“Rafe…” I toy with the handle of my purse. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing. And this isn’t what you came by to ask, is it?”
I sigh. “No, it isn’t. I came to ask if you know anything about the church of Sky Gate.”
“Sky Gate.” He stops and stares at me, tensing. “Why are you asking?”
“So you do know about it.”
He narrows his amber eyes and wipes his drenched hair out of his face. “Might have heard of it. What’s this about?”
I glance at the other man across from us, but he has put on earbuds and seems focused on exercising.
“Dylan’s dad is involved with them,” I say, “and Dylan is concerned.”
Rafe grabs a towel from behind him and dries his face. His mouth is pressed in a flat line. “Bunch of stupid assholes,” he finally says. “They’re recruiting every desperate guy, so they can sit around together and bemoan the futility of our existence, day in and day out.”
“Are they dangerous, Rafe? I need to know.”
“I don’t know.” He works his jaw. “Not for sure, anyway. There’s one case of a Sky Gate member who tried to strangle his brother, but Sky Gate says they’d nothing to do with it. That every member acts on his or her own free will. Fucking hypocrites.”
“What do you mean?”
“They brainwash their members, make them believe their life and the lives of others are standing in the way between them and heaven. And when the more desperate, more depressed members act on it, the church leaders wash their hands and say they had nothing to do with it.”
Jesus. “This doesn’t sound good. But it doesn’t mean the Church is dangerous. Doesn’t mean Dylan’s dad will do anything like that.”
Rafe shrugs and throws the towel to the floor with more force than necessary. His muscled, tattooed arms are glistening with sweat. “No, it doesn’t. It’s all up to his state of mind, his susceptibility to suggestion. That what you wanted to hear?”
“I guess.” No. What I wanted to hear was that Dylan’s dad poses no danger to anyone. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” He wipes a hand over his mouth. “Everything okay with you?”
I shake my head, force a smile. “Yeah. I… I left my apartment. Asked for a restraining order on Sean, my ex. Haven’t seen or talked to my dad in days. Dropped out of college. Everything’s fine.” I slant a look at him. “You?”
He whistles, his cat-like eyes wide. “When did all this happen?” He winces. “Wait, don’t answer that. I haven’t been around much, have I?”
I clench my fingers around the handle of my purse. “Want an answer?”
“No, leave it.”
I grin and open my mouth to tell him it’s time he came out with us one night for drinks, when my cell rings. I whip it out and answer without looking. “Yeah?”
“Tessa?” A boy’s voice. “Tessa!”
“Who is this?”
“Miles. It’s Miles.” His voice breaks. “You told me I could call you.”
I get up so fast my purse falls off my lap to the floor. “What’s wrong?”
Rafe gets up too, frowning at me. He picks up my purse and hands it to me, then grabs a sweater hanging on the machine and pulls it on.
“Dylan,” Miles says, his voice rising in panic. “He can’t… he can’t get up.”
My pulse thumps in my ears like a time bomb. “What do you mean?”
“He fell asleep and won’t wake up.”