Page 89 of Painless
My chest fluttered and I leaned back into the couch. My ring caught the sunlight through the windows, twinkling like a star as my fingers dove through Reaper’s dark hair.
“I love you, Rory.” My hands moved down to massage his neck.
He moaned at my touch, eyes slitting open. “What have I done this time to make you say my dipshit birth name?”
My fingers stopped moving, contemplating for a moment. “Nothing, really. I guess I’m just worried about you.”
“Worried why?”
“I’ve never seen you hungover like this, for one. I don’t like that you didn’t want me around after Dallas’s memorial. But,” I placed a finger on his lips to ensure he’d let me keep talking, “I get it. You’re in a tough position with losing Dallas, as his president and friend, plus moving, the attack, and dealing with the Sons. I’m not angry, love. I just want you to be okay.” My fingers returned to kneading his shoulders and neck. “You carry such a burden all the time, but you don’t have to do it alone.”
He let out a deep sigh that deflated his whole chest. “I know, babe. I told you to leave because my head wasn’t in a good place after the funeral. I didn’t want to hurt you by saying something fucking stupid again.”
A surprised breath escaped from my chest. Reaper tilted his head up to look at me, eyes green and clear, while mine filled with tears. I thought I knew before, but now I was certain.
It wouldn’t be him. This man would never, ever break my heart.
“Sugar, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I smiled and wiped my eyes before he could reach them. “You’re just the best and I love you.”
“I’m not the best.” He took my hand and kissed my wrist, his fingers playing with the band of my ring. “That’s why you have other men, to love you when I’m a fucking dick.”
“I love you even when you are a dick,” I laughed.
“And that’s why you have my ring.” He kissed the underside of the band, then laid my palm flat over his heart as he looked up at me. “I called you my wife to Shadow during the attack, when I didn’t know where you were. It just slipped out in a panic, but it’s true, Mari. We might not be bound together by any law or god, but you’remine.You’ll always be mine.”
“I bet we know of some gods that’ll approve,” I chuckled, raising my gaze to the dog bed. Hades was curled around Freyja, both fast asleep.
“Ain’t that right.” Reaper wrapped a hand around mine on his chest, his thumb stroking over my palm. “I have a lot to tell you about what Shadow and I found.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezing shut. “Soon as my head stops fucking pounding.”
“Let the medic take care of that.” I leaned down to kiss his forehead, and blinked droplets of tears onto his skin.
I blinked again, the tears rolling freely down my cheeks now. Reaper sat up, a protective hand cupping the back of my neck to pull me into him.
“Something else bothering you, my love?” he asked tenderly.
“I just…” A ragged breath sawed out of me, taking all of my strength with it. I leaned heavily against my husband, melting into his calming heartbeat and gentle strokes of my hair. “I just miss Dallas.”
His arms squeezed around my back, lips raining soothing kisses on my face and hair.
“I do too.”
Twenty-Nine
MARIPOSA
"Remember what I said." Scooting off the bed, I gave Jandro a light swat to his ass.
"You'll pin me down under a bike and have your way with me?" he murmured, facedown in his pillows.
"No," I laughed. "No rolling onto your back allowed."
"Si, mami,"he answered sleepily, before I crept out of the room to let him rest.
His healing was going well, and I was hoping he might not need skin grafts after all. The damage still limited his range of movement, however, and he wasn't likely to sit with his arms forward on a bike for a few weeks. Thankfully, Reaper decided to hold off on moving until his VP was in riding shape. It would give us time to figure out the logistics of uprooting so many people, and allow us to say goodbye to our home.
I headed downstairs, following Freyja as she scurried down fearlessly. She went straight for the sliding glass door to the backyard, paws up and eyes wide on Jandro's chickens.
