Page 15 of Reaper
“Boyfriend or husband?”
I don’t try to hide the anger in my voice. It’s unforgivable for anyone who calls themselves a man to knowingly put a woman in that position.
She shakes her head, then looks at me. “My brother. Well, he’s my half-brother, like that even matters.”
My nostrils flare. You’ve got to be a real piece of shit to sell out your own blood to someone like the Petrovs. How can you give your family to notorious criminals like it’s nothing? If her brother had been anywhere near me right now, I’d kill him. If he deals with the Petrovs, he knows exactly the kind of people they are and what they do to women. He doesn’t care if she experiences the same fate.
Piece of shit.
“And how old are you?”
Her youthful face is barely touched by wrinkles, which suggests she’s somewhere in her early twenties. But it’s difficult to tell these days.
“Twenty-five.”
She’s older than I thought.
“Can you tell me your name?” she asks.
“Everyone knows me as Reaper.”
“You’re the guy with the tattoo?” Her eyes go wide like saucers. “I didn’t recognize you. Nikita hates you so much. He used to rant about you after fights.”
That makes me smile. I hate him, too. He’s a bitch, who thinks he can do and say whatever he wants because of who his father is. Not because of anything he’s done.
“I’m glad to hear it.” A ghost of a smile graces my lips. “I hate that motherfucker, too.”
Now she smiles, and it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in a long time. The kind of smile that brings light into my darkness and one I wouldn’t mind seeing every day.
“Me too.” She sighs and her smile slips off her face. “He’s so fucking awful.”
A faraway gaze settles in her eyes, and I can only imagine where her thoughts have taken her. But if I have anything to say about it, she won’t have anything to fear from the Bratva anymore.
“What happens now?” Her watery gaze almost leaves me paralyzed. “They’re going to kill me if they find me.”
What happens now? That’s the other question, and I have no fucking clue how to answer it or where this goes from here. There’s no way we can go to the cops. She’ll end up dead while in police custody. It’s not going to matter if she killed him in self-defense. Nobody knows the reach of the Bratva. But if the Sinners have people on the police’s payroll, so do the Russians. Going there will be a death sentence.
This is a delicate situation. There’s no way I can keep the Sinners out of this. Anyone who came to watch the fights that night, knows I’ve been there. Nikita’s immediate circle alsoknows Nikita and I exchanged words right before his attack. Then, I disappeared without fighting, along with his woman. I’m linked to his attack even if I don’t have anything to do with it.
I stand, looking at her. Shit’s getting ready to hit the fan. Hopefully she’s ready for the consequences of her actions. And hopefully I’m prepared for the consequences of mine.
“What happens now is we sleep.”
“What’s your real name, Reaper?” she asks. After a few minutes of silence, she gives me a small smile. “You don’t have to tell me. It’s okay.”
Her voice is so soft I barely make out the words, but the sounds moves through me like a bolt of lightning.
“Logan.”
It takes me only a minute to respond. Not because I don’t want her to know my name, but Reaper’s more impersonal. And when all this shit is over, it will be easier for us to go our separate ways. Trauma can bond people together if they aren’t careful, and I don’t think it will be a good idea for either of us if we form any type of connection.
“Thank you, Logan.”
I give her a curt nod, before disappearing into the master ensuite to gather her bloody clothes. Her eyes watch my every move with curiosity, not fear. She’s not scared of me. Although she should be. I’m not a bastard like Nikita but I’m not a good man either.
“You can sleep in here tonight.”
Gazing at her one last time, all kinds of thoughts swirled in my mind. How the hell do I protect her, and why the hell do I even want to. When I walk out of my bedroom, I’m even more determined to figure this shit out. Right now, all we can do is prepare for the shitstorm that’s coming for both of us.
