“Get out of the car, Lilith,” he ordered, and I glared up at him but finally did what he said. I glanced up into the window to my living room that sat over the flower shop and saw Chaos sitting there, waiting for me. There was a slight flicker behind him, and I smiled when I realized my ghost girl had been waiting up for me too. I felt an evil smile curl on my face. Was Death waiting in there? Maybe he would kill Reaver in front of me, and I could laugh while he died like he had laughed at me all day.
One could only hope.
“Let’s go. Get inside.” He gestured to the front door. I scowled at him and brushed by, unlocking my door and moving to slam it shut, but he stuck his foot in the door. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. I swear to fucking god…
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked sweetly, and I glared at him. I knew if I didn’t invite him in, he was going to force his way in anyway, sowhat was the point in fighting? I was tired, and I just wanted to go to bed. I didn’t have any more anger left in me to throw back at him. I sighed and felt myself finally submit.
“Do you want to come in, Reaver?” I deadpanned, looking up to meet his gaze. The corners of his eyes crinkled, and he smiled.
“I wouldloveto come in, Lilith,” he said as I rolled my eyes. Leaving him standing in the doorway, I took off my coat and dropped my bag on the kitchen table.
“See? Was that so hard?” he asked as he let himself into my apartment, closing the door behind him.
“What do you want?” Even to me, my voice sounded tired.
“I’m going to treat that bruise, and then you’re going to bed,” he said matter-of-factly. He pointed to my tiny condo-sized couch. “Sit.”
I frowned but did what he said. I plopped down on the sofa, and Chaos immediately crawled into my lap, purring loudly. I watched Reaver stalk to the back of my apartment until he found the bathroom. I listened as he rummaged through my medicine cabinet and returned with a bottle of Arnica. He crouched down before me and squeezed some on the tips of his index and middle fingers before reaching up to rub the cream into my cheek.
“Tell me if I press too hard,” he demanded softly. Frankincense and sandalwood filled my nose as he gently traced circles across my injury until my skin had absorbed the cream. His touch was featherlight, and he was careful not to hurt me. I frowned. Was this the same fucking person who had been tormenting me since the moment I had met him?
When he was done, he sat back on his heels and searched my face. A small flicker of something that looked suspiciously like concern darkened his gaze.
“How does that feel? Better?” he asked, and I swallowed.
“It still hurts,” I admitted, gingerly touching my hand to where I knew I was going to develop an ugly bruise.
“I bet. He hit you pretty hard.” He looked angry about that, which didn’t make sense.
“I don’t know why you care,” I spat. “You just tried to choke me out this morning.”
He reached out and gently brushed my hair back over my shoulder before touching my chin. He gave me a small smile.
“I’m the only one who gets to hurt you now, deathtrap,” he said before getting up.
“You’re so fucked up,” I grumbled, and he just chuckled.
“Get some sleep, Lilith. You’re working Evan’s shift tomorrow.”
“What!?” I snapped, enraged.
“Yeah. I’m closing, and I told Raf I would rather you train me, so you’re opening for Ev now.”
“Reaver, I?—”
He heldup a finger and pressed it against my lips. “Think very carefully about what you want to say next,” he whispered, and I forced myself to bite my tongue. I was fucking exhausted, and I didn’t want to goad him into doing anything else super fucked up to me tonight. I couldn’t handle it anymore.
I deflated and nodded. He removed his finger and waited expectantly.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” I conceded, and he beamed at me, stroking a patronizing hand down the side of my head.
“Such a quick learner.” He smirked and reached into his back pocket, pulling out the wad of cash he had stolen from me earlier. “Here. For inviting me in and taking Evan’s shift without any complaints,” he said, and I scowled at him.
The audacity of him giving my own money back to me as if it were some kind of reward. This guy was a fucking sociopath. I snatched the money out of his hand, and he chuckled before heading out the door.
“Sleep tight, deathtrap. Lock the door behind me,” he ordered as he left. I flipped him off through the door but locked it anyway. More so he couldn’t come back than anything else.
Thankfully, Death didn’t come to visit me that night, and I hoped it was because he was busy killing John and Reaver.
