Free Marlin's Faith: The Virtues Book II by A.J. Downey Page A

pink, and Faith, I don’t know. I figured if Hope wasn’t a fan then it would stand to reason Faith might be. Besides, it was between pink and silver and the silver looked… boring.” I shrugged.
    “You really like this girl, Faith,” she stated flatly.
    I looked over at her, “Oh, yeah? What makes you say that?”
    She laughed lightly again, “No man puts that much thought into what color iPod a girl would like if he wasn’t totally either in love with her, or wasn’t falling hard. It’s okay. I think it’s great, personally. She’s very lucky.” She looked over at her man, the respectful one, Kevin.
    “He would do that for me, agonize over the color when I would just be over the moon that he’d bought me such an expensive, and thoughtful gift. I’m sure she’ll love it.”
    I cleared my throat, still uncomfortable that I’d sorta been caught bein’ such a softy. Finally, I sighed and decided that now would probably be as good a chance as any. That she might know, bein’ as it was her line of schooling and all.
    “Yeah, I don’t know how to do this,” I said snapping the laptop shut and leaning heavily back in my seat.
    “Do what?”
    “Faith, she uh, she’s been through a lot and recently too. Some real heavy shit. Some seriously awful shit I wouldn’t wish on no woman.” I looked over at Karen and she softened, switching off her e-reader and setting it aside on the small deck table, on top of my laptop where I’d set it; right next to the music player in its offending bright pink color.
    “Talk to me,” she invited.
    “She’s been messed up pretty hard,” I cleared my throat, “I shouldn’t really be talking about it but you might know somethin’ about how to…” I groped in the dark for the right words, “I don’t know, how I could handle myself better surrounding her situation.”
    “I would have to know something about it before I could speak on it.”
    “She’s a mess, addicted to heroin, and only a few days out of the worst of the detox. We got her going to some kind of head shrinker to help her, her first appointment is tomorrow,” I was dancing around the ugliest part about it and I knew it, but saying it out loud still made me fuckin’ sick and the anger surge hot and ridiculous.
    Finally, I sighed out harshly and rushed out, “She was sold into white slavery. Trafficked for the better part of the last couple of years as a hooker in New Orleans. They were shooting that shit into her veins, keeping her hooked to keep her docile. I know what to expect when it comes to the whole addiction rigmarole, but I ain’t got a fuckin’ clue when it comes to the rest.”
    I couldn’t believe I was spillin’ my guts to this chick, a total stranger, a paying customer on my boat . I was a little startled to realize just how far down the rabbit hole I’d gone when it came to Faith. Just how far fuckin’ gone I’d been right from the beginning; from the moment I’d lifted her too-thin frame up into my arms, and carried her out of that house of fuckin’ horrors back in New Orleans.
    Karen sat up straighter and wrapped her fingers around one knee, very prim and proper. I had to give it to her, she didn’t flinch; instead, you could visibly see the gears in her pretty little head turning, her blue eyes sparking with intelligence.
    “Right, you said that you’re getting Faith some help, right?” She searched my face to make sure I wasn’t blowing smoke up her ass. I liked her for that.
    “Yeah, her sister found some doctor that specializes in cases like Faith. Some woman who’s like top in her field. I take Faith out to see her tomorrow.”
    “Okay, obviously there isn’t really anything I could, or should be doing there, seeing as I am both still in school and unlicensed. I shouldn’t even really be talking to you about you ,” she frowned but it wasn’t at me, more like at the situation. “In all honesty, I think you need to find someone to talk to or lean on