One Night Sin - Maddy & Declan (A Forbidden Love Story)

I need the notes, Father Patch!

*** DECLAN

You know all of those notes Father Patch left with me? Yeah, I read through some of them while he was still there with me. After the spiritual disaster I just had with my stepsister, I figured I should go through the rest of them. You know, just to brush up, make sure I can stay on point, do my stuff, tend to the flock, that sort of thing.

I'm supposed to act as a shepherd now, I guess. My church's congregation is my flock, and I should protect them and take care of them. Each and every one, which definitely includes Maddy. Which, uh... if I'm being real honest with you, my thoughts towards Maddy are more in line with a wolf's than a shepherd's.

I mean, I don't want to devour her, but... yeah... I kind of do if you know what I mean. My face pressed tight between Maddy's thighs while I taste every sweet inch of her before she screams my name in ecstasy...

See? This is why I need those notes. I need the notes, Father Patch! Why did you do this to me?

The first few pages are what I've already read, which is great stuff. Basics, starting off strong, the phone number I can reach him at, some ideas for a weekly sermon, and some times and dates for appointments he has scheduled. Awesome.

The rest is like... not that...

I pick up one of the papers and read it over again. It's pretty easy considering it's just one solitary quote.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Don't get me wrong, it's a great quote. I appreciate the sentiment and the meaning behind it. But why does this paper that's supposed to help me throughout the week have a single quote on it? What am I even supposed to do with this?

The next one is more of the same.

"For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

The papers Father Patch left with me end with one that finally has some instructions, though. Thank you, Father Patch. Thank you, God.

I have no idea what God has to do with this, but I'm still thankful. You should always take a moment to thank the big guy if you have a chance. I don't know why. I feel like I should know why, but it's just something my mom told me once and it stuck with me. So, yeah, sure, why not? Thanks, God.

"I left the church cell phone in my desk. The unlock code is 3244. Make sure you keep it on you and check the messages a few times a day. It's already set up to send you a text alert whenever you get a new email. If anyone calls and needs help or guidance, you know what to do. I have faith in you, Declan."

Which is great, but I don't have a lot of faith in myself at the moment. I mean, my first task as acting priest for a week was to listen to Maddy's confession, and we all know how that went. Thankfully no one else knows. God knows, I guess. If he has any suggestions on what to do, he's keeping pretty quiet, though. I feel like that's his usual modus operandi, but you never know. I'll take silence over being struck by lightning any day.

The real problem is that I'm aleady having doubts. I had doubts before, but I thought I had to deal with them. Now, I still know I have to deal with them, but it's worse knowing that Maddy might have the same doubts? Except I don't think she does. It's just a dream, Declan. I keep telling myself that over and over again. Yes, I've had dreams about Maddy in the past, but the thing is that I liked those dreams. I wanted those dreams. I had the same sinful thoughts when I was awake as I did in my dreams, so...