Page 41 of Reaper
Sensing there’s no room for compromise, I take small bites of chicken and noodles and sips of broth.
“This is really good.”
“Thanks. It was my mom’s recipe. It’s the one thing I know how to cook well.”
“Do you see her often? Your mom, I mean.”
He shakes his head. “She died years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What about yours?”
“My mom died right after high school graduation, and my dad remarried pretty quickly. We don’t really talk anymore.”
“Oh.”
Silence ensues, but it isn’t awkward. It’s comfortable and… right.
When my bowl is empty, I slide it across the table. “Okay, now talk,” I order, although still feeling a little under the weather, the command doesn’t sound much like a command.
Reaper goes and retrieves the box from the counter and puts it on the table in front of me. I peak inside and gasp.
“Who would send that to you?”
The sightless eyes of a dead crow stare up at me. The bird is resting on a piece of butcher block with a large knife holding it in place.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Has anything happened since that day at the diner that you were attacked?”
“No, nothing.”
“No texts or calls, no threats of any kind?”
I lift my eyes to him and frown. “Reaper, nothing has happened. Anyway, you’ve been around since then. I’d have told you, I promise.”
“Okay,” he says as I fail at stifling a yawn. “Shit, I’m sorry, Kyra. You don’t need this right now. Go back to bed and get some more rest, and we’ll figure this out later.”
“No, no, I’m okay.” I yawn again, suddenly unable to stop. “We can talk now.”
Reaper bends to pick me up and carry me to bed. After tucking me in, he leans over, kissing me on the forehead.
“Sleep, babe. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
22
Reaper
“Why is Mommy so tired?”
I follow behind Heidi and Hunter as they go to their room to get ready for bed. As soon as Demo brought them home, they wanted to see Kyra, but I managed to keep them occupied so she could get her rest. Clearly, if she’s sleeping so much, she needs it.
“Mommy isn’t feeling good, buddy,” I explain to Hunter. “She’ll be fine, but she needs her sleep.”
“But she reads to us when we go to bed,” Heidi says.
“Would it be okay if I read to you guys tonight?”
