Page 38 of They Call Him Reaper

I need to save her now and worry about how I feel about the baby later. Father’s back is to me as he leans over her head, holding her arms down on the table. All the hatred I feel toward him is magnified at the sight. He’s restrainingmywoman while trying to getmychild aborted. If I were older, I’d swear I did something to deserve this kind of hate.

Fuck the plan. He doesn’t hear me approach until it’s too late. I wrap my arm around his neck and stab him three times in the side like we’re in the prison yard. His pain and seeing his blood spill are beyond satisfying, but I don’t want to kill him so quickly. Easing my grip, I put my knife against his neck and look the doctor in the eyes. I never bothered to learn his name. I didn’twant it. I already knew what I needed to know about him. He bleeds red like everyone else. His gray snake size eyes stare at me. I can see the recognition, although I’m soaked in blood.

“Looks like both father and daughter will die tonight, Dante,” the doctor threatens. “If you kill him, I’ll-”

His words stop as the color drains from his face. I hate threats and speeches. He should have known that since he dared to use my name. Just hearing it on his lips grated on my nerves, making me realize that I still don’t like hearing my name. I’m just okay with Inaya saying it.

The knife I threw at him is lodged in his gut as he stumbles backwards. He should have been all action and no words. Father gags as I choke him out. This moment has always been a bigger deal in my head, but I don’t give a damn about my vengeance right now. Only Inaya.

Inaya sits up and starts untying her ankles. I hear her sobs as she works, and it hurts my heart that he couldn’t hold his shit together to be a good dad for her. No, he had to poison her like the rest of us unwilling children. He starts to fall, but I bend to follow him down. Grabbing my other knife, I slowly drag it across his throat, since slitting someone’s throat is harder than it looks in the movies, but I’m willing to put in the effort.

Inaya’s scream stops me. The doctor is pulling on her leg, trying to use a syringe on her. I drop Father and jump up to assist her, but she manages to grab the scalpel he was planning to use on her. I saw the moment her anger got the best of her, the softness in her eyes changed to one of pure fury when she stabbed downward and lodged the scalpel into the top of his shoulder. He yelps and falls back again, but she doesn’t have to worry about him anymore. I'm on him in seconds and I release a growl as everything he’s ever done to me at Father’s request swirls through my mind. Only Inaya yelling my name brings me out of the dark place I’d gone when I started to bash his headover and over again. His skull is cracked open and his blood pools all around the floor. He’s been dead for a while now.

I shake off the anger and stand like I just didn’t beat someone to death. Father is still lying on the ground, and I kick him a few times before Inaya pulls me out of the room.

“Are you okay?” I ask when I’m finally outside breathing fresh air.

“No,” she says, an edge to her voice that I can’t quite decipher.

Every attempt to touch her just puts more blood on her. My frustrated growl pulls a slight laugh out of her before her tears hit again.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

I just nod. I still don’t know what to do with the knowledge of her pregnancy. All I know is I’m just relieved that she’s okay.

“Sorry for the blood,” I warn her before I pull her into the hug we both need. I didn’t think I had any knowledge of when people are in need of hugs, but she pulls it out of me. I let her cry for a bit until I'm pulling her through the woods. “Let’s go get cleaned up.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Dante

I planned for this.I guide her in the direction I came to a camp I’d set up to scout the situation, grabbing some soap and a trash bag. Inaya holds the soap while I quickly strip, then I help her do the same. We have to get rid of these clothes and blood so we can disappear again. I know where I can take her, but we have to get out of the country first.

Her naked belly makes the part I’m trying to ignore more obvious. It’s not protruding greatly, but I’ve seen her body a lot in the last few months, so the difference is easy to spot. Inaya is still in shock, her mind and body trying to process what almost happened. She shakes her head when I pull her toward the water, but it’s the only way.

“Trust me,” I tell her as I guide her inside, then turn to her once we get too deep for her comfort. “Wrap your legs around me.”

Her body shivers, but she does as I say. It’s crazy how different our interactions are from when we met. She went from being a pawn in a revenge plot to someone I care about. I just don’t know what to do with that information and a baby complicates things greatly.

Working fast, I wash the blood from her body, only guided by moonlight. I hold her and lean forward so she can dip her hair in the water. I wash it as well as I can until she takes over to ensure she gets her dad’s blood out of her hair. Once she’s done. I move her closer so she can stand on her own and I quickly scrub my body. We need to get further away from the house. I’m not sure if he has more men coming soon or if some kind of law enforcement patrols the area.

Inaya is finished drying herself when I surface again, and I dry off while she slips into the clothes I bought for her. She’s going to hate the next part, but it’s necessary for a clean getaway. I pack up the camp and put the items in the backseat. Opening the trunk of the SUV, I give her a blanket and a pillow.

“Get under this and hide. I have to go back into the house.” She cries and shakes her head, although she doesn’t speak. “I must get one of the phones to order a cleaner. He has the best on his phone. They won’t answer me anymore.”

“No.”

It’s the only thing she says but time is of the essence. There is another plan, but it takes more time. A plan I would have never considered if I didn’t care because caring is the only motivation to go against my instincts.

“I’ll drop you off at the place I’m staying then I’ll come back. How’s that?”

Her no doesn’t come as fast but her eyes water. “It’s not about me, Dante. I don’t want you in any more danger. What if more men come?”

I grab her cheeks and look her in the eyes. “You have to trust that I know what I’m doing.”

I ignore how her concern makes me feel. I’m just not used to it. Our lips meet in a soft kiss, and I step back.

“Hide so I can make this go away.”

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