Page 2 of Reaper

I glance in the mirror, watching to make sure blondie doesn’t surprise me. It’s hard with all four of your limbs restrained, but I’ve seen stranger things. His eyes are wide with terror as he stares out the window like there’s a way out. There isn’t. Tonight he dies.

“They call me Reaper.”

Arabella raises her eyebrow and asks, “What’s your real name?”

I make a left turn while I consider whether or not I should tell her. She isn’t leaving alive so it doesn’t matter, especially because what will she do? Go to the police?

“Nico. Nico Bonetti.”

“Nico,” she repeats, like she’s trying my name out on her tongue. And I don’t hate it. Somehow, I think any word coming out of her mouth would be sexy as hell. I make a mental note to make her beg. Fuck, I should put a metal collar around her slender neck, and walk her on a fucking leash. I’ve never done that before, but she makes me want to. This woman makes me crave things I never have, and that alone makes her dangerous. I should end her life and be done with it.

“Nico, please don’t kill me.”

I glance at her as I pull into the empty parking lot for the lake in the middle of nowhere. That’s why we’re here, because I knew no one would be here at this time.

After putting the truck in park, I open my door and whistle as I walk to her door and open it. Her blue eyes, filled with fear, stare at me and fuck, I’ve missed it. Rubbing my thumb over her bottom lip, I groan, because she drives me crazy.

“Are you going to cry for him when he dies?”

“No,” she whispers.

I take in all her features as I ask her, “Will you beg for me to spare his life?”

She shakes her head lightly. “I will only beg for mine.”

Stroking my fingers down her cheek, I tell her, “If you want to prolong your life, you’ll keep your eyes on mine while I end his.”

This will be the first time I’ve ever not looked into someone’s eyes while killing them, but I can’t help myself. Her eyes are far more appealing than his are.

I push her seat back, and grab her hips and rotate her, so she’s able to see into the backseat. This is a test. A big fucking test. I’m about to see what my living dead girl is made of. If she screams and cries, then I know to kill her soon. If she shows me she’s stronger than she appears, I might keep her a bit longer. Maybe forever.

CHAPTER TWO

BELLA

There is no way I’m begging for him to spare his life. Jeff is an asshole anyway. Nobody will miss him, least of all me. That’s not why I won’t ask for Reaper to let him live though. I’m going to save all his kindness, if he has any, for myself.

I sit on my knees watching the backseat as he climbs in beside Jeff. I keep my eyes on him like he demanded, because I don’t want to die. Reaper gets onto his knees beside Jeff and wraps his gloved hand around his throat, without taking his eyes from mine.

“Normally, I don’t do this quickly, but there are things I’d rather be doing.”

He stares at me with a heated expression while he squeezes the life out of Jeff. If he hadn’t tried to kill me, he would be attractive. His chiseled jaw and dark eyes draw me in, but it’s the way his throat moves when he swallows that makes me clench my thighs, even though I should be dry as a bone. The muscles in his arms bulge, and he has my full attention, causing me to ignore Jeff’s strangled sounds.

“Eyes on me, Bella.”

He tried to kill me once and he probably will again. Reaper is wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt, and I try to keep my eyes on his but, against my will, they move back to his arms, and I watch his muscles contract with the force of him crushing Jeff’s windpipe. While it shouldn’t be, the power in his hands is a turn on. My clit pulses as I watch Nico do the one thing no human being has a right to do.

Jeff struggles beneath Reaper, trying to get free, but he doesn’t even come close. With his hands bound behind his back, he never stood a chance. With the strength Reaper clearly has, withoutbreaking a sweat, I’m not sure, if he had the use of his hands, that he would’ve managed to save his life anyway. I get the feeling if Reaper decides you die, you do.

Reaper releases his grip on Jeff, and I glance at his open, unblinking eyes, before looking back to Reaper. He winks at me. “I’ll be back.”

After undoing the seat belt, he climbs out of the car and pulls Jeff’s dead body out, lifts him over his shoulder, and walks off into a wooded area. I shift in my seat so I’m facing the front window and wait for him to come back, as I try to think of how I can make him choose to let me live. I don’t know what this guy’s story is, but I do know killing people is not a hardship for him. I sit handcuffed to his truck, and think back to the night we met, if you want to call it that.

A man I’ve never met stares at me with a clenched jaw, as he waits for his black coffee. Do I know him? I don’t think so, but the way his eyes focus on me suggests otherwise. I hand him his drink, but he doesn’t say a word. Silently, he puts a fifty-dollar bill in my tip jar, and turns and walks away. After finishing my shift, I grab my purse and head home. I wave goodbye to Jessie and walk out the door. I don’t live far from work, so I don’t worry too much about my safety but, having to walk down a dark alleyway littered with drug paraphernalia, and the occasional dealer hanging around, does make me slightly nervous. I do the same thing I do every night. I pay attention to my surroundings and move quickly. There’s nobody out here tonight. Not a single homeless person, just me. The silence is eerie, like in a horror movie, before the killer gets to the pretty blonde girl, who isn’t paying attention to what’s going on around her. A shiver crawls down my skin as a hand reaches into my hair, and pulls me backward. He places a hand over my mouth, stifling my scream, and growls into my ear.

“All people are beautiful when they die, but you, you’re going to be my favorite.”

Grabbing my shoulders, he spins me around so I’m facing him, and I tremble as I beg him for my life.

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