“That was your downfall, you know. You underestimated your opponent. You let your human side get in the way. You didn’t expect someone to cheat—someone to kill for what they wanted.”
He was right. That was my downfall. I hadn’t been expecting a dirty fight. My entire life I’d been honest; I’d worked hard. I thought that was the way to get the things I wanted. The respect and recognition I deserved.
But there were people out there who didn’t care about hard work or integrity. There were people out there who wanted to take the shortcut to success and their shortcut involved knocking down the people in their way.
“Your loss was my gain that night,” G.R. said. “I knew you would become my greatest Escort. I was right. All you needed was a little push.”
“A little push?”
He smiled slyly. “All I had to do was get rid of the humanity that seemed to hold you back.”
Dread began to build within in me. My humanity? After I died, the only humanity I had was…
My sister.
“You son of a…” My words trailed away as the knowledge of just how bad he played me was born. “You killed her. You killed my sister.”
“I thought maybe as time went on, your preoccupation with her would diminish, but then you killed that boy. You broke my rules and you killed someone who wasn’t a Target.”
“You knew?”
“I know everything. I knew the minute you killed him. But I wasn’t ready to Recall you. I knew your potential, but in order for it to be realized, she had to go.”
Fury burned through me. It swept over my entire body like a forest fire in a bone-dry mountain of trees. He killed my sister. He robbed her of her life. He robbed my mother of her daughter. If I hadn’t hated him before, I hated him now.
“It worked,” he taunted. “As soon as she was gone, you became the perfect killer. So quick and precise. You never strayed from a job and the charm you exuded was the perfect bait for just about any Target.”
I thought she killed herself. I thought what I had done made her end her life. All these years I carried around guilt that some days threatened to crush me when all along I hadn’t killed her at all. It was him.
My sister lost her life so he could create the perfect Escort.
I flew across the room, leaping over his desk and grabbing the chair he sat in like it was his throne. Moving fast, I grabbed the chair and hurled it, sending him and the black leather monster spiraling against the wall of closets behind him.
The chair crashed to the floor, half pinning him to the ground, and one of the closet doors sprang open, revealing the row of neat bodies.
G.R. tossed the chair away and stood, swiping at a rivulet of blood that trailed from the corner of his lip, and faced me. I sent a swirling ball of white-hot energy at his chest, making him leap to the side out of its path. The energy hit the bodies, blowing them off the racks and scattering them on the floor. I went over and snatched one up, snarling at the ugly-ass khakis and threw it at him. “Better pick a new body now because when I’m done with the one you’re wearing, it won’t be worth salvaging.”
He caught the body and lowered it to the ground like it was delicate and then turned his eyes to the other bodies that lay around my feet.
He barreled toward me, and I knew he was going to try and touch me. From the last time, I understood just a simple touch from him wouldn’t kill me like a regular human, but any longer contact would completely kill the body I was in. This was my body and I wasn’t about to lose it.
I rushed around the end of the desk and lifted, using it as a shield against him. All the contents that sat on top slid down and rushed across the floor, making the Reaper dodge the falling office supplies.
I shoved the table away, pushing it toward him, and it teetered on its one side before falling over, crashing toward him. He narrowly missed being crushed, and the desk landed on the floor with a hard smack.
His office door flew open and several of the Escorts rushed in, looking at G.R., the mess, and then settling on me.
I smirked and looked at G.R. “You didn’t fire them after the ass kicking I served them last time?” I shook my head. “Your business is going to hell.”
His response was to shoot more of that electric-blue energy that crackled from his fingertips. This time it connected.
I flew backward, hitting the sofa in the center of the room and knocking it over. I landed behind it on the floor and lay there stunned for a few minutes.
One of the Escorts (the blue one) hauled me up and drew back his fist to punch me, but I kicked him, sending him sprawling into the one behind him.
All three of them went down like dominoes. It’s like they were the three stooges of death.
I faced the Reaper once more, my brain rapidly running through ideas of how I could cause him extreme pain.
But my thoughts were stalled when I heard the telltale cocking of guns behind me.
I looked over my shoulder to see the three stooges hadn’t come alone this time. They’d brought some friends. Friends that were much more lethal than they were. And right now all three of their friends were pointed at my head.
Well, damn.
My options just got a lot more limited. I could (and would) fight back, but the odds were at least one of them would get off a good shot. If this body died, the chances of getting G.R. to give me another one were slim to none. Not to mention not having a body made moving around a real pain in the ass. I didn’t have time to get shot.
G.R. smiled like he knew he won and made his way through the mess to dig out his chair and press the button underneath of it. The secret wall slid open, revealing the doors inside.
“Your new home awaits,” he said, gesturing toward the room.
I wasn’t going back in there. I glanced at the closets, at the closed doors lining the small hideaway. Keep him talking, the voice in my head told me.
“Why did you keep my body? My sister’s body?” As I talked, I moved slightly toward the wall, pretending I was going to do what he wanted. All three guns followed my movements.
“After she was gone, I decided to put her body away for safe keeping, your body too. In case I ever needed something to control you. In case that humanity reared its ugly head again. I never thought it would end like this, Charming. But you’re becoming a liability. And that is why I must Recall you.”
His words angered me all over again. He had taken so much away from me, so much more than I ever realized. He’s the reason I was who I became, and now he wanted to punish me for being too good at exactly who he wanted me to be.
“You’re not Recalling me because I’m a liability.” I snarled. “You’re trying to get rid of me because you’re scared. You created me a little too perfectly and now that I’ve decided I won’t be your puppet anymore, you know you won’t be able to control me. That was your mistake. You gave me too much power.”
I saw the truth in his eyes. The acknowledgement of my words. I was right. He was scared of me. I wasn’t being punished because I overlooked what Dex had done. That was just an excuse. If it hadn’t been that, he would have found something else. I was being punished because he saw me as a threat.
I took my opportunity and grabbed the closest gun that was pointed at me. I ripped it out of the Escort’s hand, snapping his wrist in the process. He howled in pain but didn’t go down like I thought he would. Instead, he plowed into me low, catching me around the legs and sending me forward to fall over his back. I fired the gun, but the shot went wild, the bullet burying into the wall.
“Get him!” G.R. demanded.
I fell onto my stomach and rolled, trying to bring up the gun from beneath me to fire again. But before I could get a shot off, one of the Escorts was there, using the butt of his gun and slamming it into my temple. I collapsed back onto the floor.
Everything went black.
Chapter Forty-Eight
“Sinister - suggesting or threatening evil.”
Frankie
“Hey,” she said, looking up, her eyes traveling behind me. I knew she was looking for Olly.
“Is Storm here?” I said, lowering my voice so our conversation would remain private.
“I’m not sure. He said he would be around. Whatever that means.”
I glanced outside toward the sidewalk. “Meet me outside when you’re done here. Hurry.”
“What’s wrong, Frankie?”
“I’ll explain later,” I said, halfway out the door.
The sidewalk outside was vacant, the hour late enough that most people were already home for the day. I looked around, trying to see Storm and then giving up with an irritated groan when I realized there were just too many dark places here from him to hide.
“Storm!” I whisper-yelled.
A few seconds ticked by and I opened my mouth to yell louder this time when I heard him up ahead. “Here.”
I moved up the sidewalk, looking for the source of his voice, and when I passed by a darkened eave for a shop, he said, “I’m here.”
“Get in the car!” I whisper-yelled again. I went around to my side and climbed in, leaving my door open so he would be able to get inside.
A few minutes later, black fog filled up the back seat.
“That is seriously sinister,” I said, looking in the rearview mirror.
“You’re dating an Escort,” he pointed out dryly. “I would say that’s worse.”
It was the first time I didn’t bother to correct someone when they said I was dating Olly. I wasn’t really sure if that was our official title, but since we both confessed to love and I was ready to do anything to get him back, I figured dating wasn’t too far of a stretch.
Piper climbed into the passenger seat, her eyes going to the black cloud in the back and then doing a double take on the gun I clutched in my lap.
“Where is Charming and why do you have a gun?”
“He’s with the Reaper. I’m going to get him out,” I said, pulling away from the curb.
“You’re going the wrong way,” Storm pointed out.
“No, I’m not. I’m taking Piper home.”
“What!” she exclaimed. “No, you are not.”
I gave her a look. “Yes, I am. You’re my best friend. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She snorted. “I’m the only person in this car who is safe from the Reaper.”
We all sat there silently, realizing she was right.
“That’s exactly why you should go home,” I pointed out, using her reasoning against her. “You’ve already suffered enough at the hands of the Reaper.”
“I agree,” Storm said.
“You don’t get a vote,” she snapped over her shoulder.
I grinned. “Tell him!”
“You don’t get a vote, either.”
The grin I was sporting vanished. “Excuse me?”
“This is my decision. I’m not going to go sit at home while you rush off to do God knows what without me.”
“She’s just going to sit in the car,” Storm put in from behind.
“Be quiet!” we said at the same time.
She looked at me and I sighed. “Fine.” I didn’t have any right to make her stay home. No one could keep me from being involved if this was about Piper.
The tires screeched as I did a U-turn in the center of the road.
“Tell me where to go,” I told Storm.
“Oh, am I allowed to talk now?” he quipped.
“You may give directions,” Piper told him, glancing over her shoulder.
“Women,” he muttered.
“Tell us what happened,” Piper said when we were headed in the right direction.
As I drove, I explained what happened at Olly’s house. The whole time I had to keep reminding myself not to speed, that a speeding ticket would only make things worse. When I was done explaining, I thought for sure they would tell me I was crazy, that we couldn’t just go to the Reaper’s house and expect to get him out.
But they didn’t bother to tell me it was a stupid idea or that Olly wouldn’t want me to go there. Maybe they saw the determination in my face. Maybe they knew it would be a waste of breath. I didn’t really care what they were thinking because it didn’t matter.
“We’re here,” Storm said quietly.
My attention went beyond my thoughts to the homes of the upper class. Every home here had lush, sprawling lawns, winding driveways, and homes that belonged on the cover of magazines. So this was where Death lived.
It didn’t seem fair he got to live here and I had to stand behind the counter at the DMV every day for little more than minimum wage. Well, technically I didn’t do that anymore.
“Slow down and then stop here at the curb,” Storm instructed and I did as he asked, stopping the Jeep between houses, hoping no one would notice there was a car that looked like it didn’t quite belong.
“G.R.’s house is that one,” he said, pointing at the one just ahead. It was just as nice as the others with its stone façade and big windows. “I’ll see what I can find out. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m coming with you,” I said, shocked he thought I was going to sit in the car.
“Are you kidding me?” he said. “The whole idea is to not draw attention. You’re like a freaking red flag waving in the wind.”
“Excuse me?” I said. “Was that some kind of fat joke?”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “What is it with women? Always thinking men are insulting you…”
I glared at him.
“No, I was not calling you fat,” he explained. “I was saying that you aren’t exactly unnoticeable. You’ve got a happening body, bright blond hair, and you have a problem keeping your mouth closed.”
I’m pretty sure that last part was an insult. I let it go because he complimented my body.
“Look, just sit in the car. Arguing with you is wasting time.”
“Fine.” I sniffed.
I unzipped the window and he didn’t waste any time disappearing into the night. I let out a nervous sigh. Waiting around sucked.
I lasted for about five minutes.
Then I popped open the door and jumped out.
“Frankie, what are you doing?” Piper whispered.
“If he thinks I’m sitting in this car, he’s nuts.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet,” I said. “Wait here.”
I got no more than four steps down the street when she appeared at my side and we both made our way to the house silently.
“What the hell are you two doing?” Storm demanded from a dark area at the edge of the Reaper’s yard.
Both of us let out a little squeal. “Seriously! That was mean!” I pressed a hand to my chest to hopefully keep it from beating right out.
“You deserve it. I told you to stay in the car.”
“You took too long!”
“I was gone five minutes.”
Felt like a lifetime to me.
“What did you find out?” Piper asked, grabbing my hand and pulling me closer to wherever Storm was.
“Charming’s here. Getting him out isn’t an option this time.” His voice sounded a little funny.
“Why not!” I demanded.
“Well, because he’s still in his body. He won’t be going through walls anytime soon.”
“So let’s create a distraction. He’ll know it’s us and he can escape.” It was a perfectly reasonable plan.
“Uh, that’s not going to work.”
“Why not?” I demanded again.
“Because he’s unconscious.”
If that wasn’t a bucket of ice-cold water right in my face. I sucked in a breath. “What happened to him?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t look bad
, just unconscious.”
If he was unconscious, then it was bad. A person didn’t just pass out for no good reason. My worry over him increased tenfold. I really thought we would be able to find a way to get him out of there. Now I was starting to worry it wasn’t going to happen at all. Olly would sit there for months, only to be Recalled. The ATM card he gave me felt like a twenty-pound weight in my pocket. Had he known this was going to happen all along? Had his confidence been just so I wouldn’t worry?
“No.” I said, “This isn’t how this is going to go.”
“Let’s just go back to your place and we can come up with some sort of plan,” Storm said reasonably.
I was done with being reasonable.
I marched ahead, stepping onto the Reaper’s property and toward the front door.
“Frankie!” Piper called, running after me. “What are you doing?”
A man came around the side of the house and stopped short, seeing us approach. “This is private property,” he said.
“I know exactly whose property it is,” I spat. “Now step aside.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you go any farther.”
I snorted and walked around him. “Fine, then. Come along.”
He raced after us as I walked up to the front door and banged on the solid wood with my fist. He probably had a doorbell, but I felt like hitting something.
The door swung open a few seconds later. “Oh, well, isn’t this a surprise?” The Reaper smiled. “I’m afraid your boyfriend can’t come to the door. He’s indisposed.”
Piper stepped up behind me and all his attention zeroed in on her. Again, that weird look of reverence overcame his features and it made me wrinkle my nose in disgust.
“She’s only here because of me,” I said, trying to take the attention away from her.
He blinked, his stare coming back to me, only for it to wander right back to Piper.
I slapped my hand against the partially open door. “Hey!” I snapped.
Irritation crossed over his features until I spoke. Once the words had left my mouth, I had his complete and utter attention.
“I came to make a deal.”
Dangerous Lovers Page 107