Page 56 of Stolen Faith

Izabel smiled. “You should remember those words. Put them in a movie.”

He chuckled, but the sound died the moment they heard footsteps on the porch, the bell ringing for round…whatever this was.

Izabel took a deep breath and sat up, mentally preparing herself for what came next.

Barry entered first, but this time, he didn’t have his lackeys with him. Izabel wasn’t expecting to see the young blonde woman trailing behind him.

“Surprise!” Barry said, gesturing at the three of them with his good arm.

The woman’s gaze widened as she looked around the cabin. “Is this…” She gasped happily and clapped her hands in front of her chest so dramatically, Izabel wondered for a moment if this was really happening. Maybe she’d finally managed to fall asleep deeply enough to dream.

“Barry! You didn’t. Ohmigod! I can’t believe you did this for me.” The woman squealed with delight, jumping up and down like a kid on Christmas morning, then she stretched up on tiptoe to kiss Barry, a serious, sloppy, disgusting kiss.

Izabel glanced over at Rowan, who looked as perplexed as she was at the woman’s undeniable excitement. Apparently, the three of them were…a gift?

The kiss dragged on for an uncomfortably long time. Long enough Izabel was a bit concerned they might strip off their clothes and have sex right there in front of them.

“Aw,” Barry crooned. “You know I’d do anything for you and the rev, TiffaniGrace.”

TiffaniGrace was petite and couldn’t be more than twenty-two. She had a pleasant enough face, though she was more cute than pretty, and her dark tan screamed “lighten up on the tanning bed.” She was wearing a pale-pink sweater with dark blue jeans and a gold necklace with a cross.

Izabel studied the woman’s face, trying to put the pieces together, but she came up with nothing. She’d never seen this woman before in her life.

“Which ones are they?” TiffaniGrace asked, turning her attention back to them, staring at them as if they were sideshow freaks rolled out for her sick entertainment.

“You know those rich freaks, the Serras? The ones you read about in that magazine,” Barry started.

TiffaniGrace frowned. “This isn’t them, Barry. Those pedophiles are a lot older.”

“I know.” Barry pointed to Izabel. “This is their daughter, Izabel. She’s a deviant slut just like her mother.”

TiffaniGrace had been all grins and giggles until she turned her attention toward Izabel. As she approached, Izabel realized that Barry wasn’t the true leader here. He was merely the gun. TiffaniGrace was the hand holding it, and her finger was definitely on the trigger.

“I know all about you and your kind.” TiffaniGrace leaned close to Izabel.

Izabel held her ground, staring the woman down, refusing to cower or show fear.

Barry walked to the back of Izabel’s chair and slapped her roughly on the back of the head. The blow was hard enough Izabel saw gray spots for a few moments. “Lower your eyes, whore. You don’t have the right to look pure goodness in the face.”

TiffaniGrace’s voice was lower when she spoke again, almost a whisper. “It’s okay, Barry. I want her to see my face, want her to know exactly who she’s dealing with. You’re a sinner, Izabel, the snake in the Garden of Eden, molesting children, corrupting innocent people. People like my mother.”

Her mother?

From the corner of her eye, Izabel saw Rowan shift, no doubt trying to get closer so he could hear.

Was TiffaniGrace’s mother a member of the Trinity Masters?

TiffaniGrace seemed to notice his movement, so her voice was louder when she spoke again. It felt as if she was performing.

No…she was preaching.

“You are original sin, Izabel Serra, and you are tainting the world, spreading your evil, destroying our country. You are a vessel of Satan, and you must be punished!” TiffaniGrace placed her hand on Izabel’s forehead, her face so close now, Izabel could smell the coffee on the woman’s breath—which was saying something, considering the woman seemed to have bathed in Chanel No. 5 this morning. She looked deeply into Izabel’s eyes. “I see you, Satan. See where you’re hiding. I see you and I am not afraid, for the Lord is on my side.”

“Praise Jesus,” Barry said, raising his good hand heavenward in a way that—to Izabel—looked too fake to be genuine.

What in the sweet mother fuck was happening here?

“He will be my guide, and we will find every one of you deviant sinners, you perverts, you whores. We will destroy you. Oh yes, Satan has no place here. And y’all have nowhere left to hide. We’re coming for you,” TiffaniGrace vowed, a bit of spit flying from her mouth and landing on Izabel’s cheek.

---