Page 86 of Please Save Me

“Nonsense… Almost all my grandparents are alive and kicking… I have a great grandma in Columbia, too, now that I’m thinking about it.” Castillos lived forever. But that made sense, seeing only the good died young.

He offered me a tight-lipped smile as he reached for a coffee mug and the pot. The coffee came out in a long, dark stream as he filled his mug to the brim before taking a drink. He closed his all-too-green eyes as he did, and I assumed it was to savor the probably awful coffee he made.

He let out another deep breath as he put the mug on the table.

“The world ain’t meant for everyone. God has a set number of years planned for all of us. Once we reach the end of our time, we’re done, and I feel like my life is going to end sooner rather than later.”

… Did he know I planned on killing him?

“Can I ask why you think that is?”

Dale hesitated before coughing into his hand. I wrinkled my nose in disgust as he hacked. Once he regained his composure, he apologized for his outburst—as he should.

“I can feel it in my bones,” he continued. “That’s actually why I brought you here.”

I cocked my head to the side. Maybe this was his fancy way of ending his life. One of the Ten Commandments was you went to Hell if you killed yourself or something like that. But it wasn’t suicide if someone else murdered you.

“I can tell by the way you’re lookin’ at me that you’re a bit confused, not that I blame you.” He smiled at me, causing me to shiver involuntarily. “Would you like me to elaborate?”

Something in my gut told me I was in danger, so I reached for the gun I kept hidden between my belt and blazer. Shooting was my least favorite method of execution. Too many terrible memories. That aside, it was the quickest way to protect myself if things went awry.

“Please.” I kept my tone even as my fingers wrapped around the grip.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, my son is a complete and utter waste of space.” Dale slid his chair out and took to pacing. “He’s stupid. He’s ugly. And God knows he’ll never be fit to scrub dirt from my shoes, let alone bear the Cole family name.”

Normally, I loved hearing about how terrible Cameron was. No one other than Dale ever indulged me when it came to shit-talking his son, but today, hearing Dale hurl insults at Cameron didn’t scratch thesameitch.

“What does that have to do with me?” I tried to sound bored.

Dale stopped pacing and turned to face me.

“You, my boy, are everything Cameron never was. You’re intelligent, successful, and handsome… even if I don’t fully get why you did this to your hair.” He reached out to toy with the newly black strands, and I acted like his touch didn’t bother me.

I also did my best to shrug off the comment about my hair, but the strange ache of self-consciousness lingered.

“Sebastian, I know you ain’t a religious man… but I reckon you could do well as the face of my church.”

I stared at him for what felt like forever. There was no way Dale could be serious. That thought sunk in, perhaps a little too deep, because the next sound I made was a bark of scornful laughter.

Dale’s expression hardened slightly. “Why’re you laughing?”

I covered my hand with a fist and cleared my throat. “Sorry, I just… you said it yourself, Father Cole, I’m not a religious man.”

“I prefer Reverend to Father,” he corrected, and I wasn’t sure what the difference was. “And you’re not religious…yet.”

The way he said that last part read as a threat.

“Everyone has a point where they need God,” he explained. “Some are born craving his light. While others, such as yourself, need to feel a moment of pure despair to embrace our Heavenly Father’s love. Have you ever felt a moment like that?”

His gaze sliced through me like a hot knife through butter, and I shifted slightly. This was pretty much the same spiel he had given in the hospital. Still, just the little extra elaboration had my mind unconsciously searching for an answer.

The closest I’d ever gotten to that was learning Mason left after I had just ruined my life to save hers. But Dale didn’t need to know that. So, I lifted my chin and pretended to be confident.

“Never. My life has given me everything I could have ever wanted.” I’d told Dale that Mason was my wife the first time we met. And, if that were the truth, my life would have been perfect.

Something in what I said caused Dale’s smile to widen. It felt like his lips were one twitch away from splitting.

“Ah, so the world’s been kind to you… But what about your wife? Your child?”

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