A painful reminder her time here had a not-too-distant checkout date.
While the JTT would do everything in their power to help her recover the Matthews’ victims and expose their crimes, Eve wasn’t a part of their family. She was an unexpected guest. An operation. A mission. A time-limited—oh, what the hell already?
Enough.
She shook herself out of her spiraling thoughts and lifting her hands from the soft leather of the padded table, she aimed for the door. She had to be practical. Keep her focus on what mattered. On what she could control.
Muscles still feeling the effects of an early morning quickie that had lasted longer than could be classified as a quickie, Eve entered the climate-controlled yoga studio and cranked the heat. She needed to stretch. Clear her mind. Prepare herself before coming face-to-face with Bryan and the judge.
She crossed the polished wooden floor, hit play on the built-in sound system, and the soothing notes of yoga music came through the speakers. From the corner, she grabbed a rolled mat from the cubby, and with a quick flick, it unfurled and lay flat in the center of the room.
Stripping off her socks, she tossed them aside and stepped onto the black rectangle. In the hands to heart pose, she closed her eyes and drew the quiet solitude into her chest with a couple of deep cleansing breaths. Her jaw relaxed. Her shoulders fell. Her body rhythms slowed. Another long draw of air. In through her nose. Out through her mouth.
She started with a gentle flow, the series of movements transitioning from one to the next in a natural sequence. Mind and muscles working together, she added some difficulty to the next group of stretches. Her skin registered the rising temperature, and she sank into the heat. Sweat bloomed, and her stitches itched, the pulling sensation an unwelcome distraction.
Tell me you love me, Mommy.
She wobbled in her warrior three pose and shoved the memory away.
Tightening her core, she exhaled and focused on her body. One breath. One movement. Safe. Familiar. Easy. In the next sequence, she attempted a downward dog. Nope. Too soon. A definite no-go unless she wanted to ruin Doc’s handiwork and bleed all over the place.
Uncomfortable with Adam’s shirt clumped around her head, Eve lifted her torso and adjusted her clothes. She didn’t mind wearing his T-shirts to sleep in, but she didn’t feel like herself in his workout gear, and she’d probably need to be cut out of his sister’s sports bra.
Damn it. Back to tree pose. Eyes closed.
Basic. Simple. Painless.
Tell me you love me, Mommy.
She lost her balance and set her foot down with a frown. Unable to concentrate, she gave in and dropped to the mat. Back flat on the floor, she stared at the ceiling while frustration beat wild through her veins.
Her thoughts disorganized, they flashed from one worry to the next. Questions gnawed at her. Would they catch the Matthews in time, uncover the identity of the killer, and find the victims? What happened after? Where did she go? What did she do? What about Adam?
A deep pang in her chest made her breath hitch.
She might not belong with the JTT. But he did.
They needed him.
She needed…
To have purpose. To be a part of something bigger. Something more.
The door opening captured her attention. “You okay?” Zander asked.
Eve turned her head to look at him sideways, tried to fake a smile and failed, then shook her head instead of going with her standard line ofI’m fine. What did it matter if she told the truth? Being fine had never gotten her anywhere.
She expected him to make an excuse to leave, or maybe offer to go find Adam, anything to avoid an uncomfortable situation. But to her surprise, he entered, grabbed a mat, and wordlessly settled himself on the floor beside her.
They stared at the ceiling together. Minutes passed. Her tension dissolved, leaching out of her as invisible currents of warm air wafted over them.
“I can’t touch my toes,” he said.
“Your toes?” She dipped her chin and looked toward his running shoes.
“Yeah.” His feet wagged back and forth, and she imagined him wiggling the toes in question.
“Sitting or standing?”
