Page 98 of Even if You Fall

Adam seemed to consider my words before dipping his head. “Then I’ll do whatever I have to until it does.”

The crash that had alerted us to Adam’s PTSD-induced, sleepwalking episode had been a door opening...

By way of Adam kicking it down.

Asher had surprisingly—and mercifully—appeared wholly unaffected by the sight of his destroyed door. He’d just inspected it, then given a little huff that I assumed was his version of a laugh as he’d glanced at Adam and said,“Brings back memories.”

With nothing more than a pat on Adam’s shoulder, he’d asked,“Dinner?”before walking away.

Then again, the irritable man who seemed to live in tactical pants and tees also chartered jets and booked trips to Aruba as a diversion. So, I guessed replacing a door wasn’t that big of a deal for him.

The fact that it happened at all was a very big deal for Adam.

It was evident in how silent and tense he stayed all throughout us driving to Huntley Square and eating. But then the Shadow team received a group text that sent a shockwave of uncertainty and alarm rippling through every one of them. The reaction so palpable, it had chills rising on my arms.

“Who’s that?” Mallory demanded.

“His mom,” Asher and Cameron answered at the same time.

“What does this—” Hudson paused and looked around the table. “That doesn’t mean...”

“They weren’t in,” Adam said, simultaneously leaning forward and wrapping his arm around my waist, pulling me closer while I tried to figure out what they were talking about. But when Adam continued, my confusion only grew.

“I looked into them after everything happened a few months back. His dad was in their pocket—that’s all.”

Asher released a frustrated sigh and tossed his phone onto the table. “He’s almost here,” he muttered, as if informing the team of something else, then pointed at the dark screen of his phone and focused on Adam. “That isn’t what the picture looks like.”

Adam held out his free hand, then let it fall to the table with a thud. “I looked into them.”

“Not saying you didn’t,” Asher said placatingly.

“Briggs is just saying they might’ve been more involved than we realized,” Cameron explained for Asher.

I shared a look with Lainey and was grateful to see I wasn’t the only one completely lost in their rapid conversation.

“We have evidence of Corporal Evans using Wells’ personal car,” Cameron began, making my stomach knot when I realized this was about Beau’s dad—again. When he continued, he sounded only partly unsure of himself. “Wells wouldn’t let just anyone use his car. Maybe the Evanses were in deep with them for a long time but never fully got in so Corporal Evans could slip through unnoticed.”

Asher considered it for a moment before mumbling, “It’s possible. Either way”—he gestured to his phone again—“this doesn’t just happen for anyone.”

I wasn’t sure I’d ever been more curious about a text in my life.

“What’d Evans say?” Adam asked after a beat of tension-filled silence. Jerking his chin toward Asher’s phone, he clarified, “You said he’s almost here. So, what’d he say?”

“Just asked where we went,” Asher answered as he glanced quickly around the open square. “He must’ve gone back to the house.”

When he twisted to talk quietly with Lainey, I took the opportunity to ask Adam, “What’s going on?”

His head shifted my way, his gaze sweeping over my face again and again before he sat back so we were side by side. Grabbing his phone, he unlocked it, showing me the text thread he’d been on. With a tap, he enlarged the photo they’d received.

I looked at the handful of people in the photo, wondering if I was missing something so incredibly obvious, because they were just standing around talking.

From the way they were standing, it was possible it was two sets of couples talking with a woman, but I couldn’t be sure of that, considering one of the men was gently and affectionately holding that woman’s arm.

Just as I was about to ask what I was looking at, Adam pointed at the picture. “That’s Evans’ mom. That’s the boss and underboss of the Wreckers, and their wives.”

Oh.

“Question,” Hudson said suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention. “Thisscarefrom our ARCK friends...does it have a time limit on it? Or are we cleared from any Wrecker dealings for life? Because we know we’re safe from the corporal and Vance’s deaths—sorry, Nerd.” He tossed me a look that appeared vaguely sympathetic, but it was the tightening of Adam’s hand on my waist that fortified my mask in place, all while that ridiculous, hidden part of me wrenched and ached. “But this won’t be ourlast Donut involving Wreckers. So, what happens the next time we do something to stop them or save one of their wives?”

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