Page 15 of Viper

I fell out of my chair and ended up on the ground. When Cole extended his hand, I reached up to take it. He helped me to my feet, wrapped his arms around me, and held me as I cried. My tears flowed freely, and I couldn’t stop crying for my little sister, who had never reached the age of eighteen.

“My poor sister,” I sobbed. “Jackie didn’t get to live because that monster killed her; she was so loving and funny. He might have killed others by now. If he’s still alive, I want to kill him. Do you know that I never had the chance to grieve for her properly? I couldn’t afford to bury her, so the county cremated her and put her ashes in a box. I bought her a beautiful urn. It’s in my cabin right now. When this is over, I’ll lay her to rest.

“I’m so sorry about your sister, sweetheart,” Cole consoled me. “It’s unfair that she was taken from you at such a young age. I’ll be the one to exact revenge. I don’t want you anywhere near that man. By the way, are you dressed?”

I took a deep breath and replied, “I’m almost naked. Does that bother you?”

“Not at all,” he said, taking a seat and inviting me to sit with him. His hand gently traced the outside of my thigh as I rested my head on his shoulder. I allowed him to comfort me until I fell asleep. I wasn’t sure how long we sat there, but when I woke up, he was lying beside me, in his bed.

I threw the blankets off me, ready to get out of bed, when his hand reached out. Please stay. This is the best sleep I’ve had since I was a kid.”

I pulled the covers back over me, scooted closer to Cole, and snuggled against him. It was bewildering how calm I felt about sharing a bed with him. I must be crazier than I thought I was. He pulled me against him, I heard his breathing even out, and then I fell asleep.

I woke up once and watched the man who slept beside me, I felt like I could make love with this man, and that was a first for me. I was more relaxed than I had been in years. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that I had slept with a man and nothing had happened.

When I opened my eyes, the sun was streaming in through the window. I couldn’t believe I had slept past five. I can’t remember sleeping this late since Jackie died.

I reached over and felt Cole's pillow; it was still warm and carried his scent. It was remarkable how composed I felt about sharing a bed with him. I was the calmest I had been in years. I couldn't help but smile, this was my first time sleeping with a man, and nothing had transpired.

After taking a shower, I searched for everyone and found Cole cooking breakfast. My face turned red as I saw him again after cuddling with him.

“You've arrived just in time for breakfast,” he greeted me.

“Where is everyone?” I inquired.

“Mike left for training, and the others went on vacation. They decided to head to the airport and pick a random plane.”

I laughed, “That's crazy. I'd be terrified to take a chance like that. Even during my three years on the run, I always knew where I was headed.”

He handed me a cup of coffee, and the strong brew made me shudder when I took a sip. It was so potent it felt thick. “I'm not much of a coffee maker,” he admitted before getting up to adjust the coffee pot.

“That's okay. I make a decent cup of coffee,” I said.

“Bailey, thank you for staying with me last night,” he continued. “I've laid beside women before, but I've never been able to sleep. You're the only woman who has helped me rest.”

I blushed and replied, “You're welcome. I've never slept with a man before, and I've never slept past five in the morning. So, thank you, too.” I turned my attention to the fallen spatula that Cole just dropped.

“Sorry about that,” Cole said as he washed the spatula in the sink. He glanced at me and asked, “Does that mean you've never slept with a man before?”

“No, not ever,” I confessed. “I could have plenty of times, but I've never felt strongly enough about anyone to give myself to them. I don't engage in casual sex, and I need to have genuine feelings for a man before getting that close.

I'll never fall in love with someone after witnessing what happened to my mother and Jackie. Of course, that doesn't mean I'll never have a physical relationship with a man. It's just that I've never experienced those desires before. I think there might be something wrong with me.”

I could tell he was taken aback. I poured us some fresh coffee, and he served the food. “There's absolutely nothing wrong with you. Have you ever discussed this with other men?”

“No, I've never talked about it with another man. It's just that I slept beside you and didn't want you to think it's a regular occurrence for me.”

“I'd never think that. So, are we like best friends now that we share things with each other?”

“I don't know. I haven't had a best friend since Jackie passed away. I'm a loner most of the time. You're nicer than I initially thought.”

“Thank you, I think,” Cole replied.

At that moment, I heard someone else enter the house. “Knock, knock.”

“Ghost, we're in the kitchen,” Cole called out. James Bellmont, also known as Ghost among his Delta Force team, entered and poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Hey, Viper, Bailey, how are you doing?”

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