Page 70 of Reaper

“I brought you beer.”

Amusement passes his face.

“That you did. Join us.” He takes two beers from me, handing one to the man across from him.

I sit next to him, making sure not to touch him, then hold the beer between my hands. I feel awkward.

“This is Midnight. We were just discussing my next piece.”

I look to the man. I can see why he might be called Midnight. His hair is as dark as his eyes. I remember Jacob mentioning him in passing when he was filling me in on everyone.

“Piece of what?”

Wrath lets his arm rest on the back of the couch behind me. I could have sat further away, but having him close makes me feel better. Since he has been training me, I feel like we’ve become friends. He no longer scares me like the others do.

“I’m a tattoo artist. Wrath loves letting me paint his body.”

Wrath groans. “I really wish you’d stop saying it that way. You already have half the guys in the club thinking I’m into guys.” He looks at me quickly. “Not that I have a problem with guys liking guys, but I am firmly in the pussy category.”

“Um, thanks for the clarification?”

He nods once.

Midnight draws my attention back to him. “Do you have any tattoos?”

I shake my head. William would never let me mark my body in that way.

“Would you like one? I’d do your first one for free.”

Wrath leans forward, kicking the man in the shin. “You do all of ours for free, asshole.”

He shrugs. “True. So what do you say?”

I think about it for a moment. “I’m not sure. What would I even get?”

Midnight ponders the question, but Wrath speaks up instead.

“You choose something that means something to you. It needs to be special or tell a story. Something deeply personal.”

“Are all of yours personal?” I ask, looking over his skin.

He has his shirt on so all I can see are the ones on his arms, but I take in the clock face that looks like it’s melting. The blood splattered across a white flower.

“Every single mark on my body tells my story,” he admits.

“Huh,” I manage to say, thinking about what he said.

I want to ask him what his story is, but I see the same haunting pain behind his eyes that I know is reflected in mine.

Maybe this is why we’ve connected the way we have.

“I’ll think about it,” I promise him before turning to Midnight. “Raincheck?”

Midnight nods. “I’m going to go check in with Honks. He said he wanted to get another tat yesterday.”

Wrath nods too, letting the man go.

Once he’s gone, Wrath and I sit in silence. He keeps his arm behind me but not touching me. I’m not sure if he’s staying silent for me or if this is just who he is.

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