Page 17 of Quiet Confessions: Part Two

That’s my girl. Chuckles force me to open my eyes, but they trigger a hacking cough. Spider is with us in a concrete room and helps me sit up.

“You gave us quite the scare.” Spider sighs. “Did you really have to poke the beast?”

“She threw Esme into a wall and I lost my mind,” I explain. “How is she?”

“A few bumps, but she’s a lot better off than you are. You probably saved her life,” Spider grumbles. “Yeah, it was a noble thing, but that shit gets you killed here, and you damn well know it. You’re not new here.”

“I know. She’s just a fucking kid,” I complain. My head is killing me and my ribs hurt, too.

“Spider managed to get you some pain meds for your head,” Pay says, breaking the tension. Handing the tablets to me with a bottle of water, she stares at me hard. “You did a very noble thing, but he’s right. I would die without you, Rooke. You can’t do stuff like that.”

Nodding, I grunt an apology as I take the medication. “I’m sorry, baby. You’re right, it just felt wrong to let someone so little get beaten up by an adult.”

“I know,” Spider sighs. “Sometimes you have to make the coward's choice in order to live another day. Isabella is really pissed I stopped her, but the Bossman really was asking about her."

Pay cleans my eyebrow, and Spider gives the cut stitches. Damn, Isabella’s ring really worked me over good.

I’m in and out of things after I’m all cleaned up, but I can hear Pay and Spider talking.

“Can I ask you a question?” Pay asks Spider. I know that tone, and it means that my girl is about to decimate this man in this round of questions and answers.

“You can ask,” he says. “I reserve the right to not answer, though.”

“That’s fair,” Pay says, getting comfortable. “Why are you a guard here? You seem to hate everything that this place stands for. I don’t understand it.”

“Sometimes you get asked to do impossible things, even when it's against your morals,” Spider says softly. “I don’t have a choice in being here. Just know that I’m trying to help in my own way.”

“That’s awfully cryptic,” she sasses. It reminds me of how she usually acts, and I know we’re going to get through this.

“I am part of a society, and the night I became an initiate was the best night of my life. I bonded to my brothers, my girlfriend, and the man I love,” Spider says, waiting for judgment.

“I have a boyfriend and a Patience,” I slur. I realize what I said, but I’m too tired to fix it.

“Yes, you do,” Pay just says, rubbing my knee. Funny enough, it’s one of the least painful places on my body at the moment. “Spider, love who you want, Rooke and I are the last people to tell you what to do with your life.”

“You don’t think it’s wrong and an abomination to God?” I want to hug him or something, because there’s not a damn thing wrong with him. I’m too sore to move, though.

“No,” I deny, wincing at the pain. “I think God wants us to be happy, and gives us hearts capable of a lot of love.”

Pay smiles softly as she agrees.

“So, you came here because someone told you to? This seems like a pretty shitty job… unless you’re trying to shut it down?” Pay asks hopefully.

Smiling sadly, Spider shakes his head. “No, that’s not my mission. At least, not yet. I’m gathering information, finding out what makes the Bossman tick. I’m getting closer, though.”

“Is that why you’re so nice to us?” Pay asks softly.

“Rooke reminds me of someone I know, and I felt instantly connected to him in a platonic way,” he says hurriedly. I know what he means so I give him a nod.

“I felt connected, too. I couldn’t put my finger on why, though,” I explain.

“Sometimes you don’t need to. You just have to fly on faith,” Pay shrugs.

“Fuck, I could use more faith,” Spider sighs. “I’m a bit of a hot head. I kick it’s ass first, and then ask questions later. I’m working on it. It almost cost me someone really important to me.”

“Almost means that there’s a chance,” Pay says cautiously.

“Maybe. I had to leave her when my favor was called in, and I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me. I really messed things up,” Spider says.

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