Sleep Sweet

Prologue

Elle

“THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I am about to tell you, and I need you to listen to them very carefully.”

“Okay, you’re scaring me,” I admitted.

I wasn’t afraid of him, but of what I might learn from him. Gentle giants often harbored dangerous secrets behind their facades.

“I want you to know that Recruit Jenkins is safe. He wasn’t injured in any way, and you do not need to worry about his well-being. He’s fine. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that you aren’t allowed to see him.”

The words, meant to help me, further salted my fresh wound.

Why couldn’t I see him? My heart pounded as anticipation pricked my flesh from the inside out.

The uniformed man who sat beside me at his desk wasn’t touching me, but his statement still burned my skin.

His right leg inched closer to mine, leaving our knees less than a foot apart.

“It speaks volumes of your character and dedication that you came today. Those traits can’t be faked. You should be incredibly proud to possess them,” he said.

My shoulders dropped as I attempted to piece together his verbal puzzle; nothing fit where it should have.

“What I’m about to show you is government property. There are extreme consequences for both of us if you speak a word of this to anyone.” His warning came wrapped in a threatening tone.

This is it, I thought.

The information I’d kill for.

“I’ve weighed the pros and cons of sharing this with you, but I feel strongly that you deserve to see it with your own eyes.

I would want to see it with mine if I were in your position.

I’m asking for your verbal agreement. You must promise to keep this discussion—and the evidence in this office—a secret.

Speak of it with no one, aside from me. Do you agree? ” The quiver in his voice betrayed him.

“Yes, yes, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Just tell me already!” I nodded, knowing it looked more like a pathetic beg. I’d give my last breath to find out what had happened, so agreeing to keep things between us was the easiest choice I’d made all day.

“One more thing, Elle.” He paused.

I braced for the impact, knowing that whatever came next had the potential to destroy me. Destroy us.

“What you are about to witness is going to hurt you. It didn’t hurt him, but it will hurt you.

” His palm met my knee before he continued, “One day, you will look back on this moment and realize it was one of the best of your life. Integrity is built, not born. You will get through this in time, I promise you.”

“Enough! Fucking show me already.” I was tired of the endless detours getting in the way.

I was ready to know.

I deserved the truth.

A solemn, silent nod indicated he’d received both my agreement and annoyance.

He’d briefed me on what was to come, even if I had no idea what he was warning me about.

The time for caution was over and done. I watched intently as he clicked his mouse a few times and closed all the open programs on his computer, aside from one central window.

He clicked the mute button first, followed by a puny triangle that brought the video to life.

One day, perhaps I’d be thankful for the security footage that would forever tether my soul to his.

March 31, 2012, was not that day.