Page 177 of Reaper's Claim

“How dare you.” I shook my head, full of rage. “I love him. Sending him away isn’t going to change that.”

“No,” he arched his eyebrows. “I can fucking promise you that it will change him. You will be the last thing on his mind when he returns. He’ll be back and searching only for the bottle like he always does.”

“You’re a monster.” I saw my father in a completely different light.

“I’m a fucking president, and he is under my fucking control. MY CONTROL! And I can fucking promise you that I will never let you be with one of my men.”

“I hate you,” I spoke with such force and when his hand whipped across my face, causing blood to spill in my mouth, I didn’t even care.

Instead, I turned my head to look back at him.

“Don’t you ever fucking say that.” His eyes bulged as he pointed a finger at me harshly.

“You can’t control my life, and I promise you now that what I do next is on you. You caused it.” Tears of pain stung my eyes and I whipped around, strolling out of his room, slamming the door behind me.

He could have his club.

He could have his whores.

But from now on, he didn’t have me.

***

We all make mistakes we can’t come back from. There was an unspoken rule that bonded each man to the club. Some would call it a duty. I would call it blind faith in something that was only ever going to offer them a short life and a bloody death.

Still.

I understood it.

Could understand it.

Till today.

Today my faith in this club and what it really stood for was shaken.

I brought a closed fist to Kim’s door and knocked.

“Fuck, you look like shit,” she said after opening the door and letting me in.

“Thanks.” I sank down on the edge of her bed.

“What happened?” She crossed her arms, looking at me with worry.

I dragged my eyes off the carpet and met her curious eyes. “Reaper left.”

Her eyes softened. “I didn’t see that coming.”

“Dad sent him.”

Her mouth dropped open in understanding. “I’m sorry, Abby.”

It didn’t matter, my heart was broken. Nothing could heal it. The man I loved was miles away now, and he wasn’t turning around.

He was gone.

“This shit with the Hellbound, is it for real?” I asked her.

She sighed, nodding her head, and sat beside me. “I wanted you to come around on it, but I didn’t want it to be like this.”