Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 108563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108563 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Shadow goes to open her mouth and interrupt, but I hold up a finger and continue. “This is what’s going to happen. I’m not letting Siren out of my sight. She’ll stay here with me, and just as she was doing before, I’ll make sure there’s a home-cooked meal on the table for you every night. Only, you won’t be leaving. You come home every night, you eat your dinner, and then you go to sleep. There are three other bedrooms in this house, take your pick.”
“But what about the competition?”
“I don’t give a shit what you do during the day. Go and track every asshole and their best friend for all I care, but at night, you come home so that Siren and I can sleep easy knowing that you’re safe and being fed properly. There is no competition between us. Is that understood?”
Her gaze shifts around the room, unsure of what to do or say, but for whatever reason, she nods. “Okay,” she finally says, lifting her chin. “I’ll stay here with you.”
“Thank you,” I say, having expected that to go a million other ways, except for like that. “I know Siren would appreciate that.”
She nods again, which is when it gets awkward, and I realize that I actually have no idea how to talk to a thirteen-year-old girl, let alone one who’s a trained killer and probably boasts more kills than Siren and I combined. “Well, make yourself at home. There’s food and water in the fridge, and all the bedrooms are made up. Pick which one you like best and make it your own,” I tell her. “I’m going to go and sit with Siren if you need me.”
I give her a tight smile, and as I turn to walk away, Shadow calls after me. “She’s going to be upset.”
I pause and glance back. “Sorry?”
“Siren,” she confirms. “I’ve been watching her, and she loves those two blades she stole from you. She’s going to be upset that she lost them in the fire.”
I nod in understanding. I did notice that she coveted those blades, and because of how much she loves them, I didn’t bother to try to get them back. To be honest, I figured at the start that after she was killed, I would take them back, along with all the identities she’d collected, but now, I want her to keep them. They suit her, and as for those blades, there’s plenty more where they came from.
“I’ll handle it,” I tell her, appreciating this kid more with every conversation we have. I go to walk away again before turning back one last time. “Listen, kid,” I say, holding her attention. “You did good today. You were brave. Not many would have run into that fire to save someone they barely knew. You should be proud of yourself.”
Shadow nods. “She showed me kindness when she didn’t need to. Not many people would go out of their way to help someone like that. I like her. I don’t have people in my life who actually . . . care enough to look out for me. I didn’t want to lose that.”
“You’re a good kid, Shadow,” I tell her. “You’ll always have a place here with us.”
She offers me a small, unsure smile, and with that, I turn and make my way down the hall, determined to spend every last second I can at Siren’s side. Then, as I step over the threshold into my bedroom and lay down beside Siren, I vow to myself that no matter what, someone will pay for what happened tonight, and when they do, they’re going to curse the day they ever laid eyes on my girl.
21
SIREN
As I wake in the warmth of two strong arms, I try to push past the blanket of grogginess that makes my body feel heavy. I instantly melt into Reaper’s hold as I peel my eyes open to a new day. My head aches, my lungs ache, and my chest . . . holy fuck. But nothing matters more than the fact that I’m alive and in his arms.
The memories of my night assault my mind, and despite the distraction of being in Reaper’s orbit, I can’t make them fade away.
In my line of work, I’ve had more than enough close calls. I can’t even count on one hand how many times I’ve been shot. My body is practically a road map full of scars telling the story of the hell I’ve endured over the past ten years, but last night was different. I’ve never felt fear like that, never felt my lungs burning from the inside out. The heat inside that suite was like nothing I’ve ever known, and while I could empathize with Eagle’s trauma, now I understand it.
“You good, baby?”
I clear my throat, cringing at the immediate burn. “I thought I told you that I’m not your baby.”