Page 73 of Cohesion

“You can’t want someone with PTSD on your team.”

“You think you’d be the only one?”

“You don’t have it.”

“No,” Jericho confirmed. “Six does, from his time as an emergency doctor. So does Hunter, lingering effects from our childhood. They manifest the effects differently, but they’re there. It isn’t a matter of ‘curing’ it but controlling it. Techniques help them, so they don’t get compromised in the field.”

Peyton didn’t want that to make him feel better. He didn’t want logic intruding on his darkest thoughts. He’d lived with them so long it felt almost disingenuous for them to be so easily brushed over. He’d struggled for so long with them. Carried the demons with him, cutting himself from the inside with his failures.

“I don’t—” Peyton froze as he noticed that Jericho’s shirt was cut. He frowned as he pulled it down to reveal a thin cut across his chest, right above his heart.

“You’re bleeding.” How had he been injured? The killer hadn’t been anywhere near him. His heart sank, and he backed up a step, horror flooding him. “I did that.”

“It’s just a surface cut. No harm, no foul.”

“Jeric—”

“It doesn’t need stitches, and I can barely feel it now.”

Peyton barely registered his words. He’d cut Jericho. The blood on his shirt was bloodhe’dspilled. What if he’d cut deeper? What if he’d been more deliberate about it? Peyton knew how to kill efficiently with a knife. Where to hit for maximum damage in the shortest amount of time. Getting in quickly and quietly was his expertise, in any situation. What if—

“Hey,” Jericho soothed. “I’ve had worse during sparring matches with Greer. Feel.” He took Peyton’s hand and placed his palm over the cut, over his heart. He laid his own hand on top. “Listen.”

Peyton closed his eyes and soaked in the steady thrum of Jericho’s heartbeat. His own breathing synced unconsciously.

Jericho made him feel like maybe he could be okay. They all did. He’d always been too afraid to lean so heavily on Will. How was it fair to put all of that on one person? He knew Will would have taken it all in stride, knew he was strong enough to handle Peyton’s demons, but he’d never been able to take that final step to letting him see that far in. What if they swallowed Will’s light? He couldn’t risk it.

But Will wasn’t alone anymore.

Neither of them were.

A shot rang out, breaking through glass. Peyton tackled Jericho to the ground, covering him, heart beating wildly. He shifted, looking sideways, remaining on top of Jericho. No other shots came. “Just the one,” he murmured to himself. “It wasn’t for us.” One look at the man they’d tied up confirmed that. Aperfect shot right through the eyes, from the back of the head. A precision shot.

“Where is he coming from?”

“House across the way,” Peyton said. “He’s gone now.” He was certain of it. Would have packed up his weapon with efficiency and already be on his way out. One target. One job. Sticking around only increased the odds of getting caught.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. He doesn’t want to kill us.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because we’d be dead already.” So why weren’t they? They’d tortured the lawyer for a purpose. Peyton frowned, turning in a circle on the spot. “Information,” he said to himself.

“Peyton?”

“They’re after information. Theywantsomething. Something more than just killing us.”

“The thought had occurred to me,” Jericho agreed. “It was the reason that Errol and Dane went after Sebastian. They thought he knew something.”

“Somethingyoutold him. It’s why they won’t kill you. They think you have what they’re looking for. You, Sebastian, and this lawyer. Lawyer didn’t have it, so you’re next. The killer was compromised so they killed him to keep him from talking. No loyalty for him. Maybe random hired help?”

“That shakes out. Except then why didn’t they killyou?”

A good question. Peyton tapped his lips. Why, why, why? “Did the lawyer have any family or close friends? A partner, a wife, a husband, anyone?”

“Not that we found.”

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