Page 41 of On Your Knees

This beautiful soul views me as a priest, a figure of trust and guidance, and that’s what I need to be for her. I turn aroundto scan the cameras, making sure the commotion downstairs is resolved.

Once I spot that everything is okay, I walk Eva out of the room, and we head downstairs together. Her steps are hesitant, her eyes glancing at me with a mix of confusion and concern.

“Father Carmichael,” Lazarus Delgado says, stepping closer to me, his presence exuding a smug confidence.

“Haven’t seen you in church in a while,” I say to him, forcing a smile. He only laughs, a hollow sound that grates on my nerves.

“I see you’ve met the beautiful Lina. We were just about to ask her to join us in our private room.” He ogles Eva, and I don’t like it one bit, but I step a bit further away from her, trying to mask my discomfort.

“Have a good time,” I say to them, ready to make my exit, but before I can Lazarus holds up a hand, stopping me.

“Why don’t you join us,Father?” he asks, his tone dripping with false camaraderie. “We’re celebrating.”

I know what this is all about. Lazarus wants dirt on me. Who better to have dirt on than the local priest who hears everyone’s confessions? He thinks he’ll be able to one day blackmail me. Little does he know he’d never be able to. I won’t give him that power.

“Sure,” I say, my tone neutral. Like this is the most natural thing in the world. Even Daniel was led into the lion’s den. “Celebrating what?”

“Ah,” He gestures toward Enzo walking up. “Our newest member took care of a problem for us.”

Eva shivers beside me when she spots Enzo Gabini walking toward us. My body immediately goes into alert mode, wanting to make sure she feels safe.

I don’t trust this man.

However, I don’t let it show as I follow the men to the room where they’ll be having their meeting. I’m sure with me there they won’t be discussing anything too important.

I need to pretend I’m okay with all of this.

Like I’m the crooked priest they want me to be.

When we enter the room, I follow suit and sink into the plushness of a long leather-white sofa lining the far wall. The scent of expensive cigars mingles with the heady perfume of the women surrounding us, creating an atmosphere thick with anticipation. A few girls trickle in, their heels clicking against the polished floor, and among them is Eva, or as I need to call her tonight, Lina.

“Dance for us, ladies,” Lazarus says, his voice cutting through the ambient chatter as the lights of the room dim, casting everything into a sultry half-light. The men around me light up cigars, the glowing tips adding an eerie glow to their faces, and the low bass of the music pulses through my bones, setting the rhythm of the night.

My eyes are glued to Lina, unable to tear away from her magnetic presence. Tonight, she's transformed, embodying a persona that both enthralls and unnerves me.

“Lina, dance for the Father,” Lazarus commands, his tone dripping with disdain and authority.

Lina obeys without hesitation, moving with a fluidity and a grace that belies the darkness of the situation. As she dances, her gaze meets mine, and for a fleeting moment, it's as if her eyes convey a silent plea, a desperate apology hidden beneath the facade of the performance.

“Give him a lap dance,” Enzo says from not too far away, and now I feel everyone’s eyes on us.

We need to put on a show.

I don’t even know what to do right now. I’m a Catholic priest, and I don’t want to blow my cover by being too turned on, but I almost feel like this is a test.

They want to see how far I’m willing to go.

Maybe tonight I need to be the man they want me to be. I need to put it all out there, make myself appear dirty in their eyes so they will trust me.

Trust me as their priest. Trust me to confess their sins to.

I can tell by the looks in their eyes they want me to react to Lina’s succulent body before me. So, I do what they expect.

I widen my legs, letting Lina move between me, and I gaze up at her. “Do it,” I tell her. “Turn me the fuck on with this dance.”

The men surrounding me laugh, and then they focus back on the women in front of them.

Eva’s eyes widen, her facade dropping momentarily, but I try to convey my own personal message to her right now.

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