Page 122 of Reaper's Rival

“Look, if you want to yell at me, can it wait till tomorrow? I already feel like shit.” He looked me in the eye, and for the first time, I saw the sadness within them. He was hiding it well from everyone else.

“I didn’t come here to yell at you.”

“Then why?”

“I just wanted to tell you something.” I put my clutch down on his desk and ran my fingers through my curled hair.

“That you’re leaving? I already know, your dad told me they ride out the day after tomorrow.” He looked hurt. “So you didn’t need to come here and tell me. I would have gotten the picture when you rode out with them.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it.

He looked like he was in pain and he reached for his beer, finishing it.

“I didn’t come here to tell you that.”

He arched his eyebrows at me. “What then? That you hate me? That you never want to see me again? Spit it out, Abby. I’m a strong guy, I can take it. After all, like you said, I’m the cold-hearted Reaper.”

He sounded so hurt and for the first time today, I wasn’t sad because of Matthew, the sadness was filling me up from hearing him so heartbroken.

He might be the Reaper, but he still had a heart and it was clear I was breaking it.

I stood up and walked around the desk till I was standing beside him, and with one push the chair swung around and he looked up at me.

I took a deep breath. “I came to tell you that I love you, and what you did doesn’t stop me from loving you. I want to be your old lady, your wife, and I want to have more children with you, Reaper, because if you hadn’t noticed, I’m madly and incredibly in love with you.”

He stared blankly up at me. Slowly he stood up, pushing the chair backward.

“So you’re not leaving?”

“No.”

He looked at me questioningly. “You’re not breaking up with me?”

I smiled for the first time today. “No Reaper, I’m not breaking up with you.”

“You still want to marry me?”

“Yes.” I stepped forward, closing the small gap between us and putting my hands on his shoulders. “Like I said, you might be the Reaper, but you’re my Reaper. And if you ever sleep with another girl again, I’ll personally cut your balls off.”

A smirk spread across his lips and taking me by surprise, he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground and swinging me around.

I giggled into his shoulder, and then he planted my feet back on the ground.

“I never expected you to forgive me.” He kissed my forehead. “And I never thought I’d hear I love you again off your lips toward me.”

“There was blame on both sides, and I always will love you, Kade, no matter what happens between us.”

“I love you, Abby.” He rested his forehead against mine, keeping his arms wrapped around me.

“Yeah, I know. So should we get back to the wake? Everyone will be looking for you.”

“And you.”

“I’m not much in a talking mood.” I sighed and dropped my head on his chest.

He played with my hair. “Just stay by my side and I’ll do all the talking.”

“Thank you.”

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