Page 80 of Resisted
That was my worry too. “I’m sure Roth will have some supplies, but just in case, I’ll make a few calls. It’s better to have too much than too little.”
“Could it be expedited?”
I fucking hoped so. “I’m owed a few favors. I’ll drive out to get what we need myself if I have to.”
He swallowed hard. “You know I don’t like to deal with bullets, right?”
We’d had silver ones shot at us too many times to count. “I know.”
“But I will.” He sighed, the sound reflecting what I felt deep in my very core. “Get what you need to, illegal or not. There are few people in this world I would risk a bullet for, but Silas, the fucking bastard, I would risk anything for.”
A few hours later,I was on my way back to town with more supplies than I could ever possibly need in this lifetime when Roth called to let me know we were leaving at sundown. Was it ever a good idea to leave at sundown to embark a dangerous mission? Absolutely not. But was it something we did repeatedly anyway, because we were suckers for danger and loved to use our eyesight as an advantage? Absolutely.
The dirt my truck’s tires kicked up hadn’t fully settled before Vince had the door flung open, already heading down the driveway, Bella hot on his heels. I knew this wasn’t good. I absolutely wished I could turn the truck around and pretend I’d never shown up, but they were approaching the truck quickly, and before the engine was even cut, the door was being pulled open.
“I can’t deal with her,” Vince stated. “She’s fucking impossible.”
“Me?” She acted shocked. “I don’t think I was asking too much.”
He turned to her, arguing with her like I wasn’t inches from them both. “You don’t fucking think so? Do you realize how dangerous it could be? You could die. We all could fucking die!”
“You’re being slightly dramatic, Vincent.”
“Am I, baby? Am I really? We don’t even know what the hell we’re walking into!” He threw his hands up in the air dramatically, only proving that he did indeed have a flare for drama. “Why would you think it was even remotely acceptable to put you in harm’s way? You’re fucking crazy, absolutely delusional, if you even entertained the thought for one fucking moment.”
Bella made eye contact with me for the first time. “Boyce, talk some sense into him.”
Vince followed her gaze. “Boyce, tell her she’s wrong.”
“I’m not wrong,” she stated.
“Well you sure as hell aren’t right,” Vince spat.
“How dare you?” She stomped her feet, sending dust flying in all directions.
“How dare I?” He took in a deep breath. “How dare you stomp your feet at me? Do you know what that would earn you, baby?”
She rolled her beautiful violet eyes upward like she thought the fates would grant her some reprieve before placing her hands on her hip. “I bet you’re about to tell me.”
“You’re damn right I’m about to tell you. Stomp your feet at me one more fucking time and I’ll bend you over my knee and paddle your ass until you’re begging me to stop,” he said with a growl.
She looked him dead in the eye before raising her foot and violently stomping it to the dirt. His nostrils flared as his eyes widened, and I knew if I didn’t intervene right this second, it would no longer be a fight I was breaking up. I stood up, placing my body between the both of them. “How about you go inside, Bella? Vince, I need your help with the supplies.”
“Go inside? But, Boyce—”
“Bella, you know I would love absolutely nothing more than to let you argue, but now isn’t the time. We’ve got only an hour, two tops before sunset, and we need to be ready to get on the road.”
“It’s not fair,” she complained.
“It doesn’t have to be fair. As long as you are safe, we can concentrate on what needs to get done. We will bring Silas back to you Bella, I promise.”
“But—”
God, she was going to make this hard. “I said I promise.”
Just like when she was a little girl, I held up my pinky, waiting for her to hook hers around it and seal the vow I’d made. She glared, obviously not satisfied that the numbers were two against one and not a single being was in her corner. Then she slowly raised her hand, her tiny pinky hooked around mine so tightly, I swore she was trying to break my finger. When she wasn’t successful, she dropped her hand, turned on her heels, and stomped away.
Chapter 34