Page 50 of Reaper's Claim

“You’re seriously letting her have a gun in this house? She will fucking kill herself!” Kade snapped at me, with a serious, pissed-off look on his face. “I bet she doesn’t even know how to turn the safety on!”

“Kade, give it back to her.” I pulled myself up and rubbed my temples. “It’s hers.”

“Yeah, give it back.” She jumped for it, trying to get it from him.

“Abby, stop jumping,” I asked her and stood up. “Give her the gun back, Kade.”

“Fuck off; she isn’t allowed one, and she doesn’t need one either.”

“Yes, I do. How else can I make good on my threat when I say “step into my room, I will shoot you.” Abby looked smug. “Give me back, Kade, or I’ll take your porn collection.”

“You’ve been in his room?” I arched both eyebrows at her.

“Grow a pair, Drake, she’s making shit up!” Kade rolled his eyes and slapped the gun down in her hand. “For the record, I’m not ok with this.”

“I’m not ok with you being here, but yet here you are,” she shot back at him with a burning look in her eyes.

Kade muttered something I didn’t catch and stormed out. Abby looked down at the gun in her hands with a smile.

“You don’t need that.” I pointed my glass at her and gave her a hard look. “And you know it.”

She rolled her eyes, “I know, but Kade didn’t want me to have it. Call me childish, but it made me want to have it more.”

“Thatischildish.”

“Guess I’m a child then.” She winked and spun away, her hair whipping around as she walked off happily.

It was only day one, and I was already regretting the decision to let them live here. It had to get better from here, right?

Abby

Aunty Amanda wasn’t ok with me moving out. Neither was Kim, and I’m sure Dad would have had an opinion, too, if he was there. As my luck would have it, he had just stepped out when I arrived, and he hadn’t come back in time to stop me. I was half expecting him to show up halfway through when we had the Ute loaded, but he didn’t.

I pulled out a frame, which had a picture of my mom and I in it, placing it on the bedside table. My room felt like my room now.

It wasn’t a guest room anymore. It was silly how a few simple things could make such a difference.

It was after midnight, and Drake was passed out on the couch downstairs. Kade hadn’t shown his face since the whole ‘you can’t have your gun’ show. I had the perfect opportunity to do the thing I had been dreading since that morning.

It took me a full five minutes to drum up the courage to walk to his door. Finally, I brought up a closed fist and knocked on his door.

I knew he wouldn’t get his arse out of bed to open the door, so I let myself in, clearing my throat when I did.

“Reaper, you here?” I closed the door behind me and when I turned back around, my eyes landed on him.

He was shirtless, lying on the bed, one arm under his head. “Wrong room. Drake’s two doors up.”

His voice was empty of emotion, just like him.

“Can we talk?”

His chest rumbled with a deep laughter.

The moonlight was firing across his tattoos, defining his scars as well. His appeal was rocketing up, and I fought to keep the old feelings under control.

“Not stopping ya.” He blew smoke from his mouth and then snuffed his butt out on the ashtray.

My pulse increased, but I kept a calm face on. “I wanted to say I’m sorry.” I chewed on my bottom lip, frowning. Why was I apologizing again? Oh right, taking the right road.

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