Page 71 of Reaper

I run into the ensuite bathroom.

It’s empty.

“Damn it!” I curse under my breath, my frustration boiling over.

Where the hell is he?

Footsteps pound down the hall. I whip around but lower my gun when I see Scar. “What?”

“Tucker found a hidden passage,” Scar pauses to catch his breath. “He found a blueprint in Blackstone’s office. It leads to a secret room.”

“Fuck! Where?”

Scar’s already running down the hall toward the main staircase. “The basement.”

“I already checked it.”

“There must be a hidden door.”

“I’ll go and look, but finish searching the second floor and check the attic just in case he’s up there.”

“On it,” Scar says.

As soon as I’m back in the basement, I search the walls. Running my hands over every inch of the one where the TV is mounted, I struggle to detect anything out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, I find a small, almost imperceptible seam. Pressing my palm against it,a hidden door swings open, revealing a dimly lit corridor.

“Found it,” I mutter.

Stepping into the passage, I move deeper into the shadows. I knew Blackstone never stopped being a monster. Unless Blackstone built the room recently, the incompetent fucks at the FBI missed it when they searched the basement. Fuck those guys.

My heart stalls as I reach the end of the corridor and confront another door. This is it. Whatever lies behind this door could change Ace’s life forever. Taking one last deep breath, I kick the door open, ready to face whatever nightmare awaits me inside.

Chapter 27: Reaper

The dungeon door creaks open, and I’m instantly hit by the cold damp air. The room is an exact replica of the hellish place I lived in for four long years. Stone walls surround me, and the sound of dripping water echoes through the room. Chains, dildos, nipple clamps, and other ghastly instruments of torture hang from the walls, a sick reminder of all the pain I endured.

As I step inside the familiar hellhole, shivers lick down my spine. When the door clicks shut behind me, I freeze. Panic sends my heart galloping. Sweat forms on my brows and collects at the base of my neck. Being trapped in this place is my worst nightmare come true.

“Reaper?” Ace’s voice, weak and scared, reaches my ears.

My heart clenches when I spot him. He’s trapped in a shiny metal cage on the floor, his wide eyes pleading for rescue. Blackstone, that sick bastard, is standing next to Ace’s prison with a twisted grin plastered across his face.Rage boils within me, but I keep it contained for now. I need to stay calm if I want to save Ace.

“Help me!” Ace cries out, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Blackstone’s dark laugh echoes through the room. He walks away from Ace, giving me room to get to my son. I run to the cage, dropping to my knees beside him. Ace’s small hand reaches through the bars, desperately grasping for mine.

“Did he touch you, Ace?” I ask, barely able to choke out the words. The thought makes my stomach turn.

“Th-the bad man made me crawl into the cage,” Ace sobs, shaking his head.

“Did he do anything else to you?” I demand, my voice low and dangerous.

“Not yet, Reaper,” Blackstone taunts, his eyes dancing with cruel intentions. “But I promise, you’ll get to watch me take his innocence away from him. Like father, like son. I wonder if he’ll be as tight and hard to penetrate are you were.”

“Disgusting piece of shit!” I clench my fists, struggling to control the fury swirling within me. Images of my own suffering flash before my eyes, and I refuse to let Ace go through the same nightmare. I will kill Blackstone, and I’ll make sure he never hurts Ace or anyone else again. This ends tonight.

“Listen to me, Ace,” I say, my voice shaking with anger. “I’m going to kill Blackstone and getyou out of here. I promise.”