Page 58 of Worshiping Faith

Negotiations? Shit. With who?

Zachs?

Now we’re really fucked.

Dax left for a tower after picking another shooter to cover the other side. That leaves me here, stuck with the backup crew. Babysitting men I wouldn’t trust to load a damn magazine, let alone hold the line if this goes south.

I grab my walkie. “Zachs, what’s going on?”

His voice comes back, all smirk and chaos. “Little bitches wanna talk now.”

Of course they do. After he dropped three of their guys in the water, I’d be surprised if they weren’t rethinking their whole damn plan.

Still, negotiating with Zachs? Anyone else would be better.

Or maybe not.

If we had to throw someone at them, at least we sent the charming psychopath.

Then I hear a gunshot.

Close.

My head whips toward the block. Faith?

No hesitation. I break into a full sprint, boots pounding against the gravel. Every part of me locked on that sound.

What the fuck did Jinx do?

Did she kill our leverage?

Did he disarm her?

Shit.

My mind fires off a dozen worst-case scenarios, but none of them matter. Getting there matters.

The block door looms ahead. I don’t slow down. My keys are already in hand. I don’t even fully stop as I slam them into the lock, twist, and fling the door open.

I don’t bother shutting it behind me.

“Faith?!” I shout.

Faith strolls out of the locker room, casual as anything. A handful of snacks in her grip, a bottle of pop wedged into the waistband of her pants.

Like she didn’t just put a bullet in someone.

“Wilkes, did you kill the fuckers on the boat yet?” she asks.

I smell gunpowder.

Something’s off. Not fear. Not panic.

I’ve seen shock before. I know how it creeps in, how it numbs everything down. And that’s what I’m looking at right now.

“Faith?” I ask carefully.

She doesn’t look at me. Doesn’t even blink. Just stares past me like I’m not even here.