Code Red

60

The first thing Tianni noticed when her eyes blinked open was the stillness of the bed beside her.

Cold sheets.

Empty space.

She sat up slowly, rubbing her temples, the argument from last night still lingering in the back of her mind like smoke that wouldn't clear.

A quick glance around told her what she already knew—Ghost hadn't come to bed.

Pulling on her robe, she padded down the hall.

The living room smelled faintly of cologne and stale liquor.

Ghost was slouched on the couch, one arm tucked across his chest, head tilted back against the cushion.

He still had on yesterday's clothes, his fitted hat sitting crooked on the coffee table in front of him.

He stirred when she stepped closer, rubbing his face with both hands before leaning forward, elbows on his knees.

He didn't even look at her.

"Why didn't you come to bed?" she asked softly.

"Fell asleep out here," he muttered, voice low, gravelly.

She didn't buy it—his tone carried too much weight to sound like an accident—but she let it slide.

Instead, she shifted the conversation, forcing her voice into something gentler.

"You hungry? I can make somethin' real quick."

"I ain't really hungry," Ghost replied flatly, finally dragging his gaze up to meet hers.

His eyes were tired, guarded, like he was building walls as he spoke.

The dismissiveness pricked something inside her.

Her first instinct was to snap back, to remind him she wasn't the enemy, but she swallowed it down.

Instead, Tianni inhaled deeply, steadying herself.

"Look..." she started, choosing her words carefully, "I know you under a lot of stress right now. I'm not tryin' to add to that. But I'm under pressure too, Ghost. And it feels like you forget that sometimes."

That made his head lift a little higher.

His brows furrowed, mouth pressed tight as if her words stung even though she hadn't raised her voice.

"I ain't forget," he said after a pause.

"I just... I can't carry everything at once, Tianni."

Her throat tightened, but she nodded slowly.

"I'm not askin' you to carry it all. I just don't wanna feel like I'm carryin' it alone."

For the first time since last night, his silence wasn't cold—it was heavy.