Page 140 of Finders Reapers

It felt like I was coming undone. Stretching limbs I didn’t know existed.

A scream ripped from my throat, clawing out like a rabid animal.

Ollie’s wide and fearful eyes were the last thing I saw, and reflected back in his pupils was the monstrous face of a drude.

Chapter 18

Rome POV

Rome stood at the front desk at Quietus, and for the first time in over twenty-five years, he noticed that Sasha was not behind it.

If the others had any suspicions about Sasha and Rome’s interactions, they had never shown it before—but Rome saw the moment that Jamal caught his frown and misinterpreted it as something else.

Jamal sidestepped Maddox, who was pacing like a mad man and sauntered right up to Rome with that cocky swagger of his that could only belong to someone fromAngliya,also known as England.

Rome’s boredom at the idea of a confrontation pounded into his like a blacksmith's hammer. “Yes, Jamal?” He drawled.

Jamal flashed his pearly white teeth, but the grin belonged to a shark. “Sasha, huh? That’s been going on a while. Is there any reason why she isn’t behind the desk today?”

Rome grunted but said nothing. The guys didn’t need to know what he had filed a harassment report with HR. He hadn’t even told Valentina.

“What does Valentina think about Sasha?” Jamal continued, rocking on his heels with both hands in his pockets. His tone was lofty, as if they were talking about the weather.

“Spit out what you are saying,” Rome said. “I dislike all of this ‘foot and cat.’”

“Foot and cat?” Jamal repeated.

Fletcher looked up from where he had climbed the front desk, his hand deep inside the fish bowl full of peppermint candies. “He means pussy-footing.” Fletcher informed Jamal before going back to digging for candy.

“You speak Russian now?” Jamal rolled his eyes.

“No.” Fletcher held up a piece of candy and studied it before he began to unwrap it. “He’s fucking with you.”

Jamal slanted a glance at Rome.

Rome shrugged. He couldn’t help it. Jamal deserved it.

“Sasha and I are nothing,” Rome stated plainly, hating that he even had to divulge that much information.

“Get Charon down here this instant!” Maddox’s shout filled the lobby.“I don’t care if he’s in a meeting!”

The others ignored him.

“I heard you and Valentina the other night.” Jamal’s eyes flashed, and Rome was surprised to see that he held no jealousy in his gaze. “You need to make sure that she is the only one. The Grim is connected. We are connected. If you fuck her around, we are going to be dealing with an eternity of heartbreak, not to mention Charon will break out necks.”

“And here I was thinking that you cared about Valentina beyond your own selfish desires.” Rome studied his hand in a disinterested fashion. “Why start something with her at all if you worry that it will hurt the Grim if you cannot meet her expectations as a lover?”

The dig landed, and Rome was pleased to finally see a spark of anger in Jamal’s eyes.

“We’re aren’t talking about me.” Jamal’s nostrils flared.

Rome reached into his pocket for a packet of cigarettes, only to find the box empty. He crushed it in his hand. “For years, Sasha has blackmailed me. Valentina is the reason that Sasha is not here today. I am thankful to her, but I do not owe her. I like Valentina.”

Jamal eyed Rome for a moment. “And this doesn’t have anything to do with your obsession with her YouTube channel?” Jamal sounded dubious.

Rome shrugged. “It was not an obsession, more like interest. I do not know why.” Rome absently scratched his pectoral muscle as he felt a rush of unfamiliar emotions enter his bloodstream—like standing up after one too many drinks.

Whatever emotions he felt weren’t his.