He turned back to her, and the pain in his eyes was so raw it made her chest ache, “Because several years ago, someone I loved was afraid. She called me, told me she was in trouble, that she needed help. And me…I was away on deployment. I couldn’t get to her in time.”
“What happened?” Evie asked softly, certain she knew the answer to that question already.
“She died,” The words were flat, emotionless, but Evie heard the ocean of grief beneath them, “And I’ve spent every day since then wishing I’d been there. Wishing I’d protected her when it mattered.”
Evie’s breath caught, “That’s why you protect people. Why you stood between me and those deputies. It’s why you won’t let Geoffrey touch me.”
“I won’t let that happen again,” Reaper said quietly, “I won’t fail someone else I—” He stopped
