Read Online Charity For Nothing: The Virtues Book III by A.J. Downey - Free Book Online Page A

I was at the dining room table. I laughed and she laughed with me, both of us nervous.
    “I had no idea you were there,” I said.
    “Sorry, we were expected to be seen and not heard, I guess I’m still working on some things.”
    I frowned and shook my head, “Don’t be sorry, it’s not like Rome was built in a day.”
    Faith smiled and I smiled back, going to my sister and hugging her tight when she got up to meet me. A strong gust of wind startled us and we turned just in time to see the sliding glass doors bow inwards with the force of it, the glass flexing in the frames.
    “Holy shit,” I murmured.
    “And on that note,” Hope said and went to a closet door at the far end of the dining room. She opened it up to a small electrical closet and turned a key in a panel. A light lit up green and she pressed a button holding it down. Metal storm doors slid down out of rolls that had been disguised by a trick of the architecture. I blinked noticing that the back patio had sandbags piled high at the top steps, even with the waist high rock walls surrounding the stone deck. The table, chairs, and barbecue had all been moved. Stashed away somewhere.
    “Wow, this is really serious isn’t it?” I asked. Faith looked solemn… afraid. Hope just shrugged.
    “We’ll see, won’t we?”
    “How many people are supposed to come here?” I asked as we lost the daylight, the shutters closing everything off.
    “Cutter, Marlin, Lightning, Pyro and his girl, Radar and his family typically weather storms here, I don’t know who all else.”
    “Trike,” Faith supplied. I nodded, and hoped that Nothing would show; I was hoping to talk to him some more.
    “What now?” I asked.
    “The shitty part,” Hope said and Faith made a face. I raised my eyebrows and Faith twisted her lips into a look that was classically mom’s ‘I disapprove’ look.
    “We wait.”
    Lovely.
    “They boys are cavemen at heart, Cutter wouldn’t even let me go out with them, not that I really wanted to head out in this.” Hope sighed.
    “Fun, anybody got a Monopoly board or something?” I asked. We all exchanged a look and started laughing in the dim kitchen.
    “Hit the light would you? I’m gonna die if I don’t get some caffeine,” Hope said.
    “They’ll probably be hungry when they get in,” Faith murmured as the harsh overhead light filled the kitchen.
    “Probably,” Hope conceded.
    “Well alright then, something to do, at last!”
    We set about fixing sandwiches and some soup for when the guys got back. I worked on a couple of salads while Faith crafted a platter stacked high with fruit slices. Hope had it easy; the soup was premade in a bag and from the freezer. She made sure sodas were within easy reach and when the front door blew open an hour or two in, it was to the boisterous noise of a bunch of the guys hurrying their way in.
    “Go dry off and get in here! Food’s ready!” Hope called.
    I went around the corner and stood in the hall, gaze roaming over face after familiar face but missing the face I was looking for. No dark hair, no gray eyes… no Nothing.
    “Where’s Nothing?” I asked Lightning quietly.
    “Riding it out at his place,” he said and he didn’t look happy about it.
    “Alone?”
    “Yeah.”
    I nodded and went back to serving some of the guys up as they came down in drier sweats toweling their hair.
    “Where’s Cutter?” Hope called.
    “Locking down the shutters with Pyro, Radar, and Marlin,” Stoker called. I handed him a plate and he smiled, inclining his head once in thanks.
    A little bit later Marlin, followed by Cutter, Pyro, and Radar came through the front door dripping in Gordon’s Fisherman yellow rain slickers and hats.
    “Fuck, its bad out there!” Cutter declared, “Radar, go do your thing.”
    Radar nodded, “Soon as I dry off I’m on it. Hey Charity, mind fixing me a plate?”
    “Sure,” I murmured and went to do just that.
    Eventually people were settled around the huge