Page 74 of The Sniper
“Yup,” I rub the back of my neck, praying for a little bit of privacy, but the cop just stands there like a fucking statue.
“Outside?I thought...ah.”Ryder puts two and two together and nods at the cop.“Got it.Okay, thanks, officer.”
The donut muncher takes the hint and wanders off.
“I sent the patrol home.This is my fault—”
“But you were here?”Josh glances between us.
“Jesus.He fucked her, Josh.”Ryder plants his hands on his hips.“He wasinsidethe house.”
Josh drags his gaze from Delta Force operator to me.“That right?”
“Yes, sir.”
I was here.
I heard and saw nothing, and right now you are working that out and arriving at the same conclusion I’ve known all along.I’m not fit to do this job.
Josh rubs his jaw and nods.
Jesus, I hope he doesn’t fire me on the spot.I’m prepared, but I don’t want him to do it in front of Tiffany.I doubt she can hear from where she is, talking to one of the cops, but a man has his pride.
“Josh—”
He holds up a hand.“I know—”
“I was coming in to resign.This morning,” I admit, and Ryder curses.
“The fuck for?”
“I slept with her.”I nod in Tiffany’s direction.“Pretty sure that’s not in the job description.Especially when some sick fuck gets past our defenses.When,” I hiss, “I’mthe fucking defense.”
“Okay, okay.”Ryder holds up his hands, trying to calm me.“Let’s just take a breather.”
That’s not going to fix this.
This isn’t about me feeling guilty because I fucked the pretty rich girl.Whoever broke in could have killed either of us.Could’ve raped her.Could have abducted her.
There is nothing about this situation that’s okay.
“Clear your head, Sniper,” Josh props his hands on his hips.“You are not resigning, and you also need to hear the story about how I met my wife.”
I’ve heard enough.
This is not the same.
“I’m not—”
“You risked your job to sleep with a client.”He glances over at Tiffany.“I doubt you are the type of man to do that lightly.”
Was I?
I wasn’t exactly a celibate monk.
“There’s more to it than this.”I glance at Ryder apologetically, feeling like I’ve deceived them all.None more than Tiffany.
“How much sleep have you had?”Ryder asks.
