Page 103 of The Sinner and the Priest: Part 1

Another diplomatic issue to solve.

Cisco stops at my shoulder and quietly suggests, “I will talk to them at confession.”

He’s staring at Tawny, lips pressed, freshly shaven jaw tense. Did he read my mind? Sensing my attention, he glances down at me.

“You should tell them about the flies,” he says, offering me the lead.

I nod and then address the room. “Apologies for our tardiness, folks, but we weren’t fucking, if that’s what you think.” A strangled grunt beside me has my lips twitching as I continue. “We’re late because we had a little situation with the orphans and some flies.”

My voice carries into the rafters. Silence follows. Every set of eyes lands on me, then Cisco, then back at me.

I point with my thumb at him. “He also had a swarm of flies all over his window. Then, in the dining hall, he killed a big one⁠—”

“Sister Martha did,” he corrects.

“Oh, right.” I nod. “But we killed another big one⁠—”

“That’s what she said,” Leila mumbles from the table.

“—in Lucia’s hair.”

The jovial mood in the room dies.

Leila slowly stands, eyes darting to Cisco. “You’re serious.”

“It’s taken care of,” he says gruffly. “The children are safe.”

Hannah’s brow arches with derision. “Safe from what, killer flies?”

I open my mouth to reply, but Cisco beats me to it.

“The nuns reported being bitten.” He looks at the Rev. “They told me that you had an incident.”

“I did. A few days ago.” She slides her hand beneath her veil and rubs the back of her neck. “The children are safe?”

“Yes,” Cisco replies. “I reinforced the wards in their room with my blood.”

A collective exhale rolls across the room, but the tension remains. They’re all staring at us, Cisco and me, as if we’re already a team. I don’t blame them. We kind of are. A foreign, awkward feeling settles in my stomach. It’s not until Leila waggles her brows at me and nudges Zeke beside her that I recognize what that feeling is.

They think I was off fucking the priest, getting my jollies on—which is precisely why I joked that we weren’t. Why do my cheeks feel warm?

Oh my God. I’m blushing.

I don’t blush.

“Nice dress,” Zeke tells Cisco.

Dominic sits beside him, a book open on the table. He gently scolds Zeke in Italian, shakes his head, and returns to his reading.

“Funny,” Cisco grumbles, then walks to join them.

I steer the conversation to the matter at hand. “Considering the recent fly weirdness … who wants to catch Father up on what was recently found in Mary’s Gospel?”

“Thea.” The Rev nods. “Go ahead.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Jasmine bolts to her feet, dagger in hand. “You come in here like nothing’s happened.”

Hannah joins her. “She’s right. You obviously deemed this lot trustworthy. We sat through your stupid fight without an explanation. But you don’t get to sweep this under the rug.”