Page 99 of Forgive Me Father

Eric obeys, stepping back like a well-trained dog, but not without throwing me a venomous glare.

Eden stirs, her eyelids fluttering as she mumbles in pain, her consciousness slowly returning.

"R-Roman, Eric—"

Before she can say more, I gently cover her mouth, trying to silence her before she says something that could make everything worse.

"You should’ve had some water before your shift, Eden," I lie smoothly, feeling David's cold gaze burning into me. "You're lucky I happened to be here."

Her focus shifts to Eric and her father, and the way she instinctively backs into me makes my heart ache with helplessness. Every fiber of my being screams to wrap her in my arms and eliminate the threat these men pose, but I know that any rash action could make things worse.

Her breathing grows rapid, her chest rising and falling with shallow, panicked breaths, her hands tremble in fear.

"Dad, why the hell is he here—"

"Eric is in town," David says, his voice dripping with false calm. "And from what I gather, you two left things on a rather sour note, Eden. I thought it would be best if you and Eric had some time to speak. I told him you were working today and that your shift would end soon. He was eager to see you. Though, I'm sure no one was expecting you to be this clumsy—"

The condescension in his tone makes my blood boil. The way Eden’s entire body tenses against me tells me everything I need to know—she’s terrified, and not just because of what happened in the past, but because of what these men are capable of doing now.

"I want nothing to do with him," Eden sobs, her voice breaking as some patrons begin to take notice of the unfolding scene. "I want nothing to do with you, Eric—"

"Well, Eden, you don't really have a choice now, do you?" David's voice cuts through her despair, his eyes narrowing as they land on me. "Does she, Father?" He adds, pushing my commitment to this whole fucking charade to the edge.

He wants to see if I’ll crack under the pressure.

"I think it's best she comes by the church tomorrow," I say, forcing a steely edge into my voice. "She needs to remember the weight of her commitments; how much discipline is required from her."

David's gaze sharpens, a cold satisfaction flickering in his eyes. "Discipline, you say?"

"Indeed," I reply, letting a grim satisfaction settle in my tone. "And the church is the perfect place for her to confront her failures. She will be reminded of her place and her duties. It will serve her well."

Eric’s scoff is filled with disbelief.

"You're the new priest at Saint Michael’s?" He asks, his tone dripping with disdain.

"Correct," I hiss back, my hand gently running along Eden's back, hidden from everyone’s view except Zoey’s.

David’s gaze remains fixed on me, his voice laced with a cold authority. "Get yourself up and get home, Eden," He says. His words are meant more for me than for her. "I'm sure Aiden and Eric can catch up while you collect yourself," He adds, still addressing me as though I’m the one being commanded.

Eden nods, too terrified to speak.

"Here, Eden, let's get you cleaned up," Zoey intervenes, her glare cutting through David's icy demeanor.

As Zoey leads Eden away, I rise to my feet, feeling the weight of the blood on my hands, both literal and metaphorical.

"Roman, can I talk to you outside for a second?" David's voice is deceptively calm, but I know better. This isn’t a request—it’s an order.

"Why the hell were you here?" David demands, his voice sharp with accusation.

Standing by the side of the building, I cross my arms, taking a step toward him. The night air feels colder as the tension rises.

"I was getting a coffee. Not very many places to do that around here—"

"Bullshit," David snaps, closing the gap between us. His proximity is menacing, his eyes narrowing with disdain.

"You think I’m oblivious to what's been going on?" He challenges, his words thick with unspoken threats.

"You’ll have to be more specific, David," I reply, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.