“Illias.” Cantrell frowned and placed a hand on top of Illias’. “I’m your priest, if someone were to find out what we’ve done, what wearedoing, I could lose my position.”
“No one will find out,” Illias blurted out, angling himself to look at Cantrell. “I’ll be discreet. I’ve been in situations like this before. It’s nothing new to me.”
“You must know there is only so far this can go.”It shouldn’t go anywhere. It should stop here. Before someone finds out. Before I lose everything I’ve worked towards.
“I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me.” A pitiful chuckle caught in Illias’ throat. “Literally anything to just not …” He closed his eyes and he dropped his shoulders. “Thinkfor a little while.”
Illias opened his eyes and looked at Cantrell with an expression that lingered betweenplease have meandI’m sorry I’ve put you in this position. Cantrell chewed the inside of his cheek. May God strike him down, but he couldn’t find it in him to dismiss the idea. “Then…we will discuss more at a later time.”
A buzzing noise lifted into the air and Illias shifted to pull his phone from his back pocket. His expression soured. “Fuck, I have to get to work,” he grumbled. “Thank you for talking with me Father. I’ll see you around,” he said casually as though neither of them had experienced the emotional rollercoaster that transpired between them.
“Any time.” Cantrell smiled gently. “Oh, and Illias—”
Illias stopped half out of the pew and glanced over his shoulder at Cantrell.
“Please, come talk to me if you ever need a listening ear. No matter what it is.”
Illias gave him an exhausted smile. “I will. Goodnight, Father.”
Chapter Eighteen
Illias
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
- 2 Timothy 2:22 KJV
Illias didn’t know what to expect after they came to their agreement. Every nerve was on edge in anticipation. When would Cantrell meet with him again? What would Cantrell do to him? Would Cantrell touch him again? Give him another mark to wear proudly on display? Illias’ cock twitched at the memory of Cantrell’s teeth sinking into his neck. It was the first time anyone had ever bit him and left a visible mark. He’d received plenty of hickeys before but they were nothing compared to the deep color that Cantrell left behind. The mark was long faded though, and Illias craved another more than he’s ever craved something before.
“Whatcha daydreaming about, handsome?” Jasmine asked, leaning against the counter while he prepped more lemons for the night.
“None of your business.”
“God, Illias, you’ve been so boring lately,” she groaned, tossing her head back. “Did you get a boyfriend or something?”
Or something.
“Maybe I’ve found the Lord,” he answered smugly.
Maverick barked out a laugh and looked up from his papers. “You? Found the Lord? I’ll believe that when that nose ring of yours goes in the trash.”
“My nose ring has nothing to do with my devotion to God, but thank you for your input, peanut gallery,” Illias scoffed.
Jasmine rolled her eyes and placed a hand on his shoulders. “Illias, darling, honeypot, sweetums, apple of my fucking eye, there is no way inHellI will ever believe you magically became so religious that you stopped flirting with everything with a dick in less than a month.”
He tossed his knife on the table and turned to look at her with mock disbelief. “First of all, I did not flirt with everything with a dick!”
She made a sound of doubt.
“Second of all, just because I’m not chasing ass doesn’t mean I’m not flirting. My tips are proof enough of that.”
Maverick pointed his pen at Illias but looked at Jasmine. “He’s got a good point. The boy brings in ridiculous tips.”
“It’s my award-winning smile,” he boasted.
“He does have a gorgeous smile,” a customer noted from the bar as he tilted his beer bottle in Illias’ direction.
“Thank you,” he fake gushed.
