Kingsley grunted. Then he looked me straight in the eye. “I don’t want you to leave the monastery alone.”
“I have to leave it at some point.”
“Not until we figure this out.” His gaze intensified. “Promise me, Harley. Promise me you won’t leave unless someone goes with you.”
Despite the heat, goosebumps rippled across my skin. Here he was, doing it again—worrying about my safety. “Okay. Promise.”
I leaned my head against the trunk and stared out at the lake. Maybe involving his brother wasn’t a bad idea. What about Rome, though? Nothing happened on this island without his knowledge.
One thing was for sure—I had to do something. I needed to know what was in those crates before it was too late.
Chapter 8
Kingsley
The following days I attended seminary, grateful for some distance between me and Harley. Some messed up part of me missed her and couldn’t wait to spend more time with her. That rotten wish was fulfilled on Thursday evening, when Harley joined me and Matt for a soccer game with teenagers from an at-risk youth program. We piled into the monastery’s F-150—Harley sitting between Matt and me since there was no back seat—and drove to the center of the island, where a soccer field was nestled in a large, flat area on a hill with a breathtaking view of the south and east coast. The goals didn’t have any nets, and the field was uneven and missed corner posts and lines, but that didn’t stop us from playing here once a week.
Although it was only six p.m., the sun was about to go down. We’d get to play roughly an hour before it got dark. I wasn’t too worried about Harley’s safety here. We could easily spot anyone who approached. Not to mention her ex hadn’t struck me as dumb. A detective couldn’t afford to commit a crime with this many witnesses around.
“So you guys do wear something else other than your habits sometimes,” Harley said as we exited the van and walked toward the field where a group of teens was gathered. She hadn’t brought up her ex or his killing spree since bringing me into the loop. Then again, we hadn’t had much time alone.
“Yup.” Matt, wearing sweats and a sweater just like me, grinned. “Brother Samuel played in his habit once and thought it was a great idea to make a sliding tackle. I’ll leave the result to your imagination.”
I shoved him. “You make it sound like it was the biggest scandal.”
“It was pretty scandalous for a monk.”
Chuckling, Harley eyed me but didn’t say anything. She wore purple yoga pants, an oversized gray T-shirt, and runners, her ponytail bouncing with every step. While sitting in class, my mind had wandered more than once to those freckles and hazel eyes. Her plush, pink lips—
“Hey guys!” Giuliana broke away from the other eight teens and came flying towards us. She was fourteen and a whirlwind of a girl. Sometimes she wouldn’t stop talking and bombarding us with questions. I’d never tell the others, but she held a special place in my heart.
“Hey, Giuli.” I smiled at her. “How are you?”
“Better, now that you’re here.” Her amber eyes, which reminded me so much of the whiskey my family produced, sparkled.
“I like what you did with your hair.”
“Thank you.” Beaming, she held up her black braids. “It only took me like a hundred attempts. My arms almost fell off.” Her attention snapped to Harley, and she proffered a hand. “I’m Giuliana. You’re gorgeous, and your hair is fire. Like, literally!”
The other teens came over and gathered around us.
Harley shook Giuliana’s hand, her lips pulling into a smile. “I’m Harley, andyou, girl, are the gorgeous one here. And what a beautiful name you have.”
“Harley?” Giuliana practically squealed. “That’s about the coolest name I’ve ever heard!”
That elicited a chuckle from Harley, and a grin from me. I agreed—it fit her red hair and extraverted personality.
“Can we begin?” Jason, one of the oldest at seventeen, tossed up a soccer ball and caught it again.
“We can.” Matt knocked the ball out of Jason’s hand, received it with his foot, and took off kicking it like a rocket. A flood of teens chased after him.
Grinning, I turned to Harley. “Are you in?”
“She has a crush on you.” Her gaze followed the rowdy bunch, her mouth twitching.
“Who has what?”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”