Page 21 of Beneath His Robes

As if my broken prayer truly was heard, headlights blinded me and a big truck stopped beside us. A man got out of his vehicle. He was no nonsense, walking straight over to the lady and opening the door, reaching forward to stabilize her neck.

“Get my phone and call nine-one-one,” he said, not leaving room for any responses.

I fumbled to my feet, reaching into his pocket and dialing the emergency line as soon as his phone was in my grip.

The adrenaline crash and panic set in, making me shake. The man shucked off his jacket and handed it to me, all while keeping her head steady. I took it with trembling hands, unable to keep my tears at bay.

“Dammit. I am so fucking sorry,” I mumbled through chattering teeth.

The man looked over at me, and I felt the weight of the world upon meeting his gaze.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful. He will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” he said, and I cried harder.

I knew the verse.

My parents were always religious, and I was not immune to the church. I refused to go. I didn’t want anything to do with the hypocrites of my town.

I was a man that fucked other men, so I didn’t belong in a church.

Hell, my very heart belonged to a man—granted, one that didn’t want me, broke my soul, and moved away—but still, I would always love him. I could not escape the hold of Ronan Saint Clare.

The ambulance sirens were like heavens bells or some shit and the rain let up while they came to collect the woman.

I couldn’t look at anyone.

I snuck away while the team performed magic, packing up the female and taking her away. I stayed in the safety of darkness watching even long after the tow truck came to get the totalled car.

I didn’t truly step out again until everything was quiet. There were no cars left. Just broken tree bark and randomly scattered plastic to show that the accident had occurred at all.

“I’m sorry,” I said, placing my hand on the tree trunk and seeing the oozing amber of the deep grooves made from the impact of the car.

Even trees could bleed.

As I walked away to slink back to my dealer, ready to get high and forget this shit, I stepped onto a piece of slick paper.

Confused, I picked it up off the ground and wiped it off.

It was a business card from the chapel. Oh shit, it was that man’s card who’d saved us after the accident. His jacket was still on my shoulders, and I figured it was only right to return it.

Of course, the man had been ‘one with God.’

His presence alone was intense.

Sighing, I walked the way to the damn church, so tired I couldn’t even see straight. The steps of the chapel looked so inviting. So un judgmental, and peaceful. I laid down, just for a minute, to catch my breath and regain some energy to make it the rest of the way up to the building. It was probably closed anyway.

Churches didn’t stay open all night, did they?

I closed my eyes. Ronan was there behind my eyelids, haunting my memories and sinking deep into my dreams like he always had, but there was something different about him. He looked…happy.

I held onto his smile, letting that warmth infuse my body and protect me from the night’s events. Finally, allowing myself to sleep.

* * *

The jingle of the door opening broke my attention from the window and my thoughts. My sister walked inside the room. I stood up to greet her, jarred by memories of the past, but then the biggest pain of those memories was standing behind her…Ronan.

ChapterNine

Ronan

---