Page 140 of Please Open Me
“Then tell her to go back home.” My knuckles slammed against leather again, the chain above shrieking in protest.
“I can’t do that,” Dale said smoothly. “I never told her to remain with you in the first place.”
My fist stilled mid-swing. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means, Brother Sebastian, that Matilda makes her own choices. Did I ask her politely to check on Mason?Yes.” His voice lowered, curling like smoke. “Her decision to stay in Portland with you is purely up to her. She’s human, just like you; she’s allowed to make her own decisions.”
My jaw clenched until my teeth ached as fear surged in my chest. I couldn’t remember if I told him I was in Portland, or if that was something Mattie reported back to him.
“Your twisted scripture has fuck all to do with Mason–leave her out of it.”
Dale clicked his tongue. “If a shepherd is to cultivate land, he chooses fertile soil. And, if the land is known to be fertile and his seeds refuse to sprout–what is the problem, Sebastian?”
My lips parted slightly as I realized he was no longer calling meFather Castillo.
“The problem is she’s not land. She’s–”
“The Sons of Christ have no further use for you, Sebastian. A prophet who fails to produce an heir is like a cow that produces no milk.”
My jaw unclenched a fraction and then slammed shut again. The stupid thing about Dale was that I couldn’t tell what he meant as an insult, and what to him was prophecy. His casual cruelty wore the suit of scripture so well it left my head spinning.
My pulse kicked up in my throat, leaving me to marinate in the type of fury that left you wanting to do something ugly. Something you couldn’t take back. Something thatdefinitelywouldn’t help prove to Mason that I wasn’t a murderer.
“Mason isn’t livestock, and she’s not an animal for you to breed,” I said, voice low enough that I hoped the phone wouldn’t pick up the tremor. “you don’t get to touch her with your words or your followers.”
There was a long pause, as if Dale was giving himself time to savor my discomfort. “You misunderstand me, Brother. I never touched her, and I never will. But, if the lord wills it, shewillfall pregnant with or without you. Useful people follow their own plans, and, in dire situations, sometimes, outside forces will relocate them. And, if the Sons of Christ were toborrowher, well. To put it simply, it wouldn’t be wise for you to interfere with our harvest.”
Bile rose in my throat as he spoke, and my hands shook with the need to say something clever. The need to say something to shut him the fuck up. But, for the first time in my life, my wit had run dry, leaving me to say the only thing I could think of.
“If you come near Mason, I willfuckingkill you.”
Dale hummed in response, almost as if that was the reaction he wanted.
“Your fire could have made you a leader, Sebastian. But you chose to let the sins of sloth and pride weigh down your righteous soul. Trust me when I say, the Sons of Christ no longer have a use for you.”
“What the fuck do you mean? Without a prophet, you don’t have a cult.”
“No. Without a prophet, I am forced to deliver the words of the Lord from my own mouth, and maybe that’s how God intended it to be.” The line went quiet, almost as if Dale had forgotten he was speaking. Then, Dale added, “Isolation is persuasive, Sebastian. Be careful how far you push those you love toward solitude.”
Click.
That was it. No room for argument. No room for questions. Just his words spoken as if they were gospel. And, I tried to call him back, just to yell, or tell him he was wrong, or dosomethingto regain control.
But all I got was a robotic voice telling me that his number was no longer in service.
My chest rose and fell with staccato gasps as I stared at the phone. Time seemed to stand still, that was until heavy footfalls thudded down the steps.
I snapped out of the haze imposed by Dale's words and shoved my phone in my pocket just as Cameron came into view.
He was a welcome sight, but he looked far too stressed for my liking.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothin’.” Cameron hopped off the bottom step before approaching me. “I’m gonna go pick up the kids. Wanted to see if you were gonna tag along, I know you missed them.”
I paused to stare at him. “Mason said she was picking up the kids.”
Right after she told me that Sophia and I weren’t allowed to be alone with the children.
