Page 76 of Reaper's Claim

Chapter28

Abby

When you grow up with a father called Roach, I guess it was obvious that you don’t really get that much love. I suppose it was only natural that as women, Kim and I chased affection. I also guess it was no surprise that this wasn’t the first time I was putting Dad to bed.

“Come on, Dad, nearly there.” I groaned, buckling under his weight. I pushed open Dad’s door, and the old familiar smell engulfed me.

“God, Dad, clean much?” I grumbled and let go of his weight; he collapsed half on half off the bed.

“You were always the good one,” he slurred, trying to pat me on the back but instead patted the bedpost. “Never getting in trouble. Always smiling.”

Was it terrible of me to be smiling right now? “Yes, Dad. Just sleep it off, okay?”

“Don’t go.” His large tattooed hand reached out for me. “You can’t leave yet.”

“I’m not leaving yet. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” With caution, I made my way back out. This room was disgusting. “You know, Dad, you really need to get someone to clean this.”

I closed the door and sighed. Since Dad told me about Reaper, I couldn’t get it out of my head. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to know why and how he managed to lie to me so well.

While the party might be dying down, my night was definitely not over.

***

Reaper

Abby had disappeared for the rest of the night. I didn’t have the guts to ask anyone where she was. And once the clock ticked two and I still hadn’t seen her, I was sure she had left.

That was, until right then as I watched her randomly turn drunk men over in the bar.

“What are you doing?”

She spun around, shocked. “I… um.” She straightened up, wearing a startled expression. “I was looking for you.”

“In a pile of drunk bikers?” I crossed my arms. “Do I look like the type to pass out?”

“Don’t...” She pointed a finger at me and tiptoed over a few bodies towards me. “Don’t you dare do that cute arrogance thing on me.”

“Cute arrogance? Didn’t know I had such a gift.”

She scoffed loudly.

“Thought you had left, Abby,” I told her honestly. “Haven’t seen you all night.”

“Well, you did tell me to stay away from you.” The dirty look she was giving me fell for a moment. “I’ve been catching up with Dad.”

Her look went from dirty to hurt in an instant. I knew then her dad had given her all the details.

“Abby, don’t.”

“Don’t Abby me!” she hissed. “You were spying on me!”

“Wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like then? You only reported to him every second day?”

---