Page 51 of Reaper and Ruin

But X shook his head. “It’s not that.” Then he glanced at me and added. “Though it was extremely good. Top notch. Can’t remember my own name sort of blow job. Do they haveaGuinness Book of World Recordsfor sexual acts? If so, I’m submitting that one.”

I squinted at him, just waiting for his verbal diarrhea to run out.

He eventually sighed. “I have a slight confession to make.” He looked between all three of us guiltily. “And I don’t think any of you are going to like it.”

15

WHIP

The bathroom floor and I were becoming fast friends. I groaned as a bout of crippling stomach pain had me crawling for the toilet. I puked up another round of misery and regret, and then slumped against the bathroom sink, avoiding the tangle of Levi’s arms and legs, sprawled out on the other side of the drain.

Violet flapped a limp, sympathetic hand in my direction from where she was curled up in the fetal position in the bathtub.

X peeked his head into the bathroom. “How’s everyone feeling?”

I groped around the sink above my head, finding a bar of soap. I hurled it at his head. “I can’t believe you fed us out-of-date oysters just to keep me home!”

“I only did it because I love you!”

I searched for another missile to pitch at his head but came up empty-handed, and the effort had me drained. “This isn’t love. It’s premeditated intestinal manslaughter.”

“It’s just a little food poisoning, guys. Come on. Don’t be babies.”

Levi lifted his head from the floor weakly and glared at him. “This isn’t food poisoning. It’s chemical warfare. You should be on a fucking watchlist!”

X shrugged. “I probably am. But I swear, I never meant for you or Violet to get sick.”

I flipped him the bird. “So glad you only intended to kill me.”

“Not kill! Just…maim? I didn’t want Violet to be sad that you were going off to have sex with other people!”

Violet glared at him from her makeshift bed in the bathtub. “Nuh-uh, don’t bring me into this.” Sweat broke out on her forehead. “Oh God, I’m going to be sick again. X, get me that bucket.”

X gagged but passed it to her.

She snatched it from his grip and buried her face in it, hurling up the contents of her stomach again.

X held her hair back, but sweat dotted his forehead. “Don’t throw up, Knox. Do not throw up,” he chanted to himself.

I glared at him. “How’s that aversion to vomit working out for you right now, X?”

He smiled weakly at me, his complexion green. “Not great, thanks for asking.”

He dry heaved again above Violet’s head, but the death look I sent his way had him trying to cover it with a cough.

I was truly going to kill him this time.

Just as soon as I threw up again.

The time ticked by, filled with the moans and groans of the three of us who had been gastrointestinally betrayed, and eventually I had X bring me my phone. I glared at him as I stabbed out a message from the floor tiles, telling my client the threesome he wanted to have with me and his woman wasn’t going to happen tonight.

I didn’t tell him why.

16

X

Whip looked worse than either of the other two. I’d gotten them all tucked into my bed, Levi with his arms slung possessively around Violet like she was a stuffed toy. Violet, dead to the world, her lips parted in sleep, had a small smudge of dried vomit still clinging to her hairline. I didn’t have the heart to wake her to clean it.