Lie, Baby, Lie ✔️

chapter nine- wade

The guy at the counter leers at Mia, grinning at her with a smile of metal teeth and empty gaps where his molars should be. She steps closer to me, and I feel her arm brush my back. I can tell she's nervous, but she needs to know she can't show weakness. I know she can take care of herself when needed, but right now, she doesn't have her gun, and she's uncomfortable.

As the man counts our change, taking his sweet time, I reach out and slide a finger down her slender wrist. Her breath catches as I reach her palm, then slip my hand into hers. I squeeze once, and I know I shouldn't be holding her hand, but I'll be damned if I let her feel like I don't notice this creep at the counter.

I'd like to pretend I'm only acting like her boyfriend to get the guy to back off, but part of me likes it. It must work because he stops leering at her.

Finally, the cashier gives me a few coins and a couple of crumpled bills. I shove them into my pocket and tug on our linked hands.

"Come on."

I don't let go until we're back at the truck. I don't want to, but I know I shouldn't be touching her more than necessary. Even if Thomas isn't here, I have to act like he is.

"Thank you," she tells me.

"Don't mention it," I reply. "You can't get scared though. As long as you're involved with Purgatory, you're going to be around all kinds of freaky bastards. You can't act fazed, or they'll know they have you at a disadvantage."

"I don't know how you do this every day. Dealing with it all makes me want to puke," she says.

"You get used to it." I ease my foot off the accelerator, letting us cruise for awhile once we hit the highway.

She cracks her juice open and takes a slow sip. When she drags the back of her hand across her mouth, I wish I could just reach out and do it for her. The impulse is quickly dismissed.

I have to stop this.

"Where are we going?" she finally questions, turning her music down.

"Your brother has a dealer out here," I explain. "He wants us to pick some product up and show his potential business partner he's legit."

Her nose scrunches in disgust. "I'm never gonna get how any of this works."

"You don't have to. A few more months and you're out."

"Same goes for you," she points out.

Maybe. "Yeah."

"Have you ever tried anything?" she asks.

"What? Like the drugs?"

She nods. "I mean, he lets you guys sample, doesn't he?"

Thomas is known for being generous. His top dogs always get discounts on everything. It's why so many of us demons are high out of our minds most of the time. On runs, we're sober, sharp, but afterward, in between fights, some people snort coke lines, smoke what they can get their hands on, whatever they need.

But I don't.

Don't get me wrong, I've had every chance, but I turned it down. I know what it does to people, and I don't want it.

"It's never been for me," I say.

She considers this. "It makes it harder for him to control you that way, doesn't it?"

"Exactly." She's so right.

Addiction makes people susceptible to manipulation. Thomas still controls me pretty effectively, but I'm not hooked on anything. I'm not as desperate as some of the others are.