Page 46 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

“She doesn’t know what he’s going to do,” Rube says. “Better she’s gone, before she finds out.”

I let out a sigh, and sink down in front of him. “We’ll get rid of her, but without exposing ourselves. Without risking everything. Isn’t that better?”

Rube’shumphsounds doubtful. I need to call in reinforcements. We can’t risk Reuben going rogue.

“Let’s meet with the guys. We’ll figure this out together.”

When he doesn’t respond, I grab his wrists and start massaging them. A second later, he catches hold of me and does the same. I grimace in pain before I can control my features. His hands are strong, and he knows exactly where it hurts.

“What’s to figure out?” Rube says. “If we can’t kill her, then we’ll make her life unbearable. She won’t have a choice. She’ll have to leave.”

His black eyes catch the light as he finally makes eyes contact with me again. If anyone saw him right now, they’d be convinced he was possessed by the Devil.

They’d piss themselves if they knew how right they were.

“No one comes to Saint Amos out of choice, Rube.”

He studies me for a moment before his lips turn up into a cold smile.

“We did.”

Chapter 16

Trinity

“What’s wrong with you?”

I don’t bother answering Jasper, just like I didn’t bother getting undressed for bed last night, or showering, or even washing my face.

What’s the point anyway?

“Hey, are you sick or something?”

“Sure,” I mumble back. “Let’s go with that.”

Jasper mutters something under his breath before stomping out of the room. Thankfully, he closes the door behind him—I don’t know if I have the energy to go after him and close it.

Minutes later, the prayer bell sounds.

I don’t regret anything I said last night. I should…but I don’t.

I can’t remember how long I spent in Father Gabriel’s room, in his arms. I know at some stage he lit a cigarette. That smell drove me out of myself just long enough to get to my feet and finally make it out of his room.

I walked the halls for a while. Half lost and panicking, half not giving a fuck if I ever found my way again.

But I eventually arrived back here in this little cubbyhole of a room. I climbed onto my bed, rolled myself in my blankets, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

That was a century ago. Or mere minutes.

Time is something that happens to other people.

The bedroom door opens, thumping against the wall.

I don’t even flinch.

“You’re sick?” Sister Miriam says from the doorway.

I consider the consequences of being as rude to her as I was to Jasper.

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