I don’t even have time to register what Cade just admitted as a blinding white light flashes twice.
Pastor Sinclair lowers the camera.
Cade’s laughter escalates.
“Andrea, get him out of here,” I command softly, never taking my eyes off Sinclair.
“You three aren’t going anywhere until we have a long discussion,” Sinclair seethes. His words freeze the blood in my veins. Cade’s breath comes in faster. He’s deteriorating.
This is all my fault.
Knowing I wasn’t meant to keep him didn’t stop me from claiming him. Knowing I’d only hurt her in the process didn’t stop me either. If Andrea doesn’t get Cade out of here in the next minute, I could lose him to his mind permanently. I made the cruel decision to chase the impossible. Now, we’re all suffering.
Despite the garrote of guilt, my voice doesn’t betray me as I challenge Sinclair.
“You and I will have that discussion alone.”
“Seba,no,” Andrea whimpers.
I round on her, hoping she can see how much it breaks me to do this. “Cade needs someone to take him home and I’m not leaving you alone with this man.”
Her lips part in protest. Then close in a defeated line as she glances at Cade. He’s delirious, trembling with a painfully manic grin as he mutters, “Plot 304. She saved it for me. Right next to her. Belleview Cemetery. Plot 304…”
“It’s time to face judgment,” Sinclair seethes.
Cade’s high-pitched cackle makes me jump. “I’mactuallygonna die this time.”
My eyes burn. “Get him out of here.”
Tears squeeze out of the corner of Andrea’s eyes. “Seba,please. He needs you.Ineed you.”
I grind back a scream. “Get. Him. Out.”
“If we don’t leave together…”
What’s left unsaid swings between us like a guillotine. So I step under the blade for her.
“Go.”
Sorrow rolls down her cheeks. She swallows. Nods. Then snatches up the scattered clothes to cover herself and Cade.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Sinclair demands.
She helps my stepbrother into his boxers, ignoring her father completely.
“Andrea, answer me this instant,” he growls, storming toward her.
I jump up, blocking his advance as she drags a frantic Cade out the door. His wild eyes connect with mine. I catalogue every detail of his beautiful face— the drop of honey in one iris, the razor blade of his jaw, the delicate curve of his lips— and wrap it up in my memory.
I wish things were different, baby. More than you’ll ever know.
As if hearing my thoughts, he says something back, but it’s too quiet for me to hear. Then Andrea tugs him into the night.
I’m yanked back by the throat.
Dark bottomless pits of fury bore into me.
“Listen here, boy,” Sinclair spits. “You’ll be punished. What you’ve done— defiling my daughter’s purity and reducing her to a common whore— is unforgivable.Unforgivable. But you’re going to repent.” He nods with a sneer. “You’re going to repent every day until the Lord is satisfied. UntilI’msatisfied.”
