Page 142 of Finders Reapers

“Come on, boys,” Charon said, ushering them into the elevator with the tilt of his chin.

Maddox gave Rome a look that said, ‘see?’

Rome rolled his eyes. “If something bad has happened,” He warned. “I will rip off your neck and shit down your throat.”

Fletcher pushed past, surprising them all as he growled: “You’ll have to get in line.” He pulled out his phone and frowned down at the screen. “She’s not answering.”

“What do we do?” Jamal held his arm out, stopping Maddox from escaping towards the meeting.

“Well—” Maddox snapped.

“No.” Rome barked. “Just no. Valentina comes first here. Charon tasked us with protecting her. We’re going to do that. Whatever mission you think you’re on to find Richard’s killer isn’t important here. Valentina is. You promised Charon that you would follow through with this. Just because you’re pissed that she didn’t admit that Beelzebub was trying to get information from her does not mean that you can abandon her.”

“She’s ours.” Jamal nodded staunchly.

Fletcher held up his phone. “The Reaper App pinged her location to this building.”

Maddox inhaled sharply. “You don’t think Mr. Bub has her?”

“Do you even care?” Rome muttered dryly.

“She will be the death of this Grim.” Maddox rubbed his throat.

Fletcher adjusted his hood, stepping up to Maddox and staring him directly in the eye. Rome couldn’t help but notice that the two men looked like David and Goliath with the height difference. Fletcher cocked his head to the side as he studied the more giant man.

“You like her,” Fletcher said accusingly.

Rome’s brows arched as he considered the youngest of their Grim. “Hm.” The Russian nodded.

Maddox spluttered.

Jamal stepped forward and slapped Maddox on the shoulder. “That’s okay, big guy. She’s grown on us too.”

“Where does the app say she is?” Rome interrupted, getting back to the subject at hand.

Fletcher looked down at his phone again, a stormy frown shadowing his cherubic face. “She’s in wardrobe….”

“With Oriax?” Jamal cocked his head to the side. “Maybe he picked her up at the motel?”

“He’s got apartments in NYC, LA and Paris. Why would he be in the office?” Fletcher replied, brushing his hair out of his face and knocking his hood away to reveal his mussed-up chestnut hair. “This doesn’t make sense.”

“Demons.” Rome shrugged.

“We can’t afford to miss this meeting with Charon.” Maddox gave each of the men a glare.

“You didn’t feel what we felt,” Rome sniffed. “And the fact that we have been standing here arguing instead of trying to find Valentina after that horrid emotion we just felt does not sit right with me.”

All of the guys, save from Maddox, nodded and made their way to the elevator.

Maddox dug his heels in for a second before realizing he was outnumbered and following behind.

Rome took great delight in clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth and tsking at Maddox like he was a child.

The soldier did not take it well, but then again, American’s never did take it well when they were proven wrong.

Maddox POV

Maddox did not like to be played for a fool. Which was how he had felt when he had woken up in Valentina’s arms, warm and content—happy for the first time in a very long time. Only to realize that he had been blinded by her feminine wiles. Blinded. The state of the room should have been apparent the moment that he had walked into their shared motel room.