COLD
The night air was even colder than the words Faith had spoken.
I zipped my leather jacket closed to the collar and crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hang on to some of my body heat. I’d survived colder nights than this, in far less comfortable locations. The sun would be up in an hour or so, anyway, and it would take the chill with it when it rose.
There was nothing to be done for the icy ache inside my chest, though.
There never would be. The pain I felt whenever I thought of Faith would always be there, even after this was over and I’d left this place — left her — behind.
The cabin was one of my emergency safe houses, stocked with enough canned food and water for two days — four, if we rationed. Command said it wouldn’t take longer than that to pin down Szekely’s hitman and put a bullet in his brain. Tomorrow, I’d make a quick supply run and then, all I had to do was keep her safe until the threat was eliminated. I wasn’t worried — we had everything we needed to survive out here.
So long as we didn’t kill each other first.
The sound of the screen door creaking open brought me instantly to my feet. I concealed my surprise when I saw Faith standing there, warring expressions of annoyance and contrition playing out on her features.
“Christ, it’s cold out here,” she muttered, staring at me like she thought I was a fool for leaving the warmth of the cabin. “Don’t be an idiot—”
Her words confirmed my thoughts and had me fighting off a smile.
“—come back inside the damn cottage. I promise to stop being a bitch, at least until the sun rises.”
With that, she spun on one heel and disappeared back inside.
I made sure to turn my grin into a blank expression before I followed her.