Page 143 of For I Have Sinned

For once in my life, I do something I never thought I’d do. I pray.

Please God, if you exist, don’t let her die.

Alex keeps apologizing as he starts pulling me backward. “I know she is important to you, but you are important to me,” he says, his voice breaking. “I’m sorry, but I need to save you.”

Esther’s fight begins to slow, and in an instant, her body goes slack. The floodgates open as I let the tears rapidly fall down my face, and a sob leaves me. My pain, my heartache, my anger. All of it echoes through the room.

Father Keaton lifts his eyes to mine at the harsh sound and smiles grimly as he brings her to the surface. Seeing him with so much pride in his expression makes me want to rip his eyes out so he can no longer see the hurt he is causing me.

Men grab her and take her away, and I don’t take my eyes off of her until she is out of my sight.

“We need to go now, Celine,” Alex demands assertively, but I can’t feel my feet. I can’t feel anything.

I’m numb.

I don’t know what to do with myself right now. I just saw a man whom everyone thought they could trust murder my friend. A man who is supposed to dedicate his life to helping others. And yet, all he has done since I’ve been here is cause pain and havoc on the women in this convent.

The women who are here to serve God, to find their faith. To keep their hope of decency within the world alive. Only to be dragged into a pool and held down until their lungs are filled with water, painfully taking away their lives.

He took them from this world. A man who had deceived them and committed the sin of all sins. What kind of hatred and evil has to live inside someone that they can go through with something like this with no regret?

With excitement in his eyes.

Father Keaton is pure evil

“Celine,” my body is now facing Alex’s, and he gently cups the side of my face that isn’t covered in a bruise. “Celine… baby, look at me.” I glance up and see the tears welling in his eyes again. “Can you hear me?” I nod. “Okay. Good. Because I need you to do exactly what I say.”

His head nods with mine, then he turns to gesture at the two women huddled in the corner.

“There were ten women in here when we started, and now, there are only three. It’s only a matter of time before these men come for you. We need to move, and we need to move now. Take my hand and do not let go. Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

Alex presses a light kiss to my forehead, grabs hold of my hand, and slowly walks us along the wall. I turn my head to look at the two women in the corner who are sobbing as they kneel and pray. It amazes me that even in this cruel situation, they continue to do so.

At least Father Keaton couldn’t take away their faith in God.

One of the priests approaches them and tears the women away from each other. The woman still kneeling in the corner reaches out to her friend, her eyes burning red as she watches them head towards the stage.

The woman in the man’s hold doesn’t go down without a fight. She is throwing her arms, smacking the man in the face, and as the struggle continues, Alex walks us slowly along the wall. Father Keaton is out of the pool and too focused on the man getting the shit beat out of him to notice we are making a run for it.

My attention turns back to Alex when we reach the stairs, undetected by Father Keaton and somehow by the other priests. They must be entranced by how unhinged this woman is.

Quietly, we climb the stairs. Father Keaton is facing away from us, so we take the opportunity to step onto the stage and head for the door to the right.

Just as Alex has his hand on the knob, the room goes silent enough for us to hear the click of metal. My eyes lift to the wooden door, heart stopping in my chest because I know exactly what that sound is.

A gun.

Chapter 46

Celine

“Where do you think you’re going?” Father Keaton asks in a cynical tone.

My hand begins to tremble, but Alex squeezes it, silently reminding me to stay calm and that everything will be okay. His touch comforts me, and he’s always made me feel safe. And I know he’ll do anything to protect me.

But that’s the thing… He’d do anything. He’d even risk his own life to save mine. And I can’t let that happen. We came in here together, and hell if I’ll leave without him.