Page 75 of Even if You Fall

Dad caught my attention and quickly signed,She’s coming.

I turned and felt every part of me react to that girl.

Heels off again. Red hair pulled over one of her shoulders and falling like a curtain down to her waist. Those curves Iwas quickly becoming addicted to hidden by the hoodie she was wearing—mine. And she was drowning in it.

I wasn’t sure I ever wanted her to give it back if I’d get to see her like this.

Just like that, I wondered if it’d really be so bad to let myself continue falling for her. To let myself have the relationship I’d been running from for so long.

“I was gonna check on you soon,” I told her, meeting her halfway and taking the empty water glass and full smoothie from her. Cradling both in one hand, I slid my other hand up her arm, gently pulling her closer because I’d clearly lost all control with Chloe Whitlock. “How are you?”

“Great,” she said automatically, her stare drifting around to take in the people surely watching us, given the sudden silence behind me. When she met my eyes, hers rolled as her voice dropped to a hush. “I just feel like it’s rude to be holed up in the room.”

“Not when you’re feeling the way you are,” I countered unquestionably.

“I’m better, and I can rest out here.” When I started arguing, she added, “Besides, I’d like to hang out with everyone before they leave tonight. Wait, no...” A soft blush burned in her cheeks as her gaze fell to the floor. “Sorry, that’s...presumptuous. Maybe it’s better for everyone if I’m not out here now that they know we aren’t...you know. I’ll?—”

“Chloe, stop,” I said when she started turning. Grasping her wrist before she could pull away, I brought her back to me and waited for her hazel eyes to lock on mine. “The only reason you’d need to leave is if you don’t feel up to staying out here. All right?”

She studied me for long seconds, seeming to look for some hidden meaning, before whispering, “All right,” just as the doorbell rang.

I glanced up at the sound before twisting to look at my parents. When both seemed just as surprised as I was, I asked, “You’re not expecting anything? Packages or anything?”

“No,” Mom answered with a shrug, already starting toward me. Toward the door.

“I got it,” I told her as I passed off the glasses to her, letting my tone say everything I couldn’t in that moment.

Unexpected guests weren’t something we could afford when I was hiding someone from a mafia family.

After she took the glasses, I turned back for Chloe, already reaching for her. Once I had her hand in mine, I pulled her against me. “Go with my dad. If anything happens, you stay with him or Sam. Understand?”

Her eyes widened and face paled. “Wait, what?”

“Now, Chloe,” I urged, already passing her back toward my parents as I quietly and quickly stalked toward the front of the house, thankful I’d gotten my gun back from my dad first thing this morning.

Pulling it out of the holster, I chambered a round and stepped up to the front door. But just as I started falling into the rest of my training, the familiar voice on the other side of the thick, wooden door had me going still.

“...long to open a door, and I’m already running out of things to say.” A heavy, muffled sigh sounded. “Put your gun away, Thatch. Open the door. We need to—” Rush held out his arms and let out a loud, exhausted, “There you are,” when I swung open the door.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as I racked the slide on my gun and caught the unused round.

Rush gave me an unamused look. “Nocome on inor anything?”

I bit out a sigh and stepped back, leading the way with my gun. “Come on in,” I said sarcastically.

“Hey, thanks,” he shot back in the same tone as he picked up a duffel bag and stepped inside.

Once I’d holstered my gun and had the unused round in my pocket, I repeated, “Now, what are you doing here?”

He glanced around as he set the bag by his feet, and just because I knew him, I had a feeling he was looking for Chloe, rather than admiring my childhood home. “Did Chloe tell you Lainey texted her last night?”

“I took Chloe’s phone not long after we landed, so I saw it when I saw the texts from Vance.”

Surprised amusement stole across Rush’s face, negating his tone when he said, “You should’ve told us when you called about Vance.”

“I should’ve,” I agreed and didn’t bother searching for an excuse as to why I hadn’t. I didn’t thinkI was panicking over the thought of falling asleep anywhere near Chloewould suffice.

Rush nodded, accepting the short acknowledgment. “You already know Lainey’s text could give away where Chloe is if someone’s watching either of their phones, so you know Chloe needs to go somewhere else.”

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