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CHAPTER TWELVE
Adam
No more lies...
Her words ricocheted through my brain like a demon-possessed pinball, making me feel like absolute dog shit. I’d been lucky she believed I was just talking to guys from my past—technically true—but damn it was close. I knew it was a possibility that I’d run into Jethro and his gang of jackasses at some point in a town the size of Redemption. I guess it was just too much to hope he’d ignore me. Fuck, no.
So instead of blowing my cover, I shot the shit with him for a minute while Faith was in the restroom, even biting my tongue when he made crude comments about Andromeda’s tits. But the dumb fuck made it worth my efforts when he let it slip that there was another run to New Orleans tomorrow.
“It’ll be a big one,” he crowed, rolling the toothpick between his teeth with a grin. “Good haul. So good, the Man is overseeing the pickup of the merchandise himself.”
My ears tuned in, but I kept my cool. “Cyrus?” I met his suspicion head-on. “Hell, I haven’t seen him since before I went inside. It’ll be good to see him again. To catch up.” When I caught sight of Faith coming out of the restroom, I stood. “Let ’em know I’ll be there to make the run.” I turned and walked away without waiting around. Fuck it. Let them think I had balls the size of Texas. They’d asked me to do the NOLA runs, right?
Now, as I held Faith in my arms, knowing I was the only barrier between her and the assholes behind me that wanted to hurt her, I was one miserable son of a bitch as my mind spun around making promises I couldn’t keep and thoughts of seeing Cyrus Pittman again.
She drew back and glanced up at me. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Never better.” I looked down into those beautiful eyes, praying she couldn’t see the truth as she studied me. Searching.
Stop looking, Faith.
A popular song came on and couples flooded the small dance floor around us, and I watched as her body language changed.
Her small form shrunk in my arms as the crowd pressed in. The smell of heat and perfume and alcohol permeated the air. A glass hit the ground across the room, shattering just as raucous laughter boomed out from where CJ and my brother played pool.
Then the couple next to us bumped into Faith, pushing her into me.
She tensed in my arms, automatically grabbing my biceps in a death grip as I realized she was no longer moving. I studied her face and saw the flash of fear she was trying to hold back as she schooled her features, but her eyes had become glossy and vacant, her cheeks pale.
I didn’t bother asking her if she was alright. That much was clear.
I took her hand and led her off the dance floor, using my body as a shield against the crowd as I guided her back to our table. “We’re heading out,” I said to nobody in particular. “See ya.”
CJ and Tobes waved as Andromeda caught my eye, her gaze flitting to Faith’s face. Concern filled her expression as if she knew something I didn’t. “You take care of her, Bishop.”
“Of course.” I turned, tucking Faith under my arm. “Come on, baby.” I led her toward the exit, not sure if I should freak out more that she wasn’t putting up a fight or that she was shaking like a leaf.
Truth be told, I was more than happy to get her away from Bastien’s goons. Deal or not, I understood the sordid world they lived in better than I wanted to admit, and I knew I couldn’t trust them for shit.
I found her Jeep and positioned myself between her and the bar so all she had to focus on was me. “Faith. Look at me.”
She eventually lifted her eyes my way, her breathing shallow and gasping.
“What’s wrong?”
“I...” She shook her head. “I can’t... I can’t.” She raked a hand through her hair. “Jesus, help me.” She leaned over, her hands to her knees, sucking in air. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
I put a gentle hand to her back. “Slow your breathing, baby. Slow. I think you’re having a panic attack.”
She was still shaking her head as she sunk to her knees on the ground.
I followed. “Listen to my words. Look around. Tell me three things you can see.”
She sucked in a breath and shook her head.
“Do it,” I said.
Flailing, she looked around with wild eyes. “Cars... Rudy’s.” She coughed and sucked in again. “You.”
