Page 138 of Alpha Awakened

“What’s going on?”

“Colonel Trent came by my office this afternoon.”

“Oh yeah? What’d he want?”

“To let me know they want to give me another commendation.”

The curiosity on Hazard’s face was replaced by a big, genuine smile. “That’s awesome. You deserve it.”

“Along with a promotion.”

Hazard’s eyes went wide with surprise. “Damn, they really are impressed with you.” His green eyes sparkled with a teasing light. “Looks like I’d better start calling you Major Anderson, huh?”

“Not yet.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Before they promote me, I’ll be leaving.”

“Leaving? To go where?”

Ice answered in a clipped tone, getting all of the information out at once. “They’re transferring me out of the 448 to becomea solo operator again. Deep covert ops. Lots of travel. And my home base will be in Florida.”

“Florida?” Dylan asked incredulously.

Ice nodded once. “Yes.”

His smile gone, Hazard whispered his next question. “When are you leaving?”

“By the end of the week.”

Hazard looked crestfallen at that, his shoulders slumping and lips turning down in a frown. After a few moments, he shook it off and straightened his spine.

“Okay, well long-distance phone calls are expensive but we don’t need to call each other often. I actually like writing letters. And we can match up our leaves—.”

“Hazard.” Ice cut him off. He needed to make things clear before Hazard got too far in his plans. Walking over to him, he took both of Hazard’s hands in between his own. “We’re not going to do long distance calls,” he said quietly.

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not going to do a long-distance relationship.” The second the words were out of his mouth, the space behind his breastbone constricted into a tight knot, with a ball of red-hot heat in the center of it. His Instinct was in physical pain at what he had to say next, but he ignored it to push forward and continue. He lightly squeezed Hazard’s hands. “I think it’s best if we end things between us. Right now, today.”

“You’re kidding.”

Ice silently shook his head.

After staring at him in disbelief for several long seconds, Hazard snatched his hands from Ice’s grasp. In an instant, anger bled into his scent, so bright and sharp it burned Ice’s nose when he inhaled.

“So that’s it? They wave a new piece of gold at you and we’re instantly over?”

“Yes. You know achieving a star rank is my goal.”

“I fucking know that!” Hazard shouted. “But why do we have to split apart for you to go after it?”

“Sooner or later, the brass is going to get wind of our relationship. Especially now that so many people know about it. If we’re still together when that happens, my career is over,” Ice calmly explained.

Hazard crossed his arms over his chest, pressing his lips together until they were reduced to a thin white line. “You’re saying this breakup is my fault,” he said tightly.

“No! That’s not what I meant.”

“After all we’ve gone through and the way we felt for one another. You want to end us just like that?”

Ice couldn’t remain calm any longer. He hated the choice he had to make, but it had to be made. “What do you want me to do?” he asked as he yanked off his balaclava and angrily raked a hand through his hair. “Give up my career?” He couldn’t do that. He’d worked too hard and too long to throw it all away.

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