Page 101 of Even if You Fall

“Are you saying our ‘friends’ didn’t scare the Wreckers away?” Monroe shot back.

Gray just unfolded an arm, lifting a hand as if to say he’d only been asking a question.

“I dunno anymore,” Briggs finally responded. “I just don’t like that I can’t figure this out.”

“Then demand new rooms,” Rush said, falling back to his argument from this afternoon. “You’re gonna be too on edge to relax.”

Briggs contemplated for a second longer than he had the first time Rush mentioned it, but still said, “Let’s just get through tonight. If it still feels wrong tomorrow, or if Gray finds something, we’ll decide then.” He jerked his head toward the suite’s door. “I need to get Kaia to sleep.”

Evans was the first one to move, agitation rolling from him in waves as he stalked silently from the suite.

We all watched him go before Gray cleared his throat and repeated, “I’ll see what I can find,” as he followed with Monroe on his heels.

Rush wavered a second longer before releasing a sigh. “I’ll watch him,” he muttered to Briggs, indicating Evans, before turning to leave as well.

Once the door shut behind Rush, Briggs shifted my way. “Is he gonna be okay?”

“Evans?” I asked, even though there was really no question about who he was talking about.

At Briggs’ confirming grunt, I gave myself a moment to figure out how best to respond. Not that I didn’t already know the answer, it was just getting Briggs to understand.

I knew next to nothing of Briggs’ life growing up, but it was easy enough to assume he wasn’t close with his parents—if they were even still alive. In the dozen or so years I’d known him, he’d never once mentioned them, and had always seemed annoyed whenever any of us had mentionedours. So, I wasn’t sure he could empathize with what Evans was going through.

Then again, none of us could.

“He’s angry and hurting,” I finally said. “Probably won’t ever be the excited kid you first hired again, but he’ll be fine.”

Briggs nodded after a moment, then turned for the bedroom the girls were staying in. “Gonna get Kaia ready for bed.”

I didn’t bother responding, just headed for the suite’s living room.

My steps slowed and fingers gripped at the back of my neck as I neared the fold-out couch, my heart racing as fear threatened to choke me.

“It’s gonna be okay,” a soft voice assured me as a hand slipped into mine nearly a minute later.

The feel of her hand in mine shouldn’t have felt as familiar as it did, but I swore I would’ve known the slight weight of her hand against mine anywhere after these last days.

“You don’t know that,” I whispered, never once taking my stare off the unoffending bed.

“I do because I’ve already experienced it,” Chloe countered as she shifted, pressing herself against my side and drawing my attention to her.

Red hair piled into a messy knot. Hazel eyes bright and the dusting of freckles on her cheeks slightly darker after being out in the sun all day. Oversized shirt boasting her love of Narnia and covering what I hoped were shorts because there was only so much control I had after our day. Feet bare and making the corner of my mouth twitch with amusement because there was just something about this girl when she slipped her heels off—other than how incredibly short she was.

Releasing the grip on my neck, I twisted toward her, reaching out and brushing my fingers across her sun-kissed cheeks. “There are a lot of people in here,” I said, confessing the thoughts that had been plaguing me throughout the day. “There’s a baby in here.”

A hum of understanding left her as she leaned into my touch. “And I still think you’ll be okay.” When I started arguing, she asked, “Would it help if I slept out here with you?”

A worried sound burst from me. “No.”

Instead of looking hurt by my reaction, understanding flared in her eyes. “Justsleep. Not...notthat,” she murmured, her cheeks reddening even more.

“No,” I maintained. “It’s too dangerous.”

She lifted an eyebrow and reminded me, “I’ve stopped you once.”

“Don’t get confident in that,” I softly begged.

She made a face as if to say she’d known I was going to say something like that. “You said it doesn’t happen every night. Right?”

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