I dipped her backward, holding her tight, and leaned close.
“I love you.”
Then I kissed her.
My lips brushed over hers, meeting what was the most satisfying taste I’d ever known. She kissed me back, her lips claiming what was left of my heart and tucking it safely within her. I would’ve kissed her for hours. I would’ve kissed her for a lifetime… but as my lips covered hers, something reminded me that this single moment would have to do.
That our first kiss would also be our last.
As my lips melted with hers, the very dark voice of the Grim Reaper filled the room.
“I release you, Piper McCall, from the claim I made on your life. You are free. You will no longer have to fear death by the hand of the Grim Reaper. But you, Dexter Allen Roth, my claim to you holds strong,”
Beneath my kiss, Piper’s lips trembled. “Dex?” she asked against me.
I kissed her harder. I kissed her for the first time, the last time, and all the times in between. I devoured her lips and tightened my arms around her until there was no space between us, knowing if I had to die, this would be the way to go.
I felt that familiar tug inside me and I knew G.R. was making his claim right now. Down the hall I heard the nurses exclaiming and security coming toward the room, but I pushed it all away.
I held on to Piper while I could, and I kissed her with a passion that would have to last the rest of her life. She kissed me back just as fiercely, gripping my face like she knew it was going to be gone in a matter of seconds, and mingling with our desperation was the taste of her tears.
When there was almost nothing left inside my body, I had to pull back. I looked in her eyes for the final time, blocking out the purple mist that curtained us from the rest of the room, and I whispered two words.
“Be happy.”
She squeezed her eyes shut as more tears fell over her cheeks and shook her head quickly.
And then I was a ghost. I no longer had a body and the purple mist that made up my essence was being pulled away—toward G.R. and wherever he would take me.
I held on to the sight of her as long as I could, and my final words seemed to drift around us like they, too, had become mist.
Be happy.
And then there was nothing.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
“Grief -keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss;
sharp sorrow; painful regret.”
Piper
I stared down at the body lying at my feet. He was nothing now but a heap of skin and bones. What was once animated was now lifeless. What used to be so full was now empty.
I dashed away the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing and looked up at the man who caused all of this.
“What have you done to him?”
The man looked at me with pleasure on his face. “I have merely held him up to his end of the bargain. He didn’t do what he agreed to do so he paid. With his life.”
“You’re sick and cold!” I yelled.
“No. I’m a business man.” He glanced at the door where the security guards were gathering and then he stepped toward me.
I took a step back as the door opened and Frankie pushed her way through the guards, shutting them out.
“Leave her alone!” she yelled at the Grim Reaper.
