ASHES by Franca Storm

Author:Franca Storm [Storm, Franca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

25

~Adam~

“WE’LL NEED BACKUP.”

I gave Tom a withering look as he leaned against the kitchen counter sipping at his morning coffee with a few drops of brandy mixed with it, something he turned to during troubled times to take the edge off. It wasn’t ideal, but at least it was just a very miniscule amount. I was watching him daily, ensuring it stayed that way. We were watching each other. After what I’d endured recently, then witnessing one of my attacks, he was concerned for my mental health.

He had every reason to be worried. It was why I’d had to go to more effort to downplay it, including the fact that I’d had another bad attack last night after Kara had fallen asleep on the couch. Everything we’d talked about—her pain, what Rick had done to her, Jim’s actions—all of it had triggered me. But neither of them needed to know that. Focus needed to be absolute on what was coming. Besides, I’d deal with it once this was all over. I just had to hold on a little while longer.

“I’m well aware. With Kara unleashing all the way, no holding back whatsoever, the two of us won’t be enough. I’ll be bringing in part of Obsidian to assist with this next-level training.”

“Perfect.”

“Earlier, I geared Foresight to flag any disturbances or threats that match Rick’s M.O., in order to search him and Specter out. They’ve formed some sort of alliance, so that’s taking priority.” My watch beeped. “Alongside Equinox, of course.”

My security system sounded in the next moment and I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the app to see Paul being flagged on surveillance approaching the gates. “And Paul’s right on time for me to get him up to speed. Kara should be down any minute as well.”

He knocked back more of his coffee, then placed it down in the sink behind him. “What can I do to ease some of the load?”

“I need eyes on Colin.”

“Done.”

“And I need you to run interference. He’s an outlier. Unpredictable. Change that.”

“It’ll be my absolute pleasure.”

We slap-shook—something Tom had started a couple of weeks back—and then he took off to see to the task I’d assigned him, as I headed to the front of the house to retrieve Paul.

I disengaged the security system, then opened the front door, noting that Paul had brought his Firebird Trans Am complete with that bright-yellow phoenix that covered the expanse of the black hood, rather than riding his go-to Suzuki up here. He hadn’t come alone. His passenger had him completely oblivious to my eyes on the situation, his attention all on her.

There Doctor Sheila Thornton was, leaning against the passenger side of the car as Paul had his hand slapped against the roof, up intimately close to her.

Things seemed to have progressed a lot faster than they usually did for either of them. As they stood there talking and flirting, there was a noticeable intimacy that went beyond the scope of sexual attraction, something Paul usually stayed strictly within the bounds of.

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