Wicked Games.

Chapter 9.

I speed down the road; feeling my heart pound in my chest as my eyes nervously stare down the winding track ahead of me. The moon lights up the rural surroundings; acting as guidance during my journey.

Finally, I turn into the driveway and look around anxiously for any sign of safety. I nearly pounce out of the driver's seat and slam the door behind me, my heart pounding in my ears as my breath hitches; noticing the door slowly opening. "Tommy? Is that you?" I close my eyes in relief before racing up to the woman; nervously searching around the property for any hidden men or weapons. "What in God's name are you doing? Are you okay? It's nearly the middle of the night." Her long hair is braided, and her sleeping gown moves in the breeze.

Faith reaches out to me; her hands on my face as she looks at me in worry. "I need you to wake up Henry and pack your things, we need to go."

She looks at me in confusion; shaking her head, "What? No, I can't just leave here, Thomas. What is going on?" I push through her, rushing to her bedroom. I grab her bags and start stuffing clothing in it; anything I can see gets put away. "Thomas!" Faith raises her voice and I turn around quickly; my eyes widening in anger and fear.

"They know about you! They know where you live, who you are and what we are!" I shout at her; my anxieties getting the best of me. I take a deep breath before looking at her, "I need you to come with me." I nearly beg.

Faith stands in her room; the moonlight tracing her figure in the darkness while she looks back at me in fear and confusion. "Okay." Is all she can muster to say before leaving the room and going towards Henry's. Shortly after, Henry appears in the doorway of Faith's room.

"Thought you were going to keep her out of this shit?" He asks, his expression angry. "What the fuck is this, Thomas? You have people coming after her? Fucking gangsters?"

"I didn't mean for this to happen, tr-"

"I trusted you when I let her go to yours for the weekend. I trusted you when I watched you two get closer each fucking day while you stayed here!" Henry shouts at me, "And now this? Gangsters? People who know our address; know who we are. Could be hiding in the woods with guns, or setting bombs up on our doorstep?"

I stand there in silence; knowing nothing I can say will make this better. Suddenly, I see Faith standing behind Henry; tears in her eyes as she looks at the two of us. "Let's just go." She says sternly; before walking over to me and yanking the suitcase from my hand before shoving Henry's into his chest. "Grab my jacket, please." She says before walking to the front door.

I look at Henry who just shakes his head and walks to his sister; worry written on his face when he sees her. I watch as she yanks on a pair of ratty boots that she wears for her chores. I sigh before walking over to her and opening her jacket; waiting for her to put it on. "I'm sorry." I tell her softly; hearing Henry walk out of the house and toss his bags in my car.

Faith shrugs on her jacket before looking up at me; tears in her eyes before she releases a sigh. "So, this is what it's like to be part of the Shelby family, huh?" She asks, "Death waiting at every corner from God knows who. I've never done a thing in my life to hurt somebody, Tommy." She says angrily, crying.

"I know, I know you haven't."

"But here I am, people after to kill me just because I had to fall in love with some fucking Birmingham gangster." She says; my eyes slightly widening at her sentence.

I reach for her hands, "I'll do anything and everything to protect you, I promise, Faith. I know it doesn't mean much, but please, I swear." My hands shake as I hold hers in mine; my eyes staring into her orbs. "I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry." I tell her before pulling her into my chest and letting her cry.

Faith pulls away after a couple of minutes and wipes away the tears from her cheeks. "Let's just go." And with that, she walks away from me; heading towards the car.