Page 19 of Daddy's Sinner

I shake my head, the playful banter between us a welcome distraction from the weight I usually carry. But underneath it, there’s something darker, something I can’t ignore.God sent him to me. He’s here for a reason.

Alex’s eyes flicker with amusement and his smile turns curious. “And what are you reading today? Another forbidden love story? Perhaps something even more scandalous than the last?”

I blush at the memory of our first meeting when he’d caught me browsing a novel about a forbidden love affair between a priest and a nun. “I didn’t end up buying that book,” I admit, though I can’t help but wonder what he’d think of me if I had. “But my current read... Well, it’s about siblings. And it’s... complicated.”

His eyes darken with interest as I sit across him, and the air between us thickens. “Complicated how?”

I swallow, my throat suddenly dry. “Complicated as in... They’re more than just siblings. They’re... involved.”

A slow, wicked smile spreads across his face, and I feel my heart rate quicken. “Sounds like you have a taste for the forbidden, Marisol.”

His words send a shiver down my spine, and I’m suddenly very aware of how close we are, of how easy it would be to reach across the table and touch him. But I don’t. Instead, I let the tension build, let it wrap around us like a vice.

Is this what God wants for me?I wonder, though the thought is more of an excuse than a genuine question.Is Alex here to test my resolve? Or is he, my punishment?But deep down, I know the truth. I want this. I want him.

“What about you?” I ask, my voice trembling slightly. “What’s your forbidden indulgence, Alex?”

His eyes lock onto mine, and for a moment, I think he might lean in, might close the gap between us. But instead, he leans back in his chair, his smile fading into something more serious. “My indulgence?” he repeats, his voice low, almost a whisper. “It’s you, Marisol. You’re the sin I can’t resist.”

His confession sends a bolt of electricity through me, and I feel a mix of exhilaration and terror.God, what am I doing?I think, though the question is drowned out by the pounding of my heart.He’s everything I’ve been warned about, everything I’ve been told to avoid. But isn’t that exactly why I’m drawn to him?

For a moment, we sit in silence, the tension between us almost unbearable. I want to reach out, to touch him, to feel his skin against mine, to know what it would be like to give in completely. But I can’t. Not yet.

Alex shattered the silence. He stood up, trying to escape the tension between us. “I should go,” he mutters, his voice heavy with reluctance. “Before I do more than just talk.” I want to tell him to stay, to beg him not to leave, but the words get tangled in my throat. All I manage is a nod, watching him gather his things—slowly, like he’s fighting the urge to stay.

He pauses at the door, his hand on the handle, turning back to look at me. “Marisol,” his voice is low, loaded with meaning. “This isn’t over.” And just like that, he’s gone, leaving me with the promise of something unfinished.

Within seconds he makes his way towards the door and just like that he’s gone. Leaving me sitting there, my heart still racing, my thoughts tangled in a web of desire and guilt.God, help me,I pray, though the words feel hollow, empty. Because the truth is, I don’t want help. I want him. I want the sin, the darkness, the forbidden.

As I sit there, the echoes of our conversation ringing in my ears, I realize that this isn’t just a passing infatuation. It’s something deeper, something darker.He’s mine,I think, the idea taking root in my soul, spreading like wildfire.And I’ll have him, no matter the cost. Even if it means damning my soul.

And as I leave the bookstore, I know that this is only the beginning. The beginning of something that will consume me, body and soul. And I can’t wait.

Sinner

It takes everything in my power to walk out of the bookstore, leaving her there so abruptly. The way her eyes linger on mine, the unspoken tension between us—it’s enough to make me forget my purpose, my vows. But I have more pressing matters to attend to, like my meeting with the devil himself. Victor Morales, the so-called benefactor of this town, wants to meet the new priest, and I have Mass to prepare for. Maybe after all that, I’ll return to the bookstore. She is the reason I went back to the bookstore, after all. This reminds me I still need to give her the books I got for her.

As I walk through the small-town square, the people greet me with a mix of warmth and suspicion. Some offer genuine smiles, while others regard me with cold, scrutinizing eyes, as if I’m an intruder in their small, insular world. I return each greeting with a practiced, serene smile, but inside, my thoughts are far from peaceful.They have no idea who I am, what I’ve done, what I’m capable of.The thought brings a dark satisfaction, a reminder of the mask I wear for them all.

When I finally reach the church, I barely have time to catch my breath before Victor appears, his presence almost suffocating in its intensity. “Father Matheo, I assume,” he says, his voice smooth but laced with an underlying threat. “Welcome to Taos.”

“Mr. Morales,” I reply, offering a polite nod. The man’s reputation precedes him—wealthy, powerful, and utterly corrupt. The very embodiment of the sin I seek to cleanse from this town. The urge to purge this place of his presence gnaws at me, but I keep my expression neutral, my tone measured. “It’s an honor to serve in your community.”

Victor’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “We’re a small town, Father, but we take care of our own. I trust you’ll find your place here... quickly.”

There’s a challenge in his words, a silent acknowledgment of the power struggle that lies ahead. He knows I’m no ordinary priest, and I know he’s no ordinary sinner. “I’m here to do God’s work,” I say, letting the words hang between us like a threat. “And to ensure that His will is done.”

“God’s work,” Victor repeats, his tone dripping with false piety. “A noble pursuit, to be sure. But sometimes, Father, it’s not so black and white, is it? There are... nuances to consider.”

“Sin is sin,” I reply, my voice hardening. “And it will be dealt with accordingly.”

For a moment, our eyes lock, and I see the flicker of recognition in his gaze. As if he could tell what I’m capable of. The thought of cleansing this town, starting with him, fills me with a dark satisfaction. But I have to be patient. Timing is everything.

“Of course, Father,” Victor finally says, his smile returning, though his eyes remain cold. “I’m sure you’ll find your place here soon enough. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to. I’m sure you have a Mass to prepare for.”

“Indeed,” I say, watching as he turns and walks away. The urge to strike him down right then and there is almost overwhelming, but I resist.Soon,I think, my hand tightening into a fist.Soon, you’ll pay for your sins, false Prophet.

As I prepare for Mass, the rituals and prayers flow from me with ease, but my mind is elsewhere—on Victor, on the darkness that plagues this town, and on her.Marisol.The way her eyes met mine in the bookstore, the way she seems to draw out the very worst of me, the most sinful desires... It's intoxicating. And dangerous.

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