The Reaping (The Reapers Book 1) by Katharine Sadler Read Free Book Online Page B

that.”
    “Are you as close to the rest of your family as you are to Jed?”
    He shook his head. “If I was, I wouldn’t be living out here.”
    I whistled under my breath. “I know plenty of people who live far away from their family and are very close to them.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
    “No,” I said. “But I’m sure they exist.”
    “If they do, I’m not one of them. My family’s great, I guess. They just don’t ever see me , you know? Pretty much everything I’ve ever done has been a disappointment to them.”
    “I find that hard to believe.”
    “Don’t do that,” Caleb said, frowning and looking serious.
    “Do what?” I asked, wondering what social faux pas I had committed this time.
    “Assume you know anything about me based on the way I look.”
    “I’m sorry…I…”
    Caleb let out his breath in a loud whoosh. “No, I’m sorry. You were just trying to be nice. I’m being a dick. It’s been a bad day for me.”
    “Yeah, me, too.”
    “And here I am being an inconsiderate jerk. I’m sorry. I really am not usually like this.”
    “I think you probably are.”
    “What? No, I’m really not. I didn’t mean to make you think… I am usually charming. I pretty much always say exactly the right thing. I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight.”
    I studied him for a few moments, trying to make up my mind about him. There was a tinge of desperation in his tone and the look in his eyes made me want to cheer him up. “Charming and sweet is usually an act. Personally, I don’t trust people who always know the right thing to say. I never say the right thing.”
    “You’re doing a pretty good job of it right now.” He smiled, and his whole body seemed to relax with what I imagined was relief.
    “You must bring out the best in me,” I said with a laugh, feeling more myself than I had in a long time. “Look, I expect we’re going to run into each other again, so why don’t you promise me you won’t try that charming crap on me if we happen to meet when you’re having a better day?”
    “That’s not a promise I can make. It just seems to flow, without any conscious effort on my part.”
    I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “If it happens, I’ll try to accept it is out of your control and give you the benefit of the doubt.”
    Caleb smiled at me. “Why don’t we—”
    Angelica popped her head out the door. “Kelsey, Caleb, you’ve got to get back in here. Jed is doing the robot, and he is god-awful.”
     
    We danced until last call. Caleb disappeared with Jed after his humiliating defeat in a dance-off, leaving us to a true girls’ night. I felt lighter and a little tired, but happy. I’d danced with three different good-looking guys. Not only had I danced with them, I’d flirted with them and even given out my phone number. For once, I liked being noticed, and I was having too good a time to worry about the possible negative consequences.
    I complained with Angelica about the burning ache in my thighs and my sore feet as we stumbled out into the cool night with giggles. At the door stood a good-looking, broad-shouldered guy who looked familiar. The man met my gaze evenly and I realized, with a shiver, that he was the guy from the crime scene, Bruce. Since he had been let into the store, I assumed he was a cop. Seeing him working at the club made me question my assumption.
    “You look like you’re having fun,” he said.
    My light-hearted mood changed immediately. Something about the tone of his voice or my own guilt made me defensive. “Is that illegal?”
    He shook his head. “If it were, there’d be nothing I could do about it. I’m just the bouncer.”
    “Right… Well, exactly,” I said. Bruce smiled at me and suddenly became about ten times better looking than I had realized he was. His eyes were bright in the dim light of the street, and I couldn’t resist smiling back at him. “It’s good to see you.” I said, feeling flirty after my