Page 27 of Reaper's Claim

I stayed at Kayla’s for a few weeks while the bruising went away, and then from that point I tried hard to suppress every memory of that night.

“He said...” I pulled my head from his touch and took a step back. Tears welled up in my eyes. “He said, ‘tell your father that you tasted as sweet and as innocent as your mother.’” I squeezed my eyes tight.

All I heard was Dad’s breathing; it was sharp and deep. “Please, Dad, don’t do anything stupid.” I opened my eyes again, looking up into his furious, narrowed ones. “Please, Dad, don’t sink to his level.”

“Go find your sister.” Dad nodded his head at the door for me to leave. “Go on, now.”

“No.”

“Abby, I need to speak to the boys. Leave.”

“Not till you promise you won’t hurt Trigger.” I crossed my arms. If I had to relive that awful memory, there had to be a reason for it. “Dad, you told me he’s the best VP you can ask for and if you are going to do something stupid, you need him by your side, and I won’t leave until you-”

“I’m not going to kill him, Abby. Now go find your sister before she leaves.”

“What do you want me to say to her?” If I were Kim, I would have already been gone after giving Dad a spray like that.

“Tell her that she can’t run away from this family, pregnant or not.”

My mouth dropped open. “She’s knocked up?”

“Go.”

I knew I had to leave, but I couldn’t help but give Trigger a small, sad smile. I might have saved him tonight, but he was a dead man if he was the father.

I grabbed Dad’s arm and went to my tippy toes to whisper in his ear. “Kim loves you, Dad; don’t think otherwise. And he didn’t rape me. Neither of them did.”

I walked quickly out of the room. Never in a girl’s life does she want to bring up her virginity with her dad, and I had to do just that, as well as let him know my darkest secret.

Tonight was the worst night of my life, and I had Kim to thank for it. That hormonal bitch better still be here because she was going to get a piece of my mind.

***

I woke up to my mattress sinking. Opening my eyes, I was shocked for a moment to see Dad sitting at the end of my bed.

I elbowed Kim in the ribs, waking her up.

“You ok, Dad?” I asked.

It was the dead of the night, but my room still had soft lighting from the outside lights drifting through the curtains.

“I let you girls down.” His voice was low.

Kim pulled herself up in bed. I knew she regretted what she said because she spent a solid hour crying about it. She was knocked up, and she was angry at Trigger about it. I told her it still wasn’t a reason to get Trigger killed.

It didn’t help either that Trigger had told her he wanted nothing to do with it, and Dad had pretty much told her the same thing—it was her problem. Neither of them made a smart move by pissing off a hormonal woman.

It made sense now why she didn’t want me to mention my problems to Dad tonight— because she was going to drop her own bomb on him.

“You didn’t, Dad. I’m sorry.” Kim climbed out of bed and went to sit next to him. “I’m really sorry, Dad.”

“I should have let you girls go live with my sister. I shouldn’t have kept you both.”

“Dad, don’t be stupid.” I got up and flicked the lights on. The blood on his hands and the stains on his white shirt became visible. “Dad, please tell me Trigger is still alive.”

Kim went stiff, and her eyes met mine for a moment. For a split second, I saw her regret.

“Trigger knew he was on borrowed time.” Dad looked up at me.

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