“Fayth, I don’t thin—”
“Slider.”
One word. Dammit.
We passed the burger place, and I headed to the theater.
“You better be right, Fay.”
She tossed the notepad back on the dash and smirked.
I let her think she had won this round, but I had a few tricks up my sleeve.
********
Chapter 10
Fayth
How in the hell did this happen? Here I thought I had the upper hand by deciding to eat at the theater, but I realized it was a small victory now.
“Hand me the popcorn,” Slider whispered.
I can’t believe you got all of this junk food. We still have our meal coming, I wrote after I handed him the huge bucket of popcorn.
“You can’t go to the movies and not load up on popcorn, candy, and soda.”
I swear to Christ, you’re a fourteen-year-old trapped inside a thirty-five-year-old body. He grabbed the notepad and held it close to his face.
“Once the movie starts, I’m not going to be able to read your feisty notes.”
I grabbed the paper from him and rolled my eyes. I had never wanted to be able to talk more than I did right now. Not only had Slider bought-out the concession stand, he had also picked the movie we were seeing.
He had asked me at the ticket counter what movie I had wanted to see, but he had acted like he couldn’t read my handwriting when he saw it was the latest chick flick. So, here we were, watching some crash and bash action movie.
“How long until they bring our food? You sure they know how to find us?”
I rolled my eyes. This was another new experience for Slider. Apparently, the theater back in Rockton hadn’t joined the latest craze of the dining while you watch theater.
Soon. They will. They had taken our order in the seats we were sitting in, so I wasn’t worried about them finding us, and it was like any restaurant when it came to how long the food would take.
“Well, thank God I bought popcorn. It’ll hold me over until they decide to bring me my feast.”
Feast was about right. Slider had ordered mozzarella sticks, spinach dip, a huge, half-pound burger with sweet potato fries, and a side of boneless chicken wings. I had ordered a BLT with fries.
I think you’ll live.
“Feistiness coming though on paper again, Firecracker.”
I saw the waitress coming towards our seats with a heavily laden down tray with our lunch. I poked Slider and motioned for him to swing his tray in front of him.
“Hell yes.” He rubbed his hands together and watched the waitress fill his tray up.
“Um, can I put this on your tray?” she asked, holding up the spinach dip.
I nodded, and she crammed my tray with the dip and my sandwich.
The waitress disappeared down the aisle, rubbing her shoulder. “That chick was a beast for carrying all of this food,” Slider said around a mouthful. “You can have some of this if you want, Firecracker.”
I grabbed my pad of paper. Why are you calling me that?
“Feisty,” was the only word of explanation he gave me before he took a huge bite of his burger.
The lights dimmed, and I focused on the screen, watching the previews as I started eating.
“I should have ordered the nachos,” Slider mumbled.
I was at the movies with a fourteen-year-old man-child.
How did this happen?
********
Slider
“Where are you?”
“On the way back to the house.”
“Where were you all day? I talked to Marco, and he said he hasn’t seen either of you.”
I didn’t know I needed to report to Leo about my every move. “Out.”
“Something has come up, and I need to go out of town. Get home as soon as you can.”
I shoved my phone in my pocket and sighed. It was only half-past four, but Fayth was huddled in the corner of the seat, her hands under her head, and was lightly sleeping.
It had been a good day with Fayth, and now I had no idea what was going to happen.
Although she didn’t say it, I knew she had a good time with me, which I knew she needed. She was so focused on not being able to talk that it was holding her back just letting the words come.
I liked Fayth, I had to accept that. There wasn’t a man in this world who would leave in the middle of the night for a woman if he didn’t care about her in the least.
I liked her. There, I fucking admit it, but that was it.
At least, for now.
********
Chapter 11
Fayth
“Fay. Fay, wake up.”
I batted away the hand shaking me. I didn’t want to wake up.
“Fayth, wake your ass up.”
Grr. Why couldn’t I just sleep?
“Come on, Firecracker. Leo is waiting for us. Something is up.”
I perked up and wondered what was going on. I heard Slider’s door slam, and seconds later, my door was opened.
“Come on, Fay. I want a nap just as bad as you do, but first, we’ll talk to Leo.” Slider held his hand out to me, and I surveyed him. He appeared exhausted and ready to fall over right there in the driveway.
I had forgotten he had driven here through the night and had zero sleep. I had at least managed a couple of hours before I had woken up saying his name. Although, that felt like days ago.
I grabbed his hand and let him lead me to the front door as I sleepily tried to keep up with him. I was in another situation where I wished I could just speak. All I wanted to do was stay sleeping where I didn’t have to think. This mute shit was getting more annoying all the time.
As soon as Slider opened the door, Leo started barking orders. “Fay, head upstairs. The doctor is here to look you over. He needs to clear you for travel. Slider, come to my office. There are things we need to go over.”
I grabbed Leo’s hand and opened my mouth, praying the words I needed to say would come out.
“Fayth, go upstairs. Trust me.” He shook off my hand and headed to his office.
Slider pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “Don’t worry, Fayth,” he whispered. He followed Leo, and I stood there, ready to scream. Things were happening around me, and I couldn’t do anything because I couldn’t get the words I needed to say out.
I stomped up the stairs, pissed off. My bedroom door was open, and Marco was leaning against the doorjamb.
“Did Uncle Leo talk to you?”
I growled and nodded.
“I’m going to assume it was more like he talked at you,” he said, laughing.
Talking at me was a much better description. Talking to me would mean I actually had a say about what was going on and was not just being ordered around.
“The doc is in there. I was waiting for you to get back. That dude gives me a weird vibe, and I didn’t want to leave him alone in your room. I gotta finish packing.” Marco headed down the hallway and was in his room before what he had said registered. Pack? For what?
Ugh, so many questions with no answers. It was so much easier when I just sat in my room and no one really talked to me. Now they talked to me, and I couldn’t say anything back unless I had my paper with me.
“Fayth, there you are. Leo called me and told me what has been going on.”
I looked in my room and saw Dr. Stevens standing next to my bed with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Leo told me you have been speaking.”
I wouldn’t really say one word is speaking. I nodded and stepped into my room. Marco’s words about the doctor giving him a weird vibe stuck with me. I had never really paid attention to Dr. Stevens before, but now that I was back to trying to participate in the real world, I needed to pay attention.
I nodded and looked around for a piece of paper.
“Can I ask what you’ve been saying? Leo was rather short on the phone with me.”
“Slider.” I found some
paper on my dresser and now started the search for a pen.
“Oh. Um, what exactly does that mean?”
I found a pen on the floor and quickly scribbled. Friend.
“Okay, I’m assuming he must be a rather close friend for his name to be the first word you chose to speak. What other words are you able to say?”
I shook my head and dropped the paper.
“Just the one word? I’m not sure what that means. I’m not exactly a psychiatrist. That would probably be more in their field of expertise.”
Then, what in the hell was he doing here? I needed someone to help me understand what in the hell was going on inside my head.
“Leo asked me to come over and make sure you are able to travel.”
After a quick physical, the doctor left, letting me know there wasn’t any reason I couldn’t travel.
Now, I needed to figure out where the hell I was traveling to.
********
Slider
“Have a seat,” Leo ordered when we ambled into his office. Everything was dark mahogany and expensive-looking. Much like the rest of the house.
“Everything okay?” I asked as I sat down in the leather chair in front of his desk, and he sank into the large, black leather chair behind it. Normally, I wouldn’t be one to have someone to tell me to sit down, but I was in Leo’s house and knew I needed to show him respect.
“No, things are far from okay, but that’s not what we need to talk about.” Leo picked up a glass half-full with a dark amber liquid and took a sip. “Like I said, I need to go out of town, and I don’t want to leave Fayth alone.”
“I can stay as long as you need me to.”
“I’d rather you not.”
Then, what in the hell did he want me to talk about? “I guess I’ll just say goodbye to Fayth and head back to Rockton.” I stood, pissed the hell off.
“No need to say goodbye. I want you to go back to Rockton, but I want you to take Fayth and Marco with you.”
“Why? What’s going on that you can’t leave Fayth and Marco here?”
“I have some business associates who aren’t seeing things the way they should, and I need to change their view. Having Fayth and Marco in Rockton is what’s best.”
“This isn’t going to follow them?”
“I hope not, but I don’t know. Having Fayth back in Rockton will help ease my mind.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and paced the length of Leo’s office. “You really think I can keep her safe? Hell, the last time I watched her, she got shot in the fucking head.”
“She did.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
Leo shrugged and drained his glass. “There isn’t much to say, Slider. You fucked up. Don’t do it again.”
“She’s not going to trust me to keep her safe. Hell, I don’t trust myself to keep her safe.”
“She does. Did you not spend all day with her?”
“Well, yeah. But this is fucking different.”
“It’s not different. The threat that is possible now was there all day. Now, you just know about it.”
“I can’t do this, Leo.” Fear took over my body at the thought of Fayth getting hurt or even dying.
“You can, and you will. You’re the only person I trust with Fayth right now.”
“What about one of your men? You had Princeton and Creed in Rockton. Why can’t they watch her while you are gone?” I may have hated Princeton and Creed, but I knew they were damn good at what they did.
“Because I need my best men with me right now.” Leo steepled his hands in front of him and looked me up and down. “You don’t know yet, do you?”
Know what? I had no idea what the hell Leo was talking about. All I knew was I was not the man to keep Fayth safe. “What?”
“All of you Knights have a problem accepting the fact.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Although, from what I hear, King and Rigid didn’t put up much of a fight.”
“You’re speaking in fucking riddles, man. What in the fuck have I not accepted?”
Leo laughed and shook his head. “No, I’m not going to put you out of your misery. I’m going to let you figure it out on your own.”
“What the hell ever, man. I’ll figure out your goddamn riddle while you find someone else to watch over Fayth.”
The smile fell from Leo’s face and he stood. “No. I’ve already decided. You’re not going to change my mind, Slider. You may doubt yourself, but I don’t. A man like you won’t let anything happen to Fayth a second time.”
“She’s not healthy enough to travel. She was shot two months ago.”
Leo raised the hem of his shirt and pointed to a three-inch angry, red mark on his side. “I was grazed by a bullet two weeks ago and you didn’t even know. Fayth is a fighter and more than healthy enough for a three-hour car ride. Try another excuse.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
Leo smiled evilly. “A man like me does not make mistakes, Slider. We’re done talking about this.” He grabbed his suit jacket off the back of his chair and slid his arms into the sleeves. “You leave in the morning. I know you haven’t slept. I would rather you not drive my nephew and sister in a sleepless stupor.”
“She isn’t going to like this. She hated living in Rockton.”
Leo shook his head. “No, my sister actually enjoyed living in Rockton but was confused because she felt like she was leaving her family by being there. I’m doing this for her, as much as I’m doing it to keep her safe.”
“She always told me she hated it.”
“Because you were another reason why she was confused.”
“You’re speaking in riddles again.”
“No, I’m not.” Leo glanced at his watch and shook his head. “As much as I would love to continue this conversation with you, Slider. I need to be on a plane in half an hour.”
“You’re leaving now?” Panic climbed up my throat.
“Yes. As I said, I have something to take care of. Trust yourself and don’t let Fayth run you over.” Leo picked up a duffel bag he had sitting by the side of his desk. “I hope to be back soon, but I don’t know for sure.” He headed out the door and looked over his shoulder at me. “Will you die for her, Slider?”
“Ten times over.” I didn’t hesitate. I knew if it ever came down to Fayth or me, I would sacrifice myself every time.
Leo nodded. “Good. I’ll say goodbye to Fayth and Marco, and then I’ll be gone. Take care of my family, Slider. They are all I have.”
I nodded, unable to talk. I was pleased Leo had enough faith in me to take care of Fayth and Marco, but I was also terrified he had made a horrible mistake.
There was only one thing for sure. I would die before anything ever happened to Fayth again. Nothing would touch her.
*******
Chapter 12
Fayth
Do you think we could stop? I held the paper up to Slider and prayed he wasn’t like a typical male who hated to stop during a trip.
He nodded once, and I sighed. Thank God. I had told Marco ten times to make sure to go to the bathroom before we had left this morning, but I hadn’t taken my own advice.
“I see someone didn’t go to the bathroom before we left,” Marco teased.
I rolled my eyes and elbowed him in the side. Slider was driving, and I was wedged between him and Marco as we made our way back to Rockton.
“Yeah, I do remember her yelling at you to pee,” Slider said while he chuckled.
Now, I elbowed him in the side. Ass, I wrote.
Slider shook his head and pointed down the road. “Two miles back I saw a sign for a big ol’ truck stop. We can do a pit stop there and hopefully pick up some breakfast.”
Breakfast was another reason why Slider was an ass. He had insisted I didn’t need to make anything because we could just grab something on the way. Except, I didn’t want to stop and grab something. I wanted actual sustenance. Not
some half-warm breakfast sandwich from a warming table at a seedy truck stop.
“Uncurl your lip, Fayth. I promise to feed you something delicious.”
I tossed my notepad on the dash and crossed my arms over my chest. I really doubted we were going to find anything good to eat at a gas station.
“Mom is a food snob. I bet you won’t be able to find anything that she’ll eat at a gas station.”
“Yeah, I’ve kind of picked up on that.” Slider laughed and ran his fingers through his hair.
I glared at Marco and grabbed the pad of paper. Way to take your mother’s side.
Marco shrugged and put his headphones on.
Slider took the exit to the gas station, and I was surprised at the size of the building. This thing is huge, I wrote.
“That’s what she said.” Slider winked at me and grabbed my hand while he slid out of the truck.
I rolled my eyes and whacked him with my notepad.
“I’m gonna run to the bathroom,” Marco called and headed into the gas station.
I moved to follow Marco, but Slider tugged me back and shook his head. “You don’t leave my sight, Fayth.”
I motioned to where Marco had disappeared into the building. What the hell was the difference from Marco to me?
“We’re right behind him.” Slider tugged me to the door. “I told Leo nothing would happen to you, and I intend to keep that promise.”
As nice as that sounded, there was no way Slider could be with me all of the time.
I looked around once we strode through the door, and I was again taken aback by the sheer size of the gas station. The sweet smell of cinnamon hit my nose and I spotted the Cinnabon to the right of the door. My stomach rumbled and I knew that a cinnamon roll would be leaving with me.
Slider pulled me past the counter filled with those fluffy pillows of sweet dough and headed down a short hallway that led to the bathrooms. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall as I walked in the bathroom, and he was in the same spot when I walked out.
Devil’s Knights MC Box Set 2 Page 55