Chapter Eighteen

Priest

Three days later...

"And where was the second body found?" I asked, looking at a map of the city as I FaceTimed Robin. She'd called me early this morning and told me another body turned up and she had new photos for me to look at.

While I wasn't happy another child had died, I hoped that something in the new photos could give us an idea of who this killer was. Because after five kids, I was with Robin. I wanted the son of a bitch found fast.

"The subway, near Broadway and 42 nd ."

"Times Square?"

"Yeah." She sighed, rubbing her hands down her face. She looked so damn tired. Dark rings marred her eyes, and she looked like she hadn't eaten in days.

Taking a seat, I pulled the laptop closer and asked, "When was the last time you slept, Robin?"

"I'll sleep when this bastard is behind bars. I don't know how you did it, Shaw. All those months. How did you stay sane?"

"I didn't. I barely survived. Phoebe took care of me until she was attacked. After that, I couldn't do it anymore. This line of work isn't for everyone, Robin. I only worked on one case and that was enough for me. Maybe it's time you took a step back and let someone else take over. No one would blame you. You've been the lead detective for five years now. You need a break."

"Maybe you're right," she mumbled. "After I catch this asshole."

Knowing she was lying to me, I simply replied, "Alright. Give me a few days to go over the new photos and see if anything stands out. In the meantime, go take a fucking nap."

"Yes, dad." She smirked before disconnecting the connection.

Leaning back in my chair, I had just closed my eyes when the church door flew open, startling me.

"You rat bastard!"

Smiling, I closed the laptop and smiled at my wife. "Good morning, beautiful."

"You invited my family here!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but we are still legally married, so that makes your family my family, too."

"You had no right, Shaw."

"Really?" I challenged. "I had every right. You left me in New York with your family."

"I left because you said you didn't want me anymore."

"No, I said you deserved happiness. I apologize if it took me an extra day or so to realize that I am the only person who can make you truly happy."

Phoebe stood unmoving as she whispered, "Why are you doing this, Shaw? I waited, gave you space, time for you to come back to me. During that time, never, not once, did you even acknowledge me? Why now?"

Getting to my feet, I walked over to her. Lifting her chin up, I spoke, "I'm an ass, Pheebs. I know that. If I had half a brain, I'd let you leave, but I don't and I can't. The second you stormed out of the pool house I knew I'd made a mistake. I didn't know how big it was until the next night when your parents and some friends showed me the error of my ways. I'm not perfect, Phoebe. I'm still a mess, but I know I love you. I always have and always will. Forgive me, baby."

Taking a step back, she shook her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Ten years. I've waited ten years for you to say those words, but it's too late. I can't. I don't trust that you won't change your mind in a day, week, or year from now. You closed yourself off and shut me out, Shaw. You left me waiting at the hospital. I sat in the lobby for hours before Jake showed up to take me home. I needed you and you left me there."

The fuck she just say?

The nanosecond her words registered in my head I frowned. "You called him?"

Rolling her eyes, she groaned. "Seriously, that's what you took from what I just said? At least he showed up!"

"Of course he did," I snarked. "I knew that fucker was just waiting to swoop in and take what was mine. He always had a thing for you. He probably gloated and preened the whole time."

"OH. MY. GOD! You're still jealous!"

"Am not," I sputtered mulishly. "Can't be jealous of someone that doesn't matter."

And Jake Preston Quincy didn't matter.

Jake was my former best friend in college. We joined the ROTC program together and planned on joining the military under the buddy system, but that never happened. After marrying Phoebe, Jake stepped aside, moving on, doing his own thing. Last I heard, he had an honorable career in the military. I don't know if he ever married, not that it mattered. I still got the girl.

She was mine.

Or would be if she forgave me.

It was only a matter of time.

Taking a deep breath, she angrily wiped her tears away, shaking her head. "I can't do this anymore, Shaw. I won't. You either get my brother to file those damn papers or I will find an attorney who will."

With that, she turned and stormed off.

Following behind her, I smiled as I leaned against the bar and watched her walk out of the clubhouse, her head held high.

"You know, she isn't just going to forgive you, right?"

"I know."

"Gotta say, brother, you don't seem too upset about that."

"Because I'm not."

"And why is that?"

"Because I know my wife. If she doesn't drag this out for a few months, I'd say her heart wasn't in it. For almost ten years, I've been a selfish ass. I deserve what she's going to put me through. She may want my balls in a cauldron right now, but in the end, she will remember she still loves me. She just needs to be reminded that what we have is bigger than either of us."

"Don't know, brother." King chuckled, shaking his head. "After the way you treated her, I wouldn't mind seeing her do that cauldron thing."

I snickered. "Yeah, and I'd let her too."

"How are you doing otherwise? How is the head?"

"I still have my moments. It's hard after all this time. I've held onto my grief for so long, I'm finding it difficult to let it go. Logically, I know what happened wasn't my fault, but I can't reconcile the fact that I was supposed to protect her. That's what I'm having problems with. She was mine to protect, King, and I failed her. I've never failed at anything before."

"We're only human, Priest. We all make mistakes. You couldn't be in two places at the same time, and you trusted someone you shouldn't have been concerned about. That agent didn't just fuck with your head, he messed with everyone's on the case. I'm sure you are not the only one kicking yourself for that mistake."

"I was the profiler on the case, King. It was my job to read the signs, to see what others couldn't. I messed up and it cost me."

"No, some sick fuck used your profile against you to throw you off the case. That isn't on you, Priest. How are you handling the new case?"

"Don't like the fact that someone is out there killing kids, but I'm managing. I'm worried about Robin, though. She looks rough."

"She need a break?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She's showing signs."

"Damn," King whispered. "Maybe you should bring Frank in on this. Two heads are better than one. Plus, you know the brother sees shit differently than we do."

King was right. Frank was good with puzzles. But could the big teddy bear of the club handle a case like this, or would it destroy him too? I wouldn't be able to handle it if I hurt another person.

"I'll think about it," I said just as Stevie walked down the stairs.

"Oh, there you are, Shaw!" The vibrant woman smiled happily.

Stevie Malpas was something else. The woman was stunning. It didn't take much to see where Phoebe got her looks from. She was the spitting image of her mother. Long, dark wavy hair. Striking green eyes and high cheekbones. Stevie was beautiful. That was for sure. Also, like mother like daughter, Stevie preferred long flowy skirts and bohemian babydoll shirts. The woman looked more like a gypsy than a witch, but what did I know?

"Now, I've fixed your room. Everything is as mother nature intended. No more of that fake industrial crap. I've put bamboo sheets on your bed, changed out the blinds for a curtain of herbs, and saged everything. I've even removed all your clothes and ordered new ones. I know a woman that makes the most beautiful clothes with natural, home-grown fibers. They should be here tomorrow. Now, about your leather cut."

King chuckled.

"Not touching my cut, Stevie," I stated firmly. "Have a go at everything else, but my cut stays."

"But it was a living, breathing entity. It had a soul!"

"Yes, ma'am, and its memory will live on every time I wear it. The cut stays."

"Fine." Stevie groaned. "But it needs a blessing and releasing spell. Who knows what bad energy surrounds that thing?"

"Sounds like fun." I grinned, rubbing my hands together. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go find Athena. She's scheduled me for a soul cleanse. Don't know what the hell that entails, but she's guaranteed me it will help."

Not even twenty minutes later, I shouted, "No... no... NO!" as I stormed away from Phoebe's crazy-ass sister.

"Not happening! Not ever!"

"Come on, Shaw!" Athena whined as she chased after me. "It's only this one time. You won't have to do it ever again!"

"No!"

Marching into the clubhouse, I headed straight for the bar.

I needed a fucking drink.

Several of them.

Plopping my ass on a stool, I didn't have to ask Enigma for anything because my now-favorite brother placed a shot glass before me, filling it up with Hell's Breath.

Downing it, I tried to drown out Athena.

"It's not as bad as you think."

"No, it's worse," I grumbled, ignoring the scary woman. "Hit me again, Enigma."

"What's going on?" Scribe grinned, walking over, sitting next to me as Bailey waddled closer to stand next to her bestie.

From the moment those two met each other, they'd been inseparable. It was rocky at first, when Scribe pretended to be gay to get closer to Bailey, but in the end, they worked their shit out. Even with all the jokes and pranks they played on each other. They were closer than ever.

"His soul is in jeopardy, Dimeter. I was only trying to help."

Scribe rolled his eyes as Bailey looked confused.

"English?"

"She tried to clean my soul," I grumbled as Scribe's eye went wide before he bent over laughing.

Rat bastard.

"What does that mean?" Bails asked as her bestie thoroughly enjoyed my misery.

Refusing to say a fucking word, I plotted and planned Scribe's demise. Fucker thought this shit was funny, well two could play that game. Paybacks were a dish best served cold and I knew the perfect diabolical little instigator to help me get back at the laughing hyena.

"I was trying to help Shaw purify his soul. He's got so much bad juju surrounding him, it's no wonder his mind is in chaos. He was doing wonderfully. I even managed to open his chakra, but he shut down the second I told him I needed to purify his body."

"That doesn't seem too bad?" Bailey muttered, looking at Athena.

Glaring at Scribe, who was now on the floor gasping for air, Athena continued, "It's not funny, Dimeter. It's part of the process!"

"Oh, this shit is fucking priceless!" My soon-to-be dead brother roared with laughter.

"I still don't see the problem." Bailey huffed.

"She wanted to shave my balls!" I shouted.