Chapter 27
Alice
I woke up still feeling the last little tremors of the orgasm he gave me, and the soft aftermath of the pleasure it brought. He was sleeping beside me, still fully dressed, his head burrowed in the pillow. I wished he was still holding me instead. And I didn’t.
Everything was so simple while it was still dark outside, but as the light grew brighter and brighter, my doubts and fears crept back in. What if he wants more when he wakes up? What if he wants something I’m not sure I can give him?
I let him in when he knocked last night, because I had spent hours before that reliving all my worst memories of Father Gael, while watching him try to lure Kate into the basement.
The fear on her face and the sadness, I felt that too—back then and as I watched the video.
Nico came at precisely the right time, exactly when I needed a friend most.
And then everything else just happened. Just unfolded one soft step at a time, exactly perfectly and exactly the way it should be. Should always have been, if it weren’t for Gael.
But now the path forward isn’t so clear anymore. All I really know is that I can’t watch Gael do things to Kate either. But where does that leave me and my plan to bring justice to Gael? I’m not a killer.
Too many problems, not enough solutions.
In the end I got up and took a long shower, kind of sorry to be washing away all traces of Nico’s kisses and my orgasm. But a decision needs to be made today.
Zane and Nico are both sitting by the small table in the window when I come out of the bathroom.
“Good morning,” Nico says, a wide smile painted across his face.
My face heats up and I know I’m blushing like crazy as I look away, while wishing him a good morning too. But I can’t fight a wide smile of my own either.
“I’m gonna get us some coffee and breakfast,” Nico says, stands up and heads for the door. “Then we’ll talk.”
I catch his arm as he passes me. It’s not a firm grip, but he stops dead in his tracks regardless.
“We’ll do that later,” I say. “First we talk.”
Because I’ve made my decision and every minute that passes might have me changing my mind again. I don’t want to risk that.
Nico sits back down in his chair and Zane is looking at me expectantly. I balance against the edge of the bed, because I might need some extra support for what I’m about to say.
“I think Nico is right,” I say. “There’s no need to watch another girl get molested to get justice for the priest.”
Nico claps his hands and stands up. “Good. Good decision.”
Zane grunts something which I’m pretty sure is the same kind of agreement.
“But I don’t think anyone should risk their immortal soul killing this guy without due process,” I add.
Nico sits back down, shocked disappointment on his face and Zane looks very confused.
“My immortal soul is already doomed to an eternity in hell,” Zane says. “This won’t make much of a dent.”
Nico nods. “The same goes for me too. We can do this. You can stay out of it.”
The look that passes between them is pure agreement.
I clear my throat. “I don’t think I was clear…
what I meant was that I don’t think anyone should risk anything to get rid of this guy.
It’s not just hell we’re risking, it’s also jail time.
If he just turns up dead and we’re the only strangers in this town, who do you think they’ll blame? He’s not worth it.”
I watch their faces, seeing what I said sink in. Nico is nodding slightly, Zane doesn’t look convinced I’m right.
“And I won’t have anyone else doing my dirty work,” I add. “The priest is my problem to solve.”
“So what’s your suggestion for solving it?” Nico asks.
I shrug. “That’s where I need you guys. I don’t know. Maybe we get him to confess, on tape, or in front of the whole town. Something like that?”
Nico grimaces and Zane winces.
“Torturing a priest?” Zane asks. “That’s almost as bad as killing him.”
“And even with a confession he might walk,” Nico adds. “I say we lure him somewhere and make it look like an accident.”
I shake my head and stand up. “No. I’ll confront him first, tell him to turn himself in peacefully. Say we know what he is and what he does. Give him a chance to give himself up peacefully.”
My heart is racing in my throat, oxygen doesn’t seem to be reaching my brain from my lungs, so I have no idea how my voice can be so level and firm.
“You mean you’ll reveal yourself to him? Tell him who you are?” Nico asks, sounding like he thinks it’s the worst idea he’s ever heard. But the concern in his voice is comforting too.
“I think if you’re with me, I can do it.” The words just spill from my mouth. I was thinking it, but I hadn’t planned on saying it.
Joy and relief and something very warm and soft crosses his eyes.
“Of course, I’ll come with you,” he says.
“Good,” I say and stand up. My heart’s not racing anymore and the air I’m breathing tastes sweeter than it has in a long time. All my anxiety that gushed out as I imagined talking to Gael is suddenly gone, replaced by a soft certainty that I have made the right decision.
“You mean we should go now?” Nico asks.
I smile. “You can have coffee and a shower first. But yeah, no time like the present. I want to end this. And I want to go home.”
Both Zane and Nico nod at that.
“I’ll get the breakfast and coffee, you get ready,” I say, grab my jacket and head for the door.
The bright sun on my face feels so good.
Like a new beginning. Like I’ve shed a thousand pounds of ballast and can finally float free for the first time in a very long time.
And only a part of that is getting the chance to finally confront Gael and get justice.
The rest is all to do with Nico and this freedom from fear and bad memories he’s given me.
He’s someone I can lean on, whose strength I can borrow so I don’t have to keep burning my own for everything. It’s something I didn’t even fully know I’ve been missing. But now that I have it, I have no idea how I did without for so long.