EVO Nation Series Trilogy Box Set

by K. J. Chapman

  Gabe’s men muscle Ty out of the bar. He has bruising around his neck, and a gnawing feeling spreads through my stomach. I did that to him. Yes, it was in defence, but once he had stopped inflicting on me, I could have dropped the stool. I didn’t.

  “Grade three my ass. That bitch is dangerous.” Ty says, snarling. His words sting.

  Jude steps out behind Gabe. “You underestimated her, but that doesn’t make her dangerous.” He throws me a wink.

  Isaac bundles me behind him. “This is unacceptable, Gabe.”

  “I will deal with Ty, but I suggest you teach that girl to keep her mouth shut and know her place,” Gabe replies.

  “Know my place!” I shout. “I’m telling you now, that if Ty or any of your minions try anything with me again, I will make them wish they hadn’t.”

  Gabe raises his eyebrows at Isaac, but Isaac doesn’t falter. I would have thought less of him if he did. I take his hand in gratitude.

  “Keep him away from my daughter,” Isaac seethes.

  Gabe turns on his heels and heads back toward his office. “Seth get back to work,” he shouts over his shoulder.

  Seth mouths a ‘thank you’ to me before disappearing back into the bar.

  “This is why we shouldn’t be here,” says Maggie under her breath.

  Isaac glares at her. “I’m not going over this again, Maggie. I told you that you’re free to leave whenever you please.”

  She bristles at his words, and I instinctively take her hand. I’m in between the two of them, connecting them.

  “I’m staying for the kids,” she says.

  Isaac nods curtly, but his attention is on me. “Can you not stay out of trouble for one bloody day?” he snaps, rubbing a hand over his hair. “I don’t need this right now, Teddie.”

  “I was defending myself.”

  “You are giving me grey hairs. God, you’re your mother’s daughter,” he snipes. I pull away and stare at him. Could he think of a worse insult? “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, ignore me. I didn’t mean that, Sweetheart. I’m just exhausted.”

  He looks at his wits end, and I feel guilty that I’m adding to his stress. I’m not sorry for defending myself, but he’s right- why can’t I stay out of trouble? I’m a magnet for it.

  “This Dad thing isn’t as easy as I first thought,” he says, smiling.

  “We’ll get there,” I reply, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  I told the others that I wanted some time to myself, and they begrudgingly obliged. I lie on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, thinking about my midnight meeting with Jude tomorrow. If Isaac knew, he’d freak out, but he’ll thank me if I find out something useful.

  A quiet knock on the glass doors jolts me from my thoughts, and Adam’s face appears at the glass. My stomach somersaults. He lets himself in, closing the door behind him. I run my fingers through the tangles in my hair in a desperate attempt to look half decent.

  “I heard your Dad having a go at you earlier, and I doubt if anyone has said it, but what you did for Seth was really brave,” he says. I laugh, and a smile tugs at the edge of his lips. “A tad stupid, but brave.”

  “A lot stupid,” I say, smiling.

  He shrugs and looks around the chalet. “It seems like you’ve been in more dangerous situations than that one.” He nods toward my bandaged arm. “This is a nice place. Much better than my bed, eh?” he says, raising an eyebrow.

  I blush suddenly. Does he know that I wrapped myself in his jumper, or that I leafed through his photographs?

  “I can’t stand this place. Your bed was much nicer.” I want to eat my words back down as soon as I say them. “Wheeler and Emiko are really nice. You’re lucky to have them,” I add.

  His face softens into a grin. “Yeah, they’re my family.”

  I never thought it possible for my heart to physically ache like it is. Only a few days ago, he was calling us his family.

  “Are you alright?” he asks, sitting down beside me.

  “Yeah,” I say, composing myself. “I’m just feeling overwhelmed by everything. Has Gabe told you anything about the Facility One rescue plan?” Isaac’s warnings flee from my mind. I need in on the plan.

  Adam tenses. “He’s had me and Yvette drawing blue prints of the Facility today, but as to details, I don’t know any more than you do, and I don’t think you should be asking too many questions.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “You sound like the rest of them. This place is full of secrets- it’s suffocating.” I let out a groan of frustration. “Do you think Tess is there?” I ask.

  His lips purse and he studies my face, unsure whether it is safe to tell me anything or not. “I don’t have any memory of the room on the CCTV or of Tess,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean she isn’t there. Yvette says she is highly protected. I doubt Gabe would waste time and effort on a whim.”

  “Are you going back there?” The thought jars with me, and I hold my breath while I wait for his answer.

  He shakes his head. “I’m still regaining the use of my ability. Gabe wants only his strongest men on this mission.”

  I notice a flicker of relief in his eyes. Maybe he is happy to be kept out of Gabe’s business, but maybe it’s just because Facility One is the last place on earth he wants to return to.

  “Are you loyal to the E.N.C?” I say, before I lose my nerve. It’s not that I’m scared of asking the question, I’m just petrified of the answer.

  Adam’s hands clench at his sides. “Who put you up to this? Gabe? No, it was Jude, wasn’t it? Is that why you’ve been creeping around with him?” Anger laces his voice, and I feel the hairs on my arms bristle from static electricity. He keeps his hands clenched. I watch for a blue glow from his fists, but it doesn’t come.

  “No one has put me up to anything. You came to see me, remember? I wouldn’t do their dirty work for them, anyway. As far as I’m concerned, the E.N.C are a bunch of egotistical, self-righteous murderers. They murdered Norah and Boyd and made us bury them on a god damn cliff because they were considered inferior. Boyd was a thousand times braver, kinder, and more compassionate than all those bloody Nazi’s put together, and his fiancé had to listen to him being shot dead just feet away from her. Now, tell me that those bastards have put me up to anything, I dare you. Are you loyal to the E.N.C or not?” I catch my breath, tears springing to my eyes.

  “I’m not one of them,” he says, moving my hair over my shoulder to see my face clearly.

  I rub at my wet cheeks with the palms of my hands. His thumb brushes a tear from the corner of my eye. These are actions that the old Adam would have done. Is he remembering?

  “I’m not one of them,” he soothes again.

  My skin goose pimples as I step closer to him. “I’m sorry. I know you’re not one of them.” I press the heels of my hands into my eye sockets, stopping anymore tears. “I’m just a stranger to you, Adam, but you’re not to me.”

  “Why don’t I remember you?” he sighs. He rubs a hand over his scalp and down his neck.

  This must be so confusing for him, and I can’t tell him anything substantial to ease it. I curse Yvette silently. “Because Gabe doesn’t want you too.”

  He stands a little straighter, his brow furrowing. I have to look up to meet his eyes. He tilts his head slightly, his lips parting, and my stomach swoops. Is he going to kiss me, or is he going to say something? No words come, but his lips twitch. He’s going to kiss me. I stretch my neck up to him and touch my lips to his.

  Snapping his head away, he gawks at me. “What are you doing?”

  My stomach knots as if I’ve been physically punched in the guts.

  Golding enters, drawing our attention. “Sorry, I thought I heard shouting,” he says, casting me a ‘what is going on?’ glance.

  “Adam just came by to- ummm—”

  “To invite you all to a meal tonight. Emiko’s cooking,” Adam interjects. He moves toward the door. “She said it’ll be ready for 7
pm.” He casts a final glance at me, and then disappears.

  Throwing myself onto the sofa, I bury my face in the cushions.

  “Teddie?”

  “He admitted he isn’t one of them, but now he thinks I’m a bloody weirdo,” I say.

  “What? Why?” asks Golding.

  I groan in embarrassment. “Because I tried to kiss him.”

  Golding scoffs. “What did you go and do that for?”

  “I thought he was going in for a kiss, but obviously, he wasn’t. Oh, my god, I’m not sure if I’m more embarrassed or devastated. He literally pounced away from me. Literally. Pounced. Away. From. Me.”

  Golding laughs into the air. I allow him his fun. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same if the boot was on the other foot, but the thought that I’ve just ruined everything between me and Adam settles like a stone in my stomach.

  “I doubt Uncle Isaac will let us go anywhere tonight after your barny with Ty?” Golding says, still chuckling to himself.

  “It’s just a meal.” I say. “Anyway, he wants us to blend in, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

  ***

  Isaac rubs the heels of his hands into his eyes. He looks tired and unshaven. “I don’t know, Teddie? After what happened in the bar, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “It’s not like Ty’s going to be there. It’s just a meal,” I say.

  “Is Maggie going?”

  “No, but Golding, Yana, and Haydn will be. We can look after ourselves.” I sound like a pleading child.

  Isaac frowns slightly. “This isn’t about Adam, is it?” I roll my eyes, and he holds up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Go, but look out for each other and be vigilant.” I wrap my arms around him, planting a kiss on his cheek. My excitement sets him on edge. “This is about Adam, isn’t it?” he sighs. “Just be careful, Sweetheart. I don’t want you getting hurt.” He pats my back gently.

  “Too late for that,” I say, shrugging. “You’re getting better at this Dad malarkey by the way.”

  “Why, because I’m letting you have your own way?”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  The club is locked up. Wednesday seems to be the only day it is closed. We have to go around the back and ring the bell. Adam jogs down the stairs, smiling. It falls from his mouth slightly when he sees me.

  He wears his own clothes: board shorts, trainers, and a vintage Iron Maiden t-shirt. Everything clings to him perfectly, but they have a fun edge to them and show him for the twenty-three year old he is. Much different to Boyd’s clothes he had to wear.

  “Nice choice of band,” says Golding, looking impressed.

  Adam glances down at his top. “Are you an Iron Maiden fan?”

  “Does a bear shit in the woods? Who isn’t?” Golding follows him up the stairs.

  I take a deep breath.

  Haydn squeezes my shoulder affectionately. “If you want to leave at any point, just say, and we’ll find an excuse,” he whispers.

  “Yana, your boyfriend is a diamond,” I say.

  She grins from ear to ear. “I know, right?”

  The room smells amazing. Emiko stands at the hob stirring a casserole and drinking a hefty glass of red wine. Wheeler pours us equally generous glasses, and we all squeeze onto the two sofas.

  Adam reappears from his room, chucking a t-shirt at Golding. “It’s yours if you want it. It’s a bit small for me now.”

  It’s another Iron Maiden t-shirt similar to the one he is wearing, but it is navy instead of charcoal grey. It’ll be baggy on Golding, but that’s his style.

  “For keeps?” asks Golding. He looks as if all his Christmases have come at once.

  “Sure,” says Adam.

  He doesn’t even realise how happy he has just made Golding. Stop, making me melt. I think about my attempt at kissing him and that fizzy feeling is quickly replaced with embarrassment.

  Emiko calls me over to the kitchen area. She pours the rest of the wine bottle into my glass, and I have to hold my hand over the top to stop her pouring the contents of the new bottle in too.

  “Thank you for sticking up for Seth today. He came out repping the same time that I did. We shared a chalet for a few months before I met Wheeler. Ty has always gunned for him. He’s a homophobic pig. He wouldn’t have dared take on Adam if Adam’s ability had returned at full strength. Won’t be long before Adam can kick his ass again. It wouldn’t be the first time those two have clashed.”

  I glance over my shoulder and see Adam talking animatedly to the others. “Thank you for inviting us,” I say, changing the subject.

  “I thought you could all do with something to take your mind off of things. Perhaps, you and Adam could get to know each other again this evening? Did your friend Maggie not want to come?” she asks, stirring the pan.

  I think of Maggie alone at the chalet and my chest aches. No amount of persuading would make her come. She buried her fiancé yesterday. She must have thought us incredibly insensitive. Another wave of anxiety presses on my chest like a lead weight. I take another swig of wine to wash it away.

  Adam heads over to the stereo system. It’s a big, outdated, CD come cassette player that fits perfectly with his style. He opens the disc drawer and puts a CD on low. This is my chance. He doesn’t notice me at first. I stand behind him, watching him tidy the cases back into the stand.

  I clear my throat. “I’m sorry about what happened before at the chalet. I won’t make excuses. I just want to clear the air.” I surprise myself with how easy it is to talk to him after my utter humiliation.

  His brow lowers for a moment, and then he smiles. “Forget about it,” he says.

  My tummy lurches, but not in a good way. ‘Forget about it?’ He may as well have said ‘forget about us.’ I can’t speak, but I manage a smile and follow him back to the sofas.

  “We heard that you’re good at a certain dance,” Golding says, nudging Wheeler.

  Adam sits up a little straighter, looking confused.

  “Oh, you mean the Dougie?” Wheeler says, laughing.

  Emiko scoffs from the kitchen. “Don’t encourage him.”

  “How’d you guys know about that?” Adam asks, his eyes looking from Golding to me.

  I shift uncomfortably in my chair and take a long swig of drink. Someone else can explain to him.

  “You showed us,” Yana says. “You’re very good at it too. Haydn is awful.”

  Haydn looks a little hurt, but we all laugh- all except Adam. He is struggling with the manipulation, almost more so than when he was coming out of his TORO phase. I want to help him, but in reality, I’ll probably only make it worse.

  Wheeler gets up and gives us a little demo. Adam, however, stays rooted to the chair. He watches Wheeler, but isn’t really watching him. His mind is elsewhere.

  I lean forward and catch his eye. “Are you alright?” I mouth, so the others don’t see.

  He points to himself, and then twirls his finger at the side of his temple.

  I shake my head. “You’re not crazy.” I switch seats, so I’m perched on the side of his chair.

  “Why don’t I remember any of you?” he asks under his breath.

  “Maybe we’re just a boring, old bunch,” I say, smiling.

  “Nah, you seem like my type of people,” he says. “And I would have thought I’d remember your face.”

  My heart lifts a little from its current spot in my stomach. I know he’s being cute with me, and I know that my face has gone a scarlet colour.

  “Hey, what are you two whispering about?” asks Golding.

  “I was just telling Teddie that I think she’s pretty,” says Adam.

  He grins at me, knowing he’s embarrassed me. I slap his shoulder. This is the Adam I know. Maybe, just maybe, I can allow a little hope that I haven’t ruined everything with him.

  “You think she’s pretty, but you leave her hanging when she tries to kiss you,” says Golding.

  I flush from scarlet to beetroot
red. Adam is taken off guard, and Wheeler raises an eyebrow in a ‘why is this the first I’m hearing of this?’ way.

  Emiko calls us all to the table, and I’m thankful for the distraction. The rectangular, wooden table is surrounded by an assortment of miss matched chairs. I suppose you’d call it shabby chic. I love the whole vibe of the apartment. I take a seat and am surprised that Adam chooses the seat beside me.

  I lean into him. “Golding’s my best friend, and I wasn’t sure how much he had seen, so I told him. I’m sorry, but I was so embarrassed. It made him laugh, if nothing else.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he says, without looking at me. He dishes himself up some food, and then spoons some into my bowl. He has his unreadable face on.

  Taking a long swig of drink, I take a backseat and adopt the role of silent observer in the conversations. My mind ping pongs back and forth from the meal in front of me to everyone I’ve lost over the course of this fiasco. I don’t feel much like eating.

  ***

  A few more drinks loosen Adam up once again. He sits with Golding, Haydn, and Wheeler playing video games and watching football. Every so often, I hear his rich laugh and physically goose pimple from the sound.

  Yana and I sit with Emiko at the table.

  “Um, let me think. The thing I miss most is definitely my make-up,” says Yana.

  Emiko looks horrified at the fact that we have so little belongings to our names. “No make-up! I could lend you both some if you like.”

  “I’ve never really worn make-up,” I say. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”

  Shana never spent any time teaching me about make-up. She never spent any time on me at all if she could help it. Dad was a manly man. Make-up was not on his agenda.

  “You’ve never worn make-up?” asks Emiko.

  Golding looks up from the computer game. “Even I wear make-up,” he says, laughing.

  I instantly feel self-conscious about my lack of make-up experience. I never realised it was as important to some people as it must be.

  “Oooo, let’s give Teds a make-over,” he says, getting to his feet.