Messiahs by Matt Rogers (bookstand for reading txt) 📕

He was calm and poised in the midst of heightened tension, and she was sure there was a small dose of Bodhi flowing through his veins.

She said, ‘Do you know what you’re doing?’

‘Shut up.’

He was still too far away to make a lunge. Bodhi was helping him stay calm and composed in a risky situation, and it nullified most of the beginner mistakes he would have made if he was sober. If his youthful anger was free to control him, he might step in and put the gun to her temple, which would allow her to jerk to the side and break his fingers as she disarmed him. Although she had to accept that might not work either — King and Slater could do it, but they both weighed north of two hundred pounds, and had powerlifted their whole lives. That sort of explosive strength simply wasn’t replicable.

So she fell back on persuasive methods. ‘You know, I’ve always thought there was something about you…’

He didn’t say anything.

She continued. ‘Ever since you picked me up … I don’t know. It’s like I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you.’

‘Shut up.’

‘I might as well tell you,’ she said. ‘If you’re being serious and my life is really in danger. I might as well say what’s on my mind.’

He didn’t repeat the phrase. He fell quiet, looking at the space above her head, trying to feign that he wasn’t listening despite every part of him wanting to hear what came next.

She said, ‘If this is my last night on earth, then so be it. What Mother Libertas deems as necessary is always right. I won’t put up a fight. But I damn well want to enjoy what time I have left.’

‘Would you be quiet?’ he said. ‘No one said anything about killing you. I have to hold you here.’

‘But if Maeve decides it’s not in the best interests of the movement to keep me alive … well …’

She trailed off.

He lowered his head in a slight nod, encouraging her to keep talking.

She skirted half a foot across the pew, inching closer to him. She lowered her voice and said, ‘No one’s around. They won’t see what we get up to.’

Silence.

She said, ‘I want you, Brandon.’

‘Why?’ he said. ‘No one wants me.’

‘I do.’

In her peripheral vision, she watched his jeans grow tight around the crotch area. In his head, two opposing impulses fought for control. The subservience to the Riordans, screaming at him to do his job and not get caught up in this foolishness. Then the animal, primal part of his brain, relishing power over this gorgeous creature, desperate to satiate his desires.

He finally looked at her — her green eyes, her pale skin, her luscious curves.

He said, ‘What do you want with me, exactly?’

She touched her lips with her tongue. ‘To get those pants off, for starters.’

‘Go on, then.’

He was still holding the gun, but his finger came out of the trigger guard as he sauntered forward.

She was seconds away from ripping the weapon — which she now identified as a Beretta — out of his hands when a voice broke the silence from the other end of the church. ‘What’s going on?’

It was a female voice, timid in tone, but it echoed.

Brandon wheeled around, and Alexis looked over her shoulder.

Addison stood there, her hair tousled from sleep, her eyes half-closed. ‘You weren’t in the bunk when I woke up. What are you doing?’

Brandon stepped away from Alexis and returned his finger to the trigger, aiming it at his hostage again. ‘This isn’t your business, Addison. Go back to bed.’

Addison met Alexis’ eyes and then lifted her gaze to Brandon. ‘Who told you to do this?’

‘Maeve.’

‘I hope so,’ Addison said. ‘I really hope so.’

‘You think I’d hold her at gunpoint for no reason?’

‘What’s the reason?’

‘Confidential,’ Brandon said, then his face began to redden as he turned hot. ‘Go back to bed!’

Addison said, ‘Fuck off, Brandon. If Maeve is telling you to do this, then I’m just as involved as you are. We came here together, in case you forgot.’

‘She didn’t ask you, did she?’

Addison didn’t reply, but she didn’t retreat either. She looked at Alexis again.

Alexis mouthed, Help me.

Addison didn’t react.

But when she turned her attention back to Brandon, she said, ‘Let’s stop this shit, okay? We’re taking this too far. I should have said something earlier…’

Brandon said, ‘About what?’

‘This isn’t the life for us, Brandon.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘We don’t belong here.’

Now Brandon’s eyes were hot along with his face. Rage burned bright behind them.

He trained the gun on his sister.

‘Blasphemy!’ he shouted. ‘Who got to you? Who fed you lies? Was it this bitch here?’

Addison froze, her face paling. ‘You’re insane. You’re not my brother. Not anymore.’

Brandon tensed up with rage.

Alexis lunged for the Beretta.

83

Violetta managed to quash the panic in her chest and save face.

She didn’t outwardly react, just furrowed her brow in confusion. ‘Pregnant?’

Maeve said, ‘Don’t play stupid, girl.’

‘I’m not…’ Violetta said, trailing off into introspection. ‘This is the first I’m hearing of this.’

‘No it’s not,’ Maeve said. ‘I’m not going to punish you. You don’t need to worry. In fact, I have good news. Exceptional news. It’s going to change your life. It’s going to change us all…’

Violetta didn’t answer.

Beneath her facade, she was crippled by fear.

Maeve said, ‘I was told you were pregnant. Gaia spoke to me, whispered to me in the middle of the night. And I can see on your face that it’s true. You don’t need to deny it anymore. There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re safe here, my dear.’

Violetta had no idea how to play it.

Deny? Stick to her guns? Admit it? Act grateful that Maeve was aware?

How does she know? she thought.

Her head reeling, she said, ‘I’m sorry. I wasn’t familiar enough with this place to admit it. I was going to tell you, as soon as I was comfortable here.’

‘You’re not comfortable?’

‘I’m getting there,’ Violetta said. Her voice shook. She didn’t need to fake it. ‘Just