Page 6 of Priest (Confessions 3)

“I am.”

“That’s not fair,” Robbie said, and put his phone down on the duvet. “How am I supposed to want time to think and be alone when you’re being so—”

“Charming?” Julien suggested as he lowered the tray down over Robbie’s lap. “You aren’t. It’s all part of my devious plan.”

Robbie looked at the meal in front of him and inhaled—it smelled heavenly.

“I know you want some time to yourself,” Julien said. “And I’m not here to change your mind, just feed you.”

“I am a little hungry.”

“Bien. Eat up, then.”

As Julien went to leave the room, Robbie called his name, and when he stopped, Robbie’s heart beat overtime.

There was something he wanted to ask. Something that had been on his mind; he’d kept pushing it farther and farther back, not wanting to acknowledge it. But he knew he needed to, or it would drive him mad.

“Oui?”

“Are you,” Robbie started, and then stopped, licking his suddenly dry lips. “Should I be…scared about Jimmy’s release?”

Julien walked back to the bed and sat beside Robbie. He took Robbie’s hand in his and laced their fingers together.

“I don’t want to lie to you—”

“Then don’t,” Robbie said. “I’m not a child, and I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me tonight. I’m trying to find my footing here, but this is…this is—”

“Heavy. I know.” Julien took a breath and then slowly let it out. “I’m not scared, non. Priest is the smartest man I have ever met, and he’s done everything to keep us safe. I trust him with my life. There’s so much he needs to tell you if, and when, you’re ready, princesse. But only you can decide when that is. You have to decide if you trust what you’re feeling, and if you trust what Priest has told you up until now.”

Robbie pictured Priest when he’d told him back in L.A. that somewhere along the line he’d lost his mind over him, and nodded. “It’s not if, it’s when. I just have so many things running through my head right now that I don’t know what I’m thinking. My emotions are all over the place.”

“I know, and these feelings you’re having? They’re the most important you can have for another person. Faith, trust…love? You’re right to protect them. You’re right to keep them close and think about them.”

“I might be thinking about them, but I’m not going anywhere,” Robbie said. “You know that. Right, Jules? He knows that?”

“I do,” Julien said, and brought Robbie’s hand up to press a hard kiss to the back of it. “And so does he. Otherwise he wouldn’t have told you what he did. Keep in mind the huge amount of trust Priest placed in you this afternoon by telling you what he did. If he didn’t believe you were in this as deeply as we both are, that wouldn’t have happened. He put his life, his real identity, in your hands. There are only a handful of people who know that information.”

Robbie’s breath caught at the enormity of what Julien was saying, and when Julien stood, Robbie was close to begging him not to go.

“Eat up, mon cher petit. We’ll be right out here if you need us.”

As Julien left the room, Robbie realized how monumental it was that Priest had shared this part of himself with him. It still didn’t erase, however, the hurt from finding out the way he had.

Robbie had been telling the truth when he’d said he wasn’t going anywhere. He just needed a night or two to work out how to navigate this new road his life had decided to take him down.

Chapter Three

CONFESSION

I’ve never had a reason to put my trust in others before.

But now? Now, I have to.

SOME TIME LATER, after Julien and Priest had finished their dinner and cleaned up, Priest grabbed the bottle of Jameson and the two of them headed over to the couch that faced their bedroom door, which, for now, was firmly shut.

Priest didn’t say anything as he put the bottle and glass on the side table and took up his usual spot. But when he placed his arm along the back of the cushions, Julien automatically moved in to rest up against his side.

They sat there like that for a little while, each of them embracing the moment of silence and the comfort it brought. It was that moment when the rest of the world faded away and all of your troubles vanished for the few precious seconds you were with the right person at the right time.

“Is he still very angry?” Priest finally asked, and then reached for the glass on the side table.

“Non. I don’t think angry is the right word. He’s confused and upset. But I have no doubt he’ll find his way through it and back to us.”

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