our days off after a grueling, nerve-racking set of shifts with Schmiddy as our CO and Miles nowhere to be seen. He’s like a ghost around the house. Appearing and disappearing in doorways as the crew eats. As I work out with Davey.
Despite having a spare, I knock on his apartment door.
Going days without him in my space has been a special type of torture.
The door opens, and Miles leans on it, pushing a sad smile up over his gorgeous face. My heart crashes out.
“Can I come in?”
He hesitates, but steps back, pushing the door open. “Sure.”
Okay . . .
“How’s Petal?” I look around the apartment, and when I find her curled up on the bed, I squat. “Hey, baby girl.”
She bolts off the doggy bed and lopes for me. I tumble to my seat as she jumps into my lap, and I can’t help the chuckle that slips out. It’s strained under the weight of Miles’s stare. Under the somber circumstances our actions have found us in.
“Did you want a drink?” Miles says.
“Sure, thanks.” I look up from Petal’s licky kisses. “Have you been a good girl for daddy, baby?”
Something clatters to the counter, and I snap my gaze up to find Miles hunched over the sink, hands gripping the edge of the counter.
I shift Petal from my lap and rise to my feet before padding to where he stands motionless, bar his rapidly rising and falling shoulders.
I wrap my body around his, dropping my forehead to his shoulder. “You’ll work through this, I swear.”
His back shifts as he hauls in breath after breath before finally turning around. I step back, and his jaw tenses.
Something hot and searing lances through my veins.
He’s angry.
He has every reason to be. I cost him his captaincy.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” I breathe as a stone swells in my airway.
He’s shaking his head as his jaw feathers.
My own face twists. I can’t believe the Cap actually took it away. If he’d spent one minute on scene with our crew he’d know this is the worst possible outcome for 53.
“No, it wasn’t you,” Miles growls. “I did this. I fucked it all up. And now?—”
“I was part of this, too! I am just as much to blame as you.”
He steps forward, reaching for me.
I step sideways. This exact thing is what cost him his promotion.
“Don’t walk away from me, London. I won’t watch that again.”
Again?
I still, meeting his gaze.
