Page 23 of Karma

The only thing Scorpio’s got going for him right now is that he’s hot as sin. Those chiseled muscles, dirty blond hair, dark blue eyes and a very fuckable mouth… he somehow looks even better than the last time I saw him. More color in his skin, an easier smile. It lights up his face every time he looks at Karma. No surprise there… all of that is probably because she finally let him fuck her. She has that rejuvenating effect on guys. I know she did on Reaper and me and it never stopped.

Scorpio had spent over a year trying to get her. Must’ve been like a dream come true when she finally gave him some. Maybe instead of fucking him up, I should just fuck him… then Karma and me will be even and we can go on with our lives like I didn’t make the biggest mistake of my life just a week ago by letting her go.

But no, Reaper would be turning in his grave if I go there… he wouldn’t speak to me for days the time I suggested we just bringScorpio to bed with us, since he wouldn’t leave Karma alone anyway. And because I wanted some too.

For all his other qualities, Reaper was a possessive guy. And so am I.

I’ve had enough of this silent stare-off, or whatever it is we’re doing in here.

I stand up and lay my hand on Karma’s shoulder. What I want to do is drag her to the nearest empty room and show her just how sorry I am for the shit I said to her. But I have a very strong feeling that for the first time in over fifteen years it’s not gonna be enough.

After we found her wandering the streets covered in the blood of the men she had killed, Reaper was the one who decided we couldn’t live without her. But I’m pretty sure I fell more in love with her in the years since, than he ever was. Being without her this past week, and fearing she won’t take me back, felt like a limb was missing. Don’t know what I was thinking trying to let her go. Because I totally chewed that limb off myself. And just like a real limb, it might never grow back now. Fuck.

Just touching her skin is making rivers of memories flood my mind. Good memories, perfect fucking memories now covered in black rot.

“Let’s talk,” I say since she’s just looking at me questioningly.

She looks at Scorpio, they lock eyes and all sorts of things pass in that look. A whole fucking silent conversation that makes me wanna grab his throat and not let go until he’s no longer breathing. I settle for squeezing Karma’s shoulder tighter.

“Alone,” I say. “Just the two of us.”

She sighs and nods, and Scorpio leans back in his chair. For all his rather clueless, pretty boy vibes, he’s giving me a look that promises murder if I hurt her. But I already know he’s a lot more dangerous than he looks. And a lot more cold-blooded than his easy smiles suggest. But he’s got nothing to worry about when itcomes to me hurting Karma. That won’t happen. As for hurting him for getting her all messed up and infatuated with him… that might very well happen.

Karma gives him one more kinda worried glance then stands up, collecting her riding jacket off the back of the chair and looking me in the eyes. That look... anger, regret, love, sadness and passion all rolled into a perfect summer storm... It never fails to throw me off balance. It’s why I like messing with her so much… just to get that look. But I crossed a line I never should’ve crossed this time. I do understand that from her look too.

“Let’s go,” she says and leads the way out of the noisy bar.

I follow her like she’s got me on a leash, all the way to the edge of the parking lot where the music and noise from the bar is just a faint suggestion.

“Don’t give me the puppy dog routine,” she snaps. “I’m not falling for it. You pushed me too far this time.”

“Right onto Scorpio’s dick it looks like,” I say, the anger that fled as soon as I got her alone, returning like a brutal gust of wind. “I thought you didn’t even like the guy.”

She shakes her head. “I never gave him the chance. That’s not the same as not liking him. Out of respect for you and Reaper.”

His name sticks in her throat the way it has since he was ripped away from us. I was angry before, now I’m starting to see red.

“What about respect for me?”

She just looks at me, her eyes shooting bolts of lightning straight through my chest.

“Fine,” I say and take a step back, as if that’s gonna get me out of the line of fire. “I said some crap I didn’t mean. I regretted it the moment I realized you were gone. How many times has that happened over the years? Huh? You know I got a problem with thinking before I speak.”

“You can say that again,” she says, the storm in her eyes subsiding just a little.

“But you know I always come through for you, and you know I’d never leave you,” I say. “So why the hell did you just run out on me? And why the hell did you just hook up with someone else?”

Cars, buses, trucks and whatnot are rushing past us on the road, creating a whole different unbearable sound. This fucking whooshing like my whole life’s just been picked up by a tornado and nothing good’s gonna be left once it passes.

Sadness washes most of the anger from her eyes. “I was in shock, Grim. I’ve been in shock since Reaper died. And then you just cut me loose. I had to get away.”

“Straight into another guy’s bed,” I mumble.

“None of that was planned,” she says. “It just happened. And I’m not giving him up.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” It’s just like her to drop a bomb and then pretend the fallout can’t reach her.

“I don’t know.” At least she’s honest about it. “I didn’t just stop loving you.”

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