6
Jake tossed and turned most of the night. He spent his first three years, five months, and seventeen days in the military sleeping like a rock. He could lie down anywhere and be asleep in seconds. Watching Duke die changed all that for him. His mind replayed his friend’s last few minutes whenever he closed his eyes, forcing him to relive the event over and over again until he was too exhausted to stay awake. Then he’d fall asleep and dream about it. Sometime he dreamt he was the one who died. Sometimes he dreamt he saved Duke. Most of the time, he just had to watch his best friend, his brother, die all over again and know he was to blame.
But Duke wasn’t what kept Jake up that night. That honor was all Alyssa’s.
After she kissed him until he thought he’d lose his mind, Alyssa went int
