Page 68 of Reaper & the Lioness
After rinsing her hair, I turned off the shower and wrapped her in an oversized towel. She still hadn’t spoken a word.
“You’re the strongest woman I know, my Lioness,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
She managed a tired smile and leaned into my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. We stayed like that for a minute before I helped her into one of my hoodies and guided her to the living room.
We sat in comfortable silence, Eva curled up on the couch with Hawk at her feet and a stiff drink in hand, until my phone buzzed.
“Linc,” I answered gruffly.
“It’s done. I worked through Benjamin Abell’s contacts and canceled the contract. She’s safe now. I also moved some of his money into an offshore account. You know, a small settlement for Eva for everything she’s been through.”
I relayed the news to Eva, and relief flooded her features. The tension coiled tight in my chest for days began to unwind.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with us. I led Eva to the bedroom. Hawk padded along behind us and, for once, we let him sleep at our feet rather than in his crate. As we settled into bed, I pulled her close and breathed in her scent to reassure myself she was safe.
She fell asleep within minutes, but I lay awake. My mind raced as I rehearsed every way I could make Matt pay. Eventually, exhaustion dragged me under where my dreams twisted as my past and present collided, turning memories into monsters. Images of my childhood blended with the horrors from the day before. Details long forgotten rose to the surface and intermixed with the fear and fury that coursed through me when I saw Eva’s bruised body tied to a chair.
A jolt ripped me from sleep. My heart hammered against my ribs, and sweat beaded on my forehead as I sat up with a jerk. I couldn’t tell where—or when—I was for a moment as the remnants of the nightmare clung to me.
“Roman?” Eva’s sleepy voice cut through the darkness. “What’s wrong?”
I tried to steady my breathing. “Just a nightmare. Go back to sleep.”
She propped herself up beside me. I could see the concern in her eyes at my strained tone, even in the dim light.
“Tell me about it. Please?”
I hesitated. Eva’s hand found mine in the darkness, our fingers intertwining.
“It was about my old man. He was a drunk and an addict. He was always losing his shit on us and our mom. One time, when I was twelve, he really lost it.”
She squeezed my hand in silent encouragement.
“He beat her senseless, then tied her to a chair. He locked me and Linc outside. Linc was only seven. Kid was scared out of his mind.”
The memory flashed through my mind vividly, as if it had happened yesterday instead of years ago. I dragged in a shaky lungful of air that tasted faintly of her grapefruit shampoo.
“There was this biker going down the street. A Maverick. I flagged him down. Begged him for help. It was Don. He broke in, saved our mom, and beat the living shit out of my old man.”
I fell silent for a moment, lost in the recollection. “He called Maisie to get my mom to a women’s shelter. Seeing you tied up like that brought it back to the surface of my mind. Even some details I’d buried so deep that I’d forgotten.”
Unshed tears shimmered in her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
My throat tightened. I wasn’t used to being comforted. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was early morning. Sleep would need to come later.
“You should get some more sleep. I’ve got some things I need to take care of.”
Eva wanted to argue, but I kissed her before she could protest. “I’m all right, I promise. Just need to clear my headand take care of some things. I’ll be back in time to make you breakfast.”
“Pancakes.”
“Anything you want.”
“I want real pancakes. Made with flour and sugar. Not monkfruit and whatever weird health flours you have hidden away.”
I chuckled as she settled back onto the pillows. “Pancakes covered in maple syrup and blueberries, and dusted with powdered sugar. I’ll make the sweetest, most calorie dense damn pancakes you’ve ever had.”
The floorboards creaked under my feet as I moved through the quiet cabin. I grabbed my jacket from the back of a chair and shrugged it over my flannel shirt. My fingers brushed over the worn leather, tracing the familiar patches. The weight settled on my shoulders, heavy with what I knew I needed to do next.
