Page 24 of Reaper Flame

“Not yet,” he replied, reluctantly pulling away and glancing over my shoulder nervously. “But I will be if we don’t get the hell outta here.”

“Where will—”

“You’ll see,” Rocky interrupted. “Why don’t you get in the car before you pass out? Do you have a cell?”

I was too dumbfounded to argue as he took control of the situation. He searched my purse, found my phone and abandoned it in the dirt, then walked me around to the passenger side of the waiting vehicle. It was one thing to hallucinate a person, but surely a ghost couldn’t drive a freaking car? Let alone a white and black striped Dodge Viper.

My rational brain kicked in as Rocky walked around to get in the car. I lowered the window. Before he could get a proper look at them, I pulled the rings off my wedding finger and hurled them out. Giles or Hiram could have implanted the jewelry with some kind of tracker.

“Ready now?” Rocky asked in bemusement, shutting the door behind him.

I nodded as he turned the key in the ignition, and we sped away from the manor.

I paid no attention to where we were going. I was too busy staring and taking in every single feature of him. The familiar scar on his chin from a football injury. How his hair had grown out and flopped at an adorable angle, which made it look like he just rolled out of bed. How his stubble made him look older, but he still somehow kept his boyish good looks. Dead people could fart, but they couldn’t grow body hair, right?

“How long are you gonna keep looking at me like that?” Rocky asked, tearing his gaze from the road to glance at me. He bit his lip, something he only did when he was figuring out what to say next. “You’re creeping me out, C.”

“What do you expect?” I demanded. I was sitting across from someone I thought I’d never see again. “I went to your funeral today. I’m the one who killed you, remember?”

“Almostkilled me,” Rocky corrected smugly. “I have another scar to thank you for, by the way. Can you aim for somewhere less painful the next time you try to shoot me?”

“It was your fault for moving at the last minute!” I scolded. “I’d never have... hey! If you’ve been alive all this time, then where the fuck have you been hiding?”

“Can’t you go back to staring at me in silence again?” Rocky groaned.

“Do you even realize how it’s felt to think you were dead?” A fresh swell of anger grew in my chest. “How long were you going to let me believe I was a murderer?!”

Rocky snickered.

“You know what I mean!” I snapped. Well, I guess being a killer was nothing new.“How did you pull it off?”

Thinking I killed him had almost destroyed me. How had he fooled everyone, including the Blackbird? Had this been Zander’s plan all along? He’d given me the necklace months ago.

“I promise I’ll explain everything later,” Rocky said, putting an end to my questions. “When we’re somewhere safe.”

Fear quickly replaced my shock as the gravity of the situation sunk in. Hiram was back at Briarly Manor. What was he going to do when he found out? He’d have realized I was gone by now. “What about Hi—”

“He’s not going to hurt you again, C,” Rocky interrupted, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. “I won’t let him.”

I looked through the back window to check for any chasing cars on the horizon. There was nothing yet, but it didn’t mean they wouldn’t be coming. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Rocky replied mysteriously. “Don’t worry, I’ve got everything covered.”

I exhaled deeply, trying to calm my erratic breathing. When Hiram found us, my life wouldn’t be worth living, and Rocky would be dead. For real, this time.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked as nausea stalked the pit of my stomach. If someone fired a bullet into my chest, I wouldn’t welcome them back with open arms. I’d be out for their entrails like an omega on heat. “Aren’t you mad? I fucking shot you!”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think,” Rocky said calmly. “I get why you did it, C.”

I blinked. “You do?”

“I’ve been in the same position, remember?” he said. “If you didn’t shoot me, then Hiram would have. I know whose hands I’d rather die at.”

“Rocky... I’m... I’m…” My voice broke, but I kept going. I never thought I’d get the chance to tell him this, and my words came out in a breathy rush like I was scared the opportunity would slip through my fingers. “I’m sorry. I know words aren’t enough, but I need you to know that. I never meant for you to get hurt. You moved, and then... I was trying to protect you.”

“So was I.” Rocky reached over to put his hand over mine and squeezed it before putting his back on the wheel. “I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it, even if it means dying.”

“No more dying,” I said, sniffing and wiping away my tears. I couldn’t take it. Not again.The relief was indescribable and my body felt almost weightless.

---