Page 29 of Sinful Secrets

She smiles and wraps her arms around my neck. “You still have thirty minutes, plenty of time to kiss me.” I let out a growl, making her laugh before I crash my lips to hers.

Chapter Seventeen

Talitha

For selfish reasons I want to stay, I want to be with Khan, but I know I have to go, I have to do this for the Satan’s, for myself and for the women of my community.

“Ready?” Khan asks.

I take a deep breath and nod. “Sure.”

Rip comes over to us as Khan starts up his bike. “Be safe, don’t do anything stupid. Bottom line, I want you to come out of there alive.”

“I will be fine; I have lived there practically my entire life. I know what I am doing,” I reassure him. I wrap my arms around Khan as he pulls away. I close my eyes on the way there, ingraining this moment into my memory, how he feels, his scent and the freedom we have on his bike.

Time seems to have gone by too quickly as we arrive at the supermarket. He parks up and we get off his bike. He turns to me and unclasps my helmet. “I don’t fucking like this,” he growls. I move my hand to cup his face, but he grabs my wrist, stopping me. “They're here, watching,” he warns. “You ready?” he asks and I nod. He grabs the back of my neck in a firm grip, making it look like I'm under his control. I wait for Khan’s order. “Black car to your right, do it now, Bambi.”

“I'm sorry,” I whisper before spinning around and hitting him hard in the nuts. He immediately drops to his knees, his face scrunched up in pain. I pause, looking around and notice the black car’s door open, and immediately I spot Brother Asher getting out the car.

He calls me over. “Sister Talitha, come, quickly now.” I run to him, doing my best to seem relieved to see him.

He grabs my hand firmly, yanking me into the car. “Wait here,” he orders before closing the door.

“You're safe now,” Brother Steven states from the driver’s seat. I don’t answer him, I watch Khan slowly get up off the floor, pretending to look around for me.

“Drive slowly,” Asher orders. The car crawls slowly towards Khan, and my heart is beating widely in my chest. Why aren’t we just going? Asher lowers his window, and before I can do anything, he pulls out his gun and takes aim at Khan, firing.

“No!” I screech as the car speeds off. I turn, seeing Khan laid there on the parking lot floor, not moving. People run to him and I try to open the car door but its locked, tears streaming down my face.

Asher turns around to face me. “You are safe now, Sister Talitha, now you can return and we can wash away your sins. It appears that you grew accustomed to living in sin,” he says, leering. I am in just shorts and a T-shirt, something that should never be worn.

I swallow back my tears and nod. “Thank you, Brother Asher.” My voice wavers with emotion.

He nods and turns back around in his seat. I have to fight everything in me to stop me turning back around. I want to break free of this car, I want to go to Khan. I pray silently that he's okay, I pray that he is alive.

We arrive at the community a while later, the barbed wired gates open as we approach, my heart sinks. How have I never seen this as a prison?

We come to a stop in front of the main hall, and one of the guards opens my door. I get out and swallow back my nerves. Asher takes my arm in a tight grip that hurts, leading me up the steps, through the main door, and straight to Father Isiah’s chamber.

As we walk in, I notice the plush red carpet, the comfy sofa and a four-poster bed with drapes. All this time we’ve been sleeping in basic huts, with camp beds and linen that is rough and so thin that we get cold in the winter months. Father Isiah coughs to get my attention, and I realise in that moment as I was too busy standing here gawping at his chambers, that I haven’t taken a knee. I quickly correct myself, drop down and bow my head. “Forgive me, Father. I am out of sorts,” I apologise.

I hear him stand and walk towards me, making sure I keep kneeling with my head bowed until he gives me permission. He stands before me and strokes my hair. Before now, I would have considered that an honour, but now, knowing what I know, it makes my skin crawl.

“My dear child, I have been praying for you every day, we all have. I see you have been forced to wear the clothing of a harlot. We shall cleanse you at once. Please stand, my child,” he orders. I stand to my feet, still keeping my head bowed. He takes my chin in his fingers, making me look at him.

He looks deep into my eyes. “Yes, many, many sins. You shall repent.” He smiles. I don’t like the smile on his face and my stomach rolls with anxiety, but I still try to mask it.

“Thank you, Father.” I bow.

“Of course, it is our God’s wishes,” he adds, his eyes fixated on me, watching me, assessing me. “Brother Asher, I take it you carried out the Lord’s work?” he asks, but his eyes stay focused on me.

“Yes, Father, I believe he is now with the devil himself, where he belongs, sir,” Asher answers.

They’re talking about Khan and my breathing hitches at the mention of him. Father Isiah notices and his eyes darken.

“Good, I'm glad, that will send them the message that God is with us, and with God by our side we can defeat all evil. Including them,” he says, walking back around his desk and sitting down. “Take Sister Talitha to a chamber down the hall. Make sure she is settled and then we shall begin the cleansing.” He smirks. Asher grabs my arm in a tight grip and drags me out of the room and down the hall. I want to snatch my arm from his grip, but I can’t. I'm not in the outside world now and I need to remember that if I am going to survive this place.

He unlocks the large wooden door, shoves me inside, and I stumble forward. My eyes land on a large crucifix with restraints attached. He barks his orders at me to remove my clothes. I nod my head and undress; his eyes roam my body and I fight back the urge to be sick. He takes my hand and pulls it up, locking a thick metal cuff around my wrist and repeating the same to the other one. He bends down and locks shackles around my ankles. I can’t control my panic, I am restrained, shackled to a cross.

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