Page 43 of Reaper's Hunt

“I wish you wouldn’t have done that.”

“Maybe if you were fucking me instead, I wouldn’t find the crazy one to scratch the itch.” I almost feel bad for taunting Ronan and just as I’m about to say as much, my ass starts buzzing like crazy. It’s most likely Harley, asking for me to come down to the station again so we can talk so I’m mildly surprised when it’s Blaze.

Fucking finally.

“Hey,Blaze.Is there a point to this game or did you just want me to remember the weird little kid down the street?” I probably should have toned that down a bit but I don’t like getting jerked around.

“It was about time you figured it out, Doe but you don’t get a reward for that. You had help. However, I do have a present for you. Well, I guess another move. I should have let you go first, but I was too excited.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I switch to speaker so that Ronan can listen in.

“I have a name that you’ve been searching for,” he teases. “A name for a name. I suspect you know what to do with it and then I’ll give you something in return. If you think you’re going to get out of this with those men hovering around you, you’re wrong. I took out a little insurance policy. Enjoy yourself, Doe.”

The line goes dead, a text popping up on my screen.

Victor Crane

Blaze wants me to kill a fucking councilman. He’s planning something with all of these kills and while I could say no, outing my identity to the public would ruin me. Having Ronan, Dante, and Malik at my side will do jack shit at that point. Another text comes in and it’s just an emoji.

A lonely beating heart.

And then another one.

And then another one until my screen is filled with them.

His insurance policy is my hearts, the extension of my soul. “Ronan, he’s…” I don’t finish that sentence as I rush toward the front door, grabbing my keys, Ronan on my heels. There’s no words said as I rush toward my apartment, tears gathering in my eyes. He couldn’t have taken my babies, my precious treasures. Fuck, this is bad.

I burst through my apartment door and make a beeline for my bedroom, my heart in my throat as I come to an empty wall, one lone jar sitting on the middle shelf. It’s the one I bought for Blaze, the one he picked out himself but everything else is empty.

“He took them all. All of them!” I scream, yanking my phone out and calling him back. “Give me back my hearts!” I see red, immediately searching for something to stab this motherfucker with. I don’t even know where he is but he stole from me. I won’t let that happen.

“Now, now, take a deep breath, Bella,” he muses. “Watch the TV. That’s not all I’m giving you.”

A growl of frustration rips through me as Ronan comes to stand up behind me, gently massaging my shoulders. He places a kiss on the side of my head as my gaze falls on the TV. I turned it off before I left so it’s on a news channel I don’t usually watch, Blaze setting up all this bullshit for me to find.

The rolling headline at the bottom of the screen is announcing Ashthorne’s new mayor. I knew they would, the current Smission stepping down after his son died like he did. Smission starts making some kind of speech but I’m more focused on my missing hearts. “Cut the bullshit, you bastard. Give me back my shit. What is even the point?”

“Because I like games where you have to submit, Doe. Besides, someone wants you dead, and I’m trying to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“By having me kill all your opponents or whoever is standing in your way? This is a dumb game. I could just turn you in,Blaze.” He’s a fucking asshole if he thinks I’m just going to let him jerk me around. It was one thing when it was just directing a kill but taking from me is unacceptable.

There’s a cackle through the earpiece, my entire body shaking with rage. “Bella,Bella, you don’t even remember who I am! You think you do but I’m much more than the weird kid from Aven Lane. Now, let’s see. For Victor, I want him dead before 7pm tomorrow evening.”

“But…”

“Because I have a certain dinner I’d like to invite you to. It’s very important that you show up. After all, a queen needs her king. I told you when we were kids that you were mine, and I’d have you at my side. I always keep my promises, Doe. Always.”

The line goes dead, Smission’s speech ending as he turns to welcome someone on stage. My eyes widen at the man stepping forward, my entire childhood rushing back at me all at once. Horror curls in my gut at the white-blond haired man, a color that’s almost as silver as mine, clear eyes turning to face the public through the screen. A smirk curls on his lips as he winks at the camera and then starts giving his address, saying that he’s honored with this appointment.

Ronan tightens his grip on me. “I’m going to assume by your reaction that that’s Blaze and he just became the fucking mayor.”

I’m about to confirm that when Blaze’s speech turns into an invitation to the state dinner he just required me to show up to.

“I would like to really show everyone that I’m for the people, that I’m going to fix up Ashthorne and to really bring an end to the darkness here. It’s why I came here and why I’m going to start this new step with my girlfriend, Anabella Montaugh, at my side.” He throws a smile at the screen, one that an amateur would think is genuine but I see that he did more than just play his next move.

He trapped me from making mine.

Because not only does he have my lifeline, he just gave every last person here a key to my past.

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