Page 76 of Reaper's Rival

“Trust me, he loves every side of you,” Drake said before getting out.

Was he right? Was that possible? I climbed out of the GT and saw Reaper in the garage. Drake was walking toward his brother. Would he be capable of loving me still, even with my faults?

Who was I kidding? No one could love what I’ve become. Not even me. I don’t think anyone could hate me as much as I hated myself for doing what I’m doing.

***

Reaper

Drake had told me he was back and then disappeared after that, giving me no information on whether he got anything out of Abby. Abby had also disappeared this afternoon. I guess I was busy on the bikes so the afternoon had gone fast.

I was busy lighting a cigarette when my brother whacked me on the back.

“Had to deal with shit at a club. Sorry I couldn’t talk to you earlier. Is Abby around?” Drake looked around the pub.

I shook my head. “Nah, she disappeared right after you.” Half of me thought they had disappeared together just to get under my skin. It wasn’t easy for me to encourage their relationship. Hell, it wasn’t easy for me to encourage any relationship Abby had with another man. Especially when that man had strong feelings for her, which was the case with Drake. He didn’t just care about Abby, he loved her, even if it was just as a friend. Well, I hoped it was still as a friend.

“Good, we can talk.” He leaned against the bar. “She told me what’s going on.”

“Well, tell me.”

He frowned. “Can’t.”

“For fuck’s sake, Drake! I didn’t get you to come here, get her to talk, and not tell me!”

“I promised her I wouldn’t, and I think it is best you didn’t know.” Drake popped the cap off the beer. “But I can tell you, you have no competition with this Daniels guy. Abby doesn’t love him. If she had her way, she wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”

“So why the hell is she with him?” Why wouldn’t they tell me? I could bloody well help. “Is he forcing her to be with him?” Was he abusing her? Why the hell wouldn’t she tell me? More importantly, why the fuck won’t Drake? Couldn’t he see it was doing my bloody head in?

“I’m handling it.”

I scoffed. “How?”

“The guy is depending on her, not telling anyone what she is doing. But she has told me. So we are ahead of him.”

“Is it dangerous, what she is doing?” Why did I get the feeling like she wasn’t dancing with fire but was actually burning herself alive?

Drake gave me a look he used to give me when he was little. When he wasn’t about to tell me the answer but at the same time telling me by his expression.

“Fuck me.” I groaned. “Well, you have to stop her.”

“First we have to make herself look after herself more. Did you know she wasn’t eating or sleeping?”

“She mentioned she was tired.” I hadn’t been with her around meals. She was always going out for tea with Daniels, so I just assumed she was eating.

Drake scoffed. “She’s more than tired. She said she hasn’t slept a solid night in months, apart from the night she apparently spent with you.” Drake downed his beer. “Maybe you should sleep with her more often.”

“Already planning on that.” If Abby only slept with me, I was going to make sure we were in a bed together every night.

“And as for the baby.”

“What she talked to you about that?” I hadn’t expected that. She hadn’t even spoken to Kim about it. “How the hell did you get to open up about that?”

Suddenly I was even more jealous of their relationship.

“She thinks she isn’t mother material. Because of what she is involved in.” He looked me in the eye. “She thinks you would think the same if you knew. Which is why I’m not telling you. The last thing she needs is you yelling at her.”

“I’d never tell her she wasn’t fit to be a mother.”

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