Page 89 of Forever Found
“Damned right he did,” Adam agreed.
“She won’t get into trouble, angel. Hilton’s murder case was closed up in the mess with the trafficking. No one’s even looking for is killer anymore. He was mixed up with some very sick bastards, any one of whom could have killed him,” Kane explained.
“Good.” I sighed with relief as I slumped against Adam, feeling drained all over again.
“While we’re all here, I just want to let you know Laura, Addy’s therapist, has written a report and forwarded it to the attorney I hired. He seems to think with that report there’s a good chance he can get you out of having to testify, sweetheart,” Asher told us all as he rose to his feet, but looked to me.
“But I should testify, shouldn’t I? What if he gets found not guilty because of me? What if he keeps hurting people because I let him go free?” I worried as I stared at my brother, urging him to be honest with me.
“It’s extremely unlikely he’ll be found not guilty, Addy. The lawyer I hired says the FBI have a mountain of evidence against him, including paperwork linked to the trafficking movements, signed off by him himself. The only reason your testimony was wanted, was to add a human element to it all, to truly win over the jury, but it’s not needed, and if that fucker goes free, it won’t be because you didn’t testify. None of this is on you, okay? It’s up to the FBI to make this case and they seem to have done that well this time.”
“So you don’t think they need me then?” I knew he’d told me the answer already, but my head was a mess and I could hardly make the dots join up.
“No, I don’t, sweetheart, and what’s more – I don’t want you walking into that court room. I know I told you I’d always allow you to make your own decisions, and I will, but I’d have fought hard against you if you wanted to testify. I know you’re strong, but you don’t need to deal with that trial on top of everything else right now.”
“I agree with him, princess. Leave justice to do its thing and let us take care of you, yeah?”
“I don’t think I can face testifying anyway,” I admitted.
“Then that solves that,” Eli declared with a smile.
“Come on. Let’s get set up for dinner. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving,” Adam said, changing the subject, much to my relief.
That night we all sat around the huge dining table for family dinner, even Jenny. She seemed to have pulled herself back from the fear she was dealing with that morning, and laughed and joked with my family happy. I liked her. She said what she thought, and always had a snappy come back to anything the guys threw at her. She also swore like a sailor and laughed with her whole body when something set her off. She seemed so free and open, and it made me wish I could be that way some day.
The meal had been exactly what I had hoped for, all of us laughing and chatting animatedly about nothing of significance. No one brought up any of the heavy stuff we’d been facing lately, and conversation was kept easy and fun. Adam had prepared an amazing pasta dish, which he and Asher devoured like they’d never eaten before. I even forced down the small serving Jordan had put onto my plate for me, feeling at ease and care free for the time I got surrounded by the people I loved. I had no idea if that was the reason I felt like I was more stable for the time being, or if it were the meds I had taken, but whatever it was, I was just grateful that the darkness inside of me seemed to have pulled back for a short while.
CHAPTER 28
ADDY
“Get ready for bed. I’ll just run to my room to change and be right back,” Adam told me as we walked into my room together later that night. We’d all had a fun evening and for the first time in days I was smiling and feeling light and freer.
“Wait,” I said as he moved to turn back to the bedroom door.
“What’s wrong. You need to come with me?” Adam asked. He’d already come back towards me, close enough that he was able to hold my hand in his.
I knew why he’d asked that. Until everything that had gone on with Jenny that morning I needed him, Jord, or Kane with in touching distance at every second of the day. Even using the bathroom had been a rushed exercise so I could get right back to whoever I had asked to wait right outside the door for me.
“No. It’s not that. I just…maybe we don’t need pajamas?” I suggested shyly.
“We don’t?”
“Well, not if you don’t want to, and I don’t want to.” I was already slapping my head internally. That sounded ridiculous, I was sure of it. Definitely not the seductive words I was searching for.
“I’m gonna need you to be more direct for me, honey. Tell me what you want,” Adam said as he came closer and grabbed my left hip, pulling me close until our bodies were touching.
“You,” I whispered as I reached up and kissed his jaw softly. “All of you.”
Adam’s lips crashed down over mine and one of his hands gripped the back of my neck as he angled my head and kissed me passionately. I returned the kiss just as desperately and instantly we were a clashing of teeth, tongues, and lips. I reached my hands up to his huge shoulders and explored the tightly packed muscle there as he held me so my lips stayed on his.
“Tell me now if you need me to stop,” he gasped as he came up for air.
“God No! Don’t stop, Adam.”
He kissed me again, hard and fast until I barely knew which way was up, then he grabbed my hips and lifted me up. Leaning down over my bed on one knee he lay me in the center of it like he was setting down something fragile. The way he looked at me, the passion, mixed with his gentle concern, swirling in those dark eyes, it made me smile.
“You’re so beautiful when you smile like that. We need more of that,” he told me as he stood at the foot of the bed and watched me, a gentle smile spreading on his face too.