He was dead.
“Daddy, is he...?” Phoenix came to stand beside me, his sneakers quiet on the wood, and he held his breath. I didn’t know if he was hoping it was true or scared that it was.
I let out a breath, hands shaking as I dropped my hold on Perry’s shirt and he flopped to the floor, eyes wide and mouth agape. He’d died with fear on his face. Shame flooded me as I forced myself to my feet and grabbed Phoenix, gently guiding him away from the blood and his now dead ex-Daddy.
“Yes,” I whispered, and the fact I’d killed again wasn’t what frightened me the most, it was the pleasure I’d gotten from taking the life. Warmth spread through me and my fingers tingled, as though I’d had a taste of vodka. “Fuck.”
“Daddy?” Phoenix touched my shoulder, and I glanced at him, terrified of what I’d see on his face, but he was smiling, and tears trickled from the corners of his eyes. “Thank you, Daddy.” He kissed me, and I moaned, leaning into his mouth. The passion of his touch expressed more than words could—he was relieved, happy, and even... a little turned on by what I’d done. I’d killed for him.
I cupped his cheek and deepened our kiss, and he leaned into me, whimpering. One of the vestibule doors opened, and I pulled away, tense and ready to fight whoever had entered.
Malachi paused, eyes wide as he shifted his attention from the body on the floor to me and Phoenix, mouth working. His dark hair and beard had been trimmed since the last time I’d seen him, and he had a bag in his hand with the logo from a local barber shop on it. “What.... What happened?” He spun and went back out to the front doors. The sound of the old lock engaging rang out clearly, and then Malachi returned to take in the scene again. His attention settled on Phoenix, who hid behind me. Phoenix didn’t hate Malachi, but Mal had never been a big fan of him. We hadn’t come out as a couple to Malachi, either, but it was obvious he’d known by the sour expressions he’d given me whenever Phoenix was around.
I swallowed and stood tall to protect Phoenix from his stare. “He’s Phoenix’s abusive ex.”
Malachi frowned as he moved closer, dropping the bag onto one of the pews, before he tapped a cross on his body. He murmured the last rites, and it took me a moment to realize I should’ve done the same, but I hadn’t. What did that say about my faith?
“Have you called your family?” he asked.
I froze at the question, and Malachi sighed, waving his hand in frustration.
“I know who they are, Gian. You don’t need to act coy. How many of your cousins and siblings come here to confess their sins? They’ve told me their darkest secrets. Now answer my question, have you called them?”
“No.” I glanced at Phoenix, and he held on to my arm as he stared at Perry’s lifeless body, a small smile playing on his lips. Relief was there, too, and I understood. This man had taken Phoenix away from his mother, he’d abused Phoenix. He deserved death.
“Call them, they can get rid of the body.” Malachi sighed and rubbed his face. “We can’t let anyone find out about this because it would destroy our church.”
“We can’t call Daddy’s family.” Phoenix finally spoke up, brows dipped in concern. “I would never ask them to get involved in this.”
Malachi blinked in confusion, and I shook my head.
“He doesn’t know about them,” I said honestly, and understanding flashed over Malachi’s face.
“It’s time to tell him.”
Phoenix shifted closer and looked between me and Malachi, confused. “Tell me what?”
I sighed. I’d promised Ric that Phoenix would never know, but now he’d seen me kill a man, and when I called my family, Phoenix would also know my family disposed of bodies. Now he was in deeper than I’d wanted him to be and there was no way out. He was with me for life... or death.
I turned toward Phoenix and laid a hand on his shoulder. Sliding my thumb over his bottom lip, I smiled sadly. “There are things you don’t know about my family, about me.”
He blinked, but there was something in his expression I hadn’t expected, even though I hadanothersecret. Trust. I’d killed his abuser and he wasn’t afraid of me. “What is it, Daddy? Please tell me. I love you, no matter what.”
I winced but believed him. Cupping his face between my hands, I stared into his multicolored eyes and took a breath. “Did you ever wonder why I didn’t want you around Toma and Ric, baby boy?”
He stared up at me and shrugged. “I guessed they were dangerous. Toma hits people.”
“More than that.” I touched my forehead against his and kissed him gently. “Ric is a don, not that we use the word much. My family is mobbed up, and I was once part of that dynamic. I was a killer.” I glanced at Perry’s body. “Iama killer.”
He breathed deeply, and I waited for the moment he chose to pull away and run, but it never happened. He buried himself deeper against me and smiled. “But you killed for me, Daddy. You protected me like you promised. You’re not a bad person.”
I wished I could see myself in the same way, but having him know the truth and still want to be here with me was enough to make me smile.
Malachi heaved an annoyed sigh. “Call Ric,” he snapped, “before people start questioning why the church is closed. We need to at least look like we’re doing repairs for the doors to be locked, and he can bring the work van to make it seem official.”
He had a point. If they brought the handyman van for the same business Ric used to launder the money, it would make an excuse of repairs appear legitimate. The suggestion had me frowning at Malachi, though. How much did he know?
He turned away as though he suspected what I was thinking and crouched near the body, not touching it but staring in a way that didn’t ease my suspicions. Malachi knew things he shouldn’t, and I wasn’t sure I wanted toreallyknow how.
