Free Seeing Love: Saints Protection & Investigations by Maryann Jordan Page A

turned on the heat. A small smile curved the edge of her mouth as the warmth in the cab of the truck began to chase away her chills. Her mind now slipped to the way he protectively escorted her inside the meeting room. How he kept his hand on her knee, constantly assuring her he would protect her. He can’t possibly hate me as much as he acted when we first began the trip. Crossing her arms across her chest, she tried to stop her body from reacting when he did something nice. She reminded herself that his not-easily-forgotten words had cut into her and the smile slipped from her face. Sighing heavily at the inner battle, she hit her head against the headrest.
    A few quiet miles down the road her mind was slowly settling when suddenly his voice broke the silence. “What are you thinking?”
    She jerked her head around, but he was staring straight ahead at the road, making it difficult to see the expression on his face. Not knowing exactly what he was asking, she hesitated. “Thinking? About…?”
    “Miguel. The meeting,” he answered curtly.
    She stared out of her passenger window at the trees flying by as the truck churned down the miles.
    Bart said, softer this time, “Faith, I really want to know what you thought.”
    “Why?” she could not help but ask.
    He sighed heavily, knowing she was cautious considering he had done nothing but trash-talk her since finding out about her. Guilt ate at the corners of his consciousness. Granddad would have been furious to know I’d spoken to a woman like that, even if he hadn’t believed her story. “I’d like to hear what you’re thinking. I can feel your mind whirling ever since we got back in the truck. I’ve been running things through my mind and I…well, we’re supposed to be working on this together.”
    The snort coming from her side of the truck cab let him know what she thought about his suggestion. The silence fell once more between them, this time thick and choking.
    Closing her eyes and breathing deeply to clear her thoughts, she realized by keeping quiet she was doing to Bart what he had done to her and she no longer wanted to continue the battle. “I was thinking there was violence in that room.”
    Bart fought the urge to give her a duh -look and continued his silence to see what else she would say.
    “Miguel is hungry for more than what he has. He wants power and thinks the respect he craves will come with gaining more. He’s not above taking advantage of whatever opportunity that comes his way and if Krustas falls, he would be all over moving into the Norfolk waterfront.”
    “But?” Bart prodded, knowing there was more she was feeling.
    She fell silent again, turning to look at him. “Why are you asking? You think I’m a fraud making all this up.”
    He finally responded, “Look, you’re a trained psychologist and seem to have a good grasp of people and motives. I don’t doubt your training. I don’t actually doubt your instincts. I just doubt your psychic abilities.”
    In an instant he knew he had said the wrong thing as she exploded, “I never claimed to be psychic! Those are your words and I’m sick and tired of you throwing them at me! You decided I was a fraud. You decided that I was untrustworthy. All based on your background and prejudices. Throw in that medium that tried to scam your grandmother and now you’ve made up your mind about me without even learning anything about me.”.
    “How did you know exactly what happened with my grandmother?” he growled.
    “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe I am psychic,” she bit back. After a moment of tension, she sarcastically added, “Actually, I googled it and the article came up about what happened last summer.”
    “You googled my grandmother?” he asked, his head snapping around. “Why the hell would you do that?”
    “Maybe to find out why you’re such a prick to me!”
    “It’s none of your business,” he pronounced.
    “Oh yeah? And you haven’t tried to check me