Page 33 of Reaper Released

“After speaking to you last night, something felt off, so I woke Ares. He called Scar, and she told him some story about you killing a guy, and then I had to see you were okay.”

I tap the bed at the side of me. “Come here.”

Shutting the door, he stalks into the room, sliding onto the bed.

“Get in. We need to talk.”

Huffing out a breath, he turns and faces me, looking into my eyes. It’s like he can see into my soul. Like he knows what I need before I do.

He reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “So… you killed a guy, huh?”

“I did.”

“You okay?”

“Not my first, and I'm certain it won't be my last. I’m good. Get in. I’ll tell you what went down, well, as much as I can. Some bits I promised to keep private.”

He nods and strips down to his boxers.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting in.”

“Why did you get undressed?”

“Who gets in bed fully clothed, Ray?”

“Fair point.” Taking a breath, I explain everything except Tali’s secrets, and then, gazing at me like I’m the sun and he’s the moon, he leans in and kisses me.

“I can’t promise you forever, Steel.”

“What?”

“I don’t know how to do that. I’m just coming to terms with Reaper and me being one.” I point between us. “I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to do us. All I know is that at the moment, I don’t wanna be without you. I want to see what it looks like to be with you. I want to see where this goes, but I can’t promise you forever. That I can’t do.

“I know you want me to choose you forever, but I can’t decide that after a few weeks. It’s too much. I’ve never done relationships properly. It’s all too much.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” I breathe out.

“Yeah, okay.”

“Steel, what does that mean?”

“It means as long as you’re willing to commit to me and only me, and try, I’m willing to try too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really, Ray. Let’s just take it steady, okay, and see what happens.”

Nodding and snuggling into him, I feel the tightness in my chest ease. I feel the warmth from him seep in, and I feel like this can really be something. I feel the part of me that’s Reaper that I normally keep separate almost purr. He quietens that side of me, too.

I fall asleep again. When I wake, it’s to knocking on the balcony door. Stalking over to it, I see Tali outside, shuffling her feet.

“Hey, kiddo, what’s up?”

“Erm, I can't find my mother. She's not in her room. I looked where she would normally be, but she’s not there.”

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