Page 128 of Reaper's Rival

Reaper shook his head at me. “Trust me, babe, it was all the mother’s doing.”

I fiddled with my clutch and looked down. “Reaper I’ve never said this, but if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here today. You coming home when you did, it saved my life.”

He lifted my chin up. “And if I had come home earlier, Matthew would still be with us. Don’t think that shit doesn’t haunt me, because it does.”

A grim smile captured my lips. “It’s not your fault. Anyway, it was my decision to not call the ambulance until I was bleeding, and even then it was too late, I was out of it. You’re my hero, Reaper, and never think anything else.” I leaned up and kissed him on the lips then opened the front door.

It was way too late to be having such a serious conversation.

“God, it’s cold in here!” I pulled my heels off in the foyer.

“I’ll turn the heater on.”

I grabbed his arm. “Don’t bother. I think body heat will do me just fine.”

He smirked down at me and shook his head but didn’t protest as we walked up the stairs.

I pushed open our bedroom door and walked to the bed. Reaching around, I found my zipper. The next thing I felt was his cool hand on mine.

“Not so fast. I’ve wanted to take this off you all night.”

His warm breath sent shivers down my neck. I pulled my hand back and slowly felt him undo the zipper until my strapless dress fell to the floor and I stepped out of it.

“Was that all you imagined it to be?” I turned to smile at him, only to be met by this intense stare.

I cocked an eyebrow at him “What’s wrong?”

“You are.” His eyes met mine. “You’re too darn beautiful for the likes of me.”

I smiled, shaking my head and putting my hands on my hips. “You are pretty darn handsome yourself, and I’m not pretty or beautiful. You must simply have blurred vision.” As if on cue, my eye ached and I ran my finger under it.

“How is your eye?” Reaper stepped forward and tilted my head up.

“Sore still. But my vision is better.”

“We should really ice it.” He frowned down at me.

“We should really go to bed.” I took his hand and pulled him in the direction of the bed. “It's freezing, and I really want to cuddle up to my future husband.”

“It will bruise.”

“It’s already bruised.”

I pulled the sheets back and got into bed.

Reaper was painfully slow. I watched him take his vest off, tee shirt, pants. Then he took his rings off and sat them on the bedside table. Finally, he had a smoke and just as I was starting to drift off to sleep, he climbed into bed.

He pushed his arm under my head and pulled me along with my pillow toward him till my back was firm against his chest.

“Sweet dreams, baby.” He kissed my forehead, and I reached for his free hand and pulled it over, kissing the back of it before placing it on my chest.

“Love you Kade.” And just like that, I went to sleep in his arms.

Chapter 34

Abby

I was trying to sleep, but the continually ringing of Reaper’s phone woke me up and was keeping me awake.

---