Page 18 of His Solace

That’s easy. “I’ll go wherever Pace does.”

Clasping my hands in hers, Daia drills holes through me as she cautions me. “He’s going to hell for what he did.”

No, he isn’t.But I keep that to myself. There is no Heaven, and there certainly isn’t a Hell. Not in the way the church teaches. “What did he do?”

“He tortured Father Cassio. The things I saw…the way he gloried in the agony he tore from Father’s soul, it was terrifying.” I can see she believes the priest didn’t deserve it, but I’m not of the same mind. Daia has been my friend for as long as we’ve known each other, but until recently, she’s had no idea how twisted the church is. And after years of believing one thing, I can understand how hard it must be to learn another.

“Daia.” I bring our hands up to my mouth and kiss the top of hers. “They’ve lied to you for so long. Forced you to believe something that simply isn’t true. Father Cassio, the sisters, God…none of them are what you know. They’re terrible, sadistic, horrible people. They take their own pleasure from others’ pain.”

“Took,” she corrects me. I’m not sure about Father Cassio, but I know there isn’t anyone else alive.

“Yes, took. They took pleasure from hearing me scream. From punishing me for things that didn’t require it. I can’t force you to change what you believe in, who you believe, but I will beg you to believe me when I say Father Cassio and the nuns were not good people, and the world is a better place without them in it.” Movement from behind catches my eye, and I turn to see Pace with a phone in his hand.

“Did you know why Benito was interested in you?” His eyes are on Daia, and she shakes her head. “His stepmother is your birth mother. He spent years searching for you, and when he finally found you, he tried negotiating for your life, but Cassio refused. Because he didn’t want to distress your mother, he struck a deal. He’s been paying a lot of money for you every year to keep you safe and ensure he gets you back upon your eighteenth birthday.”

“Oh.” She’s far more deflated than I would have imagined.

“You’ll have a family,” I encourage. I’d be much more excited.

“I know.” When she glances at me, I see it.

“You thought hewantedyou.” A tear escapes her eye as she nods. “Oh, Daia.” I had no idea she felt that way about anyone. For so long, she has been all about serving the Lord. I wish I’d known she was feeling the way I do about Pace.

I can sense Pace’s stare on us, and when I look at him, he’s studying Daia. I get the feeling he knows something he’s not sharing. “Do you want to be with your family?” he finally asks her.

“I don’t know.” A feeling I understand all too well. We were raised together in a corrupt church. How do we reconcile what should be a good thing with it possibly being worse? We can’t, and the uncertainty is more terrifying than sticking with the devil we know.

Walking over, Pace places a folder in front of each of us. “My brother Santi collected everything he could find on both of your families. Whatever you want to do is fine. I’ll make sure it happens, but you need to choose quickly before the church discovers what’s happened and sends more people after us.”

“Is that possible? Who else would know?” I don’t remember Father Cassio ever answering to anyone but himself and God.

“This goes further up the Vatican than anyone knows.” He sounds frustrated.

“I don’t need to think about what I want.” Standing up, I walk over to Pace and wrap my arms around his waist. He’s my choice. “I want to be wherever you are.” Hesitant at first, Pace finally encircles one arm around my back while lifting my chin with his other hand to lay a kiss on my lips.

“You shouldn’t,” he mutters, inhaling deeply. “But I’m not letting you go either.” His confession warms my heart like I’ve been bathed in sunlight and given the greatest gift.

* * *

Pace

Hustling the girls out of the hotel, we have a short drive to where Daia’s family resides. She doesn’t know what other choice she has, so we’re heading to Naples. I called Benito as they were getting settled in the car and told him to expect us in a few hours. He seemed eager but promised to keep quiet about our arrival until we showed up. Not wanting to upset his stepmother who has been distraught over her daughter’s kidnapping since the day it happened.

Father Cassio remains drugged in the trunk, and I have no intention of changing that until I’m back in Catania. The Morellos want to speak with him and find out what other churches are involved in his operation. If I had to guess, there is at least one in every major city of Italy. If there were any in Sicily, I’d be shocked.

The ride is quiet, aside from the music on the radio, as the girls sit in the back seat, staring out the window as we pass through downtown Naples to the countryside. Benito’s father owns a winery, and if I had to guess, they smuggle drugs through the company as well. I’ve heard rumors of Benny and his father for a long time and none of them are good. However, they don’t seem to hurt innocents, so I don’t care and neither do the Morellos.

As the gates open for our arrival, I feel movement behind me. Daia is tense while Isabel is curious. The driveway is long and curves under an overhang porch, reminding me of a royal palace as we stop. Green grass surrounds the house and leads out to the grapevines in the distance. Stepping out of my vehicle, I open the girls’ car door. Isabel has to coax her friend out, and I’m all the more attracted to her resilience.

I’ve never met a more spirited woman before. Even in lieu of my sister-in-law Nicola’s wild personality, Isabel has something special about her that I can’t resist. As the two finally emerge, the front door is opened and out steps Benito Torres. “You arrived faster than I expected.” He speaks to me, but his eyes are on Daia.

“Traffic was light.” I was also speeding.

His gaze remains glued to the young woman partially hiding behind Isabel as he approaches. “You aren’t afraid of me, are you, Daia?” His head cocks playfully, but I recognize more behind his eyes. This is a man lusting after a woman. I know because he sports the same predatory look I give Isabel.

“She’s seventeen,” I remind him, and Isabel giggles because she’s picking up on the tension and delighting in the fact that Daia’s desires aren’t entirely one-sided.

“I’m aware,” Benny grunts.

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