Page 26 of Duality

The door closed behind us. Danny and Adrian stepped through with the last of the bags. “There should be enough food in here for a couple of days,” Danny said. “And there are some extra clothes in here as well. I guessed everyone’s sizes, but they should be fine for at least tonight until we can figure out if it’s safe for you to go home.”

Danny grimaced as he looked at all of us standing in the foyer. He didn’t seem thrilled at having us in Evie’s space. I was relieved to learn earlier that his protectiveness was familial and not romantic. Evie definitely seemed to care about him whenhe would drop by the office, and I would hate to upset her by removing a rival for her affections.

“Thanks, Danny,” Evie said, directing a soft smile at him that made me want to claw his eyes out even if he was her cousin. “We should be good.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Danny asked, his eyes moving over all of us before landing back on her.

Evie shook her head. “I need you out there tonight. We need to know what’s happening on the streets.”

Danny frowned but nodded. He wrapped her up in a big bear hug, then handed her the rest of the bags. He waited till she disappeared into the kitchen before pinning us with a look.

“I get it, you’re pissed,” Danny started, his voice low but firm. “You feel like she kept you in the dark, and yeah, she did. But she also did everything she could to protect you and your company. We fought endlessly about it, but she saw something in you, in your company, that she wanted to protect. If we had been given full access to SDS, we could have gotten a lot more done, but she made us walk the line. Yes, it was still a betrayal, but she tried to protect you just as much as she tried to protect every person who comes to the Archers for justice.”

He paused, letting his words sink in before he continued. “And one more thing. Don’t think for a second that all this doesn’t weigh on her.” He hesitated, like he wasn’t sure he wanted to say the next part. “I’ll deny saying this till the day I die, but she cares about you guys, more than just as her bosses. There’s no one else you want in your corner more than Evelyn Harper.”

His warning was sweet but unneeded. I already knew that Evie cared about us. Her mask had cracked enough times over the years that I knew. And I would die before I hurt her. But when his gaze landed on Marcus, I sighed. I really needed my brothers to get on board with the plan, and quickly.

Danny’s gaze was unwavering, making sure we understood the gravity of what he was saying. “So yeah, be pissed. But don’t hurt her. Because trust me, she’s already been through enough.”

With those cryptic words, he left, setting the alarm system on the way out.

“Is he done threatening you all?” I wasn’t the only one who jumped when Evelyn appeared on silent feet at our backs. Her lips quirked before she hid her reaction. “Come on. I have pizza in the oven.”

Evelyn showed us where everything was in the kitchen, but she didn’t linger long. She took two slices of pizza and then retreated to her bedroom. I wanted to follow her, but I needed to knock some heads together first.

Before I could start, though, Adrian spoke. “I’m sorry I never told you,” he said to Marcus, his eyes serious as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “My mom, though…”

Marcus clasped a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “I wish you’d told me about your dad.”

Adrian rubbed his face. “I know. I should have. I guess I was…ashamed. I couldn’t protect her. And the Archers protected her in ways I would have never been able to. I kept an eye on her, though.” He nodded towards the doorway Evelyn had disappeared through.

“I’m sure that wasn’t a hardship.” I grinned, waggling my eyebrows.

It was like a shutter fell over Adrian’s face. “I don’t know what you mean.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, you do. Cards on the table, gentlemen,” I said airily. “We all like our darling Evie and want to have permanent positions in her life.”

“You’re not still on that stupid idea you had in college, are you?” Marcus asked disdainfully, but he couldn’t hide the spark of interest in his eyes.

Growing up, we were a tight-knit family. I loved my brothers, and they kept me sane. I didn’t want a woman coming between us, so I had done a ton of research on polyamory.

“I don’t recall you calling it stupid then.”

“I’m pretty sure I called it impossible,” Marcus shot back.

“Maybe before. But that was before Evie. It’s perfect. She’s perfect. You can’t tell me you aren’t interested.” I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms.

“She lied,” Marcus snarled. Clearly, he wasn’t as over it as he portrayed to her. “How could you trust her?”

“Brother…” I shook my head at him. “You need to get over your black-and-white thinking. Yes, she lied, but she had a good reason to.”

I waved an arm at Adrian in case he forgot how many people the Archers helped. Marcus crossed his arms, looking away. I recognized the stubborn tilt of his jaw.

“What’s really bothering you?” Alexander asked. “That she lied, or that she didn’t come to us for help?”

The way Marcus and Adrian stiffened told me that my big brother just hit the nail on the head.

He shook his head. “I don’t appreciate the dishonesty, either. But I can see why she did it. The fact that she felt she couldn’t come to us…” He pointedly looked at each of us. “That she felt like she would be judged… That worries me more.”