Page 43 of Adam's Rising

Claire scooted closer, repeating what he’d said earlier. “I’m gonna be just fine.”

Adam inclined his head, resting his temple against hers. His skin was hot. Burning hot.

Claire reached up, pressing the back of her palm to his neck.

She reared back. “You’re burning up. Areyouokay?”

His shoulders lifted and dropped.

“Adam!” Claire cried. “Pull over, please. I’ll drive.”

He didn’t argue, just scanned the roadside. “It’s not safe. If someone skids off the road —”

“Adam,” she said again, firmer. “You’re not well.”

“I’m fine. I’m just… upset.”

“Upsetdoesn’t make most people overheat.”

“It does me,” he said softly.

“Why are you upset?”

His top lip lifted, not a smile. His eyes shimmered.

“Oh, Adam,” Claire begged. “Please pull over.”

The truck slowed, so he must’ve let off the gas. He flicked the blinker, easing onto a wide shoulder. Everything Adam did, he did with the utmost care.

A few weeks ago when she and Boyd had doubled with Lala and Roger, Boyd had wanted to take his fancy black truck. He’d driven like a maniac, even though the streets had still been icy. Claire had told Lala to never let him drive again.

When Adam finally brought the truck to a full stop, he shifted into park and lowered his forehead to the steering wheel.

“Adam?” Claire whispered. “Talk to me. Please.”

“I can’t.”

“Did I… do something wrong?”

He jerked his head up. “No, Claire. Of course not. Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know.” She did know. Because of Boyd. Because Boyd had been a jerk for weeks, making her always wonder if she’d said or done something wrong. “I’m sorry.”

He cradled her face in both hands. “You don’t have any reason to be sorry. You’re everything to me. I’ve… missed you so much. You just… disappeared.” He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers. “Then… what happened was so awful. I’m only sixteen, Claire. I don’t… I don’t know how to handle everything that’s happened. My parents. Thomas…” He exhaled, sounding exhausted. “Then tonight, when you were shaking in my arms… I remembered what Rusty told me. What did Boyd do to you, Claire? If anything ever happened to you — now that I’ve found you again —”

“I’m okay.” Claire pressed her head to his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Whatever Adam was going through, she didn’t want to add to his pain. “Boyd scared me, but he didn’t know who he was dealing with.”

Adam held her by her shoulders and gently pulled back to look in her eyes. “What does that mean?”

Claire bit her lip. “I might’ve cracked his ribs.”

His brow arched. “Really? Rusty forgot to mention that tidbit.”

She grinned, happy to report that, while she loved fairy tales likeThe Princess Bride, she wasn’t some damsel in distress. “Rusty definitely stopped any further assault, but I got out of the Blazer on my own. I wasn’t about to let that whack job get the upper hand.”

Adam’s laugh came low and soft. “Good. But I have to ask… Not that you’re weak — I’ve seen you handle Buttercup, and Boyd’s no Arnold — but that creep has about a foot and eighty pounds on you. How did you…”

“Well, he won’t be laying a hand on me ever again. Andhow… Climbing, baby! All those times, using nothing but my fingertips to pull myself to the next ledge allowed me to get a grip on the door…” She grinned again. “I’ve trained to save others. Never thought it’d end up saving me. My wooden high heels helped, too.”

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