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I wanted him to tell me that again, needed to hear it every damn moment of the day.
"I won't ask how you're doing," he began, his tone soft and careful. Or maybe that was just his voice—soft and murmuring with the slight hint of a rasp.
"You better not," I huffed, giving him a stern look that made his beard twitch in a smile. Why was he smiling?
"Are you religious?" he asked instead, which was a smart move. I was sick to death of being asked if I was okay.
I nodded. "Christian."
"Will I see you in church on Sunday?" he asked, twisting on the pew to half face me.
Shock made me stare at him, and I wasn't ready to admit I liked what I saw. Really,reallyliked it. I'd always been attracted to older men; the guys I’d dated of my own age turned out to be immature, rude, borderline controlling, and omega-hunters who were really after Astrid.
"There's a service here?Really?"
"Really," Priest confirmed, laughing with a little crease between his heavy brows. "Why? Didn't think bikers were the Christian sort?"
"Um…" It was rude to admit that, right?
He laughed, his eyes crinkling—a bright blue colour I noticed, now I was close to him.
"Don't worry, I was surprised to find out when I first got here, too. There are more god-abiding bikers than you'd realise.We need to believe a higher power is watching over us when we go on dangerous raids."
"Like the one yesterday?" I asked. When they'd found me violated in that disgusting room. I wasn't sure the sheets had even been cleaned before Anatoly … did what he did.
"Exactly like that one. We're never really sure what we're going to find, or if any of the Hunters will overpower us or bring guns or—you get the idea."
I looked across the church at the small, stained-glass circle above the altar, biting my lip. "It's dangerous, but you still risk yourselves to save omegas?"
"To save anyone who needs it," he corrected, shifting again and sending a rush of his clear water scent towards me. My shoulders dropped, a knot unwound between my shoulder blades, and my jaw unclenched.
Fuck, his scent was magic. Maybe that was why I'd stayed, and why I was still beside him now. That inexplicable sense of safety I'd felt at the house was here too, all around me, blending with the comfort of God's presence.
After yesterday, the safety was irresistible.
"You really are knights," I murmured, moving my attention from the window to Priest. He again wore aged denim and black leather, his hair rumpled and his beard thick, and nothing about him screamedvicar—but he fit here in this chapel.
"We try to be," Priest replied with a sigh, spinning a ring around his finger. I discreetly checked if the ring was on his wedding ring finger—it wasn't. "It's not always possible to save some people, and others don'twantto be saved."
I rolled my eyes. "You just told me yourisk your livesto get people out of abusive situations. You're knights without a doubt. Accept it."
His mouth twitched into a smile. "In that case, I agree."
"Good."
Silence settled between us, but it wasn't heavy and uncomfortable. I could sense Priest wanted to broach the subject I furiously avoided, though, and I gave him a look.Don’t even think about it.
"Tell me what I can do," he blurted after a long pause. "Luna, I can't—I want to help you. And if you want to talk about what happened to you, I’m here. Always."
"Nothing happened to me. You got there in time." It was my mantra. My precious lie.
Priest's face hardened. "Luna, I know what I smelled. Don't try to tell me that was consensual."
I winced, my chest compressing into a painful knot.
I jumped when his hand covered mine, and then relaxed all at once with a rough sigh. Fuck, he really was magic. Was this some elite priest training? I'd never calmed down so quickly before.
"Talk to Trick, darling. I know it'll be painful at first, but it'll help, I promise. I've been to see him a few times."
