“Here he is, my prodigal son.” My father glares as Noah and I enter. The other Protectors are already spread around the room, crammed on sofas or standing at windows.
“I have more contracts to work on, so if we could get to it, that would be perfect.” I lean against the doorframe and cross my arms over my chest.
“You see how he flouts my law?” He looks around the room.
The Protectors nod as he pulls their pathetic puppet strings.
“My firstborn, the one who should be working to further the goals of Heavenly, who should be the example that all others live by. Instead, he turns his nose up at both God and the Father of Fire. And worse, at me.”
I let him go on and on about how awful I am. Most of it’s true, so there’s no point arguing. When he finally gets to the point, I stand straight.
“And now, he’s broken the one rule that we all live by. The one rule I enforce with unflinching certainty based on what God has revealed to me. He has fornicated with a Maiden.”
The Protectors’ heads turn on a swivel. They can stare all they like.
“Do you have any evidence?” I inspect my fingernails.
“I certainly do!” he bellows and scrabbles to grab a remote.
Castro hits a button on the wall, dropping a flatscreen from the ceiling. My father presses play, and video from Delilah’s room appears.
A smirk spreads across my face as the scene plays out and she drops to her knees. “Mind if I narrate? I can tell you for certain that her tongue is soft as silk, and, thanks to my instructions, her gag reflex verges on nonexistent.”
A couple of Protectors shift uncomfortably. I’d be feeling awkward too, if I was sporting a boner like they are.
“Here!” My father points as I push Delilah off screen and follow her into the bathroom. “This is where you broke my law.” He fast forwards and stops, noting the time stamp when we exit the room. “Fifteen minutes. What were you doing in there for fifteen minutes?”
I smile. “She swallowed my first load, but dribbled some down her chin. I told her to go clean it up. You saw me shove her worthless ass. Then she sucked me off again, and swallowed every last drop in perfect obedience.”
My father’s brows are still pressed together. He must be behind on his botox schedule.
“You expect us to believe that?”
“Have you asked her?”
“I sent Grace this morning.”
My stomach churns at what Grace would do to Delilah if she thought the allegations were true. “And?”
He throws the remote onto the desk, and the back pops off, sending batteries rolling onto the floor. “Grace!”
Soft steps across the marble at my back, and Grace appears. She must have been waiting in the sitting room.
“Yes, Prophet?”
“What did the girl say?”
She cuts her eyes at me. “I questioned her for an hour. Used a few tactics to make sure she was truthful. Her story matches his down to the last detail. I also performed the test—” she holds up two fingers “—but it was inconclusive as to virginity, given she admitted in her entrance interview that she was a filthy female who violated herself with tampons. However, I would like to investigate further.”
“How?” My father finally sits in his chair, but doesn’t take his eyes off me.
“If I may inspect Adam’s manhood?”
I fist my hands, but don’t give any other outward sign of wanting to beat her to death.
“By all means.” My father waves a hand at me.
“Thank you.” She faces me, a smile playing across her thin lips. Dropping to her knees, she unbuckles my belt, unfastens my pants, then pulls them down to my ankles. “No underwear?” She smirks up at me.
“Get on with it.” My cock doesn’t even twitch as she does her inspection.
Leaning in, she takes a big whiff, then settles back on her heels.
“Well?” My father raps his knuckles on the desk.
Grace stands. “He’s clean. No scent on him.”
“He must have showered,” my father mutters.
I scratch the four days of growth on my face. “Afraid not.”
“Get the fuck out of here!” He yanks open his desk drawer and pulls out his coke stash. “All of you!”
Noah lets out a deep breath and pulls me into the foyer. “Fuck, man.”
“Come on.” I hurry down the steps and out the back door, not even glancing at the bar. My mother may still be there, but I won’t reveal her hiding spot.
I’m moving fast, thanks to the adrenaline exploding through me.
Noah is close on my heels. “That was close. Too close.”
“I know.” I shove my hands in my pockets and head for my house. My father is losing his already shaky grip on reality, and no one will do a thing to stop him.
“Dad is acting—”
“Like a psycho? Even more than usual?” I keep my voice low even though we’re out of earshot of the rest of the Protectors.