Page 28 of The Reaper's Vice

He blinks, his beak opening soundlessly as he stares at his crack-pot father. Deciding he’s seen enough, he fluffs and takes to the sky, leaving me with a nice little pile of crow shit on my bedroom window.

I sigh, rubbing a hand over the sleep in my eyes as I shuffle toward the door. I throw it open, only to come face-to-face with a pissed-off Ghost. His violet eyes watch Bacchus warily from where he’s perched on the living room windowsill, feathers fluffed and looking back with just as much distrust.

Ah. So that’s why Bacchus woke me up.

“Morning, beautiful,” I greet. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

When he notices my presence, his head snaps over, the muscle in the side of his jaw ticking violently. He holds up a black flip phone, his expression severe. “I found what you were looking for. Everything’s in here.”

“Not even a hello? Love you too, Ghost.” I can’t help my smirk as I take a step forward, ready to bury myself in the golden-eyed girl's information when Ghost stuffs the device back into his pocket.

“What are you doing?” I demand, irritation heating the back of my neck. “This is the part of the transaction where you hand me the damn phone.”

He just shakes his head. “You should leave her alone, Orion.”

My lip curls in a snarl. “Thanks,dad,but I’m a big boy now—I can make my own decisions.” I reach for his pocket, but he steps back out of reach, his hand moving to the dagger at his hip.

“Orion, listen to me?—”

“Just give me the motherfucking phone.” My face twists in rage as I lock eyes with him. “I ask you for one thing—onefuckingthing in twenty-eight years, and you won’t do it. You don’t trust me with this. You don’t trust me with anything—certainly not anymore.”

Ghost’s eyes widen ever so slightly, but it’s enough to know my words hurt him. “That’s not true. I just… have to see if the man I used to admire is hidden somewhere under that shell you’ve forged.” He heaves a sigh as he reaches into his pocket, pulling out the phone and tossing it across the room. It lands effortlessly in my outstretched hand, though I’m not looking at it anymore. I’m locked into the haunting expression crossing Ghost’s face. “Before you go looking for her, there’s something you should know.”

“And that is?”

He sucks a deep breath, a memory swimming behind his eyes. “The girl you’re looking for… she’s a Madam. Or, more specifically, she was supposed to be. Before…”

“Before we interfered.” My eyes go wide as I realize what this means. “So she… she’s like you.”

He shakes his head. “Madams have a much different training regime than Masks. In addition, they are selected as infants—so the only thing they know is the cruelty of the Sanctum. It is their design. The way of their sick, twisted world.” His gaze hardens. “The girl is likely missing her humanity, Orion. What they do to those girls… it’s unimaginable.”

I shake my head, refusing to believe it. “Well, she’s clearly not trying to lead them anymore. Maybe she’s just like you, trying to find someone worthy to look past their fucked-upness. And yeah, I might be messed up myself, but maybe that’s just what she need?—”

“You’re not listening, Orion,” Ghost interrupts, his eyes holding an unusual glimmer of sadness. “She’sdangerous.She will hurt you—in more ways than one. Not only that but the remaining members of the Sanctum are still looking for her. Do you know what that means?”

I don’t answer. I don’t have to.

Ghost sighs. “It means that when they find her—because they will, eventually—you will be caught in their crossfire. And youwilllose that battle. Every damn time. They will kill you, Orion, and I can’t… I couldn’t live with myself if that happened. None of us could.”

Overwhelmed by the raw emotion in his voice, I look at the window where Bacchus is preening, bored by the emotion-filled conversation happening around him. “We all die at some point,” I whisper, my mind turning to the golden-eyed girl’s serene expression. And I know by the way my heart pounds, there’s no way I can leave her alone. “I need her, Ghost. I need her like I’ve never needed anything, and I… it’s fucking crazy, but I do. I mean, fuck, I don’t even know the girl…” I hang my head, a whoosh of breath leaving my lips. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me.”

Ghost steps over to me, placing a gloved hand on my shoulder and squeezing. “If it feels like you’re about to vomit and shit your heart out at the same time…then I’m sorry to tell you, but you might have a case of the love bug.”

“Thelove bug?” I fight a laugh.

Ghost rolls his eyes. “I have an eight-year-old daughter now. Deal with it.”

“It’ll take some getting used to.” I grin, pulling Ghost into an overdue embrace. His arms tighten around my shoulders, and I have to fight the emotion welling in my eyes as I realize how long it’s been since we last did this. Eight years too many.

“I meant what I said last night.” Ghost pulls away and fixes me with a stern expression he probably picked up from fathering Sloane. “Don’t you fucking get locked up again. Brett and I need you around for Sloane’s terrible teens.”

I cringe playfully. “She’s gonna be a hell-raiser. I feel sorry for the balls on whichever dude falls for her.”

“Like mother, like daughter,” Ghost groans, rubbing a hand over his face. “You know you have to come to the lair, right? The girls have been talking nonstop about having you over for dinner and a movie night.”

A smile lights my face as I remember the nights Brett, Ghost, and I used to spend in front of the TV, gorging ourselves on freezer food and shitty action movies. “Let me know when, and I’m there.”

Ghost smiles, the first genuine one I’ve seen since I got out. “I’ll talk to the bosses and get back with you.” He turns on his heels, moving toward the exit with a wave of his gloved fingers. “Take care of yourself, Orion. And be careful with you know who.”

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