Page 73 of Noah

“I’ll go in with you,” he promised.

Adrienne grimaced and glanced at security. As much as she appreciated them being there and she did, she didn’t want them to see something so personal to her. God, what if she ended up crying or having a mini breakdown?

Briar saw her look and shook his head sharply. “Not a chance, love! We go in with you, that’s non-negotiable.”

Noah growled and Owen spoke for the first time. He said, “You have no idea what’s in there. You’re assuming it was your sister, but you’re not sure.” She went to tell him she doubted there was anything dangerous in there, but he spoke before she could, “We can’t take a chance with his life or yours.”

Adrienne deflated. Noah opened his mouth, fangs descending, and she could see he was going to insist she have privacy. She grabbed his arm as they were stopped at the gate. “It’s fine. I should have thought.” She nodded in agreement with Owen’s words.

Owen relaxed, probably because he would be stuck in a difficult position if Noah insisted.

Noah’s eyes twitched and he glared as the Jeep slowed to a stop at the gate.

A crackle came through a speaker at the gate. “Hello.”

“We’re here to see Unit 51,” Owen said.

“Name and date of birth.” Followed by another crackle.

Owen gestured to her, and she leaned forward to make sure they could hear her. Her name and date of birth rolled off her tongue. There was a pause as the person on the other end checked her details then a buzz as the gate started pulling back.

“Thomson?” Noah asked in confusion. “Drey said your mum’s last name was Ross?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I have my father’s last name. My mum’s two-time-over great-grandfather was Italian, Alessandro Rossi. He married Greta our great grandmother and they travelled the world together.”

“They were happy,” he said.

“Yeah, they were. My mum’s grandmother used to tell stories about her crazy-in-love relatives who couldn’t choose where to settle. When he died, they said she followed soon after with a broken heart. Their ashes were scattered together in a waterfall that ran down their favourite mountains and onto beaches they spent months walking up and down.”

“Did they ever settle as they got older?”

The gates were open, and Owen drove through to a parking area.

She shook her head with a small smile. “No. They carried on travelling, dropping in on relatives for decades until finally, she waited in the same city to pass in the same place he did.”

There was silence for a moment then Owen cleared his throat as he craned his neck to park. “I’m not sure if that’s horribly depressing or tragically beautiful.”

“Both,” Briar said, and Adrienne glanced at him in question. “It’s horribly depressing that she stayed in one place after he was gone waiting to die with him, and tragically beautiful that she did.”

“Yes,” replied Adrienne. She had always viewed it as both.

Noah rubbed his jaw. The Jeep stopped. He jumped out and ran around it to pull open her door before she could.

Adrienne jumped out and noted how quickly Noah and Briar were sandwiching her between them. She almost blurted out that she thought Numbers were in danger, not her. She noticed their aggressively protective stance and realised they would keep her safe no matter what.

That’s when she saw Owen remove a gun from the glove compartment, smoothly sliding it into his boot.

Swallowing fear, she told herself she was viscous and tenacious.

Owen checked his hip holster, flicked a blade around in his fingers, then palmed it and put it back in his pocket. She wobbled on her feet. When she repeated the inspirational peppy words, they sounded suspiciously like Noah’s deep tone.

She gazed around as they were escorted along the thinning pavement.

The area was lifeless grey concrete, off-black speckled tarmac, steel frames, and storage units. Every inch was industrial. Adrienne missed the sounds of insects, birds, and life around her because the storage facility was too silent and sterile.

“Hello,” she called out as they approached the staff office.

It had a messy reception-like table. A tablet charging station with half the wires hanging over the side of the desk and the rest tangled up on top sat precariously close to the edge. Posters with information and sticky notes were slapped in a wonky fashion on the wall and papers were strewn all over the place.

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