The waitress brings our food to the table. “Anything else?” she asks.
“No, ma’am,” Emily says, not looking at her.
Once the waitress is gone, I continue. “My mom must’ve had five job interviews, and not one would hire her because she didn’t have any experience. Staying at home to take care of us was her job. But after my old man split, life took a drastic turn. Donnie was kind and showed me the ropes. At first, he didn’t want me selling anything. He would pay me to clean up around his garage. But it wasn’t enough, and when I saw the money he counted in the evenings from the drug sales, I wanted in. High school kids love prescription drugs, especially the rich ones. And one thing led to another, and I was selling and making some good money.”
“Did your mom know?”
I frown. “Sadly, she found out when I brought home a wad of cash. She tried everything to get me to stop, but with Phoebe’s medical expenses, it was a no-brainer for me. And before you ask, she does know I’m selling again. Believe me, she hates I’m doing this. But Em, her and Phoebe are my world, and I would die for them or anyone I love.” I’d never spoken truer words as I pin her with a serious look, hoping she understands I’m here for her too.
She picks up a slice of bacon. “Do you keep bags of Molly on you?”
I do a double-take. “Em?” I say her name in warning.
She bites into the bacon. “I’m not… I’m… Never mind.” Her gaze drifts out the window.
Suddenly, I’m not hungry. “Emily. Look at me.” My tone brokers no argument.
She drops her bacon into the plate and sits back. Her chest rises. “It’s hard, Adam. I’m not going to lie. Just talking about it makes me want to get high, and knowing you could have some on you, I’m not sure I have the willpower.”
I leave my spot and circle the table to sit next to her. “You’re strong, Em.” I guide her chin so I’m looking into those big blue eyes that do crazy fucking things to my body. “I know it’s hard as a motherfucker. But you’ve done so well this past week.”
“You really believe that?”
I move silky strands of her hair behind her ear. “I do. I see what drugs do to people, and I hate that I’m supplying them, but when something happens to Phoebe, and we need money, I have to purposely forget how much I fuck up people’s lives. Because in the end, I want to save my sister so fucking bad it hurts right here.” I pound on my chest.
Her eyes fill with tears.
“I want to save you too, Em.” I don’t give a shit how corny that sounds. Emily needs someone, and I want that someone to be me. I want to help. Maybe in a fucked-up way, helping her makes me realize my own flaws need fixing.
She presses her lips to mine, softly, tentatively. “My knight in shining armor.”
I give her a weak grin. “I wish I could agree. But you need to be your own knight. You need to save yourself. I’m just here to catch you if you fall.”
“Promise?” she whispers.
My hand hooks around her neck, and I kiss that pouty bottom lip. “As sure as it’s raining outside.”
Her expression is a mix of hope and disbelief, and it guts me that she’s unsure. Guess I’ll just have to prove myself through my actions. “We should probably get moving,” she says, after a couple beats of silence, and the bubble we were in bursts.
* * *
Exceptfor the navigation app on my phone telling me when to turn, the ride over to Kim Roberts’ house is quiet as a mouse. Emily stares out the window, lost in her own thoughts.
I know she’s thinking of our conversation just before we paid the bill at the hotel diner. That’s all I’ve been thinking about too. I’m worried she’s going to go on a binge, but there’s nothing I can do other than to be there for her.
I comb my fingers through my hair as the navigation tells me to make a right up ahead.
Emily’s phone pings in her lap, breaking her concentration. She reads the screen, then taps out a text. I’m dying to know who it is and not out of jealousy if it’s Zach. I know they are friends even if I don’t believe he’s a good friend to have. Not when he enables her. But I’m not about to start telling her how to live her life. It sounds like she’s had enough of that with her mom. But Wes is still out there, and for all we know, he could be stirring up trouble on his end.
I make the right onto a street lined with one-and two-story modest homes. Most cars are parked in the driveways.
“Zach wants to know where you are,” Emily says, keeping her gaze out the windshield. “He needs some Molly.” She says Molly as though she’s jonesing for a pill. “He’s been calling you.”
Zach only has the number to my burner phone, and it’s wrapped in a towel in a lockbox underneath my seat. If he wants any Molly, he’ll have to hold his horses until I return. Even if I were home, I sold all of my supply on Friday, which worked out well since I knew Emily and I would be away this weekend.
“What did you tell him?” I didn’t even ask her if she told Zach what we were doing this weekend. But I’m guessing she told him something because he knows she’s with me.
I slow the truck, searching for the address Sam gave me.
