Page 92 of For I Have Sinned

And it’s a bit terrifying knowing that behind that sweet, innocent face, something wicked lives within her. I try my best to ignore how tense the air has become and glance up at Father Keaton.

“Seems like your friend is looking for you.” Father Keaton glances over his shoulder at Joanna, who hasn’t taken her eyes off me.

He silently laughs before turning to face me again. “Have a good lesson today, Celine.”

Taking a step back, I distance myself from him. He turns, heading towards Joanna, who immediately begins scolding him. Her voice is too quiet to hear what she is saying, but she is pissed at him.

Her eyes find mine, and when she goes to come my way, he grips her arm. The action removes her attention from me, and he faintly says something to her. Her shoulders drop, and she rips her arm from his grasp, storming off towards his office.

Exhaling, I enter the bathroom and go into one of the stalls. I wonder if I could skip my lesson and hide out here until the day is over? As much as I would like to hide away, it wouldn’t be a good look for me.

And now I have to get ready for Joanna’s fury because, even though Father Keaton stopped her from freaking out on me, he isn’t always around her. Which means it’s only a matter of time before she confronts me.

I didn’t have to wait long for Joanna to say something. With the death stares I was getting from her during the lesson, I knew it was going to happen soon. She followed me in the hall, somehow leaving Bekah behind.

Esther stands by my side as Joanna approaches and asks harshly, “Can I speak with you alone?”

She doesn’t even look at Esther. Only keeps her hate-filled eyes on mine. I break the stare down and look to Esther.

“I’ll find you later.”

“You sure?” she asks.

“She said she would find you later,” Joanna snaps.

Esther stares at the blonde in shock. “I wasn’t asking you.”

“It’s fine,” I reassure Esther, diffusing the tension between them. With a nod, she walks away, glancing back with a concerned expression. Once she is out of sight, I sigh. “What do you want, Joanna?”

“What were you and Father Keaton talking about?”

Getting straight to the point, I see.

My brows dip, and my lips fall into a pout. “I believe whatever it was we were discussing is none of your business.”

Her jaw clenches, more anger building in her small body. “Why were the two of you standing so close?”

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Joanna.”

Her eyes grow wide with fury at what I’m implying. Joanna’s hand flies up and tightens around my arm.

“Listen here, you little bitch. Stay away from him or else I will⁠—”

“What? Hurt me?” I tear my arm from her grasp.

The way her eyes turn murderous tells me she has other thoughts churning in her mind.

Sinister thoughts.

“Kill me?” I laugh sarcastically. “Sweet, sweet Joanna. You wouldn’t have it in you to kill me. Besides, if you did, then you can say goodbye to your ticket to Heaven. Well, I guess you can already say goodbye to that since you are fucking Father Keaton.”

She falls silent for a moment, lowering her voice. “He said God would forgive us.”

“And you believed him?” I push myself off the wall she trapped me against. “He’s got your mind so twisted, Joanna. Father Keaton can’t dictate what God will and will not forgive.”

In the blink of an eye, she slaps me across the face. My head whips to the side, and I lift my hand to my cheek, pressing against the hot flesh. I hold my hand there for a moment, letting the heat of my skin warm my fingertips before my eyes slide to hers in shock.

“Joanna!” Father Keaton’s voice booms down the hallway.