Page 54 of Entombed In Sin

“Of course,” Thatcher says smoothly, as if he isn’t just as pissed off as me. “From what I’ve heard, Bright Starr Funeral Home has a strong connection with your church. It was only right of us to share this moment with you.”

“It’s appreciated greatly,” he replies. “Is Beatrix alright? I know she wouldn’t miss the funeral if she could help it. I know how fond she was of Trevor, and she knows how much I would’ve appreciated her presence.”

As a violent storm of hatred for the lying, pathetic husk of a man explodes in my chest, my brother nods once.

“Beatrix is fine,” he says. “Actually, she’s more than fine now, since she no longer has to worry about your son taking advantage of her.”

It brings me a little pleasure to watch Pastor Michael’s body grow stiff and his face pale. His brows pinch together with concern before he starts to shake his head.

“Look, I don’t know what Beatrix told you but?—”

“There’s no need to explain,” Thatcher cuts off calmly with a cool smile. “In fact, we would rather you not waste your breath. Just know that Beatrix is fine and will continue to be under our care. We won’t letanyonehurt her again.”

Together, the two of us close the small distance that separates us from the pastor. He cowers back, turning sheet white as he looks between us.

“Beatrix is like a daughter to me,” Pastor Michaels objects. “But Trevor was myactualson. I had to protect him. Charges like that on his record would’ve ruined his reputation. It was just a misunderstanding between two kids—I couldn’t let that hurt his future.”

“Your lies ring awfully hollow, Pastor Michaels,” I reply as my muscles coil. I could snap this man’s neck right here and now. “Like a daughter? Don’t make me laugh.”

He blinks at me rapidly,stupidly. “What are you talking about? Beatrix reallyislike family to me!”

“Is she?” I ask coldly. “Then why did you stand up there and regale the congregation with stories about your son—reminding them of how wonderful he was? You really laid it on thick too. I don’t think there’s anyone in that church that believes Beatrix’s story now—even though her version is the truth. If you wanted to ostracize your so-called ‘family’, even more so than she is, you did it. Trust me, I know because I could hear everyone’s opinionabout our stepsister loud and clear while they whispered around us.”

Pastor Michaels’s head whips back and forth. His brows pinch together with concern, and his throat bobs as he swallows hard. “Hurting Beatrix was never my intention,ever. I preach love and acceptance at my church, and I try to live by example.”

Only when it suits you, I want to point out. My teeth are about to break as I grind them together. Before I speak again, Thatcher takes the lead.

“And yet, you might as well have dubbed her a liar in front of a town full of people that have made her a pariah,” Thatcher says through his teeth while he gives him a predatory grin. “While you and the other people of Chasm may not appreciate Beatrix Starr, make no mistake, Pastor Michaels,wewill go to great lengths to show our stepsister that there are people whoactuallycare about her and will do anything to make sure she feels safe.”

The crowd lingering on the steps of the church is growing restless. A few women have broken free and are moving toward us, concern etched in their features.

Thatcher sucks in a deep breath and rolls his shoulders before he continues, “Given the connection between your church and Bright Starr, we’ll continue to do business with you, but you will only speak to me or Sagan moving forward.”

“But—”

“This is not up for debate,” Thatcher cuts off darkly, losing his smile completely. “You’llneverspeak to her again.”

Pastor Michael glances between us, looking far more crestfallen than he should for someone who’s willing to throw another person under the bus to cover up his son’s crimes.

“She’s… she’s hurt, isn’t she? By me…” Pastor Michaels looks between the two of us. He runs a hand over his face as if to wipe away any shame he might be feeling. “That’s why she didn’t come.”

“Why would we allow her to endurethiswhen she’s already gone through enough?” I ask him, my voice dropping an octave. Fighting back the urge to kill him is a testament to my self-control. He deserves to drop dead.

With a heavy sigh, the pastor nods. “I guess… I guess I can see how this might be misconstrued. Tell Beatrix I’m sorry. I understand your terms, and I’ll respect the boundaries.”

“Good,” I snarl.

With that, I leave Thatcher and head for the car. Just as I get there, my brother joins me.

“When we get back to Bright Starr, I’m going to wring her fucking neck,” Thatcher snarls as he rounds the back of the car. “She knew exactly what we were going to walk into and still didn’t say a word to us. Did she really think she could keep this to herself? That we wouldn’t find out?”

That’s exactly what my pet thought, I’m sure of it. Knowing Beatrix, any difficulty in her life, she’d want to try to shoulder it on her own. Given that’s how she’s had to handle things in the past, I’m sure she thought she could get away with it this time. As I climb into the driver’s seat, my teeth clench together so tightly I’m certain I’m about to break a few of them. This is not how we do things between us. No one suffers, at least not alone.

I can’t wait to teach this lesson to my pet.

And to hear her screams.

19

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