Page 107 of For I Have Sinned

“So what you are saying is that you miss being with a woman.” Her tone is harsh, and it hits me like an arrow to the heart.

“No, that’s not it at all,” I reassure her. “Being with you reminded me of that freedom I used to have, and I want that freedom back.”

She remains silent for a moment, processing all that I’ve said. “Father Keaton won’t be happy.”

“I know. Which is why I’m waiting to tell him until after you leave.”

“Alex, we don’t know when I’ll be getting out of here. One of us needs to get out of this place, and given the opportunity you have, it has to be you first.”

“You leave first, Celine. I’ll be fine staying here until that day comes. I’ll deal with whatever Father Keaton throws my way, but you—” Her eyes find mine again, and in the shadows, I see curiosity lingering there. “You need to act your ass off in the next couple of meetings with your mother and be on your best behavior in the convent. That is the only way you’ll get out.”

“I can do that.” Her head bobs, and I can hear the determination in her voice. “What if something happens and he follows through on his threat to you?”

I haven’t thought that far ahead. “I’ll deal with it.”

She doesn’t push further. Instead, she asks, “What will you do when you’re free?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I tell her a half-truth. “Visit my mom more.”

“Will you move back to New York?”

“After my recent visit there and how cold it’s starting to become, I don’t think I’d survive.” I lightly chuckle. “I like the warm weather.”

There is a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “If you stay in the area, then maybe we can hang out somewhere other than a church.”

“I’d like that very much.” Invisible strings tug at the corner of my lip. “What about you? What will you do with your freedom?”

“Spend time with my friends because I’ve missed them so much. And try to find a job since I was fired before coming here.”

“Fired?” I quirk an eyebrow. “What did troublemaker Celine do to get herself fired?”

“Have a bitch for a boss.” She sighs. “She always had it out for me, and I endured her fury for three long years. Then she decided she had had enough of me, when I wasn’t even doing anything wrong.”

“She sounds like a bitch,” I agree, which makes her laugh.

It’s in this moment that it dawns on me that, even though I’m obsessed with this woman, there are things that I don’t know about her life. Important things that I never thought to ask her, because I was either too worried about getting caught with her or acting on my impulses whenever I could.

That needs to change.

“What did you do for work?”

“I worked for a publishing company, and I was hoping to work my way up to being an actual editor.” Her eyes turn sad. “That was before I got fired, and my boss threatened that I would never work in publishing again.”

“She can’t do that.”

“She thinks she can. I had a job interview lined up, but then I was coaxed into coming here. Whenever I get out, who knows if they will still be interested.”

“How could they not be interested? You’re perfect, and they’d be stupid not to give you a chance.”

“Although it’s not true, thank you for giving me hope.” A shy smile spreads across her mouth. “Wait, what are you going to do about Father Keaton? I mean, after you leave here, how will you put a stop to what he is doing?”

“I’m still working on that.”

“I’ll be there if you need any help,” she offers with a warm smile.

“Thank you,” I tell her. “We should probably get out of here. We’ve been in far too long.”

“Right.” She nods and stands to leave the booth.