Page 17 of Reaper

She gives me a sad smile before looking away. “I’ll tell you everything I know. I have no loyalty to that man. If he ever catches me, I know he will kill me without a thought. What do you want to know?”

“How long has he been here?”

Her voice shakes. “I met him a year ago. He came into the restaurant I was working at and pursued me. He told me he was into investment banking and had recently moved here to start a new firm.” She pauses, frowning. “I have no clue if that’s the truth, but that’s what he said, and I believed him.”

I consider her words. It would make sense that he hasn’t been here that long. He’s been careful not to cross my radar. Most likely because he knows I will kill him.

“Good. That’s very helpful. I know you said before he spoke about me. What did he say?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her fidget, rubbing her fingertips along her palm. As uncomfortable as she is she keeps talking.

“He never talked to me about you. It was more of what he didn’t say. Sometimes he would take calls and I would hear him say your name. He would talk about shipments and men, but sometimes he would say your name and tell whoever was on the other end of the phone to be careful. That you were dangerous and would kill him if you ever found out what they were doing. Other times he would simply curse while saying your name. I got the vibe that he didn’t like you, but more than that, that he’s scared of you.” She smiles weakly.

“As he should be.”

She lifts her chin. “So after he left tonight, I knew I had one chance to get away, and you were my only option.”

I nod. “He led you straight to me. I shouldn’t tell you this, but I think you deserve to know. I am going to kill him. You signed his death certificate tonight once you crossed through those gates. He will never be able to hurt you again.”

Her eyes well up with tears. “I know that should freak me out, but it doesn’t. Thank you.”

I nod before standing. Going into my bathroom, I grab my stash of pain pills. Grabbing one, I fill the glass next to the sink with water before going back to her. I hand the medicine to her, watching as she takes it without question. Setting the glass on the nightstand, I move her around until I have her settled into my bed with the blankets covering her.

“Go to sleep now. I’ll wake you every couple of hours.” I brush a piece of hair from her face.

She doesn’t flinch from my touch but freezes, and I hate it.

“Where will you sleep?” she whispers as her brows furrow.

I grab the chair next to my desk, turning it around before settling in it.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m going to take care of this for you. Now rest.”

She nods slowly before closing her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she whispers, “What am I supposed to call you? Reaper? Kingston?”

I consider her words a moment before I speak just as softly, “Harrison. You can call me Harrison.”

She hums but otherwise stays silent.

It takes several minutes, but when I watch her body relax into the mattress, I find a little comfort.

She was living with a monster. A man who hurt her every single day. So she did the only thing she could think of. When facing a monster, the best way to defeat one is with a monster of your own.

She didn’t realize what coming here would do, but it’s in motion now.

William will die by my hand.

I will never let him hurt her or anyone else again.

* * *

Waking up in a strange bed is a weird feeling. Immediately, my heart starts to race while my mind tries to work through what is going on.

For the past year, I haven’t done anything without William’s approval. So to not be home in his bed where I have been for far too long has my nerves going haywire.

I take a few minutes to calm my breathing before I sit up and look around.

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