Page 136 of Stealth Mission

“Vhutthe commotion in here?” Vik steps into the room and freezes in the doorway when he sees the mob. “Well, fuck. More trouble?”

Hector’s teeth are bared, and I’ve never seen the docile farm worker look even remotely scary, but right now he looks unhinged. He’s not the only one, his guys look like a pack of attack dogs. Wearing all kinds of weird camouflage gear, they look like they’re ready to hunt for blood.

If this wasn’t my life, I’d laugh at the absurdity of everything that has happened tonight.

“Hector. Please, these men are here to help me. Everything is okay.”

I’m suddenly pushed behind Evan. Vik grabs me and puts himself in front of me too. I try to get out of his hold but it’s impossible.

I reach full panic mode as Evan straightens his spine and walks into the middle of the room.

Blood whooshes down to my toes. “Wait!”

Evan, steady as an apex predator, holds both palms out. “It’s me, Hector. I met you the other night when I worked on the tractor.”

I’m not the only one that’s confused, everyone freezes. Hector tilts his head. “It’s you?”

“That’s right. Remember me?”

One of Hector’s boys punches Hector in the shoulder. “You know this guy?”

Hector grins as he squints at Evan. “Yes! Yes! I just don’t have my glasses on. But I would recognize the accent.”

Oh my god. Someone almost died because of poor eyesight.

I push past Vik, unobstructed now. Now that the crisis is over, I’m fixated on one thing. “You worked on my tractor?”

My tractor.How is that possible?

Evan reaches for my hand, still keeping his movements slow. “Yeah. While you weren’t speaking to me.”

It would be embarrassing to cry, but I’m not sure I can hold it back. My heart is getting so big it’s suffocating me. “You worked on my truck too.”

Evan’s eyes soften as he looks down at me. “I did.”

“And you said you loved me.”

He glances up and everyone in the room sprints out. We’re left alone in the middle of my living room.

Tenderly, he touches my cheek. “I did.”

The rasp in his voice is too much. I turn away, wiping at my eyes. “I wasn’t sure what to say in the woods.”

He pulls me into his chest. “You don’t have to say anything. I don’t want you to love me back. I know I’m not good enough?—”

Air wheezes out of me. I punch him in the stomach. “Stop.”

“It’s okay. I know I’m nothing. You’re… amazing. You’re everything.”

I nearly bite through my lip. “Evan Walker, you’re more than enough.”

This time his eyes are filled with agony when I look up at him. “I’m not.”

I suddenly feel eyes on my back and Evan stiffens, his stomach muscles banding tight under my hand.

Scout speaks behind me. “I’m starting. You don’t have to come.”

Evan’s hard tone is back when he speaks. “I’m coming.”

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