Page 53 of Reaper and Ruin

“Plus, I already added you as my emergency contact. So now you’re trapped.”

That got a real laugh, small and hoarse, but real.

Whip shook his head, the hint of a smile still curling his lips. “You’re a lunatic.”

I grinned, reached out, and gently shoved him sideways. “Get under the covers before you collapse and die. I don’t want to have to explain to Levi how I had to bury you in Mrs. Sinterro’s turnip patch while they were sleeping. He gets all growly and weird about your well-being. It’s honestly adorable.”

“Goodnight, X.”

I tugged the blanket over him. “Goodnight, future husband.”

His eyes flew open. “I swear to God—”

I sniggered, enjoying the pure panic on his face. I didn’t have any sexual attraction to Whip or Levi. I was a one-Violet man and always would be.

But it was fun to mess with them.

“Shh.” I stroked my hand down his cheek. “Rest your pretty face. You’re safe here.” I switched off the bedside lamp, letting the dark peace settle over us.

I didn’t sleep, not that there was room for me in the bed, even if I’d wanted to, but I didn’t leave for the couch either. I listened. Counted their breaths.

And when I was sure they were all out, I whispered into the stillness, “I love you guys. But if you shit yourselves in my bed, I will end you.”

17

VIOLET

Somewhere in the middle of a vomit-induced sickness dream, I started thinking about the warehouse of horrors. When I woke with morning sunlight streaming through the windows, and Levi and Whip tangled around me in X’s bedroom, the warehouse was still on my mind.

For a long moment, I didn’t move. Just stared at the ceiling, playing over every detail of the night Toby died.

But so much of it was a blur. So much of it was dark shadows and fuzzy corners. I knew my brain was trying to protect me from reliving the entire thing out in full, vivid color. I didn’t want to see Dickson climbing through that window, only for his lifeless body to fall at my feet. I didn’t want to relive that sickening, robotic death countdown, or the way Toby had plunged that knife into his own neck to save me.

Maybe it was the funeral that had forced my brain to let down some of the walls that had been keeping me safe for weeks.

Maybe it was the food poisoning.

But all I knew was I wanted to go back.

Hadto go back.

“Omelet? Are you awake? Are you contemplating all the ways you could kill me?”

I jumped at X’s voice and twisted, peering over Whip to see X on the floor beside him, surrounded by empty bottles of water, vomit buckets, and towels.

He looked about as wiped-out as I felt, curled up on the floor with no pillow and a towel as a blanket.

“Did you sleep on the floor?”

He sat up and stretched, something in his back cracking audibly. “Not sure I’d call it sleeping. I need new carpet if we’re going to make a habit out of staying here. Something way fluffier and preferably with a higher thread count.” His gaze flickered over my face. “You seem better. Less… Casper the Friendly Ghost.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Thanks. I think. Good to know vomit-pale isn’t my color.”

“You feel better though?”

I did a mental sweep of my body and realized I did. “I’m tired but I actually feel quite well. Like all that vomiting detoxed my body or something.”

X perked up at that. “So I helped!”