Page 107 of Breach of Honor

44 Will

TEXTING WITH CORI felt like a betrayal, but she was the only person I could talk to about the mess I was in with Miranda. I didn’t care how many times she told me faking an affair was the only way. I hated it with a murderous passion. I wanted out before I lost Miranda.

Cori: Just keep your cool when she gets home. Don’t unravel!

Will: Easy for you to say! It’s not your life imploding.

Cori: No, it’s not but how else are we supposed to get Jason?

Will: You’re the fucking FBI! Figure out another way!

Cori: You’re unraveling.

Will: I’m not but you better find another way! Miranda is here.

Cori: Hold it together!

Hold it together. So easy to say, entirely different to do.

After I’d talked to Miranda on the phone last night, I tossed and turned in bed until I had finally fallen asleep. What good it did me. I dreamed Miranda had disappeared, like vanished into thin air. I jolted awake, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. In a panic, I turned to Miranda’s side of the bed and she was gone. I yelled for her until I remembered she’d stayed the night at Lily’s.

It had been a fucked-up night.

I spent the morning wandering around the beach house aimlessly. My eyes stung, my body ached, and I felt a migraine coming on. If this was any indication of what it would be like to be without Miranda, I’d rather die.

Since Christmas, we hadn’t been apart for one night, and I never wanted to be apart from her again.

The garage door opened, and seconds later she appeared. Immediately I felt her closed off, her walls up as she stared at me. I couldn’t stop my feet from moving or my arms from wrapping around her. I had to get through those goddamn walls.

I inhaled her natural scent, burying my face in her neck. Her body was rigid against mine. I fought back the tears rapping on the gate behind my eyes from the crushing blow.

It seemed she was stronger than me, standing with her arms by her side and holding her breath. I had to get through to her. Prove myself to her. Fuck the FBI and Cori.

“I’m so sorry. Please tell me we can work this out,” I whispered.

“Do you want to work it out?” There was a detached element in her voice.

I pulled back, stunned. “Yes. I love you.” I cradled her face. “Don’t you ever think otherwise. We’ve talked about this. I will always love you.”

I claimed her lips, desperately moving over them to show her I meant every word. She kissed me back cautiously, but dammit, she was responding. I wouldn’t waste this opportunity. I swept her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom. I’d make love to her all day, pour myself into her, sear my kisses into her memory, and my touch onto her skin.

“We need to talk,” she murmured, arms wrapped around my neck.

“We’ll talk later. Just let me love you.”

“Okay… we’ll talk later.”

A few days ago, I had headed off a major disaster. Miranda and I wereusagain and I could breathe.

Then Jason called wanting to go sailing for the Fourth of July.

Of course, when I had mentioned it to Cori, she was eager to be alone on a boat with Jason and Tabitha, the blonde he’d met at Club R. I was more than a little surprised he’d kept seeing her. Jason never stuck with one woman. I guessed there was a first for everything.

But it meant more lies for Miranda.

A double knock on my office door put me on alert. Axel stalked in with an intimidating expression.

“What can I do for you?”

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