Page 22 of Viper

When Reaper doesn’t respond, I take another step further into the room. “Isn’t that what you want? My cooperation?”

He shakes his head. “You’re going back.”

“Back?” I scoff. Here I wanted nothing but to go home, and now I want to stay. Continue training. Learn to shoot and kill.

Kill myfather, of all people.

“Back,” he says, the word a single sentence. A command. Like he’s been commanding me and controlling me and fucking wrecking me.

“I’m not going back until I’m trained,” I say, and my heart kicks. I gather the black material into a fist. “You said I needed to train. Learn to defend myself. Learn to—”

Reaper shifts. I catch the flash of a high cheekbone and the side of his perfect jaw covered with dark stubble. I slam my eyes shut. My hands fumble with the black material, fingers trembling as I tie the blindfold at the back of my head. The same blindfold they all used on me just a few days ago. My ribs scream as I lower myself to my knees, placing my palms on my thighs.

The floorboards creak, and some animal part of my brain knows he’s looking my way. Can sense his eyes moving over me, taking in my kneeling form. The blindfold. Hoping he can see this for what it is.

My submission. My willingness.

“What is this?” he asks, his voice gruff. His boots scrape on the floor as he walks closer, stopping before me.

I’ve wanted so desperately to see his face. Ached for him to confess this dark need blooming between us, but now…

Now I want none of it.

The single sentence he spoke to Fallon changed everything. His actions scream with a clarity that nearly takes my breath away.

He killed to make me his.

He threatened his father to keep me safe.

But I can’t do this if he cares. And I can’t do this if I care too much.

Reaper needs to stay faceless. Unknown. If I glimpse the man beneath that mask, see what and who he truly is, he’ll be human. He’ll no longer be a faceless soldier. If I see the lines ofhis face, see more than those scars on his lips, he’ll be breakable, and after watching Striker kneel with a gun pressed to his head, my heart can’t handle Reaper being something that can be snuffed out with a single bullet.

Not until the threat is gone. Not until I know he’s safe. Until they all are.

My heart pounds, knowing that what I’m about to say may give him too much control, but deep down, I know this will only work one way.

“I’ll continue training,” I say. “I’ll kill Rune, but I have conditions.”

His fingers graze the top of my head. Delicate yet cut with a hard edge. Like being touched by a fallen angel, but then they thread through my hair, yanking my head back, exposing my throat to the cool air.

“Conditions, Kitten?” he asks, his voice taking a deeper, slightly raspy tone, coloring it with seduction and want. “My sweet girl thinks that I’ll barter?”

I lick my lips as pleasure curls in my belly. I’m his sweet girl again.

That means I may get what I want.

When he grips the blindfold, I grab his wrist and grate out, “No.”

His voice drops an octave. “No?”

“No.” I exhale, my grip tightening on his hand, a silent plea.

After a moment, he releases the blindfold. “What are your conditions?”

“You will have my complete and total cooperation,” I say, my shoulders relaxing. “I will do as asked. You train me in the way your father instruct—”

“No.” Again, a single sentence.