Reaper

14

My eyes fluttered open as I stretched and yawned all at once. I had gotten some great sleep, my body and mind feeling at ease. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, but then remembering bits and pieces of last night made me force my eyes open. I expected to be in a torture dungeon for sure, but I was still in the room he had provided for me. It was my hope that he had forgiven my stupidity since I was drunk. Nevertheless, I tippy toed my way out of the room and to the bathroom hoping that he wouldn't hear me. I peeked behind me but didn't hear anything. I quickly used the bathroom before running to my room, and right as I got to the door, his room door opened.

"Ah!" I screamed, and Azias rolled his eyes as I covered my mouth. He began walking to me and I made a run for the house door downstairs. I rushed down the stairs and grabbed the door handle.

I would have to come back for Rose, or maybe he'd let her live being that she didn't have anything to do with me. Yet again, she would have known that he was my killer. He'd have to take her out too! No, he'd use her as leverage to get me back. By then, I would have devised the perfect plan.

I sprinted to the front gate, but before I could beg the guard to open it, I was spun around only to see a very annoyed dude. I didn't recognize him. Maybe we had met last night, but I wouldn't have remembered anyone due to how drunk I was.

"You a whole track star!" the guy panted. "The guards don't open that door without clearance from Reaper, who clearly wants you back inside because he had me chase after you. Can you just do us both a favor and go back?" I blankly stared at him before attempting to climb the gate. "Hard way it is!"

The guy grabbed me by my waist and threw me over his shoulder as I kicked and screamed for my life. I was brought inside to find Azias waiting by the end of the stairs with an annoyed look on his face.

"Can't promise she won't run off again," the guy that held me said while locking the door. He then placed me to stand, and I immediately began looking down the left hall, plotting my escape.

Azias backed his gun out and aimed it at me, and I froze not only in my actions but also in my thoughts.

"I think she'll stay put now, Jonah," Azias joked with a straight face. "Why did you run off?" I remained quiet as I stared widely at the gun in front of my head. I started having flashbacks of that night. The night my father died. I felt the fear from that night seeping in. My body was frozen in the present, but my mind was moving through the past. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, and Azias put the gun away and walked closer to me. Immediately, I flinched and crouched to shield myself from whatever hit I thought would be coming.

"Please," I sniffled as I put a hand out to stop him, but his footsteps kept on nearing. Azias grabbed my hand and pulled my body into his. His hand met my waist to keep me in place, and as he looked inside my watery eyes, he seemed a bit hurt.

"Have I ever hit you?" he asked, his voice soft with an angry undertone. I shook my head while sniffling. He whispered into my ear, "I'm never going to, so can you please stop flinching when I try to comfort you?"

He wants to comfort me?!

I nodded in compliance and he moved from my ear and wiped my tear away as he stared into my watery eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?! I-"

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done so already," he pointed out.

I frowned, "So you're not mad at me for last night?"

"I ain't say all of that," he replied, and Jonah chuckled before Azias gave him a look that made him immediately straighten his face and exit the house. I had honestly forgotten that he was still there with us. "I thought I made it very clear that I didn't want you dancing for anyone else."

Azias released my waist and backed up, and the comfort I felt in his strong, protective arms immediately dissolved.

"You did," I confirmed while shamefully looking away.

"Why did you then?" Azias questioned.

I rambled, "I got drunk and wanted to act out because I felt a type of way about the other night even though you kinda-not-really spoke about it to me. I know what I did was childish, and I also know that you're very dangerous. I just thought one mistake would've been the end of it for me!"

Azias stayed quiet for a while as he stared into my eyes. After a while, he nodded and broke his silence. "The next time you try some dumb shit like that, I'm cutting you off completely."

"Okay," I nodded in understanding.

"And let it be known from now, when I give you specific instructions, I expect you to follow them," he added.

I nodded, "Copy. What's...my punishment?"

He couldn't have been letting me off the hooks this easily! He was known and feared by so many people for reasons I didn't know, but I was sure that kindness wouldn't be one of the traits associated with him.

"Don't tempt me," he replied. I guess I'm wrong..."I'm letting you off easy this one time, but like I said, the minute you pull a stunt like that again, we won't even be having a conversation."

"Understood," I nodded like a child that had just been taken out of detention by the understanding teacher who decided to have a change of heart.

He then said, "Excuse," and I got out of his way so that he could leave the house. Once Azias was gone, a door on the left opened, and Emily poked her head out. She then waived and began walking over to me.

"Not you eavesdropping," I chuckled, and she burst out laughing.

"You are so lucky he likes you. That one stunt would've been enough for him to cut you off permanently," she chuckled.

I shook my head, "He doesn't like me."

"He most definitely does. For one he never sticks with just one girl. Two is the minimum," Emily argued.

"Who says another won't be here in a few weeks?" I shrugged. I knew he owed me no loyalty, which was what made his demand for mine unfair.

"Fine, if he didn't like you, why did he get rid of his last three girls just for you?" Emily asked.

"What?" I frowned. I had assumed that the other two were still around somewhere. That he was maybe seeing them when he wasn't here was another assumption I had made.

Emily explained, "He and I never had sex, but he did with the other girls you saw that night we met at the club. When he saw you pull up with Ace, he couldn't keep his eyes off you. Ace noticed too and asked to swap since Ace has a thing for me," Emily informed. "Reaper wouldn't have swapped if he didn't like you. What's his is his. Everyone knows that. If he's seen with a girl, everyone knows not to mess with that girl. It doesn't matter if they're in a relationship or not. His is his. He considers you his, and the only reason I'm not gone like the other girls is because of Ace and the fact that Reaper and I never went there."

I shrugged, "I guess. Doesn't mean he likes me though." Besides, I could care less what he thinks, I thought to myself. I belong to no one.

"He does. I swear he does," she smiled, and Rose came exiting her room. "Right, Rose? Reaper has a crush on Sapphire."

"Mmhm, he sure does," Rose nodded, and I rolled my eyes.

"And what proof do you have?" I questioned, making her roll her eyes back at me.

"Time will prove itself," she replied, and I rolled my eyes back at her. "You think I didn't hear what went down today too? I keep telling ya goofy ass to stop being stupid!"

I chuckled, "I'm alive, right?"

"Barely," Rose rolled her eyes. "What if he chose to murder you instead of talking it out?"

I reminded, "You're the one who wanted me to dance with you last night, so if I had died, the blame would've been on you too."

"Oof," Emily teased, and Rose smiled sheepishly. Rose knew she had nothing left to say.