Adam shook his head gently at Yara. âMom, itâs classified. I canât tell you.â
Yara sighed but didnât push further, knowing how his job worked. Still, she couldnât help but wonder aloud, âBut Yvieâs just a college kid. What could the military want with her?â
Adamâs lips curved into a small, knowing smile. Mom, Yvieâs way more impressive than you think.â
There was pride in his voice, a kind of quiet admiration for his sisterâs unexpected strengths.
âAlright, Iâve got to go,â Adam said, glancing at his watch. âIf I donât leave now, Iâm going to be late.â
He said his goodbyes to Yara and Irwin before reluctantly heading out of Murray Manor, clearly not eager to leave.
Yvette was already waiting for him outside. She greeted him with a warm smile and a soft, â Adam, safe travels.â
Adam couldnât help but feel a surge of pride as he looked at his sister. How did he end up with someone so brilliant and endearing in his life?
He couldnât resist pulling her into a tight hug, his hand gently ruffling her hair.
âIâll be back to pick you up in a few days, Yvie,â he said, his voice full of warmth and just a hint of reluctance.
Once he returned to the base, heâd be buried in work. Moments like this with his sister were rare, so he needed to savor every second.
Yvette stayed nestled against him, content in the embrace. But when she caught Wilsonâs death stare from the sidelines, Adam let her go, throwing a cheeky grin Wilsonâs way.
In Adamâs mind, Yvette was his little sister, and he could hug her as long as he damn well pleased.
Wilsonâs jaw tightened, but he kept it cool. Silently, he reached for Yvetteâs hand, his grip a subtle claim on her.
âMake sure you take care of her while Iâm gone,â Adam said, his tone edging into something a bit sharper.
He clapped Wilsonâs shoulder before adding, âAnd if anything happens to her if she so much as stubs her toeâyouâre gonna have me to deal with.â
It was Adamâs roundabout way of giving Wilson the green light as Yvetteâs future husband, but the protective older brother vibe was unmistakable.
Wilsonâs grin widened. âRelax, Adam. Iâll take care of Yvie. Sheâll never have to worry about a thing while Iâm around.â
Adam gave a nod. âGood. Iâll be holding you to that.â He patted Wilson on the shoulder before striding toward his car.
âAlright, Iâm out of here. No need to see me off, Yvie. Iâll be back soon to pick you up,â Adam called as he opened the door.
Yvette waved, watching him pull away, her eyes lingering until his car disappeared from sight. Only then did she reluctantly look away, her heart still heavy.
Though their time together had been short, Adam had already earned a lasting place in her heart.
âLetâs head back inside, baby,â Wilson whispered, pulling Yvette into a gentle embrace.
Right then, a sleek RollsâRoyce glided to a stop at the gate. Jacob stepped out, his long strides confident as he caught sight of them, arms wrapped around each other..
Yvette, knowing Jacobâs temper when it came to her and Wilson, instinctively tried to pull away. The last thing she wanted was to see Wilson take another hit for something as simple as a hug.
But to her surprise, Jacob didnât explode. He shot Wilson a hard glare, more of a silent threat than his usual fury.
âAdam already took off?â Jacob asked.
âYeah, just left,â Yvette replied, nodding.
For a brief moment, disappointment flickered in Jacobâs dark eyes. He had rushed back but still missed his brother.
Jacobâs jaw clenched for a second, but he quickly shook it off, stepping forward and gently grabbing Yvetteâs hand.
As he started leading her inside, he glanced back at Wilson with a sharp edge in his voice. âYou coming, or are you just gonna stand there?â