Page 103 of Finders Reapers

It took longer than I wanted to admit before I realized the significance of the files.

Maddox had explicitly stated that he had stolen my file from HQ.

Mr. Bub was aware of their presence in the office, but he hadn’t discovered the files were missing yet.

I had felt Mr. Bub’s power. My darkest nightmares probably didn’t amount to all of the evil he could do to us if he found out.

“Don’t tell me you stole these files,” I groaned.

“Okay,” Rome grunted as he sat back on his haunches and flipped through a file. “I won’t tell you that we stole these files.”

My nostrils flared, and my eyes widened; the smile I gave was a straight line with pursed lips. “Brilliant,” I said sarcastically.

Before anyone could say another word, the door to the garage clicked, and Maddox strode through the kitchen, shrugging off his jacket as he approached the living room through the archway.

“Find anything?” Maddox asked, his attention fixed on Rome.

Rome’s gaze flicked to me before it returned to Maddox. Maddox waved his hand dismissingly as some sort of non-verbal communication took place.

“Many of the contracted people are dead.” Rome declared. “There are many files. None of the souls have passed through HQ. They are not in heaven or hell. They are justgone.”

“Gone?” Maddox replied, his voice dangerously low. “Is there any mention in any of the files about Drudes, purgers, or any other demonic involvement?”

Rome’s lips curved to the side in thought. “No. Nothing Cyclian. I have pulled records from the coroner.”

I got the impression that Maddox wanted to look at me but was forcing himself not to.

“Why do you ask?” Rome cocked his head to the side.

Maddox finally looked at me. “Valentina, could you give us a moment,” He asked delicately.

I tried not to let the hurt show on my face. “Sure,” I smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes.

Fletcher sat forward. “Hey—”

I held out a hand. “It’s okay. I’ll be up in your room, though,” I told Fletcher. My smile grew a bit more authentic because he had defended my right to stay. Still, I was the newbie, and I was almost used to being kept out of the loop.

I turned my back on the group and made my way up the stairs. I needed a shower, and I had been conscious of the dried sweat on my body and evidence of last night, even though the other things on my mind had seemed more important at the time.

The guys waited until I was in the hall upstairs before they spoke, their voices a low and incomprehensible mumble.

I placed my phone on the sink in the bathroom and turned on the shower, taking my time as I washed the remnants of the last twenty-four hours from my body. My phone clattered against the marble counter, but I ignored the sound. It was either death or a notification, and my hair needed to be washed and my legs shaved.

Once I had reset myself to zero, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body, palming my phone, and I padded back into Fletcher’s room.

Oriax was on my bed.

The demon.

I squeaked, dropping my phone onto the carpet, where it bounced under the bed and gripped my towel. “Ollie!” I admonished. “What are you doing here?” I went for politeness, but I wasn’t sure I conveyed it well. “Do the guys know you’re here?”

“I came in the front door.” He replied, dusting off the comforter. If Ollie heard my shock and discomfort, he ignored it as he got comfortable on the bed. “I sent you a message asking if I could come over.”

I glanced down at where my phone had dropped, but it was nowhere to be seen. “I didn’t get it.”

Ollie rolled his eyes. “Obviously. I was left on Read. I knew you wouldn’t ignore me, so I thought I would drop in. Take you away from those boys for a few hours. We can do dinner.”

My eyes flicked to the door. “I don’t know...”

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