Page 68 of When Sinners Rise
Naja smiles at him. Frankly, it’s about the first time she has that I can tell. “That would be lovely, but will you help us?”
“Bathe,” he says sternly, pointing to the stairs. “I’ll have to see if there’s an element of integrity to play with tonight. He isn’t known for it, and hostile behaviour won’t get us anywhere with this dilemma. Begging works, occasionally.”
I sneer and open the door as Naja nods and heads upstairs. I’m about ready for some fresh air out of this sanctimonious shit. I’m only four feet into the courtyard when a hand touches my shoulder. I spin on it, jumpy as hell in the dark.
“Mr Cortez, you should calm down. I’m not the enemy.”
“Yeah? Everyone feels like the damn enemy lately.” His eyes crinkle, amused at that no doubt.
“You’re the youngest, aren’t you?”
“You know us?”
“I make it my business to understand Logan’s business – to help him. You were supposed to be coming to New York to help him, weren’t you? Tell me why you’d risk his wrath and your family’s by helping these ladies instead.”
“What does that matter? What I think or believe means shit to their chances. You gonna help or not?” He smiles and stares at me, sending those serene-as-hell blues straight at me. For once in my life I know what my own eyes feel like when they’re directed with intent.
“Because sometimes talking it out makes it easier to understand, Shaw. You seem lost. Lonely. I know someone else who was like that before I met him. We could walk if that would help?”
My arms fold as I look around the grounds. “I don’t need to talk. I just need you to get them to Logan, or Landon, or whoever the hell can get them where they should be instead of the life we were aiming them at.”
“But why?”
“Because.” Because what? I give a damn about her? Because everything inside me wants to get this one saved forsome reason? Because, annoying as it is, all of the above is right on point, and I’m a dick for even thinking about it? I rub my eyes, tired as hell and still damn confused about everything I’m doing. “Just is, Samuel, alright? Just needs doing. Do whatever you need to to get them home. You won’t like what happens if you don’t.”
“Another threat?” He laughs lightly again and shakes his head. “He was like that at your age, too. You should choose a better route with me.”
“What do you want? Some begging?”
“No. I want admission of guilt, or love, or, at the very least, care. I’m a priest first, Shaw. People talk to us. So talk.”
CHAPTER TWENTY - SIX
MIRI
What are they saying?
It’s the one thing running over in my head. It shouldn’t be, but I want to know what the priest is saying to him – if he’s agreed to help.
Now we’re here, I can’t help but wonder why Landon was so reluctant to get involved with this Logan man. It seems he couldn’t help after all, considering Jackson is dead, and I had to rescue Naja.
The confession of the relationship between the priest and Cane should have shocked me more than it did, but who am I to judge after what I’ve done? It’s really very clear that you can fall for someone who does terrible things. Is Samuel Cleary a bad person – a bad priest – because he has feelings for someone terrible? The thoughts spin around in my mind, dragging me down into more confusion.
The water stops running, and I hear Naja move about in the bathroom. Part of me wants to burst in and confront her, tell her every detail about my life since she left and what I’ve had to do to reach this point. Would she understand? Would anyone?
I lie down on the bed and close my eyes, mentally running over the plan – Landon comes, we leave, we get home.
And I never see Shaw again.
Simple.
“The bathroom’s free,” Naja says, waking me as she comes in.
“Thanks.” I don’t move.
“I don’t understand why you’re being like this?” she blurts.
“Like what?”
