Page 76 of The Cleaner

She nods, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I know."

“But why continue? Why become the Hanging Reaper?" I ask, needing to make sense of it all.

"At first, it was just about Devin. But then... I saw how many other people were suffering, and how many monsters were walking free. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I worked for The Agency and I was able to stop those monsters."

I nod, understanding her motivation even if I don't agree with her methods. "And now? Are you still... active?"

She hesitates before answering. "Yes," she admits. "But I'm more careful now. I’ve learned a lot and come up with the perfect way to ensure that I’m not caught.” She takes a deep breath. “That was until today. Seeing you tied to that chair—” She shakes her head. “I lost it.”

I run my thumb over her knuckles, trying to process everything. The woman I love is the notorious Hanging Reaper. She's killed people, multiple people. But she's still the woman I love. I don’t give a fuck about what she does; all I care about is that she’s safe while doing it, and that’s something I’ll ensure happens.

"We'll figure this out," I tell her, reaching over to take her hand in mine. "Together. But right now, we need to deal with the immediate situation. Those fuckers back there, how much do they know?"

Lisa squeezes my hand, relief evident in her eyes. "Ciarán knows everything. He's been my...” she pauses, her lips twitching, “mentor since the very beginning.”

Christ, what the actual fuck? “Let me guess, Travis?”

She grins at me. “Yeah. He actually happened across me killing Devin’s dad and then propositioned me.”

I keep her hand in mine as I drive toward Jer’s house. My mind is whirling with all the information I’ve just learned. “Lisa,” I begin cautiously. “I’m sorry that I hurt you when I killed your dad, but I need you to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”

She nods. “I know. When I heard that you were missing—” She presses her lips together and turns to look out the window. “I was so scared. I know why you did it, and yes, I’m hurt and angry that you did, but if the tables were turned, I would have done the same thing.”

Relief washes through me. Fuck, I can deal with her being hurt and angry. We can get past that.

I pull into Jer’s driveway and park the car, sliding out of the vehicle and running around to reach for Lisa. The moment she’s standing, I draw her into my arms. "I've held back," I tell her, my voice low and intense. "But I need you to know that I love you,Lisa. Everything about you. Even this part of you that I'm just learning about. It doesn't change how I feel."

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine. "You mean that?"

"Every fucking word," I growl, pulling her closer. "We're in this together now. Whatever comes next, we face it as a team. No more secrets between us."

Lisa nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "No more secrets," she agrees.

I lean down and capture her lips in a fierce kiss, pouring all my emotions into it. When we break apart, both breathless, I rest my forehead against hers.

"Now," I say, straightening up and keeping an arm around her waist, "let's go deal with this shit show on the road.”

Her fingers wrap around mine, the pressure so tight I can feel my blood flow stop. Her breath is warm against my cheek as she whispers, "I love you, Maverick." My eyelids squeeze shut in response. Shit. I know what it means to her to say those words. "When I heard you were gone," she continues, her voice thick with emotion, "I thought my world was falling apart." She pauses to take a deep breath, her grip on my hand tightening even more. "I'd tear this whole damn city apart just to find you."

I pull her close, my heart pounding. "I love you too, Lisa. More than anything. And I'd do the same for you; tear apart this whole fucking world if I had to."

We stand there for a moment, just holding each other, before I reluctantly pull away. "Come on, let's get this over with."

As we approach Jer's front door, I hear muffled voices inside. Lisa tenses beside me, and I give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Remember, we're in this together," I murmur.

She nods, taking a deep breath as I knock on the door. It swings open almost immediately, revealing Jer's concerned face.

"About fucking time," he grumbles, ushering us inside. "Grainne's here. She wants to check you out, Mav."

I nod, my eyes scanning the room. I notice all eyes are on us as we enter. Cowboy is leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, while Emmanuel sits on the couch, looking uncomfortable. Travis is pacing, his phone glued to his ear as he talks low. Grainne, the doctor, is standing by the kitchen counter, her medical bag open beside her.

"Sit down, Maverick," Grainne orders, gesturing to a chair. "I need to check that thick skull of yours."

I comply, reluctantly letting go of Lisa's hand. She hovers nearby as Grainne begins her examination, her fingers probing the spot where I was hit.

"You're lucky," Grainne mutters after a few minutes. "No signs of a serious concussion, but you'll have one hell of a headache for a while. Take it easy for the next few days."

I nod, wincing as the movement sends a spike of pain through my head.

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