Page 22 of Unholy Obsession

She opens her mouth, but I shake my head, reaching for the towel beside the tub. “Feel free to stay in ’til you get all the way warmed up,” I say, quiet but firm. “I’ll leave you now.”

I stand, nodding toward the robe hanging by the door. “You can use that. I’ll find you something warmer to change into.”

Her nod is faint. Hesitant. Watching me even as I pull away.

I step to the door, pausing at the frame.

I glance back once.

“You’re safe here,” I murmur, voice low but resolute. “I promise you that.”

Then, before I can break further, I close the door behind me.

The silence that follows is heavy. Final.

I let out a slow breath, turning and resting my forehead against the door for just a moment before pushing off and walking away.

Because she sees me now. And for the first time in years, I don’t know if that means salvation—or damnation.

NINE

MOIRA

I dropmy head back and stare at the ceiling.

Hot water. Ha. Back in hot water.When are you not, bitch?

I giggle, the sound bubbling up like a fizzy drink, and wiggle my toes beneath the surface of the bath. The world is soft. Shimmery. Everything has a little extra glow like the whole universe got hit with the prettiest Instagram filter.

Oh, right. The gummies.

But still. Still.

Father Blackwood is Bane!

My brain hiccups. Stumbles. Falls flat on its ass trying to put that puzzle together. The hot priest and the hot dom are the same fucking person.

I mean—holy shit.

A hiccup-y laugh spills out of me, and I slap my hand over my mouth to keep the crazy from escaping. Then I lift my head from the bath and squint around the room, blinking water from my lashes.

I’m in his house.

I’m in the sexy priest’s house.

The sexy priest who is also the hot dom!!

Wait. Is that the weed talking? I run a hand down my face. I didn’t eatthatmuch. And I bought it at a store. They don’t just lace dispensary shit for funsies, right? Weed makes thingsextra, sure, but it doesn’t make you hallucinate. Unless…

Unless I ate, like, ten times what I thought was in my purse.

Nah. I’d remember that. Probably.

I sink back into the water, exhaling hard through my nose. Bubbles rise and pop in little bursts.

It was the club that got me like this. Not the weed. The weed just turned my usual chaos dial up to eleven. It was already going south the second I walked into theCarnallounge. I was trying to be chill, easy-breezy Moira, but then I accidentally took my sunglasses off and—boom.

Domhn saw the bruise.

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