Page 28 of Watch Over Me

"Still, thank you," Eddie insisted, and their boss nodded.

"Now, let's figure out a plan where you're still doing your job protecting them all while also keeping your eyes open. But remember, we're not the police or the FBI. I'll run this over with our lawyers after we're done here, and I'll take what we have to someone who will launch an investigation. That's not us."

All of them agreed, although Eddie was reluctant to do so, probably preoccupied with his brother.

James wished he could say something, anything, that would make it better, but he had no idea what it could be, so in the end he did what he did best—got to work.

Over the next hour and a half, they went over all the scenarios they could think of at the moment. They had to keep it cool in front of both Lavon and Corner in order not to spook them, which was pissing them all off, but there was no other way. Two months into this job, James had learned they didn't always get to work with people they respected, and this was yet another case like that.

Still, Lavon and Corner might go down in the company's history as the worst ones, since no team had ever stumbled into a criminal case with their clients asculprits, not victims.

By the time they finished, it was almost one in the morning, and their energy was running low, but at least they had a plan. One of the things the Army had taught James was thatknowing what came next was key. It was the endless running around in circles, waiting for something to happen, that could break a person.

"Let's all go home," Kalei finally said. "Carpool, if possible, because some of you look ready to drop."

Jasmine had left half an hour ago, leaving them copies of all the recordings, so now it was only the six of them in the room. James took the opening right away.

"I can drive you home," he told Eddie before someone else could jump in.

"You don't have to…" Eddie started, but hesitated, blinking slowly. Clearly, tiredness was winning over being polite.

"It's no problem, really." James turned to Ryan. "Want to tag along?"

"Definitely not," his partner muttered under his breath, but then cleared his throat and spoke up louder. "No, I have my car here. I can take the rest of you home," he added, glancing around the table.

James had never been more relieved about not having to drive Ryan home, but he decided not to question it.

Maybe he was looking forward to being in his bed faster.

Yeah. Probably that.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Everything seemed to be floating in and out of focus as Eddie sat there, half-asleep, in the passenger seat of James's car.

James.

Who was driving him home.

A part of Eddie wished that the circumstances were different. That it wasn't merely a courtesy thing, but that James planned to go up to his apartment and press him against the wall before devouring him, driving him completely out of his head, and…

The rest of Eddie simply didn't want to be alone right now. The idea made his stomach turn and he closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to hold the nausea off.

He had no idea what the hell was going on.

"You're crashing," James's voice brought him back into focus, and Eddie realized he must have said that last part out loud.

At least he hoped it was the only part he'd said out loud.

He shook his head and straightened in his seat in an attempt to make himself more clear-headed.

"Huh?" he managed.

"Adrenaline crash," James told him. "It's hitting you hard."

"It's as if I'm drunk," Eddie admitted, words getting out slowly even to his own ears. "Or sleep deprived."

"Yeah, it may go like that. You'll feel better after you get some sleep and take it easy tomorrow."

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