Chapter 18

Adam held the unconscious girl in his arms, his mind racing as he exchanged glances with Elijah and Alex.

Their original plan had been to head upstairs to their private room in the club, where their friends were waiting.

Uncertain of their next move, the men turned to Alex, the doctor in their group. After a quick assessment, he advised, "Let's take her to the room first. I'll check her vitals and see if we need to call an ambulance."

Without further discussion, they carried her upstairs, ignoring the surprised looks from the others in the club.

Upon entering their private room, the conversation inside came to an abrupt halt. William, Michael and Benjamin stared in shock at the sight of Adam carrying an unconscious woman followed closely by Alex and Elijah, but the group paid them no heed.

"What the hell happened?" William was the first to break the silence.

"She collapsed downstairs," Alex said as Adam carefully placed her onto the couch. "I need to check on her."

Michael narrowed his eyes. "Do any of you know who she is?"

Benjamin observed her carefully. "She looks familiar, but I can't place her."

Alex was already focused on examining her.

"Her vitals are stable, but—" Alex's voice trailed off as he noticed subtle tremors in her body. His expression grew serious. "She's having a seizure. It's not severe, but it's still concerning."

Adam's jaw clenched, his grip tightening on the armrest of the couch. "What caused it?"

Alex continued his assessment. "Could be related to past injuries. Does anyone know her? Know if she's had accidents before?"

Before anyone could answer, a soft groan filled the air. The men turned as Mary stirred, her lashes fluttering before slowly opening to reveal sharp, alert eyes.

Alex leaned in, his voice calm and professional. "Miss, can you hear me? You fainted and had a mild seizure. I'm a doctor. Can you tell me your name? Do you know where you are?"

Mary's gaze flickered between the men, her muscles tensing as she took in her surroundings. A private room, five unfamiliar men, no other women—her instincts screamed caution. She tried to sit up, but dizziness overtook her, and she faltered. Before she could fall, Adam instinctively caught her, his grip firm yet careful as he eased her back onto the couch.

"Easy," he murmured. "You're not steady yet."

Mary inhaled deeply, pushing past her disorientation. "Where am I? What happened?"

Adam, still holding onto her for support, exchanged a glance with Alex before answering. "You collapsed downstairs. We brought you here so our friend could check on you."

Mary scanned their faces, searching for any sign of deception. Finding none, she relaxed—marginally. "And you didn't do anything else?"

Elijah smirked, but William was the one who scoffed. "If we had bad intentions, do you think we'd be sitting here calmly explaining the situation?"

Mary studied them again before nodding slightly. "Fair point."

Alex cleared his throat, drawing her attention back. "Do you have a history of fainting spells? Any previous medical conditions?"

Mary hesitated, then exhaled. "I was in two car accidents. The first one put me in a coma for a while."

Alex nodded, unsurprised. "That explains a lot. After a severe accident and a period of being comatose, it's not uncommon to experience episodes of unconsciousness."

She frowned. "You mean, this could keep happening?"

"Potentially," Alex admitted. "It could be Post-Concussion Syndrome—after a traumatic brain injury, symptoms like fainting, dizziness, or brief blackouts can be triggered by stress or exertion. Another possibility is Post-Traumatic Epilepsy. Brain injuries increase the risk of seizures. But from what I observed, it wasn't a full-blown seizure, more of a mild episode. You should still get checked by a neurologist."

Adam stiffened at her words. Two accidents. A coma. The weight of guilt settled heavily in his chest, though he masked it well. He knew the role he had played in her suffering, even if she didn't. He had thought of it as collateral damage at the time—something unavoidable. But now, seeing her like this, vulnerable and suffering because of something he had a hand in, it made him feel something foreign—regret. Still, he schooled his expression, refusing to let it show.

Mary absorbed his words, her sharp mind already analyzing the information. "So, it's not life-threatening?"

"Not necessarily," Alex reassured her. "But it shouldn't be ignored either."

Mary nodded, then turned her attention to Adam, who had yet to let go of her. His touch was steady, firm, but not overbearing. "You can let go now."

Adam smirked but obliged, pulling back slowly. "You sure? You nearly collapsed a second ago."

Mary shot him a look. "I can handle myself."

Elijah chuckled. "Feisty. I like her."

Adam rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Instead, he studied Mary carefully. Despite the vulnerability of the moment, she carried herself with sharp wit and confidence. She wasn't easily fooled, nor was she the type to play the victim.

William, who had been watching silently, finally spoke. "So, what now? Do we call someone for you?"

Mary shook her head. "No need. I just need a moment."

Adam crossed his arms, skeptical. "You sure?"

She met his gaze head-on. "Positive. But thanks."

Something flickered in his expression, an unreadable emotion, before he simply nodded. "Alright. But don't push yourself."

Mary found herself momentarily surprised by his unexpected concern, but she quickly masked it. One thing was clear—this night had taken a turn she hadn't expected.

Alex asked, "Can you tell me your name? Just making sure you're fully conscious and aware."

Mary lifted her chin slightly. "Mary. Mary Kay."

Benjamin, who had been watching her closely, raised an eyebrow. "Kay? Are you related to Judge Kay?"

Instead of answering immediately, Mary studied him, her sharp eyes assessing. "Why do you ask? Who are you?"

Benjamin smirked, pulling out a sleek business card and handing it to her. "Benjamin Hayes. Attorney."

Mary took the card and glanced at it, recognition flickering in her eyes. "Oh. That Benjamin Hayes." She looked back up, her gaze unwavering. "Yes. Judge Kay is my father."

The atmosphere in the room subtly shifted. The men straightened, their expressions shifting from curiosity to respect. Judge Kay was not just any judge—he was a man of power, feared and respected in equal measure. It suddenly made sense why Mary carried herself with such sharp confidence.

Adam, however, remained impassive. He had already known this from prior investigations but had no intention of letting her find out. His eyes, however, darkened slightly at the newfound interest some of the others displayed in her. It was obvious they were taken aback by her beauty, but now, knowing her background, she had become even more intriguing in their eyes.

Not liking the shift in attention, Adam redirected the conversation. "Do you want me to send you home? Or call someone for you?"

The other five men turned their scrutinizing gazes toward him. This was the first time he had been this involved in a situation like this. Normally, he remained indifferent to what happened to others unless it directly concerned him. He had never shown interest in a woman before, making his current behavior unusual. However, as longtime friends, they understood—this girl had caught their brother's attention.

Rather than interfering, they chose to step back and let him have his moment. Of course, they'd have their fun teasing him about it later, but for now, they would have his back.

Mary shook her head politely. "No need, my friends are here—"

Before she could finish, the door to the room was suddenly kicked open.