Page 39 of Reaper

“Baby girl, I’m not going to hurt you. Can you come out here for me?”

She sucks in a breath as she tries to stop a sob. It’s almost as if she’s afraid to make a single noise.

I don’t want to scare her, but I need her out too. So I do the only thing I know how to do.

“Natalie, get your ass out here now.” I try to keep my tone dominant but not cruel.

She freezes. Then she blinks twice before she whispers, “Harrison?”

“Yes, baby. It’s me. Come on out,” I tell her in a softer tone as I squat down to her level.

I don’t expect her to come flying at me. One second she’s on the floor, the next, she’s in my arms, my own body falling back onto the floor. She buries her face in my neck as she sobs.

“Shhh. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

She lets me hold her, my hands caressing her hair. When Wrath shows up at my door, skidding to a halt, I shake my head.

I fight back the urge to kick his ass. If only he would have listened earlier then this wouldn’t have happened. I asked him to keep things low-key in the hall so she wouldn’t be scared, and yet he picked a fucking fight right outside of my room.

I know I gave him an order, but there is a time and place and that wasn’t it.

“Call off the search. Then close and lock my door. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nods, following my orders.

After he leaves, I maneuver us until my back is against the bed. The floor is hard on my ass, but I don’t care.

I don’t know how long we sit there, her quietly crying into my neck, but I don’t move. I whisper reassuring words until I feel her grow lax in my arms.

Then I stand and tuck her into bed.

When I go to leave, she reaches out for me. “Please don’t leave me alone.”

I nod before kicking off my shoes. I change from jeans to sweats and then I climb into bed behind her. She immediately turns until her face is buried in my chest.

“I’m going to kill him for what he’s done to you,” I tell her.

“You promise?” I feel her words against my skin.

“I fucking promise.”

She falls asleep shortly after that, but I can’t.

The rage is building up inside me. The knowledge that someone would do something so horrific to someone as beautiful and sweet as the woman in my arms is enough to have me wanting to hunt the fucker down and torture him until he begs for mercy.

Natalie whimpers in her sleep, making me pull her closer.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper, dropping a kiss on her head.

She settles after that.

I shouldn’t want Natalie as much as I do, but this solidifies it.

I’ll do anything to keep this girl by my side.

* * *

I’m a mess.

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