Chapter 4: The Taxi Ride

The morning sun had barely begun to spill across the bedroom floor when Pat opened her eyes. She checked the digital clock on her bedside table: 6:00 AM.

Her pulse fluttered with a sudden, anxious excitement, but she forced herself to stay still, pulling the blankets back up to her chin. If she got up too early, her parents would know something was up; they would see right through her excitement about going over to Brother Alex’s house. So she forced herself to lie there in the quiet room, staring at the ceiling and waiting, watching the gray light slowly turn into a brighter Saturday morning.

By half-past eight, she couldn’t wait another second.

She slipped out of bed, grabbed her towel, and hurried to the shower. The hot water woke her skin up, washing away the restless heat of the night before. Back in her bedroom, she stood in front of her wardrobe with a deliberate, calculated look in her eyes.

She bypassed her usual modest church dresses entirely. Instead, she pulled on a pair of tight, short bum shorts and a snug crop top, leaving her bra behind in the drawer so her hardened nipples pressed visibly against the soft fabric. But she wasn’t walking out of the house looking like that. Over the top, she slipped on a loose, long, button-down overall gown that hung modestly to her knees, completely concealing what lay underneath and transforming her back into the picture of a respectable church girl.

She caught her reflection in the mirror, flashing a sharp, wicked smirk. Bad girl, Pat, she whispered to herself, grabbing a bottle of body spray.

Sensing an opportunity, she crept quietly out of her room and slipped down the hallway into her parents’ bedroom. Her mother had a collection of expensive French perfumes bought straight from Paris stored neatly on the dresser. Pat quickly lifted a bottle of designer spray, misting a rich, intoxicating cloud over her neck and wrists before hurrying back to her room before anyone could catch her.

She kept her face clean, no heavy makeup, just a swipe of clear lip gloss to make her lips shine. Gathering her thick hair, she twisted it up into a sleek, high ponytail that made her jawline look sharp and striking.

When she walked down to the kitchen, her mother was already there, wiping down the counter. She turned around with a warm smile, handing Pat a sturdy plastic basket packed with laundry detergent, disinfectant, bleach, and cleaning rags.

“Make sure you do a thorough job, and don’t stay too long, you hear me?” her mother instructed, handing her some transport money. “Come straight back home when you’re done.”

“Yes, Mum,” Pat replied, her voice sweet and obedient.

Outside the gate, she hailed a passing taxi, sliding into the backseat and handing the driver the address Alex had texted her the night before: Unit 4B, Green Gate Estate, off Idi-Ishin.

As the car rumbled down the paved streets, the city blurred past her window in a rush of morning traffic and street vendors. Pat sat rigidly in the backseat, her fingers tightening around the handle of the plastic cleaning basket until her knuckles turned white. Every bump in the road made her chest tighten, and a sudden wave of panic rolled through her stomach.

What if she was making a massive mistake? What if she tried to touch Alex and he rejected her, or worse, shouted at her? What if he got angry and picked up the phone to call her deacon father?

For a terrifying second, her hand drifted toward the door handle, whispering to herself that she should just tell the driver to turn around, go back home, and pretend nothing ever happened.

No, she thought, locking her jaw and forcing her breathing to steady. Alex isn’t untouchable. He’s just a man.

She knew how she looked. Even though she was only eighteen, her body had matured early and rapidly, with full breasts, rounded hips, and a height that made people mistake her for twenty-two. She knew the kind of effect she had on men, and she had seen the way Alex’s eyes had occasionally lingered on her before he quickly looked away to hide behind his holy title.

The taxi slowed down to a smooth halt inside the quiet, upscale gates of Green Gate Estate, stopping right in front of the sleek block of apartments.

Pat paid the driver, took one last deep, stabilizing breath, and stepped out into the morning air. The estate was peaceful, almost eerily quiet, save for the rustle of trees overhead. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs like a trapped bird as she walked up the flight of stairs, the heavy plastic basket swinging lightly in her hand while the secret layers hidden beneath her modest gown felt heavier with every single step.

She reached the wooden door of Unit 4B and knocked twice.

The lock clicked almost immediately, and the door swung open.

Pat froze.

Standing right in front of her wasn’t the polished church worker who always wore stiffly buttoned-down long sleeves and heavy suits. Alex stood there in a casual blue T-shirt that hugged his broad chest, paired with loose shorts that sat comfortably just above his knees. A faint, clean scent of masculine soap washed over her.

Their eyes locked instantly.

Alex blinked, clearly caught off guard as his gaze swept over her. But before she could lose her nerve, a warm, welcoming smile broke across his face.

“Sister Pat,” Alex said, stepping back to clear the doorway, his voice smooth and rich. “Please, come inside. I was so surprised when your dad called yesterday to say you were coming. To be honest… I was so happy.”

Pat stepped inside, taking a quick, sweeping gaze around the living room. It was a cozy, self-contained apartment, a spacious room with an adjoining kitchen and a clean bathroom tucked neatly inside. For a bachelor who constantly complained about having no free time, the place was surprisingly tidy.

Alex closed the door behind her, all smiles.

Their eyes locked instantly.