“If you kill her, I’ll make sure those bodies are burned and that soul is dropped to the bottom of one of the many oceans on this planet.”
The Reaper’s eyes flashed violet. His eyes flicked to mine and then back to Olly. Then he waved his arm and a doorway appeared out of nowhere. “Come along, Charming. It seems locking you up in thebody you stolewill make it more convenient to keep you contained.”
Olly walked toward the door; he didn’t look back. Just as I was about to rush forward, to do something, anything that would keep him here with me, he turned, looking at me over his shoulder. He shook his head slightly. “Remember what I said.”
He stepped into the makeshift doorway and it closed instantly. I was left standing there all alone with trembling hands.
I didn’t completely understand what happened in Scotland, how Olly had disappeared without a trace so easily. I understood now.
The only difference was this time I understood what was happening. This time I wasn’t going to go home and cry. Olly left because it was the only way he knew how to make me one hundred percent safe. He became an Escort because it was the only way he knew how to keep his mother and his sister safe. Olly had been fighting for a long time… fighting for his family, then for his job, and now for me.
Who had ever fought for Olly?
No one.
Until now.
Chapter Forty-Seven
“Making plans - stupid.” *Definition provided by Charming.
Charming
Making plans was stupid. That’s why I was the kind of guy who liked to wing it. I liked to make decisions based on the here and now and not before things happen. Because things always change and a man needs to be flexible.
I should have spent less time making plans and more time thinking things through. Like going back to my house. I shouldn’t have gone there, but really, what were my other options? My wallet and all my credit cards and keys were in Scotland. I needed access to money and I really needed to get out of those hideous khaki pants.
So now in an attempt to keep G.R. away from Frankieagain,I was back here in his officeagain. “I see you got the place put back together from my last visit.”
“Don’t even think about making a mess,” he said. “You’re just passing through on your way back into confinement.”
“As much as I’d love to stay and be locked up by you, I think I’ll pass.” I walked toward the door. I wasn’t staying here. I came to buy Frankie some time to get away. That was accomplished and now I was leaving.
If he wanted to try and stop me he could. I was up for a fight.
“I was there the night you died.” His voice was calm, almost conversational.
Something in my stomach hardened, but I kept walking, knowing he was just playing games. “I think that’s obvious.” I wouldn’t be in this fun position now if he hadn’t been there.
“I was in the crowd, watching the fight. My money was on you.”
My steps faltered. Those words…My money’s on you.I knew those words. Someone said them to me right before… right before I died.
“It was you,” I murmured, pushing through the ninety years of memories to bring back the night I spent a lot of time trying to forget. “There was a man. He came up to the ring, helped me with my water.” He had dark hair and a wide forehead.“It was you.”
“Ahh, you do remember,” G.R. said. “I knew you would make a good Escort. I could see it in your face. Your determination. Your stubbornness. Your unwillingness to back down from someone who desperately wanted to hold on to his title.”
“I should have won that fight.”
“Yes. You should have.”
I glanced up swiftly. Had he somehow interfered with the fight? Had he somehow made me lose?
“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.
