Before stepping one foot outside the lodge, every single member of the JTT had armed himself to the nth degree. Guns occupied hip holsters, spare magazines had been added to belts, and knives strategically placed in preferred locations on various bodies.
In Adam’s case, one of each hadn’t been enough.
He carried multiples of everything, and he looked panty-dropping hot doing it.
When she’d first met him, she’d thought he looked like a cover model for a sexy billionaire romance novel.
Dark. Brooding. Mysterious.
Now she knew better.
He was the real deal. The kind of man who sacrificed everything for the people he loved. The kind of man who kept a matching set of Berettas within easy reach twenty-four seven. The kind who wouldn’t hesitate to use them if necessary.
She looked over her shoulder and eyes the color of storm clouds met hers. Yeah, dangerous and possessive didn’t even come close to describing the alpha male who pressed his hand to the small of her back before accompanying her up the stairs.
If he had to, Adam would kill to protect her.
Lord. She hoped it wouldn’t be necessary.
Too many had died already.
Following behind Davis, she stepped on board the plane, and a blast of warm air greeted her.
“We take off in fifteen. Grab a seat and settle in. You can change once we hit cruising altitude.” Adam gave her a gentle pat on the butt to get her moving away from the open door. “Davis, you’ll keep an eye on Eve until I get back.”
Eve didn’t need watching, but she didn’t protest. The order wasn’t because she was at risk, but because Adam wanted to keep the teenager safe and out of sight while the rest of the men loaded gear and moved vehicles in prep for departure.
“Yes, sir.” The seriousness with which Davis regarded his orders evident in his expression, he waited to accompany her into the belly of the plane, and her heart just about burst.
She loved how Adam went out of his way to bolster the teenager’s confidence. Loved the way he managed to protect Davis while still making him feel like he contributed to the JTT in an important and meaningful way. And now, she understood.
Davis didn’t worship the hero.
He worshiped the man.
“You ready, Eve?” Davis gestured for her to move ahead so he could cover her back, and because emotions too raw to be contained clogged her throat, she kept her eyes downcast as she kissed Adam quick and left him to do what he needed to.
Vision blurry, she made her way down the wide aisle.
Walking away from Adam, from Davis, from all of them…would crush her. But what choice did she have? Whether it be today, tomorrow, or next week, once the Matthews were exposed and the killer caught, she’d need to be in LA to answer questions, make statements, and be a voice for the victims.
About to be the main attraction in the center ring of a worldwide media circus, the attention she would draw was exactly the kind of thing the JTT needed to avoid at all costs.
Yeah, after tonight, Eve would be on her own.
Crushed didn’t even come close to what she’d be feeling.
Concern growingover the length of Eve’s absence, Adam peeled his gaze off the bathroom door and glanced at his watch. Again. She’d taken her shopping bags inside some time ago and hadn’t reappeared since.
“She’s been in there awhile,” Gray said. “Want me to go make sure Little Miss Sassy didn’t get stuck in another bra?”
“Fuck no. She’s traumatized enough as it is.”
“Hurtful.” Sitting in the chair facing his, Gray twirled her finger in Adam’s direction. “I see you decided to wear your grumpy pants todayandthe socks to match. Maybe she’s trying to avoid your bad mood rubbing off on her eternal sunshine.”
Adam cocked a brow. “More like she’s trying to avoid your special gift of the gab.”
“Sarcasm is a unique talent, brother, and I freely admit my level of proficiency is above the national average, but let’s be honest. If I’m quiet, it probably means the voices have taken over, and you should be worried.”
