Read Online Charity For Nothing: The Virtues Book III by A.J. Downey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: A.J. Downey
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dining table eating, Radar set up at one end on three laptops scrolling and clicking through screens.
“What’s the word?” Cutter asked.
“Not as bad as it’s gonna get, Cap. It’s still early.”
I felt bad for Nothing, weathering the storm all by himself. It wasn’t a time to be alone so I made a decision. I quietly went about packing up some Tupperware and while everyone was gathered around Radar and his laptops looking at what he was pointing out on the three screens, I ghosted upstairs with my haul and brought out one of my extra bags. I packed up dry clothes, a couple of towels and the food and slung it over my shoulder. I tucked my phone into one of the side pockets, made sure my room was neat and presentable and with a nod, took up my keys. My heart fluttered erratically in my chest. It really was bad out there and I didn’t exactly want to drive in it, but I couldn’t fathom Nothing being all alone. It just didn’t sit well with me. It didn’t feel right.
I slipped out the front door in my Keds and shut it firmly behind me. My summer dress was plastered to me in the matter of half a second. Undeterred, I bolted across the driveway and flung open the door of my Jeep, throwing in my bag and diving inside. A gust of wind battered my vehicle, rocking it mercilessly and I gasped. I thought to myself maybe this is a bad idea, even as my hand turned the key and my baby fired up into life.
“Bad idea or not, you’re in it to win it now, Charity.” I told myself. I pressed down on the clutch and shifted it into gear, and with the wipers going full bore, I eased around the circular driveway and hung a right onto the street.
It was a freaking nightmare out here. Wind battered and buffeted my Jeep so hard I thought it would topple over. No one was out here, the streetlights, what few the town had, all seemed to be hanging on by a thread. I squinted through the flying leaves and debris and eased my way through the sheets of rain looking for Everglade to make my turn; crowing in triumph when I spotted it.
I laughed at myself for using my signal. Ft. Royal was a ghost town, there wasn't really a reason to. I inched down Everglade and made the next turn, driving around a fallen palm tree, having to go up onto the sidewalk to make it. This was bad, and I’d like to say that pulling into Nothing’s driveway in front of his closed garage door was enough to ease the knot of anxiety in my chest, but it wasn't. I still had to make it to his front door and hope that he could hear me knocking above the howling and the raging of the growing storm.
I killed the engine and slung my bag over my shoulder, taking a deep breath. Another gust of wind shoved my Jeep from behind and nudged it forward a couple of inches even with the parking brake set. I shuddered and climbed over the center console into the passenger seat which was closer to the house’s front door. I waited for the next crazy gust and when it petered out, leapt out the door and was drenched again before I could slam it shut. I ran, head ducked, for the small front porch and knocked loudly at the front door, huddled in on myself, the thin fabric of my summer dress clinging wetly to my body.
The door opened and Nothing stared down at me, stunned. He grabbed me by the arm and hauled me across the threshold before slamming the door shut behind me and latching it.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he demanded and I looked up, startled.
“I didn’t think you should be alone…”
The anger in his gray eyes softened marginally before he rallied and it came back full force.
“How did you get here?” he demanded.
“I drove, why?”
He put his hands to his head and gripped his hair like he was ready to tear it out, “Why!? It’s a goddamn fucking hurricane going on out there, Charity! You could have been hurt, or killed! What in the absolute fuck? Don’t you California girls have any fucking sense?”
“I’m sorry,” I hugged myself and
“What’s the word?” Cutter asked.
“Not as bad as it’s gonna get, Cap. It’s still early.”
I felt bad for Nothing, weathering the storm all by himself. It wasn’t a time to be alone so I made a decision. I quietly went about packing up some Tupperware and while everyone was gathered around Radar and his laptops looking at what he was pointing out on the three screens, I ghosted upstairs with my haul and brought out one of my extra bags. I packed up dry clothes, a couple of towels and the food and slung it over my shoulder. I tucked my phone into one of the side pockets, made sure my room was neat and presentable and with a nod, took up my keys. My heart fluttered erratically in my chest. It really was bad out there and I didn’t exactly want to drive in it, but I couldn’t fathom Nothing being all alone. It just didn’t sit well with me. It didn’t feel right.
I slipped out the front door in my Keds and shut it firmly behind me. My summer dress was plastered to me in the matter of half a second. Undeterred, I bolted across the driveway and flung open the door of my Jeep, throwing in my bag and diving inside. A gust of wind battered my vehicle, rocking it mercilessly and I gasped. I thought to myself maybe this is a bad idea, even as my hand turned the key and my baby fired up into life.
“Bad idea or not, you’re in it to win it now, Charity.” I told myself. I pressed down on the clutch and shifted it into gear, and with the wipers going full bore, I eased around the circular driveway and hung a right onto the street.
It was a freaking nightmare out here. Wind battered and buffeted my Jeep so hard I thought it would topple over. No one was out here, the streetlights, what few the town had, all seemed to be hanging on by a thread. I squinted through the flying leaves and debris and eased my way through the sheets of rain looking for Everglade to make my turn; crowing in triumph when I spotted it.
I laughed at myself for using my signal. Ft. Royal was a ghost town, there wasn't really a reason to. I inched down Everglade and made the next turn, driving around a fallen palm tree, having to go up onto the sidewalk to make it. This was bad, and I’d like to say that pulling into Nothing’s driveway in front of his closed garage door was enough to ease the knot of anxiety in my chest, but it wasn't. I still had to make it to his front door and hope that he could hear me knocking above the howling and the raging of the growing storm.
I killed the engine and slung my bag over my shoulder, taking a deep breath. Another gust of wind shoved my Jeep from behind and nudged it forward a couple of inches even with the parking brake set. I shuddered and climbed over the center console into the passenger seat which was closer to the house’s front door. I waited for the next crazy gust and when it petered out, leapt out the door and was drenched again before I could slam it shut. I ran, head ducked, for the small front porch and knocked loudly at the front door, huddled in on myself, the thin fabric of my summer dress clinging wetly to my body.
The door opened and Nothing stared down at me, stunned. He grabbed me by the arm and hauled me across the threshold before slamming the door shut behind me and latching it.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he demanded and I looked up, startled.
“I didn’t think you should be alone…”
The anger in his gray eyes softened marginally before he rallied and it came back full force.
“How did you get here?” he demanded.
“I drove, why?”
He put his hands to his head and gripped his hair like he was ready to tear it out, “Why!? It’s a goddamn fucking hurricane going on out there, Charity! You could have been hurt, or killed! What in the absolute fuck? Don’t you California girls have any fucking sense?”
“I’m sorry,” I hugged myself and
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