Page 23 of Devotion

Despite these words being on my computer screen, right there in black and white, I hear his voice—deep and silken. I close my eyes to rid my thoughts of it.

Layla: You’re toeing a fine line, aren’t you? I’m assuming you know I work with the police department. I could easily have you hauled off to spend the rest of your life behind bars. Is that what you want?

Okay, so the thin thread of tolerance I managed to weave into this conversation has clearly snapped.

Unknown: You’d never let that happen.

The response is jarring, and I narrow my eyes at the screen, surprised by his arrogance.

Layla: Proverbs 16:18

The dots begin to bounce, indicating that he’s already typing.

Unknown: Oooh, a church girl. Does this mean you’ll pray for my damned soul?

I squirm in my seat when his comment brings a memory to mind. One where my father ripped me from the public school system only to shove me into the most intense, expensive Catholic school he could find. All with hopes that they could fix all that’s broken inside me,I’m guessing.

But thousands of dollars spent on tuition later… I’m not so sure it helped.

Layla: In case you don’t own a bible, that scripture reads: “Pride cometh before the fall.”

Unknown: And I believe the Good Book also states that, “My power is made perfect in weakness.”

Layla: Problem is that verse references God, and you’re not Him.

Unknown: All depends on who you ask.

I hear his voice again, imagining what the man who’s just spoken might look like. I’ve already gathered that he’s tall—six-foot-four, to be exact—based on our chat. But his confidence suggests that he’s likely handsome, someone who’s literally gotten away with murder, perhaps due in part to his good looks giving him the appearance of being a non-threat.

I quickly shake the thought of him being attractive from my head, realizing that I’ve already given him too much of my time, entertained him too long.

Layla: Why don’t you tell me where you are? I’ll pay you a visit, and we can have this conversation face-to-face?

I know he’s too smart to take any sort of bait I might offer, but my moral compass will have it no other way. I have to at least try.

Unknown: Tempting, but I’ve got plans today. Plans that don’t involve you showing up on my doorstep with the entire SWAT team behind you.

Layla: It’d be remiss of me not to try reasoning with you. It’s clear you don’t exactly value human life, so there’s no point making a case for your future victims. But maybe you’ll stop what you’re doing to save yourself? Because you do know you’ll get caught if you keep this up, don’t you?

Unknown: Careful. You almost sound concerned for me.

I shake off his implication, ignoring the comment altogether.

Layla: You’ll end up in prison. Or worse.

Unknown: I suppose that’s up to your God, now isn’t it?

Layla: Matthew 26:52. “For they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

Unknown: Unfortunately, there’s a flaw in your logic. That is, if you’re referencing this scripture with hopes of appealing to my rational side.

Layla: A flaw?

Unknown: Yes. I’m not afraid of death.

Layla: Why? Because you’ve made it your profession?

Unknown: Profession. Passion. My fucking love language.

---