The Colt & The Cobra - THE SPECTER SERIES [book six]

Chapter TWENTY EIGHT

Mikki De'lucca

The blazing fire crackles across the room, filling the air with soft, smoky warmth..

Overhead, heavy rain patters on the tin roof and the wind outside howls as you lay entangled on the sofa.. Your fingertips lightly dance across the bruises The Cowboy wears upon his chest.. Those bruises that make your insides writhe with guilt now that you are confronted by them..

"Colt?" You whisper..

"Yessm?" He mumbles, half asleep beside you..

"Colt? Wake up.." You press, snuggling closer to his chest

"What's wrong?" He blinks bleary eyed as he cranes his neck towards you, his brow furrowed in concern..

"Does it hurt?" You pout sympathetically before leaning forward to gently kiss his purplish pec..

He chuckles, laying his head back down to close his eyes once again.. "Nah, Sugar.. Right now, I can't feel a damn thing.."

"Oh good.." You hum, continuing to watch him.. So gorgeous.. And so damn mysterious.. Colt Knox is impossible to read..

"Why are you looking at me like that.." He mumbles suspiciously, even though his eyes are closed, he somehow senses your gaze..

"Nothing.. I'm not-- I just--" You chew on the inside of your cheek, hesitant to reignite the argument.. "I want to know why--um-- why you didn't tell me about Savannah?"

He sighs, folding one arm up behind his head, your gaze tracks the lickable lines of the veins expanding over his swelling bicep.. "Mikki.. I wasn't-- I wasn't a good kid.. I fucked up.. I fucked up alot.." He shifts uncomfortably to create a distance between you.. "Back home-- most folk think exactly what you think.. That I'm the one who done something awful to her."

"I shouldn't have said that, Cowboy.. It wasn't fair of me.." If you could take back those hurtful words, you would.. But you can't.. You can't curb your curiosity either..

He pushes up to his elbows, tension creeping its way back into the room.. "I didn't kill her, Mikki.. But it is my fault she's gone.. It is.."

"How?" You follow, sitting up and reaching for the fuzzy fleece blanket, to wrap yourself up tightly..

"The night she went missing.. I--" He shakes his head.. "It's not important.. All that matters is I could have done things different.. I could've been better, hell, I SHOULD have been.." He swings his legs over the side of the sofa adjusting his briefs before standing and striding over to the fireplace, where he busies himself stoking the flames..

You push up to your feet, trailing after him, still swaddled in the checked blankets.. "No, Colt.. You're doing it again.. You're avoiding telling me anything real!.. Please, I don't want to make this a fight.."

He reaches out, leaning a palm against the mantle before closing his eyes on a deep thoughtful exhale, as if to calm himself.. "Mikki, Sugar.. I wish you'd let this one go.. I don't need you tryin' to get in my head, thinkin' you can fix me.. I ain't some charity case you can use to make yourself feel better for all the shit you've kept quiet about.."

Your mouth falls open in stunned disbelief at how quickly he turns the tables back on you, calling out your own less than honest behavior.. "Me?"

He straightens, absentmindedly cracking the knuckles of his right hand, followed quickly by his left.. "Yeah, you.. You're so fast to go digging into my past, but what kind've secrets have you been keeping, sweetheart? You show me yours, I'll show you mine.. Ain't that what they say?"