Page 77 of Reaper

“Can I have a few minutes alone with Reaper?”

He growls, “No.”

She tilts her head at him. “Luca.”

With a glare, he says, “Butterfly.”

Athena does not back down from him, she persists, “Luca. Go check on your brothers. I want to talk to Reaper alone.”

He walks to the door and turns to me with a glare. “Keep your fucking hands off my wife.”

“There you are. I thought we lost you.”

Bones grumbles something inaudible as he walks out the door.

“There are no annoying men here now, to tell you not to feel or express emotion. Talk to me.”

I sigh and close my eyes, so I don’t have to look at her facial expressions.

“Short version is my uncle raped me when I was a kid, for years, with a pipe. I told Bella because, I don’t know, I had some stupid idea that she had to know me completely, and why I’m so fucked up. Also, I told her I hadn’t killed him, because I couldn’t stand to be in the room with him long enough, so crazy thing that she is, she did it herself. If I had the balls to do it, this never would have happened. If I did the right thing, she wouldn’t be in there with…”

I don’t finish my sentence, because I can’t even fucking say it.

“The point is, this is my fault. I did this. I am the reason she ever killed anyone. This is all my doing.”

“I killed my father for what he did to me.”

Glancing up at her, I’m confused, because I was there.

“I could’ve never done that without my husband, and his brothers there. Would I have ever gone back to face him on my own? Not achance. Because that is trauma, Reaper. The fear of facing him does not make you weak. When you’re put through something like that, you don’t want to go face the monster who hurt you.”

I don’t respond, because I’m not sure how to, and she continues.

“This is not your fault. It’s not hers either. There’s one person to blame for this, and according to Luca, he’s dead. Give her time. Be there for her, and you’ll both get through this. Show her how much you love her, and that this changed nothing, because I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that’s what she fears most.”

The doctor knocks on the door and enters, ending our conversation.

He points to Luca’s vacated chair.

“May I?”

I nod, and he takes a seat.

“Physically, she’s going to be okay. The pipe didn’t appear to cause any damage, but she’s going to need some further testing to be sure. However, I didn’t see any tearing, or anything that I would be immediately concerned about.”

Dragging my hand down my face, I say, “She was unconscious when we found her. Is that a concern?”

His phone buzzes, but he silences it and responds, “Not really. It’s possible she passed out from the trauma, or the pain. I guarantee it wasn’t pleasant. I did check her head for wounds, and I didn’t see anything obvious. Also, she said she didn’t hit her head. Her memory is intact, and she was able to recount details of the event.”

He pushes the glasses back on his face.

“I asked her if she would be willing to speak with a therapist, and she declined. Ultimately, that has to be her decision, but it is something I’d recommend. Bones and Athena can tell you, we have a few that work with mafia families. They’re familiar with your lives.”

He means crime, and that they won’t run to the police with information.

“That’s not why she said no. I don’t know why she won’t see someone, but Bella doesn’t come from the crime world. She wouldn’t know about the risks involved with speaking to the wrong people.”

He hands me a card.

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