Page 42 of My Shining Stepbrother

I hesitate, but I need to know if she is here and safe. If I have to, I will get us out of whatever he leads me to.

He leads me down the hall to the stairs and into the basement. There on the floor is my Goddess. She has her knees to her chest with her head dropped down. She looks like she has been broken. I run to her and wrap my arms around her, kissing her temple softly with my shaking lips.

“Reese?” She turns her head to look at me with tear-filled eyes.

“I’m here, baby.” I whisper into her hair. “I'm always here.” I kiss her head repeatedly and feel her shaking body against mine.

I hold her tighter in my arms before lifting her into my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes me tight.

“Don’t let go, please.” She looks into my eyes, and all I see are the swirling gray clouds of hurt in hers.

“Never, baby, I will never let go. I love you so goddamn much.” Her eyes show happiness, causing me to give her a small smile.

“I love you too.” I swipe the stray strands of hair out of her face and notice dry blood.

She quickly grabbed my hands, making me assume my anger was being portrayed on my face. I breathe out heavily as my eyes flick to the man in the doorway. He fucking hurt her, my Rose.

Her hands squeeze mine tighter as she brings my focus back to her. “I'm fine, Reese.” She attempts to smile at me, but it doesn’t quite show she is okay.

“What happened, baby?” I pull her closer as I examine the cut underneath the blood.

“I’m not sure. He wouldn’t tell me until you got here.” She nods her head in the direction of the door.

“Who is he, Rose?” I don't break our eye contact as I ask.

“Reese, this is my… father….” As she says it, I see the sad look in her eyes, only proving what I already assumed.

“Again, it’s nice to meet you. The Hidden.” I snap my head towards him with my blood now boiling. Nobody knows who I am other than those I trust.

“How the fuck would you know that?!” I yell across the room towards him.

“I do my research, boy! Especially if someone is with my bean!” He tries to square his shoulders, but I have no fear for him. Not when I know who the man he is.

“You walked out on her!” I try to let go of Rose to stand, but she only holds me tighter keeping me close to her.

“He had his reasons that I just learned of myself. I guess running out of fear is in my family.” She tries to change the mood, but it isn't easy.

“Are you trusting him, Rose? I’m following your gut with him.” I finally looked away from him and back to her.

“He isn’t going to hurt us. He doesn’t hurt people.” Is this her speaking as the person he is now or the person he was?

“He is the damn exterminator, Rose. He is known for killing people.” I point out the facts about the room and our surroundings.

“He doesn’t kill them. He gets them new identities and helps them disappear, Reese.” Why is he known for being a notorious killer, then? I have so many questions but I feel like I have no time to ask them.

“Mr. Morgan, is that true?” I look in his direction, trying to read him.

“Call me Rick.” He states as he finally takes a step forward.

“So that’s why you accepted Rose’s hit?” I start to relax my body.

“I couldn’t let anybody else get it in case you guys turned it down.” He rests his shoulders as the tension slowly releases from the room.

“I respect that. Thank you for keeping her safe, but what happened to her head?” I point to the now bruised spot on her forehead.

“Yeah, I would like to know that too. If you knocked me out, I would like you to tell me.” Just the thought of him knocking her out has me getting pissed off all over again.

“I didn’t knock you out. I was in the house, which scared you, and you slipped. You fell and hit your head on the table in your hallway.” She shakes her head, but I don't think he is lying.

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