Page 44 of Reaper

“He’s probably still in shock. You’ve got to give him time,” she says, cradling her teacup. “He’ll come around.”

“How long will that take?” I wonder.

“Reaper may seem like a fortress, but even the strongest walls crumble eventually. Be gentle with him, and he’ll be grateful for it.”

I press my lips into a thin line, pondering her words. It’s easy to see the cracks in Reaper’s formidable walls now that I’m looking for them—the way his gaze never fully settles, the tightness around his mouth when Ace’s laughter rings too loud. I fiddle with the corner of my napkin and venture, “Do you think he can love Ace?”

“Of course.”

And me?I want to ask, but instead, I keep my mouth shut.

“I feel like there’s so much I still don’t know about him.”

“Has he opened up to you at all?”

“A bit. He told me about Blackstone.” I flick my gaze from Reaper’s distant form over to Nina. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s all right. I’ve picked up details here and there over the years. I know what happened to the boys there. Not everything, but enough.”

“Do you think they’ll ever be normal after something like that?”

“Who’s normal? What does that even mean?” Nina scoffs. “Of course not. But that doesn’t mean they can’t have wonderful relationships and fall in love. He’s in love with you, you know.”

“I doubt it.”

“Don’t. I can see it in his eyes—in the way he looks at you when he knows you’re not looking back. I also see fear there. After what he endured,I can understand his hesitation. He’s not afraid of love. He’s afraid of trusting the wrong person. And in your case, you’re going to have to work extra hard to win his trust.”

“Why?”

“Because you kept Ace from him.”

“I saw—”

“I know what you saw. Reaper told me. But that’s just what he needs to do. It’s hard for someone who hasn’t lived his life to understand his need to kill, but that will never go away. Even if he falls in love. Even if he’s deliriously happy to have a son—”

“He’s not.”

“Maybe not yet, but he’ll change his mind eventually,” Nina says sagely.

“How can I earn his trust?” I ask.

“By being consistent. Don’t hold anything else back. There shouldn’t be any secrets between you. Always tell him the honest truth, even if you think it will make him angry. He’ll never hit you, never hurt you. But if you lie to him, it will kill his soul.”

“I understand,” I murmur.

“Do you?”

“Yes,” I say with more conviction.

After all these years, after learning about the sacrifices Reaper’s made, the burdens he carries, understanding has bloomed where fear used to take root. Yet, there’s still so much about him shrouded in shadow.

“The other club guys mentioned something when they came to get us after the accident,” I start, my curiosity getting the better of me. “They mentioned something about Reaper having special powers.” The words feel ridiculous even as they tumble out of my mouth.

“Did they now?” Nina doesn’t seem surprised as she takes another sip of tea.

“Yeah, and I—” I cut myself off, second-guessing whether I should go down this path. But the need to know claws at me relentlessly.

“Spit it out,” she encourages with a gentle nudge.

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