Page 93 of Gideon
“Just play along,” I muttered, watching as the Reverend got out of his truck and walked up to my window. I rolled it down, securing a fake smile on my face.
“Mr. Temple, good evening,” he greeted stoically. “Mrs. Temple.” The way he addressed Naomi like an afterthought had me wanting to punch him already.
“Good evening, Reverend,” I answered politely. Naomi, for her part, stayed quiet. I silently thanked her. It was better that way. The Reverend was definitely one who subscribed to thewomen should be seen and not heardideals. He had worked tirelessly to make all of Zion that way. I just prayed she would keep quiet during this little chat.
“I’ve got to ask, Gideon, where is it you and your new bride are going? Zion is over twenty minutes away in the opposite direction,” he questioned. I didn’t miss the way his eyes looked over the cab of the truck. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but I was thanking sky daddy on high that I’d stowed my kit in the toolbox attached to the bed of the truck instead of in the cab with us.
“True enough, Reverend,” I said with as much charm as I could muster towards the disgusting excuse of a man. “The wife and I decided that a sunset drive would suit us well. Nothing more. We are actually about to turn around up here at the four-way stop. You know the one. About a mile ahead?” I lied through my teeth.
“I know the spot. Why don’t I see you both home? It’s getting late. Wouldn’t want our newest Elder to get lost, now,” the Reverend suggested, eyeing us both with a wary eye. “Mrs. Temple, how are you doing this evening? Did you enjoy your… scenic detour?”
I wanted to turn and look at her, to give her some kind of sign that she wasn’t alone, but the Reverend had too sharp an eye for such things and I knew it. So did she.
“It was a lovely drive, Reverend. Thank you,” she responded, her voice sounding completely different from her normal vibrant self. She sounded small, subdued, and all together wrong. It turned my stomach. But we both did what we had to do.
“It looks like you’ve had a bit of a mishap there, Mrs. Temple,” the Reverend commented only a moment before he left my window, walking around the front of the truck to her side of the vehicle. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white. It would just take one movement, one small movement, and I could flatten him. I held on to my willpower with only a tiny thread. I didn’t want him anywhere near her.
“Why don’t you step out of the truck, Mrs. Temple, so that I may help you,” he stated with a saccharine kindness that was so foul it was anything but believable. Naomi looked at me with wide, fear-filled eyes, her hand poised on the door handle. She was shaking. I gave her a small smile and a nod of my head, my own hand moving to rest on my door handle. I wanted to be able to get to her as quickly as possible if the Reverend tried anything funny.
“Come now, child,” the Reverend urged her, waiting for her to open the door. I could see right through his bullshit. He was testing her obedience to him over me. Motherfucker. Piece of shit, motherfucking motherfucker. I was seething.
Naomi stepped out of the truck cautiously, standing in front of the Reverend, who looked down at her with an admiration that had my blood boiling.
“You mentioned a mishap, Sir?” she reminded him gently. Oh, fuckity fuck. I didnotlike her calling him sir. I knew that it was only a title of respect, as many other women used around Zion, but still. That wasmytitle. Not his. Period. End of sentence. End of story.
“Your hair is unkept, Mrs. Temple. I assume it was the wind that simply pulled it from its fastenings. Here, be good and turn around for me. I will plait it for you more securely.” Her eyes flitted over to mine as she slowly turned. My jaw clenched so tightly, I was certain I would break my teeth. He gathered her hair behind her head, braiding it far too slowly. He was enjoying this. The sick bastard shot a look my way, a smug grin gracing his disgusting fucking face. He was absolutely enjoying this, and he was toying with me. Trying to get a rise out of me. As much as I wanted to punch him in the face — and then immediately castrate him — I held my grip on the steering wheel, steeling my expression with every ounce of my control.
He finished the braid, tying it off with the hair tie that Naomi handed him from her wrist.
“There we have it. Much more fitting for a daughter of Zion, and more importantly, as the wife of an Elder,” he lightly scolded her as he turned her back around. It was nearly imperceptible, but I saw the way her body tensed at his touch. Everything inside of me was screaming at me to jump out of the fucking truck and beat him into a bloody pulp.
“Thank you, Reverend,” Naomi responded, her eyes downcast. It was so fucking hard to watch. I felt sick to my stomach. I knew that this was the submission all women in Zion exhibited, but her submission wasmine.He patted her on the back gently, holding the door open for her to climb back into the truck. She fastened her seatbelt as he leaned into her window, encroaching on her space.
“I’ll follow the two of you back home, Gideon,” he stated firmly. It was a direct order, and based on the look he gave me, it was to be followed or I would face consequences. What consequences those would be, I had no idea. I only knew I didn’t want to find out.
As soon as Naomi was buckled in, the Reverend patted the door of my truck and walked back to his own truck.
“Gideon—”
“Sh. Not now,” I bit out through my still clenched teeth. Her lips pressed together tightly together, her hands held in her lap, clenched just as tightly as her lips. She was shaking, her shoulders and hands both.
I started the truck, heading down to that four-way stop I had lied to the Reverend about. We turned around, both of us in silence as he followed closely behind us.
I wanted to say something to her. Ineededto say something, anything! But if I started, I felt like I would break down. We needed to get home, get the Reverend off of our tail, and be alone before I could do that.
Instead, I reached out a hand, covering her clasped ones in my larger grip and offering her what support I could in that moment. Her shoulders hunched over. She was closing in on herself. I didn’t want that. I wanted her open and vibrant and full of spark and fire. But I couldn’t blame her. Not in the slightest.
We pulled into the driveway, and fuck it all if the Reverend didn’t pull in right behind us, his truck in park and idling, just watching us. I breathed a heavy sigh, exiting the truck and walking around to Naomi’s door to help her out. She clung to my hand as we walked towards the house. I waved towards the Reverend, a fake smile plastered on my face. It wasn’t until we had both entered our home and shut the door behind us that the Reverend finally pulled out and headed back off towards Zion.
“Jesus fuck,” I muttered under my breath. I turned towards Naomi, reaching for her, but she stepped away. Immediately she ripped at her hair, trying to no avail to undo the braid the Reverend had just secured. It tangled, making a mess of things as she began to panic.
“Get it out. Get it out! GET IT OUT!” she all but screamed, pulling wildly at her hair as it just continued to twist and knot itself further.
“Hang on, I’ve got you,” I spoke softly, hoping to calm her. Tears filled her eyes as she fought against her hair. I took the braid from her, pulling her hands away as I carefully untwisted her hair from the tie. I pulled the braid loose, careful to not pull or tug too hard. As soon as her hair was free, she spun around in my arms, burying her face into my chest as her sobs came full force to the surface.
I held her to me, not caring a lick that she was soaking my shirt with her tears.
“I can’t get it off me,” she stammered through her tears.
