Page 137 of Reaper's Claim

“If you punch him-”

“I’m not punching up your pretty boy. I’m fucking telling him straight what being with you means, then we can see what he decides.”

They were going to talk.

Talk.

I don’t know how I felt about that.

Chapter 58

Abby

“YOU!” Reaper came at me, pointing a finger. Taking in his red cheeks and narrowed eyes, I knew what had happened.

I slipped off the stool.

“Don’t you fucking dare run away.” His furious voice followed me.

He didn’t even seem to care that the bar and dining room was full; meaning we had every pair of eye on us.

I had managed to scramble up the hallway away from their ears just in time when Reaper’s hand gripped my upper arm, pulling me to a stop.

“Got something to tell me?” he grunted.

I had run through how this was going to turn out a few times and each time it didn’t end well, and so far Reaper’s reaction was leaning me towards that becoming a reality.

“About that,” I said overly sweetly.

His eyebrows shot up. “Don’t fucking downplay it, Abby. I nearly didn’t leave that boardroom with my head attached.”

“Oh, don’t be a drama queen. I highly doubt Dad was swinging an ax in there.”

“You know what I fucking mean.”

“Stop cursing.” I crossed my arms and huffed. “I thought you would be relieved that you didn’t have to pull the trigger on the problem.”

“Pull the trigger? Pull the fucking trigger! That is exactly what you did, but you pointed that gun in my face.”

“Fine then. What did Dad threaten? Come on, spit it out, what has you running so scared?”

If he couldn’t handle Dad, then there was no way we would ever work, and I was beginning to think maybe I was just fun to him and he didn’t want serious.

“I’m not running.”

“Fine. What has you so...” I gestured a hand at him, not even knowing how to explain his reaction, “overreacting.”

He glanced up the hall then back at me before running a hand through his hair. He grabbed my hand, letting go of my arm, and pulled me along the hall till we reached his room and he opened the door for me. One would think he was a gentleman; if only he wasn’t dragging me in behind him.

“Kade, would you just tell me what Dad said?” I huffed, closing the door after us. “If you are having second thoughts about being serious, you should have told me earlier.”

“I told you that I would handle it,” he said. “I told you that.”

“Yes, and I was more than happy for that to happen until Dad dragged me into his boardroom and made me explain what was going on.”

“He gave it to me; then he backed off.” Kade collapsed on the edge of the bed. “He told me that your safety was in my hands now. He basically handed me you.”

I shifted awkwardly from foot to foot in front of him. Wasn’t that a good thing? Or was it not? Then it hit me; no, it smashed into me hard. What if Reaper didn’t want me? What if it was the chase he wanted and now… well, now he caught me.