Page 42 of Reaper's Claim

Maybe I was getting bitter. Maybe I was more of a bitch. But then again, maybe I was just growing up.

I started stuffing my belongings back into the bag.Why does this bag have so much shit in it?Honestly, I had only picked it up out of the back of the closet because it matched my outfit. I didn’t sort through it at the time, just stuffed in my purse and phone.

I nearly had everything back inside the coffin bag when I picked up the last thing. It was a crumpled, folded piece of paper.

I opened it up, expecting one of my old drawings.

‘Abby, be back soon. Gone to sort some shit, don’t leave. Kade.’

I read it. I read it again. Then I read that same sentence for the third time, frowning and confused.

Why did I have a note from Reaper? Why was it in my handbag?

I flipped the bag over, taking a better look at it. I was certain that the last time I used this bag was the same day I met Drake and the morning after Reaper and I... well, yeah.

I scooped my bag up off the floor and rose to my feet, my eyes still locked on the letter. It was like I was expecting it to disappear, or the writing to disappear. How had I not seen this that morning?

Maybe I was making this up. Maybe this wasn’t even a letter from Reaper, perhaps it was just my drunken mind playing tricks on me, and in the morning, I would wake up to it actually being a receipt from the supermarket.

I dragged my legs up the stairs and headed to my bedroom.

I was sure to wake up to that letter saying something or being something. I had drunk a lot, andthatmade sense—more sense than it actually being a letter from him.

I flopped onto my bed. Sleep was what I needed.

***

I had showered and washed away the previous night’s memories and makeup. Still, the crumpled piece of paper in my hand had Kade’s scribbled message.

How had I missed this? Did it really make a difference now? I went over that morning in my mind. I remembered waking up and not seeing him there. I was upset. I got dressed as quickly as I could and swiped the contents from the bedside table into my handbag, which explained why I had a coaster from the motel.

Kade could have left this note on my phone, in my purse; it didn’t matter because I hadn’t seen it.

It was late in the afternoon. I had slept the morning away and had spent a good hour looking at that stupid piece of paper. Twice I had thought about calling him, and just once I thought of apologizing to him. I cringed, remembering the first time he contacted me after that night.

I got up and placed the note in my bedside drawer. At least I wouldn’t have to see him anytime soon, if ever again.

That was the only thing making me feel a bit better about the situation; not having to face him. I closed my bedroom door and walked down the passage. I could hear Kim’s sharp laughter and Trent’s voice from here and by the time I got to the staircase, it was crystal clear.

I didn’t like Trent, but as Drake pointed out, I didn’t like anyone.

After Kim had her abortion, she seemed changed. To be honest, it was like she and I had changed roles. She threw everything she had into her studies and university. I just scraped through, and university really wasn’t for me.

I walked into the lounge looking down at the ground. I hadn’t come down to have a conversation with them. I had come down to get my jumper off the clotheshorse, and then I was planning on heading out and maybe seeking out Drake. But all my thoughts and plans for the day changed instantly when I looked up and my eyes locked with a familiar pair of eyes: my father’s. Shit just got complicated.

Chapter 14

Abby

Our story was never a love story. It was more of a cocktail of sorrows mixed with the odd good moment. It was short, it was bitter, and it left a permanent scar on my heart, not to mention a bad aftertaste.

I would never and could never deny it; Reaper changed who I was. As my eyes locked with his, all this time later, the memories flooded back to me, and the feelings that were attached to them floated through me. I was being pulled under quickly and going down deep.

I wondered how someone who had such godly looks could be so evil and cruel of heart.

“Abby.”

My name pulled me out from the state I had entered, and I looked back at my father. I couldn’t believe he was there—with Reaper.