Page 130 of Through the Water

“You have to understand—the church had been trying to expand for years, but even with new members joining every week, the tithes alone weren’t enough to cover the cost of building a larger campus while maintaining our lifestyle.”

“But then Brad sold two of his companies,” I stated flatly. My mind replayed every agonizing second of the day I learned I’d been bought.

“At the time, I didn’t see any other way. There are so many people depending on the church, little dove—on me. I can’t do it all on my own anymore.” He turned back to the fire and covered his face with his hands, muffling his next words. “I need you, Ariana. I need you to help me make things right.”

“I’ll help you,” I whispered as I approached him, placing my hand on the arm of his chair. My resolve crumbled in the face of his pain and I knelt at his feet, compelled to bridge the gap between us. He’d finally come to his senses. “We’ll fix this together, okay?”

And we would too.

First, we’d go to the police station so I could explain that Killian hadn’t taken me from True North against my will. Then, we’d ensure Tsega got her job back. And when Tristan got up in front of the church and told them how religion had blinded him to the truth, I’d be standing by his side.

“You will?” He asked, lowering his hands to cover mine. I nodded and he let out a breath. “We’ll call a press conference.”

I squeezed his fingers, trying to find the right words to convey my gratitude. “I think that’s a good plan. The church won’t turn their backs on your honesty.”

“You mean your honesty, Ariana.”

I tore my eyes from where our hands were joined, peering up at him in confusion. “Mine?”

Tristan nodded, trapping me against his leg. “You’re going to tell the press that Killian Reed raped you.”

I choked on the saliva that had pooled in my mouth before spluttering, “No! That never happened—Killian would never!”

I’d knelt in front of a monster, stupidly believing I could appeal to the parts of him that still held some affection for me. But he’d never cared about anyone beyond himself.

“Initially, I was skeptical too. A scandal of this magnitude is almost impossible to cover up, but Brad said he’d be willing to overlook your indiscretion if you admitted you’d been forced. God is already turning your trial into a testimony, little dove.”

“I lied!” I hissed, fighting against his ever-tightening grip. “Killian and I never had sex! I just didn’t want Brad to hurt me! It was Pepper—I fell off Pepper! Ask Aubrey, she knows!”

He chuckled, shaking his head at me like I was nothing more than a precocious child. “Helene checked you and said it was evident you’d been with a man—”

“No—Helene’s not even a real nurse!” I cried, my shoulders slumping forward. “I haven’t, I swear it! Please, you have to understand, Killian’s a good man—”

“Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. Your body was never yours to give away, Ariana. It belonged to Brad,” Tristan growled, squeezing my wrist.

“You’re h-hurting me,” I stammered, clawing at the back of his hand to break his hold. I wanted to find Killian and run away. We’d go to Denmark or Finland—someplace where Tristan could never find us.

I could keep him safe.

He rose from his seat and began dragging me toward the fireplace when the string on my baseball bracelet gave with an audible snap. “What’s this?”

“It’s mine!” I scrambled to my feet. “Give it to me!”

With a smirk, he raised it over his head. “Agree to the press conference, and it’s all yours, little dove.”

Shit. Damn. Hell.

I moved onto my tiptoes, sweat trickling down my spine as I tried to reach the bracelet. “I won’t condemn an innocent man, Tristan. Not even for you.”

He cocked his head to the side and exhaled a soft laugh, “If you don’t, we’ll lose Brad’s donation. And if that goes, I may as well admit my entire ministry was a sham.”

“I’ll go to the police,” I vowed over the crackling of the logs in the fireplace. “I’ll tell them what you did to Ashlynn and what you’re trying to do to Killian.”

“Ashlynn?” He drew in a sharp breath, blanching at the mention of her name.

I nodded earnestly, my voice trembling. “You killed her because she wouldn’t obey. You’ll have to kill me too because I won’t stop running. I won’t stop fighting.”

Blink. Blink.

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