Page 56 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
“Why would you do that? You don’t even know us,” he asks in disbelief.
I reach over and grab his hand. “I don’t need to know you a long time to know that I care about you and your sister. You guys need a place to stay and I have one.”
“Faith, can I talk to you for a minute in the kitchen?” Cade asks, cutting in now. He keeps his tone level, and for anyone who doesn’t know him they would think no different, but I know better.
I glance over at him. “In a second, yes.” I turn back to Christopher and give his hand another light squeeze. “This is the best scenario for both you and Ruth Jean, and you know it. Please. Let me help you.”
It takes him a minute to respond, and I start to think he’s going to turn me down until he nods.
I let out a relieved breath and give him a small smile. “Okay, call Mrs. Jenkins. If you’re sure you can trust her, ask if Ruth Jean can spend the night.” Leaning over, I reach for my phone then hand it to him. “I’ll go into the kitchen and call Cooper to find out what we need to do.”
He nods again, still in shock, but I can also see fear in his gaze. I pat his shoulder gently as I stand up. “Everything will be okay, Christopher. We will figure this out, I promise.”
I walk into the kitchen and feel Cade quickly follow behind me. Just as I make it to the sink, he grabs my arm and spins me around to face him. “What the fuck are you thinking?” he asks in a harsh whisper.
I rip my arm out of his grasp. “I’m thinking that two kids need help and I can help them.”
He stares at me in disbelief. “Red. You’re twenty-four fucking years old. You’re old enough to be the kid’s sister not his mother.”
“So what? I’m not trying to be their mother. I’m trying to be someone they can rely on, while giving them a safe environment.”
“You have your own shit going on right now. You shouldn’t be taking on someone else’s!”
I expected to hear this. To be honest, I expect to hear this from other people too, but I don’t care. I know I’m making the right decision. “What do you expect me to do, Cade? Let him go back there?” I know that he does not think that.
“Of course not. But let Cooper handle this, let the state take care of them.”
“You heard what he said, and we both know that he’s right. They will more than likely be split up, and, let’s just be real for a moment, foster homes aren’t always the safest place either. Whereas here, in my home, we know this is a safe place for them.”
“Maybe they won’t get split up and if they do, well… yeah it fucking sucks, but this does not make it your problem, Faith!”
“I’m making it my problem!” He glares down at me and I decide to try another tactic. “What if you were in his position? Would you take the chance of letting someone take your sister from you?” I feel terrible as soon as the words leave my mouth, especially at the horrific pain that flashes in his gaze, but I need him to understand why I’m not giving up on this.
His expression turns angry again, but before he can respond, Christopher comes bolting in with his wet shirt in hand. “We have to go, now!”
“What’s wrong?” I ask, rushing over to him.
“My dad picked up Ruth Jean from Mrs. Jenkins an hour ago.” The same fear and panic that’s etched on Christopher’s face starts to rush through me.
Okay think, Faith, think.
Christopher starts to the front door but I grab his arm to halt him. “We will call Cooper first.”
“No! We can’t wait that long. You don’t understand how bad he was tonight. She’s not safe with him. Especially if his friends are still there.”
“Let’s go. We can call Cooper on the way.” Before I can even register what’s happening, both Cade and Christopher are out the door. I get my butt into gear and quickly follow. Once we get into Cade’s truck, he pulls his cell out and hits one number before passing it to me. I take it and Cooper answers immediately.
I try to keep calm, and briefly fill him in on tonight’s events since leaving the bar. He curses angrily, but also doesn’t seem all that surprised. He tells me that he and Kayla just got home and that he will meet us there as soon as he can. He also instructs for us to wait in the truck until he does. By the time I hang up from him we are driving down the same back road that we found Christopher on tonight and I just now register that Cade is driving fast. Really fast.
“The next turn is our driveway.”
He turns quickly and races up the long driveway, which leads to a very small, beaten-down house that has two black motorcycles parked in front, and slams on the brakes.
“Shit! Spike is still here.”
Spike? I assume this is one of his father’s friends and that is not good. Please, God, let Ruth Jean be okay.
“Cooper told us to wait in the truck.” Both of them ignore me and get out anyway. Oh crap! Oh crap! I quickly follow and try to calm my thundering heartbeat.
Christopher rushes up the front steps ahead of us, but Cade grabs the back of his shirt before he gets too far. “Keep calm, kid. We will get her out. Don’t make the situation worse than it has to be.”
Christopher complies with a nod and I watch him take in a deep breath before he opens the door and walks in. The overwhelming smell of alcohol and stale cigarette smoke quickly impales my nostrils. Cade goes next and when I begin to follow he throws his arm out, stopping me. “Stay here.”
