Page 136 of Finders Reapers

I was in Death Valley, almost the other side of Nevada, just chilling in a hotel and waiting for inspiration to hit.

I didn’t know why I felt the need to try and save Maddox from his own stupidity. Even after he had shouted at me and thrown things in my presence like a neanderthal, there was something inside of me that remembered how the guys had welcomed me in their team when I had first died and how they had helped me come to terms with what dying meant. Even if Maddox regretted every second we had spent together, I didn’t. Maddox had helped me confront my father and to say goodbye outside of the restrictions that the universe placed on Reapers and their past lives.

Fletcher and Rome were ignoring me. Jamal as well, even though I had just said goodbye to him.

I palmed my phone and worried my lip between my teeth. I had only one other phone number saved on my phone:Ollie.

When Ollie and I had gone to NYC, he’d taken a picture worthy of vogue for his contact photo, and it took me only a moment to give in and to call him. If anything, Oriax was a Demon, and he could travel the space of the continental US in the blink of an eye.

The phone connected immediately. “Honeybun. You would not believe what happened with that guy from the bar—”

“Ollie,” I interrupted. “Hi, hey. I’m kind of stuck in Death Valley.”

“Oh no,” He cooed appropriately.

I caught the eye of one of the guys behind the reception desk, and I lowered my voice. “I need your help. Do you remember that Maddox and the guys were looking into the contracted souls?”

Ollie hummed. “Send me your location. I hate talking on the phone.”

I hung up and sent him a screenshot of the Google Map location of the hotel.

I sent my phone to sleep and pressed it to my chest, sighing as I closed my eyes.

I had no idea what I expected—but it felt nice that Ollie had my back.

I’d had friends when I was alive. My girls. People I could call if I wanted to moan, cry, or wanted to binge Mean Girls at three in the morning after a depressing meeting with my agent. Girls that I was happy to be there for.

I’d checked on their Instagram feeds a few times, but they’d gone dark since I died. I didn’t have a support network anymore. I had my Grim and Ollie.

Ollie’s unconditional acceptance of my need for help made me feel like I was building my life up again.

Ollie blinked into existence in front of me, close enough to step on my toes. He flung his arms open and hugged me tightly. He smelt like Chanel number five and Olaplex.

I wrapped my arms around his slight waist, accepting his hug. I didn’t even question if the people at the front desk had seen him pop into existence. I didn’t care.

“Ollie,” I whispered. “Thank God.”

“God?” He laughed, fanning himself. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Thank Satan?” I pushed my hair out of my face, laughing nervously.

“We won’t thank him either.” Ollie was smiling, but something was off about his eyes when I mentioned the devil. Then again, every person in the afterlife had that reaction when I asked about the devil and his whereabouts.

“What’s up?” Ollie rocked back on his heels and placed a hand on his hip.

I felt my entire body sag. “Mr. Bub found out that Maddox, Fletcher, Rome, and Jamal are investigating the missing people with soul contracts. They’re being murdered, and their souls are MIA.”

“The files they had in the living room?” Ollie surmised, rubbing his lips together.

“Yeah,” I replied. “I was one of them, but there are more.”

Ollie took a moment. “What happened when Mr. Bub found out that your guys are looking into the contracted souls?Whyare they looking into them?”

My arms flailed helplessly. “Charon told them to.”

Ollie swore. “Internal affairs.”

“Pardon?”