Page 142 of Reaper's Claim

Reaper disappeared, literally. Dad had sent him out on a run. Not seeing him was worse than not seeing him at all. Call it stupid, but I thought we would just make up and things would go back to semi-normal, but that can’t happen when he wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“So you ready for university?” Kim poked her head in my room. “Your suspension ends today, right?”

“Yeah, it does.” I finished applying my makeup and turned to face her. “But I’m not going back just yet.”

She frowned, “Why?”

Because university sucked.

“I made plans for today.”

She crossed her arms. “Abby, do I have to give you another lecture about hanging out with him?”

“Brad is fine. It isn’t a big deal.”

“Where you two planning on going?”

“Picking up a motor in Linton. See, told you it was nothing serious. We’re just hanging out, friends. I promise that is it.”

“I’m your twin, dipshit. I can tell when you’re lying,” she scoffed and stepped into my room, closing the door behind her. Just what I didn’t want, her poking her large nose into my business. What I did in my free time has nothing to do with her.

She really needs to back off.

“Making Reaper jealous is just going to cause drama. Do I have to tell you this again?”

“How can I be making him jealous when he isn’t even here? Brad is a good guy.”

“Not one man here is a good guy Abby.” She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “You are just stirring the pot and when Reaper comes back, what do you think is going to happen when he finds out that you are making a move on one of his brothers?”

“Well, seeing I have no plans of ever telling him, I wouldn’t know.”

“Childish.”

“Worrywart.”

“Fine, go then, but don’t come crying to me when this backfires in your face.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” I said just before she slammed my door close.

Brad and I had been hanging out a lot lately because he was the only one around. That and he is funny, like he comes off as a bad type of guy but has a good heart. I wasn’t stupid. I knew he was dangerous, but if I could handle the Reaper as a lover, I’m pretty sure I can handle a badass as a friend.

This had nothing to do with Reaper; at least, that was what I was telling myself.

***

“No, I am telling you that guy was scared shitless.” I laughed across at Brad as he drove the van.

“Got the price down, that is all that matters.” Brad shrugged off his scary behavior from before.

I couldn’t believe he had the ability to turn that on and off so quickly. To be honest, when he was arguing the price with the salesman, I was slightly scared of him for a minute.

“God, I hope you never do that to me.” I exhaled sharply and crossed my legs.

He took his eyes off the road for a minute to look at me. “I’d never do that to you.”

“Why, because I’m Roach’s daughter?” I joked.

“No, because you’re you. I would never treat you like that.”