Chase glanced at his wristwatch. “If we’re doing this, we roll in ten.”
Adam nodded sharply—once. “I want safety inspections all around. Nobody leaves the hangar until everyone’s been checked. No exceptions.”
“Roger that,” Chase said, scooping Gray’s palm into his own and threading their fingers together. “We’ll give you a minute.”
They’d taken a step or two before Eve found her voice. “Uh, Gray?” Adam’s sister turned. “Thanks for…” Damn it. How did you say thank you to a woman who’d just kept you from succumbing to a total body shutdown?
“Preventing you from making out with the floor?”
Eve grinned. “Yeah, that. Thanks.”
Gray shrugged and grinned right back at her. “What are bitches for?”
The couple left, and Eve felt the weight of Adam’s gaze. “I’m fine,” she said, turning to face him.
“I know.” Arm going around her waist, he pulled her to him, enfolding her in his embrace. “You’ve been through a lot, and tonight will be hard. But you’re strong, you got me, you got the JTT, and you got this.”
Eve hadn’t thought it possible to love him any more than she did three seconds ago. But her thumping heart told her she did. He understood her in a way no one else ever had. Understood she needed to face the Matthews but couldn’t do it alone.
She’d escaped because of Yolande. But she’d survived because of Adam.
He’d carried her out of one storm and would see her through the next. Gratitude coursed through her, and she squeezed her arms, hugging him tighter, telling him without words what his support meant to her.
He brushed his lips against the top of her head. “You ready?”
She took a deep and pain-free breath. “Yep.”
“Do we need to go over the rules?” He smoothed his hand down her back until it landed on her butt cheek. The one he’d smacked earlier. The one that tingled any time his palm got near it. A reminder of who was in charge in the bedroom and—for now—out of it.
“Nope. I stay with you, and I do what you say. Easy peasy.”
“Okay.” He set her away from him, and his satisfied grin made more than her ass quiver. “Let’s get this on.” He reached for her bulletproof vest, and slipped it over her head, adjusting the straps until he was happy with the fit. “You got your knife?”
“Yep.” Eve patted the pocket where Adam’s gift lay flush against her hip. She’d bought these pants with the express purpose of being able to carry the knife and get to it quick if she needed to.
“You prepared to use it if you have to?”
“Yep.”
“Alright.” He planted a firm kiss on her lips. “Come with me. I want to show you something.” He took her hand, and together, they approached the group over by the vehicles. “Do you see?” he asked, and Eve nodded.
She did see.
The JTT were an elite, highly trained group of soldiers. Their confidence in each other evident in the way they worked together, their movements in sync and efficient. But more than that, they were a tight-knit family too.
She could see the brotherhood in the way they took great care to ensure everyone was properly kitted with the equipment that would keep them safe.
At the back of one van, Doc knocked Jay in the chest, confirming he wore a Kevlar vest under his shirt, while Zander jammed a fair-sized medical kit into the pack on Doc’s back.
A few feet away, Gray kept a watchful eye as Chase did a thorough inspection of Davis’s gear, adjusting and readjusting straps and equipment.
Over by the second van, Grant and Cody performed safety checks on an assortment of weapons, verifying and reverifying everything was in proper working order.
“Davis.” Adam signaled for him, and the teenager ran toward them.
“Yes, sir?”
“You clear on your orders?” Adam asked, reassessing the fit of Davis’s vest.
