Reaper (Lost Mates book Two)

Chapter Two

Bethany hurried down the street, tears threatening to over come her. She wouldn’t cry, the days of her crying over that jerk were long gone. They were the tears of a teenage girl, one who thought forever might actually mean forever. Those silly daydreams belonged to Rose and Rose was long gone. She died in that crash, along with all her hopes and dreams. Bethany had been many different people since then, each stronger than the one before.

“Wait”

She felt herself topple as the strong hand spun her round on her to high heels. She was many things, but a high heel wearer wasn’t one of them. She was much more comfortable in comfy boots, but this interview had called for heels, so she had dusted off her one smart pair. Black with a spike heel that was far to high to be practical.

She had a moment to brace for impact, but it never came. She never hit the pavement instead she found herself; f nose to chest with someone so much taller than she was. She didn’t need to look up to know who it was. A trembling started all over her body at the feel of his powerful hands gripping her arms.

“Let go of me Reaper!” She took a step back, half expecting him to fight to keep his hands on her. He didn’t, his hands dropped to his side.

“You’re not going to use my real name?” He seemed to be at a loss as to where to put his hands, shoving him in the pockets of the dark jeans he was sporting, Bethany couldn’t help but let her eyes trail over his thighs. Muscular, magnificent but then he had always been pretty magnificent which was the reason their friendship had been so unexpected.

“No, I have nothing to say to him and nothing to say to you either. You are a stranger” She ripped her eyes away from his narrow waist and finally met his eyes, a defiant tilt to her chin as she surveyed him with barely veiled contempt, her lip curling in a sneer.

“Ro…”

“My name is Bethany”

A small smile crossed his mouth at the anger in her voice. Which made her clench her fists at her side. He had always done that, laughed at her anger. If he didn’t stop it, he was about to find out how much she had changed from that quiet geeky girl he had known. She would wipe that smile right off his face even if she had to do a running jump to do it.

“You always did love the Name Bethany” His voice was quiet, barely audible but she heard. He was standing so close it would be impossible not to. His larger frame invading her personal space, the scent of him filling her nostrils.

“What do you want?”

He raised at her tone, as if he wasn’t used to anyone standing up to him. Which maybe he wasn’t. he hadn’t been so different in school. A jerk then and a jerk now. “To talk to you, I would like at least the chance to explain”

She held up a hand, noticing the varnish had chipped on one and was instantly embarrassed by it. Which just made her angrier. “There’s nothing to explain and even if there was, I really don’t have the time”

“When will you have the time Ro…” he trailed off “Bethany”

“For you? Never” She walked away, twice in one day must be a new record for them. He was the one that excelled at running away.

“Don’t you think you at least owe me an explanation Bethany” He said her name sarcastically.

“I owe you an explanation?” She whirled then, her eyes flashing with pent up anger. Had he really just said she owed him? Owed him anything. “What right do you have to tell me I owe you anything REAPER? Tell me why do they call you that? Have a habit of leaving people dead in your wake?”

He took a step back like she had winded him but there was a dark anger in his eyes. One she hadn’t seen before.

It was like looking into a bottomless black hole and knowing if you tumbled in you would never hit the bottom.

“Something like that yes” He shook himself visibly, but the damage had been done, she could see it in the tight set of his jaw.

Good.

Things would be easier if he held onto the anger, she had years of holding onto it. It kept her warm at night. He should do the same.

“Ollie would want….”

“Ollie doesn’t want anything, he’s dead. Dead and rotting in the ground”

He took a threatening step towards her. “Do not” His form towered over her; the easy smile he was famous gone had disappeared from his face. “DO.NOT.EVER talk like that about him like that your heartless b***h”

Bethany recoiled, there was so much hatred in his voice.

“I should have known you wouldn’t give a s**t, you didn’t back then either”

Bethany felt the sob escape her lips, she clamped her hand over her mouth to try and stifle it. Didn’t give a s**t? If only he knew. Not that she could tell him. He hadn’t wanted to know back then, he sure as hell wouldn’t care now.

She turned on her hand and stepped into the road, her hand flagging down a taxi that was passing.

“Rose” His voice was tortured.

“What the hell was that?”

Reaper didn’t stop until he slid into the chair behind his desk. He should have known that Roman would be waiting for him.

“Leave it”

“No, you need to explain, why our newest assistant ran out of here almost crying at seeing you”

“And why you kept calling her Rose” Rory was there sliding a mug of hot tea across to him, like hot tea would be all it too to make this better.

He had screwed up big time with his outburst. His head dropped to his hands. Romans eyes fell onto the black and white Rose on his hand, and his mouth opened.

“Oh brother”

“What” Rory fell silent as her mates’ big hand came down on her shoulder.

“His mate?” She mouthed silently. Roman nodded.

“What can we do Reaper?”

“I f****d it all up again, she ran from me, why would she do that?” Reapers voice broke.

“Reaper I’m sorry” Rory patted his shoulder gently. He looked at her with his green eyes. There was a light in them that she didn’t much like. He was up to something.

“You have her address on record, don’t you?”

“Brother that isn’t one of your better ideas” Roman tried soothing his friend. It wasn’t a good idea, but he couldn’t really say anything. Hadn’t he done the exact same thing? Hunted his mate down? Reaper shot him a look that said exactly that.

“I need to explain her, make things at least better than this…” He motioned with his hand. “Roman you have to understand; I was never the one for her. She only ever saw me as a friend but Ollie and me knew she was ours. Was meant to be ours anyway until he …” He shook his head sadly. Until his second had started dating her. He knew the mating was accidental but that didn’t stop it from tying them both to her forever. Tying him to her even when she left, never to be seen again. Until now. Now the pull of her was almost unbearable.

“I can’t allow you that information Reaper” Rory folded her arms across her chest. Her face firm. “I’m sorry but in the mood you’re in I wouldn’t feel right. If she feels the need to contact, you then she will”

“I’m sorry Rory but you can’t stop me” His voice was harsh.

The look of panic she threw at her mate wasn’t lost on him though, he c****d his head. What where they hiding from him? “What is it?” Instantly he regretted the way he spoke to her. She had a defiant look on her face which told him that she would tell him nothing more.

Roman ushered her out, a grim look on his face as he shook his head as she turned to speak. She ignored him totally. “Reaper I love you please don’t do anything silly”

“Not another word my love, this is for Reaper and him alone to work out”

She shot another look, and Reaper felt instantly sorry for the argument they were about to have... because of him. Rory had always been good to him.

But he had to find his mate.

That was all that mattered.