Page 22 of Forever Found

“No,” I sniffled as I lifted my head and dashed away my tears with my hands. “No, I want to see him. I just….it was a shock. Just give me a second, okay?”

“He’s not going anywhere, Addy. It might be a few weeks before he feels like himself again, but he’s still here and he’s still our Adam,” Jordan told me, and I knew he was right. I needed to get it together. I had been so sure I would never see Adam again when I was dragged away from his lifeless body. But he came through it all. Now I had the chance to speak to him and tell him what I regretted not saying. I needed to take that and stop being weak and afraid.

“Okay,” I said as I sat up, pulling away from Kane. I wiped at my face again and pushed back the wild tendrils of hair that had escaped my bun. “I’m okay now. Hand me the phone please, Kane.”

Kane nodded and handed the phone over, then slipped from my side and crossed back over to Eli’s.

“Do I look really bad?” I asked Jordan as I saw his face on the screen once again.

“No. You look beautiful, just like you always do,” he told me. “You ready?”

“Yeah. I need to see him so much, Jordan,” I admitted. Jordan just nodded, then flipped the camera again. This time the door opened, and Jordan walked right in.

Adam seemed to startle awake at the sound of the door and looked right over to his brother.

“That better not be fucking Ash again. How many times you need to hear me tell you I’m good, you overprotective bastard?” Adam growled. His voice sounded a little hoarse and his color wasn’t right, but as he raved at Asher, it was all him, and I couldn’t help the small squeak of relief that escaped from me.

“I’m so telling him you called him that,” I teased croakily.

“Is that Addy?” Adam demanded as he looked up to Jordan with a glare. “Give me that damned phone, right now!”

Jordan must have handed the phone across because the image went a little skewed, then Adam was there, his whole face on the screen and his eyes focused on mine.

“I love you!” I blurted instantly, tears filling my eyes and my hands shaking even harder, making the cell shake in my hand. “I love you, Adam. You…You s-said it, but I didn’t say it back, and I…I need you to know. I love you s-so much,” I added, the words garbled through my tears.

“I love you too, baby,” Adam told me as his features softened and he looked to my image with a mix of relief and concern, both of which were written all over his face. “Easy now. Take some breaths,” he encouraged when I just stared at him and cried. I was just overcome with emotion and so much relief and gratitude that he was still with me. That he had fought.

“Sorry,” I told him shakily as I tried hard to get some air in and pull myself together. “I just n-never thought I’d see you again. I thought…”

“None of that now. I’m here and I’m good. I’m never leaving you, Addy. You’re stuck with me,” he tried to joke.

“I want to be stuck with you. I w-want to be stuck with all of you f-for a really long time,” I insisted as I looked from him, up to Kane.

“Let’s make a deal that none of us die until we’re at least one hundred years old,” Jordan piped up, and when I looked back to the screen he was standing beside Adam so I could see the both of them.

“Okay,” I agreed. “And w-we all have to die together…at the same time,” I added with a small smile.

“How about we just stop talking about any of us dying? None of us are going fucking anywhere,” Adam grumbled.

“How are you feeling?” I asked him as I managed to get some deeper breaths in and calm myself enough to speak.

“I’m a little sore, but nothing I can’t handle. What about you? Ash said you’d been injured?”

“Just bruises and a headache. Nothing I can’t handle either,” I shrugged. “I wish I could be there with you.” I also wanted to tellhim I was sorry. I wanted to apologize a million times over for the pain he was in being my damned fault, but I bit my tongue, knowing none of my guys were going to allow me to do that. But it didn’t stop me from drowning in the guilt of knowing I had brought my entire new family into the eye of the storm that was my messed up life.

“You will be soon, princess,” Jordan assured me.

“I don’t want you coming here when you get back to the city, Addy,” Adam added sharply. Instantly my heart started to pound harder and I felt cold all over. Did he blame me too? He should, but the thought of him not wanting me any more because of what had happened still made my blood run cold. My heart started to break apart as tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t lose Adam, but I had to accept the fact he endangered himself being with me. My world was dangerous and messed up. Who would really want to be a part of that?

“Okay,” I agreed tearfully. “I get that.” I tried hard to hold myself together, not wanting Adam to feel any guilt for doing what I knew was the right thing. Jordan and Kane should follow suit and walk away from me too. Asher and Eli as well. They’d all be better off and definitely safer.

“Ad! What the fuck?” Jordan barked.

“No, It’s fine. I…I understand,” I assured him, the words forced out through my tight throat.

“You understand what?” Adam questioned as he looked from my face to his brother and back.

“She thinks you don’t want her here because you don’t want her, you idiot!” Jordan snapped.

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