Page 313 of Redeemed

Samuel sighs. “I’ll look upstairs. You look down here.”

Frantically, I glance around in the cabinet for something to defend myself with. It’s mostly cleaning supplies, so I’ll have to make do. I grip a bleach spray bottle just as the cabinet door opens and spray it directly at Isaiah’s face. He cries out and stumbles back, and Samuel grabs him before he crashes into the table.

I scramble out and bolt for the door, but Samuel catches me and yanks me back. He shoves me into a chair while Isaiah rushes for the sink.

“Thisis why I didn’t want you near her,” Samuel yells at Ruth. “She’s corrupted you. It’s all she’s ever done.”

“Just let her go,” Ruth begs. “He hurts her, Samuel. You know he does. He—”

“Shut up,” Samuel snaps. “Just shut up.”

Isaiah finishes rinsing his eyes out and turns to glare at me. “You’re done, woman.Done.”

“Don’t,” Ruth yells as Isaiah grabs me by the throat.

“I wasted the last four years of my life trying to find you, and for what?” he seethes. “For you to go behind my back and deny me my right to children.”

“I really don’t know what else you expected,” I say flatly.

His nostrils flare. “I should beat you to death right here. You’ve made a mockery of God’s grace. Ofme.”

“Please,” Ruth sobs. “Please don’t, Isaiah. She doesn’t deserve this.”

“Samuel, control your wife,” Isaiah snaps. “Get her to the church. It’s time to deal with this whore once and for all.”

Isaiah yanks me out the back door. He’s pulling me too hard, going too fast. I tumble down the stairs and land in a heap in the dirt. When I don’t get up fast enough, Isaiah kicks me in the stomach. All the air is forced out of me, and I instinctively curl up to protect myself.

“Let’s move,” he snaps, kicking my shin this time.

Pain radiates through my body as I push myself to my feet. I can hear Ruth crying as Isaiah drags me toward the church. It’s a short walk, but with my feet still bare and bleeding, it feels agonizingly long.

“Please don’t kill her,” Ruth begs as she follows us up the church’s steps. “She’s only—”

“Keep your mouth shut,” Samuel warns. “You’re on thin ice as it is.”

When Isaiah yanks me into the sanctuary, gasps fill the room at the sight of us. I’m a mess, leaving a trail of blood behind me, and Isaiah looks dangerously furious.

Beckham is already standing at the front, Bible in hand. His face falls when he sees us.

Some of the windows in the sanctuary are open to let in the fresh air, and one of the elders’ wives is playing piano softly. It’s the perfect scene for a vow renewal that would’ve doubled as my redemption.

With the way Isaiah is hauling me down the aisle, it’s painfully obvious that his intentions have changed. Now, he’s dragging me to my death.

Beckham’s expression hardens as Isaiah throws me against the altar. I grab onto it to steady myself so I don’t fall to the ground.

“There’s been a change in plans,” Isaiah announces.

I force myself to turn around and face the congregation. It’s a mistake. Isaiah grabs my arm and yanks me forward until I’m standing next to him. The looks of horror on my family’s faces break me. None of them knew this was coming. None but my father, who’s staring at me with a clenched jaw and anger in his eyes.

“I gave Heaven a second chance,” Isaiah says. “I promised to lead her back to the Lord, but she’s proven that she has no desire to truly repent. She deceived me and planned to defile her body with contraceptives to keep her from bearing my children. She’s a disgrace to us and an embarrassment to Cornerstone.”

Beckham clears his throat. “And what has God told you about what should be done with her?”

“She’s flaunted her arrogance for long enough. Her life on this earth is coming to an end. It’s time she experienced God’s justice.”

Beckham nods. “He’s told me the same.”

Bullshit.I saw how shocked Beckham was when Isaiah dragged me in. There was no conversation between him and God because he had no idea what was happening.

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