Page 48 of Finders Reapers

I nodded silently.

“Can I have one?”

I nodded again, lifting the box out of the window. Mr. Bub smiled, showing every single one of his nicotine-stained teeth. I suppressed a shudder.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” The thin man cocked his head to the side.

I shrugged but said nothing.

“Good, good.” Mr. Bub lifted a taco and studied it. He didn’t turn to me as he spoke. “And your Grim? Are they taking you to any interesting places?”

“My Grim?” I replied, confused.

“A group of Reapers.” He clarified. “Has your Grim taken you for any fun outings? To visit anyone special? Hmm?” Mr. Bub waved his hand before lifting the taco to his nose and inhaling deeply. Almost like it was a drug, and he was savoring the moment. “Doritos Locos,” He murmured in awe before turning his attention back to me. “Have Rome or Maddox taken you to any meetings, any parties, any gatherings of people? Demons. Reapers.Humans.”

“Parties or meetings not at the Bellagio?” I remained confused. “I haven’t really met anyone.”

Mr. Bub’s yellow bulbous eyes flicked to mine before they returned to the taco. “I would like us to be friends, Ms. Rossi. I would like it if you could report back to me. Anything untoward. Anything strange.”

I blinked. I had nothing to say to that. Everything about being a Reaper was strange. No one had sat me down and said,this is normal for being dead.I had no idea what Mr. Bub was asking of me. I felt like I had been caught up in some family struggle that I had no part of.

Mr. Bub opened his mouth, unhinged his jaw, and swallowed the taco in a single bite.

I felt sick.

He chewed thoughtfully before turning to me. “You’ll do that for me, won’t you, Ms. Rossi? You’ll tell me if your Grim takes you anywhereunusual?” He stated benignly, even though the demon had just shown me that he could open his jaw wide enough to bite my head off. “You have a splendid day now.”

Although everything instead of me screamed that I should run away and hide under the nearest bed, I drove back to the Bellagio with shaking hands, trying not to think about Mr. Bub.

With the adagefake it til you make itin mind, I strode into the Bellagio with my arms loaded down with bags.

As soon as I stepped into the lobby, I saw Lobby Todd, the man I had met at the party the night before.

Loddy Todd, thedemon.

Was everyone around here a demon?

Unable to get the conversation I had overheard between the Lobby Todd and Rome out of my head, curiosity planted a smile on my face when our eyes met. He sprung up from behind the desk to help with my bags.

“It’s you.” He said, dipping down to help with my load. “Do you want me to call up to the suite?”

My stomach sank as I realized that I didn’t have a key card or any way to get up to the upper floors without one. My smile fell. “I don’t have a key card,” I murmured. “Or a phone.”

Todd blinked slowly, and it took me a moment to realize that he had asked a reasonable question.

“Yeah,” I answered. “If you could call up, that would be great.”

“Are you staying with the guys?” Todd asked.

“I’m meant to be living there,” I stressed, dropping my bags.

“I’ll call up.” He commiserated, and I followed on his heels towards the front desk, like a puppy that had lost its owners.

My head dropped, and my chin touched my collarbone.

“Hey,” Todd said softly. “Are you okay?”

My smile didn’t touch my eyes. “I’m having a hard week.”

---