Chapter 3Silence was a lion, caged for most of its life now given freedom to walk at its master’s side. It knew its place. It protected when it had to. It recognized the hand that fed it. But it was also a wild beast, ready to strike back at any moment, turning on the master who thought he’d had it beat.
Brady had never loathed quiet as much as he did once Cole fell asleep.
Staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom, he tried to will his brain to shut off long enough so that he could get a few hours rest before returning to work that night. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw Cole stretched out on the couch in the living room. He saw the handcuffs around those slim wrists, the clothesline that bound him in place cutting across his stomach and ankles. He saw dark lashes appear even da
