Page 134 of Finders Reapers

I knew I didn’t deserve his trust, not after keeping such a large secret, but I deserved my truth. He wouldn’t even let me finish explaining what Mr. Bub had said to me and how I’d been able to push him off me with just a scream.

None of that mattered anymore.

I was declaring all their shit redundant. It wasn’t my business anymore.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I opened the door, and I forced myself not to look back.

When the dam broke, and I began to cry, I did it silently as I walked away.

I couldn’t even blame him, really. I had kept quiet the whole time I had been with them all.

I went to the lobby and tried to get another room, just for the rest of the night. I had no desire to travel through the desert in the dark, even though I wanted to be as far away from Maddox as possible.

The other guys hadn’t even passed through my mind beyond the angry belief that they felt the same way as Maddox—and that they wanted me gone.

There were no rooms left.

I found one of the couches in the reception and sat with my head in my hands for what felt like hours.

“Valentina!”

I was startled by the sound of someone shouting my name. I looked up through scratchy eyes and found Jamal crossing the lobby with a mission nipping at his heels.

I wrapped my arms around my middle. I turned at the waist, unwilling to talk or even look at him.

Jamal stopped in front of me, his worry painted on his face enough to wash any other emotion away. “Valentina.” He repeated sternly.

“What?” I barked back.

Jamal frowned. “What the hell is going on with Maddox?”

I shrugged.

Jamal’s frown deepened. “He’s a second away from storming the Barren Castle of Gluttony and pulling Mr. Bub from his bed for a beating. What happened? What’s going on?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” I spat.

Jamal shook his head, eying me as if I had lost my mind. “Did you have a fight?”

I wanted to shout, to scream, and to stamp my feet and spit a dozen insults about Maddox right in Jamal’s face—but I couldn’t. Jamal had shown me nothing but kindness since I had woken up in this world. He had held me, been inside of me, and he had been there for me in a way that felt like a tattoo. Something that wouldn’t easily rub away.

It hurt to speak. The words dragged up my gullet and left claw marks on the edges. “Mr. Bub came to visit me. A few times, when I was alone. He wanted to know about the investigation. He offered me stuff—like a one-way ticket to heaven. A place on his court. Money.”

Jamal waved his hand as if it hadn’t even entered his mind that I would accept an offer like that.

I continued. “I said no. Each time I said no, but he kept coming back. He wanted to know what Charon was up to. Jamal, I don’t think Mr. Bub is behind this. He thinks that Charon is collecting the contracted souls to unbalance the power between circles or something. I didn’t really understand when he was explaining.”

Jamal frowned as he considered my words. “You don’t think Mr. Bub is behind the mass murder of contracted souls?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “But the strangest thing happened. Mr. Bub tried to attack me, and I could push him away. I don’t know how I did it, but I did it.”

Jamal’s mouth popped into an O. “That’s huge.”

I nodded vehemently.

“Maddox is pissed.” Jamal nodded.

I exhaled. “Yeah. He wouldn’t let me speak. Or explain. He was so angry. He scared me.”