Adam Read Online Free PDF Page B

was a real bad move.” Glancing back, he saw that Steve was up and Jill stood between him and the shorter muscle head. “Now, I’m going to let you up. You are going to turn back around and sit your ass down while we order and eat. We don’t want and didn’t ask for trouble. You understand me? You approached us.”
    “Let him go.” A short older woman with graying hair and kind eyes came into Adam ’s view, her shaking hand gently grasped his arm. “Let him go, please.”
    Adam did as asked, but when the guy jumped up quickly, Adam made sure the older lady was behind him and protected. “Don’t do something you’ll regret.” Adam cocked his eyebrow in warning. “And you will regret it.”
    The older woman pushed Adam out of her way with surprising strength. “Jimmy Jacks!” she snapped her white towel at him, hitting him on the arm.
    “Jimmy Jacks?” Steve recovered quickly from his tumble and had been standing at a ready stance, but now he was having a hard time keeping a straight face. “Jimmy Ja —”
    “ Shut up, Steve.” Jill, who was still standing between Steve and the other guy, tried to hide the smirk tilting her lips.
    “If you can ’t behave yourself, then get out of this diner right now before I call the sheriff, or better yet, your momma.” The older lady snapped her towel at him again.
    “ Now, Ida.” Jimmy frowned, backing up and rubbing the spot on his arm the towel had snapped. “I’m just trying to make your customers comfortable.”
    “ The only one I see making anyone un comfortable is you.” She waved her bony arm around at the customers, who sat staring at the scene. “Now git, and mind your own business.”
    Once Jimmy and his partner made their way back to their table , Adam looked down at the old woman and smiled. “Sorry about that, ma’am.”
    “Nothing for you to be sorry about, young man. And it’s Ida. No one calls me ma’am. Now, you all sit and I’ll get you some drinks.” She turned, hustling away without asking what they wanted to drink.
    Adam, Jill and Steve sat down, but made sure they all had a good sight on Jimmy and his friend. “ What the hell was that?” Jill frowned, looking away from the customers, who were still watching them closely. “I mean I always get stared at, but this is different.”
    A frown crossed over Steve ’s face as he glanced at Adam and spoke, “Tell me about it. There was some real hostility from Jumping Jacks over there.”
    Adam snorted at the nickname, wondering if Steve was hanging with the Warriors way too much, but he also felt the difference. Something had shifted with the way people responded to them as half-breeds. This was open hostility, not quiet curiosity.
    “Here you go.” Ida set down three glasses.
    “Thank you.” Jill smiled, but her smile slipped as Ida stared at her.
    “You ’re one of the Nichols girls.” Ida’s kind smile turned sad. “I remember your daddy bringing you kids up here for soft ice cream cones. I’m really sorry about your father.”
    Jill ’s head snapped back. “What about my father?”
    “Well, he had a heart attack a few weeks ago.” Ida frowned. “You didn ’t know?”
    “No, I didn ’t” Jill frowned, a tinge of anger making her voice shake. “Is he…okay?”
    “Yes, I heard he was back home.” Ida walked over and touched Jill on the shoulder when she said, “You really didn’t know?” Her tone was apologetic and comforting.
    Adam watched as Jill shook her head and knew she was trying to keep her emotions in check. Anger at her family for not contacting Jill gripped him hard. If someone kept something like that about Tessa from him, he’d beat the hell out of somebody.
    “I ’ve only talked to them once since…” Jill looked up at Ida with her mismatched eyes not finishing what everyone present knew. Her family disowned her once she had been turned into a half-breed.
    “Well, shame on them.” Ida patted her shoulder sympathetically. “I don’t