Page 35 of Reaper and Ruin

I hit delete.

Her voice was too high-pitched. There was no way I was going to listen to that for an entire hour.

“Hey, man. I’m looking for someone to fuck my wife while I watch. A guy I know said you do that sorta shit. Hit me up if you’re interested.”

My finger hovered over the delete button, mentally searching for a reason to press it.

But the truth was, I didn’t have one.

Other than the fact the only person I wanted to have sex with while another man watched was Violet.

My fingers shook as my heart screamed to press down on the delete button.

But my brain reminded me I needed to actually pay for this roof over my head and the too-fancy car I had a loan on and couldn’t really afford but needed because it went with the whole schtick. The guy I hired as my driver had been messaging me all week, asking if I had work for him. I felt like an asshole ignoring his messages as well, when I knew he needed my gigs to make ends meet.

I sighed and hit a different button, returning the call of the guy who wanted to watch and setting up a meeting for the next night.

Even before I hung up, guilt swamped me.

I tossed my phone across the room. “Get yourself together, you idiot. It’s a job. And you aren’t in a relationship. They’ll understand.”

But a terrified part of me was sure they wouldn’t.

A knock at the door was a welcome relief. I pulled my head outta my ass and rolled off the couch.

The knocking kept coming, in varying patterns that sounded somewhat familiar.

By the time I opened the door, I wasn’t even surprised that it was X on my steps.

I squinted at him. “Was that ‘Greensleeves’ you were playing on my door?”

X grinned and pushed past me like he owned the joint. “I play it in my van sometimes. Got stuck in my head.”

“You’re so fucking weird.”

“I know. Where’s your hockey stick?”

I blinked, following him through my house while he opened cupboards and rummaged around in them.

“My hockey stick?” I asked.

“Yeah, you know, that thing you whack little black discs around with on the ice? I know you have one ’cause you locked me in the house with it that one time when Violet came over.”

I took a pile of freshly folded towels out of his arms. “It’s not in my linen cupboard, I can tell you that much. It’s out back, I think. Stop touching everything.” I put the towels back on the shelf.

X happily trotted after me as I led the way to the back door.

“What do you want a hockey stick for anyway?” I asked.

“I’m trying out for the team.”

I glanced back over my shoulder at him. “What team?”

“The CHL team.”

I stopped with my hand resting on the lock. “You’re trying out for the Coastal Hockey League team?” I snorted on a laugh. “X, you know they’re one step away from the pro league, don’t you?”

He nodded. “Yep.”