Twisted Circles (Secret Society 2)

“What’s still happening,” Wolf said. He’d been oddly quiet this entire time, scrolling his phone, so when he turned it over to the rest of them and they saw the headline, all of their jaws collectively dropped.

Fetus Remains Found Buried in Yard of Rogue Priests’ Homes

“So much for keeping secrets,” Nora murmured.

“According to this article, the Catholic Church says they stopped funding or accrediting these people over thirty years ago,” Mae said.

I knew that. It was what I’d heard from Riley, but fetuses? Disgust rolled through me. How long had these things been going on while I was there? While I waved at them. While I spoke to Father Becker and played the piano for him.

“I guess it’s a good thing you’re an atheist.” Nolan punched my shoulder playfully.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. I knew my brother was trying to lure me into going on a rant about religion, but I wouldn’t give in. I was too busy trying to find ways to leave this organization better than I found it and in a sense, it would be, but it could always be better.

Chapter Forty-Three

Eva

He kept on coming back. I didn’t know why. I’d been awful the last few days. I was either not speaking at all or shouting all of my words. It was like I’d regressed to my teenage years and I couldn’t find a way to control my anger for the injustices. Stella blamed my new medication. She said it would take a while to adjust to them. I imagined she was right. It still sucked to not feel like I was in control of my emotions though, especially around people who were being so kind to me.

“Adam’s here.” Karen’s voice was soft.

I looked up at her from my place at the window bench I was perched on and nodded. We’d been staying at Dr. Thompson’s rental, a mansion he’d been staying at for a while, since he started working at The Institute in the middle of last year. He’d invited us here and hired some private security badasses to keep us safe. And yet, I felt unsafe. Of course, Dr. Thompson had apologized for dragging me into all of this. He’d been trying to protect his own daughter. He genuinely thought he’d be able to get me out of The Manor in a day, two days tops, once he got to the bottom of everything. He hadn’t realized there was no bottom to this, no end. He hadn’t expected The Maslows to go after him the way they did, to bully him into hiding out by using his daughter’s safety against him, to plant stories about his mysterious disappearance. The entire thing was troubling, and now they’d found remains of unborn children and children born and killed right away. After interviewing the monks and nuns they had in custody, they found that the rapes had been happening for decades and because the women weren’t allowed birth control, this was their way of covering them up.

I was sitting by the window today, perched upon the bench with a Billy Jensen book at my feet from my sister’s collection, when Adam showed up. He was wearing dress pants, a light blue button-down, and a white lab coat. He kissed the top of my head and sat across from me; his hazel eyes searched mine momentarily before they fell on the book at my feet. He picked it up and turned it over to read the back.

“Have you started reading it?” He glanced up at me.

“Not yet.”

“How long have you been sitting here?”

“What time is it?”

“Six thirty.” He checked his watch and looked at me again.

“So, I guess . . . five hours?”

“Just staring outside?”

“Just thinking.”

“What have you been thinking about?”

“Just life.” I shrugged a shoulder.

“Why won’t you come live with me, Eva?”

My bottom lip trembled. I could practically hear the heartache in his voice and it killed me. He’d asked me to go live with him as soon as I got out of the hospital a week ago and I’d said I’d think about it, as if there was so much to think about. My lease on my apartment would be up in a few weeks; they’d called me from the school saying there was an opening for a first-grade teacher that I would be perfect for. They’d even hire me while I waited to get my certification, since I was only two classes away from graduating. Adam was hot, smart, caring, ambitious, and I loved him. Really, what was there to think about? Nothing.

He set the book down and scooted forward, closing the distance between us. I lifted my legs and let him lift me onto his lap, setting my head on his chest. Closing my eyes, I listened to his heartbeat, took comfort in his scent.