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Jagger’s hand was in Charlie’s face as he continued to yell, "kid, Charlie, should we be expecting the second soon?"

Charlie slapped Jagger’s face so quickly that if it weren’t for the sound of flesh connecting with flesh and the stunned look on Jagger’s face, I wouldn’t have been sure it happened

Silence filled the open space of the warehouse

Everyone standing in the er, none of the in

"What the hell did we , I took a step toward the group of people, at the same time Charlie took a shaky step back and then stumbled back another two

I rushed forward and reached out as if I could have helped her froot to her, she turned and started off in the direction of the hallway I reached out to grab her arers touched her skin she yanked her arrasp and hurried away

I watched her until she was gone, then started to turn toward the group, when I caught a pair of blue, watery eyes looking at me from where he hid on the couch

I didn’t knohat I’d just missed But I knew Charlie had never slapped me, and I’d deserved that and more If she’d hit her brother, then it had to be bad And he’d done it front of everyone He’d done it in front of her son

Forcing myself not to speak, I let er’s, and walked over to where Keith was hiding

My face fell into so when I rounded the couch, and I dropped into a squat so I was eye level with Keith "Hey, kid Who are you today?"

He sniffled a few times, and with each one his shoulders jerked up from the force "I don--I donno I fink--can I be Keith?"

"You can always be Keith"

"Deaton, are wewhat to say I knew I sure as shit was, and I still didn’t knohat had happened "I don’t know, kid Are we?"

Keith’s eyes looked everywhere but at ain, he looked sheepish as he nodded "I fink so"

"All right Well, I need to talk to your uncle J So can you do o find your mom, and stay with her?" I waited until he nodded, and then helped him from the couch "I’ll be back there in a little bit"

As soon as he was running toward the hall, I looked back up at Jagger,away "Nice Who wants to tell me what happened?"

Knox shook his head slowly, both in response and disappoint away "I don’t want to struggle to pull you off Jagger so you won’t kill hi"

I arched an eyebrow, curiosity and rage and surprise swirling through er finally said "You never will be"

A huff of frustration burst fro to her to keep her until you get whatever the hell it is you want from her!"