Page 15 of Reaper's Rage

“You ok, baby?” Reaper asks as he carries me back to the others.

“Better now that you’re here.” I tell him honestly. Hearing that he found a body and was talking to the cops was more nerve-wracking than finding a body of my own. I know not all cops are racist assholes, but there are enough of them that the odds are too good he’d run into one who was. Someone who would immediately see him as the likely suspect. “Carver said you found a body, too.”

Reaper slides me down his body until I’m standing in front of him. I see him cast Carver a dirty look, so I draw his attention back to me. “We’re in this together, hotshot.”

He grins at me. “Hotshot?” I shrug, happy that I distracted him. He gives me a soft kiss before turning me around so my back is against his front, with his muscular arms encircling my waist.

“Any idea who he is?” Flame asks. We’re far enough away from the crime scene that neither of them can see the body and the cops can’t hear our conversation.

“Ashlyn thinks it might be one of Deion’s guys.” Carver says, glancing around to make sure no stray cops linger nearby.

Reaper stiffens behind me, so I look up at him. “I don’t know for certain, but he reminds me of a guy I saw last night. I didn’t meet him or talk to him, so I could be wrong.”

Reaper kisses my neck, then whispers he’ll be right back before releasing me. I see him walk over to Officer Wagstaff with Flame. They’re standing only a few feet away from the body. The coroner is next to the body doing his examination.

“Do you think this has to do with Renee?” Mom asks me when she joins me. I hadn’t considered that. But I should have. She’s the one who delivered me to them.

“Huh, maybe. I wonder how she knew them.” Scar turns to look at me when I tap his arm. “Do you think they were in the skin trade with Renee?”

Scar shrugs. “I don’t know. Reaper said they weren’t when he was running with them, but he’s been away from them for almost eighteen months. Things change.”

I hear another vehicle arrive and turn to see a delivery van enter the parking lot. The sign on the van is for a local florist. I frown as a young guy gets out of the van and makes his way to the back. A few minutes later, he’s walking toward our apartment carrying a vase, his eyes bouncing around the surrounding activity. Just as he turns down the path to our apartment door, my mom waylays him. She talks to him for a few minutes before he hands the bouquet to her. I can tell from here that they’re all red roses. At least a dozen of them.

Mom searches in the flowers until she pulls out the card. She glances over at me with a frown. I feel a trickle of fear wash over me, even though I don’t know why. I make my way over to her just as she goes inside with the flowers. By the time I reach the door to our apartment, it opens, and she comes outside. She hands me the card and I take it with shaking fingers. I can see my name written on the front. I turn to glance at Reaper, who is still talking to Officer Wagstaff and Flame.

Somehow, I know the flowers aren’t from him. Not that he can’t afford them, but predictable dating rules aren’t ones he follows. I open the card and brace myself. I think I’m expecting them to be from Deion. But the reality is much worse.

“To my sweet, Ashlyn. You were supposed to come to me. I took care of one who thought he could touch you. Consider it a gift. Soon you’ll be mine.”

I glance up to lock eyes with Reaper. He must see the fear on my face because he’s in front of me before I realize he moved.

CHAPTER ELEVEN: REAPER

I see the fear on Ashlyn’s face and it guts me. I’ve already taken the opportunity to study the body and although I recognize him from the previous night, I’ve never met him. He must have joined the Spades after I left.

I rush over to Ashlyn to pull her close to me. I feel her body trembling as I glance at her mother for some sign of what’s frightened her. She takes the small card out of Ashlyn’s hand and gives it to me. When I read it I feel my blood run cold at the implication. Some asshole thinks he’s getting his hands on my woman? Not fucking likely.

“It came with a bouquet of red roses.” Cecilia explains, gesturing toward their apartment. “I’ll get rid of them.” She says, leaving me with Ashlyn.

I pocket the card and make a note to contact Byte. Whoever sent the flowers had to leave some sort of trail and if anyone can find it, it’s Byte. In the meantime, I need to make sure my girl feels safe. But I also need to make sure the police don’t figure out we know more than we’re saying. I wait for Cecilia to give me the all-clear before guiding Ashlyn inside. She takes a seat at the table while Cecilia makes her a cup of tea.

“I need to call Byte and have him find whoever sent this.” I tell them both. “He won’t touch you, baby, I promise. He won’t get past me or the guys.”

“I know.” She tells me and I feel proud of her confidence. “I’m not worried about that. Do you think he’s responsible for that man’s death?”

I shrug. “Maybe, but we may never know for certain. Let me get Byte checking into the delivery. Ok?” She nods as I pull out my cell phone.

“Reaper.” Byte answers after the first ring.

I explain about the note and ask him to check the florist’s records to see if he can identify who placed the order.

I hear Byte typing away and expect him to end the call, but he doesn’t.

“Fuck.”

“What?”

“Whoever runs this florist shop doesn’t keep accurate records. They have the order but no name. Doesn’t even show the type of payment. The only thing listed is Ashlyn’s name and address.”

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