Page 1 of Hard Rain

FALLOUT

“May? I’m home,” Axel called out, tossing his keys to the small table near the front door.

Silence greeted him. That was weird; she’d either call out from the kitchen or have the music blasting. Usually both.

Heading into the kitchen, he tugged open the fridge and withdrew the carton of milk. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard because May would have his ass if he drank out of the carton. She claimed it was disgusting. He’d always figured it built character.

He filled the glass and chugged it down before tucking it into the dishwasher.

Heading up the narrow set of stairs, he bumped the railing and cursed. Thank fuck the cast was coming off soon. Then he clipped a picture frame on the way up the stairs. Of course he did.

May looked up from folding a dress when he entered their bedroom.

“Hey,” he smiled. “Sorry for the racket.”

When she stayed silent and tucked the dress into a suitcase, his smile died. Wait…what?

“What’s going on?” He moved further into the room.

She sighed and picked up the next piece of clothing from a pile on the bed.

“I’m leaving.”

The fuck?

“What?” he rasped. “Look, I know I’ve been distant…”

“It’s not only that.” She placed the dress into the suitcase. “I’m not happy, Axel.” She turned and met his gaze.

Where the hell was this coming from?

“I’ll do better.” He sat on the edge of the bed with the frilly bedspread. His booted feet pressed the fluffy white rug beneath it, leaving a bit of dried dirt behind. He’d forgotten to remove his boots at the door again. She’d have his hide.

No, she wouldn’t. She was leaving him. Without giving him a chance to make right whatever the fuck was going on.

“I can’t be what you need, Axel. We haven’t been okay for months.”

“That’s not true.” He frowned.

“See? You even refuse to admit it. I think you stay with me because you’re scared.”

“Scared?” he scoffed.

Her lips pressed flat. “Yeah, the big, bad U.S. Marshal is scared.”

“I’m not scared,” he denied. “I thought we were good.” The words sounded stupid the second they left his mouth.

“When was the last time we were intimate?” she challenged.

He blinked. “I’ve been out of town,” he argued, swallowing around a dry throat.

“And before that?”

Axel squinted.

Last month?

No.