The Sinners of Saint Amos - Logan Fox Page 0,55

he returned from his missionary work with Father Gabriel. Then he’d drink like Zachary—tossing back shot after shot like he’d kept count of every nightcap he’d missed and was balancing the scales. Then he’d stumble off to bed and sleep for a day.

Mom said it was jet lag, and made her bed on the couch.

Then everything went back to normal.

Kind of, anyway.

“Answer him, honey tits,” Cassius says. I flinch as he collapses onto the seat next to me. He has a glass too, but his still has alcohol in it.

“You want from me,” I say.

Cassius sniggers.

“Information,” I add hurriedly, willing my cheeks to cool down. “Else you’d have gotten rid of me already.”

A bold claim. They could literally have brought me down here to finish what they started. But I know it’s not that. Doing all sorts of dirty things to me in the shower hadn’t been their intent when they’d trapped me inside there.

“We’re just passing the time,” Zachary says.

It can’t be true, but there’s nothing on his face to suggest otherwise.

How do they do it?

“I don’t think so.” I shake my head, and wrap my arms around my chest. It’s not exactly warm down here, and I’m still only wearing my undies and a vest. The leather under my ass is deliciously cool on my tender rump, but it’s freezing against the back of my thighs. I make a point of looking around their man cave. “You’ve got much better ways to spend your time.”

Keep them talking. Learn something. And wait for your chance to run the hell out of here.

It’s not the best plan, but it’s a plan. A plan I can hold onto with dear life until something better comes along.

Cassius laughs and takes a sip of his drink. Then he produces a weed cigarette from his cupped palm and holds it out to me. I glance down at it, frown, and shake my head as I suppress a shiver.

“Here.”

I look up. Reuben’s holding out a big-bottomed wine glass with about an inch of alcohol inside. “This will warm you up.”

He’s definitely the member of this group I’m most uncertain about. While he gives off the kind of vibe that makes me want to climb over a wall to get away from him, he’s the only one who hasn’t hurt me or even threatened to yet.

Him and Apollo.

I take the glass from him and attempt a smile that probably comes out more like a grimace. “Thank you,” I murmur as I take it from him.

He nods and disappears into the bedroom.

Cassius offers the cigarette to Zachary, who lights it and takes a deep drag before turning his attention back to me.

“How did you become friends with Father Gabriel?”

That’s what they want to know? I shrug and bring the glass up to my nose. Whatever’s in here is strong enough to make my eyes want to start watering. Maybe I should have taken that weed cigarette from Cassius instead. At least I wouldn’t be hurting.

“He’s my priest.” I glance away, happen to spot a very dirty magazine, and hastily look back at Zachary. “Was, anyway.”

“That’s it?” Zachary takes another drag before passing the weed back to Cassius. “You said he was your best friend.”

“He was, for a while.” It’s strange as fuck telling these near-strangers about my life. “Why are you so interested in him, anyway?”

Without warning, Cassius leans over and tweaks my nipple through my vest. I jerk to my feet in surprise.

He says, “We’re the ones asking the questions,” before I can get a word out.

Zachary clicks his fingers and points back at the sofa.

I want to throw my glass in his face. Not just the contents, the actual fucking glass.

“What changed?” Zachary asks in the same tone of voice he used a minute ago.

“He left our parish.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t say.”

Zachary’s jaw ticks, tensing like he’s about to pounce on me. I crowd back into my seat, wishing I had something to protect myself with. I glance at Cassius, but he’s staring down at the tip of the cigarette as if he’s never been so fascinated by coiling smoke in his life. Zachary sits forward so quickly that I flinch. The contents of my glass swirl, almost spilling. His eyes go to the glass, and then back to me lightning fast.

“Drink it.”

I hold it out. “I don’t want—”

“Drink it!” His booming voice fills the room.

My hand shakes as I bring the glass to my lips and reluctantly pour everything in my mouth.

Cassius laughs when I start