Page 118 of Reaper’s Wrath

Amusement twists the corners of his lips. “Fuck the business.”

I grin back, a lightness filling my chest that I haven’t felt in years. “Fuck the business.”

Then we laugh, deep, cathartic peels of laughter that I pray Stavros’s dead ears can still hear from his new home in hell.

CHAPTER 59

ISA

My pacing is about to test the shelf-life of hotel carpeting. Elio called nearly an hour ago to tell me he was alright after seeing my missed calls, but I won’t believe it until I see him with my own eyes.

Evie and I slipped away from the docks in the pandemonium after DiAngelo’s identity was confirmed by the blond cop. A chorus of arguments erupted. Cops, Russians, Italians—everyone was yelling at one another either in frustration or to calm down. Our little group of four simply withdrew from the scene and disappeared back to our hotel.

After that, Evie scrolled through channels like she was hunting for the Holy Grail until Michael let her know he was alright. He didn’t have an update on Elio. It was another hour before I heard from him.

When the door finally opens, it’s Elio. Evie takes one look at the emotional storm brewing in his eyes and quietly excuses herself to go back to her room.

“Are you okay?” I choke out. His face and arms are smeared with blood, and one hand is wrapped in bandages.

He pulls me close and holds me against his warm body. Feeling his solid form against me goes a long way to calming my nerves.

“I’m good, buttercup. Just a lot to process.” He sits down on the bed, pulling me onto his lap. “I learned that the Greek and his second, Stavros, were trafficking kids, and we had no idea.”

“Oh, El. That’s awful,” she gasps. “But you know you’re not responsible for their actions.”

“I know, but I wish I’d stopped them earlier.” His gaze meets mine, unfiltered and raw. “I killed him, Ees.”

I bite my bottom lip while I nod. “Good,” I whisper. “The police raided the dock meeting,” I tell him. “Dad called to warn you.”

“That explains the calls from you,” he deduces.

I give a thin smile. “Aaand why we went to the docks.”

His brows take a hike up his forehead. “You were there?”

I nod. “We saw the cops about to arrest you—I was so terrified. I went running over, then realized it wasn’t you.”

His smirk is a relief. It’s the first sign of levity he’s given since his return. “You always could tell us apart, huh?”

“Of course, I can,” I reply with an ounce of indignation. “I just have no clue how he ended up at the party.”

“It was a last-minute change of plans.”

“So that would explain why Pete and Cruz had no idea,” I muse.

Elio nods. “It didn’t seem important to loop them in, since they weren’t supposed to be involved in that part of the operation.”

“Probably best to keep everyone in the know next time.”

He smiles with a nod. “You’re probably right. And next time, you can trust that I know what I’m doing.”

My eyes narrow as I fight back a grin. “I suppose you are the Reaper.”

“Damn straight.”

I fall deep into the forested embrace of his laughing eyes. When he lies back on the bed, I go with him, resting my head on his chest. His body lifts and lowers with a sigh so heavy, the weight of it presses against me.

“I didn’t get all the information I needed today to figure out where the trafficked kids were being taken.” His regret-filled words sink hooks into my heart, weighing me further down.