Page 83 of Reaper’s Wrath

Relief floods my system with such intensity my head spins.

A part of me had started to worry Isa was right, and I’d invented a past that never happened. Our past is real, and I can prove it. Once she sees this, she’ll remember, and then I just have to hope she forgives me for not coming back sooner. As much as I want her to remember, that’s the one part I’m not looking forward to because I know she’s going to ask again. The closer we get, the more pressing the question will become. All I can do is pray my explanation is enough.

CHAPTER 44

ELIO

Seventeen Years Ago

It’s hard to believe three years have passed since I was brought aboard the Greek’s boat. The first year was the hardest—I was only allowed on land a handful of times. A person goes stir-crazy on a boat after a while. Knowing I could go ashore with good behavior went a long way toward curbing my more rebellious deeds.

Now, we go ashore at least once a month, but never unsupervised. And I never get to go with Kai. The Greek will take one of us, and when he gets back, Stavros takes the other.

Aside from the stops at port, being on the boat isn’t so bad now that we’ve upgraded to a yacht. It’s used but still a thousand times better than the old sailboat, which has been retired. The kitchen is actually functional, and we have more room overall. I share a bunk room with Kai, which is where we are one evening when we hear a child crying.

“Tell me I’m not going crazy,” I say to him from the bottom bunk, which he insisted I take because I’ve grown so much he swore he’d end up crushed to death when my weight broke the bed should I take the top bunk.

“If you’re crazy, I must be crazy, too.” His head pops into view above me. “That’s a kid, right?”

“Sounds like it.”

We both turn our attention to the door as the sound gets closer until Stavros stands in the doorway with a little girl in his arms and a sneer on his face.

“She’s your responsibility now. Take care of her, or I will.” He sets her down, glares at us so as to ensure we feel the full weight of his threat, then leaves.

The kid is a toddler. Her tangled brown hair comes to her shoulders, and she’s a mess of snot and tears, her tiny body hiccuping from residual sobs.

She stares at us through wide, watery blue eyes while we stare back, stunned.

The longer I look at her, the more my heart bleeds. She must be terrified. I have no clue how she ended up here or where she came from, but it seems Kairos and I are now all she has.

I give her a gentle smile and extend my hand, motioning for her to come closer. “It’s okay, sweet girl,” I assure her softly. “I won’t hurt you.”

Her chin quivers before she stumbles forward and flings herself at me. Her little hands cling to my shirt while her sorrow embeds itself in my soul. I hold her securely to my chest and murmur words of reassurance.

Kai slips down from the top bunk and joins me sitting on my bed. “Is this really happening? What the hell are we supposed to do with a little girl on a boat?” His whispered words are full of fear, and I get it. This life is no place for a child of any age, let alone one so young.

“No idea, but you know as well as I do that Stavros would sooner sell her than find her a good home.” My eyes meet his, and I see the same conflict I feel reflected in his gaze. “I can’t do it, Kai. I can’t turn her over to him.”

His eyes take in her tiny form, his hand lifting to gently pet her wild hair. “No, we can’t,” he breathes almost to himself. “Hey, sweetie,” he says with more volume. “Can you talk?”

She peeks over at him and nods.

Kai gives her a warm smile. “That’s good. My name is Kai, and this is Elio. Can you tell us your name?”

She looks from him up to me, wiping her face with the back of her chubby wrist. “My name’s Tessa. Can you help me find my mommy?” Her bottom lip trembles, and my heart contracts painfully.

I was seventeen when I was torn away from my family, and it still broke my heart. I can’t imagine what the loss will do to poor little Tessa.

“How old are you, Tess?” I ask, trying to redirect her.

She holds up three fingers.

“You’re three?”

She nods.

“Such a big girl. I know you’re a little scared, but we’re going to take care of you, okay?” I wait for her to nod before bringing her in to kiss the top of her head. It’s not something I would do to any other random kid. Little Tessa is different. She’s a younger version of ourselves, and I want to do anything I can to protect her. This transition will be hard enough as it is.