Page 41 of Reaper
The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Now I understand why he’s so pissed about me being here. He doesn’t know anything about me and my life for the last few months.
“Do you see why we’re not all on board with you being with our brother?” King asks and I can’t do anything but nod. I get it now “Of course, I will do anything Logan asks of me because he’s myblood and I trust his judgment, but that’s where it ends. I don’t have to like you, and I don’t have to tell you shit you want to know.”
Now he’s just trying to piss me off. I’m not going to back down from him like he wants me to. Those days are long gone when I let anyone run over me.
“I don’t care if you like me, King. I’m here because your brother decided to take on my problems as his own, not because I forced him to, or tricked him into it. I was fighting for my freedom. He just happened to be there when it happened.”
“What’s your story, Paris?” Saint asks, his voice calm, not at all accusatory like his brother’s.
“My brother. Half-brother. We have different mothers. Anyway, he owed a debt to the Petrovs. So instead of paying them cash that he didn’t have, he gave them, me.”
“Fuck,” Saint mumbles.
I hate having to retell this, but I need them to understand I’m not here to cause them any trouble. I’m not the enemy.
“I was on my way from school, going to work at a coffee shop not too far from campus, and they snatched me off the street. They covered my head with something and tied my hands. I was brought to a house which I later learned was Oleg’s mansion, held in a room until I was ushered into the office of the Pakhan. I didn’t know my brother was involved until Oleg made the deal with him in front of my face like I was nothing more than a business transaction. Three years of my life and his debt would be forgiven. Months I’ve endured physical and sexual abuse from Nikita. I wanted to end it all. Either I died or he did.”
“So, you decided you were going to kill him and escape that night?” Saint asks.
“That was the plan. I wasn’t planning on doing it at the fight. I really didn’t know when it was going to happen, just that it needed to be done and done soon. But he got pissed off after arun in with Logan, and he took it out on me. So, I did what I needed to do.”
“How did our brother get involved?” King asks.
His hard exterior remains, but at least he’s willing to hear my story and not believe I would do his brother or this club any harm.
“He didn’t tell you that either?” I ask in disbelief.
“He did but I want to hear it from you,” King says.
“So, you can see if I’m lying?”
He shrugs and I scoff.
Whatever.
“When I tried to escape, I ran straight into him in the hallway. I begged him to let me go before anyone found Nikita, but he wouldn’t. When he realized something bad happened, he told me to come with him.”
“And you went with a complete stranger?” King asks.
“I didn’t have a choice, King. I was covered in blood, and I needed to escape before anyone found me. It was either do as Logan said or suffer the consequences of my actions. Which one would you have chosen?”
“Do you care for him?” Saint asks.
“I do.” I don’t even have to think about it. We may not have known each other long, but there’s no doubt in my mind I care a great deal about Logan. “Now can you please tell me where he is? Is he alright?”
Both brothers look at one another before focusing on me. “He’s been arrested,” King finally answers and it's like I’ve been punched in the gut.
“For what?” My heart is pounding so loud it reverberates inside my ears.
“Petrov has been sending his men after him,” King says, ignoring my question.
“Because of me?”
“Not just because of you, but because of the fighting too. They sent his enforcer after him.”
“Aleksi,” I mumble. “And they think Logan killed him?”
“You knew him?” Saint asks, but doesn’t answer my question either, which lets me know I have my answer.
