I sleep in the next day, trying to make up for all the lost time. For the first time in years, I’m able to slumber through the night, no dreams, no sweats.

But when I open my eyes to Noah looming over my bed, his face serious, I realize the torment was waiting for me to wake up.

“What?” I rub my eyes.

“Dad wants to see you.”

I glance at the window. “It’s the crack of fucking dawn.”

“Get up.” He throws the blanket off me.

“Fuck!” I sit up and swing my legs off the bed. “What’s going on?”

“He suspects you broke the rule yesterday.” He crosses his arms over his stomach and paces the length of my room. “Did you?”

“Did I fuck a Maiden?” I shake my head and look at him confused.

He relaxes just a hair. “I knew you wouldn’t do that. I don’t know why Dad suspects you all of a sudden.”

And the Oscar goes to … Adam Monroe.

I stand. “Come on, let’s go up to the house and put this fire out.” Walking into my closet, I pull on some fresh clothes. I don’t bother glancing at the mirror; I already know I look like shit. Noah leads the way out into the second floor hallway. I pass the door on the left that hasn’t been opened in four years. I don’t look at it, but the truth of it is always there, like a dagger in my back that I can’t reach.

We stride into the cold air, our breath puffing out in dreary clouds.

“Any idea what prompted this brand new dose of paranoia?”

“Nope. But he’s summoned the rest of the Protectors.”

Fuck. I keep up a long stride, rushing to meet my fate. If Delilah talked, then it would be over for both of us. But if it’s just whispers from a Spinner or something circumstantial, I can talk my way out of this.

The house is warm and scented with cinnamon as we walk in. Mom is waiting by the back door.

“What are you doing here?” I scan the area and Noah closes the door quickly and flips the lock.

“He’s on a tear. Coke all night long. Girls from the Chapel.”

“What did he do?” I push the dark hair away from her forehead. A patch of gauze covers about an inch of skin. Murderous rage erupts inside me like a geyser.

“He’s done worse.” She glances around. “I just wanted to warn you. He says he’s got video of you breaking his law. But I watched through a crack Castro left in the door. It’s nothing.” Her cheeks heat. “I mean, it’s something, but it doesn’t—”

“Mom, footsteps.” Noah grabs her elbow and pushes her down behind the basement bar.

“The Prophet is waiting.” Castro hits the bottom step from the main level, grinning and motioning for us to get on with it.

Mom stays put. If he saw us talking to her, there would be even more hell to pay. I haven’t been that close to her in years, not one-on-one, anyway. An old, familiar ache cuts through my chest, but I ignore it and follow Castro to my father’s office.

“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.

Noah shrugs. “I guess he’s just doing what God tells him, or the Father of Fire.”

“You still believe that horse shit?” I hate myself for wanting to pummel him.

“You saw the flames. You saw what he can do.”

I shake my head. “What we thought we saw when we were stupid kids doesn’t mean anything. And it doesn’t explain what he does to Mom, or you, or me, or anyone else in this goddamn pit.” I whirl on him. “Wake the fuck up, Noah! Our father doesn’t speak to God or the devil, or anyone other than his coke habit. This place is the farthest thing from holy. And he’s planning on making it all worse.”

His jaw clenches. “I don’t believe that.” He frowns. “Well, not all of it.”

“Fuck off, Noah.” I turn my back on him, then stop. Turning, I say, “Look, I—”

“No, I get it.” He holds up his hands and backs away. “I’m fucking off. Forget that I came to warn you, that I always have your back, that I always take your side against Dad.”

Regret punches me in the gut, but I let him go. I add the hurt in his eyes to my already-crushing problems.