I froze in Daddy’s arms.
“Sorry, I can’t.” Someone touched the top of my head, and I was certain it had to be Jesse. “I was supposed to be at work already. His case is still open, did you know? People were looking for him for a long time. Where was he?”
“Trapped in an abusive relationship.”
“What?” Jesse asked.
Embarrassment had me burrowing closer to Daddy. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I whispered.
“Can you come to my house tonight?” Daddy asked.
Anger prickled through me.
“Sure.”
Jesse touched my head again, and I swatted at him—I hadn’t said he could do that. I shoved out of Daddy’s arms and couldn’t believe the fury that pulsed through me. I felt like the top of my head was about to pop off and everything inside me would fly everywhere like a shaken-up Coke. “I said I don’t want to talk about it!”
Gasping for air, I stormed away, leaving them both there to talk about me if they wanted, but I didn’t know how to tell them anything about Perry. I couldn’t stand to think about it right now.
14
GIAN
“Where are you?”I asked Phoenix through the phone as I stared at the front lawn of Jericho’s workplace. It was starting to spit rain and the droplets tickled my face where they landed. The sky had turned gray in the span of fifteen minutes, and I hated that Phoenix was out there alone. I should’ve followed him right away, but shock had my feet planted in place. Now he was gone and I didn’t know where. At least he’d answered his phone.
“I’m heading toward the church,” Phoenix said, and the scared tone in his soft voice had my spine stiffening. “Daddy, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t,” I said quietly, glaring at the clumped clouds above me. “Don’t apologize. You don’t ever need to be sorry, boy. Never.”
“I know, but I—” He broke off with a sob. “She died, Daddy, and I wasn’t there. She never knew what happened to me.”
I hated that I wasn’t right beside him for comfort. I should’ve followed him out of the clinic immediately, but I’d been too focused on finding out more information from the cop, who gave me nothing.
“I’m coming to the church, boy. Wait for me there. Promise me.”
He let out a tiny sob that tugged at my heartstrings. “I promise, Daddy. I’ll wait here.”
“Good boy.” I ended the call and got on the next available bus. The entire trip was hell, and I sat beside an old lady, who kept prattling on about her life. I tried to smile as best I could, but my mind was on Phoenix and how I needed to get to him. I apologized when it was my stop and bolted out of the back door and toward the church a block away.
By the time I’d nearly stumbled into the church I was panting from exertion, and panic seized my chest as I tripped over the threshold when I finally got inside. I glared around the sanctuary and the mostly empty pews, but he wasn’t there. Sister Joan sat on the front pew on the left side of the aisle, her hands clasped together in prayer with her head bowed, and I walked toward her. She wore her habit today—the black tunic, veil, and coif—and had her rosary pressed between her palms.
She didn’t look up when I reached her, but she smiled. “He’s in the confessional. I told him it would be safe.” Only then did she finish her prayer, stand, and then turn to stare at me. “He was upset, unlike any time I’ve seen him before.” Her sharp gaze drilled holes into me, as though I was the one to blame, and guilt formed a lump in my throat. “I will close the church for a while, since you and he need to speak. Alone.”
There was a threat in her voice I didn’t expect to hear; she wanted me to fix whatever made Phoenix sad. I didn’t have time to tell her I was going to do exactly that because she swept past me down the aisle, then stopped near the few people who were sitting in the pews to ask them to politely leave for a short while. No one questioned a nun, and she helped guide them outside before she closed the outer doors. The sound of the lock clicking behind her made me sigh.
I glanced at the confessionals and took a deep breath, calming my anxiety as I walked over to them. I opened one empty confessional before I found him in the other, sitting with his arms snug around himself and his temple pressed against the wooden side. He stared at the floor, lips rolled into his mouth as though trying to stave off tears, and I hated how upset he looked. I should’ve come sooner.
“Come here, boy.”
Phoenix raised his chin and blinked up at me with watery eyes, and then he stood, knees wobbly. I grabbed his elbows to stop him from collapsing and led him out of the wooden box to one of the middle pews. We took a seat, and I cuddled him under my arm, as close as I could get him to my body. He was warm, and he buried his face against my shoulder.
“I’m sorry for running, Daddy.”
“What did I tell you about apologizing?” I kissed his forehead and sighed. “You were upset, but Phoenix, if I’m your Daddy I need you to trust me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Daddy.” He blinked up at me and laid a gentle kiss on my chin. “I trust you with my life.”
“I know you do, baby boy.” I stroked my fingers across his jaw, and he let out a soft breath. “You’re such a good boy. Do you want to tell me how you’re feeling?”
