Reaper's Vow by Sarah McCarty Page A

she’d worried about that, she wouldn’t have left him with just a note. She would have told him personally rather than running. “What does it matter if I do or don’t?”
    Isaiah looked at Cole from under the brim of his hat as he straightened. “You matter to her.”
    Bullshit
. Before the word could follow the thought, he heard familiar footsteps behind him. Addy.
    He turned around, and she was standing there. He wanted to hold on to his anger, but she kept walking right on up to him, slid her arms around his waist, and made mincemeat of his intentions.
    She looked up at Cole, those big blue eyes so familiar and full of love. “Why is it so hard for you to understand, Cole? You’re both my family.”
    Jones’s energy snapped aggressively as he hugged her back; he couldn’t help it. “It’s more a matter of accepting, not understanding.” He shrugged. “Jones is not the man I would have chosen for you.”
    â€œBut he’s my choice.”
    This close Cole couldn’t miss the contentment in his cousin. “So you keep telling me.”
    But she was more than telling him. She was showing him. In ways he couldn’t ignore.
    Isaiah growled again and caught Addy’s hand, tugging her back to his side. She went easily, sighing as she melted into Isaiah’s side as if she belonged there.
    â€œCole, you’ve treated me like I don’t know my own mind ever since you brought me home when I was eleven,” Addy said in that soft, controlled voice she used when she was about to lay down the law.
    Cole cut her off before she could finish. “You were fragile.”
    â€œAnd you made me strong,” she countered just as quickly.
    He didn’t like the way she was standing up to him. He didn’t like the sting of truth in her words, and he really didn’t like the way Isaiah wrapped her hand in his as if Cole was a threat from which she needed protection.
    â€œAnd now you’re both my family,” Addy finished.
    Addy and Isaiah stood there united, their energy so blended, their contentment so strong, Cole couldn’t even fire back. They were a couple. Whatever else was going on, that was the truth. And Addy was happy. Another truth. And he was going to have to like it. Fuck. That was the worst truth of all.
    Cole took the last drag on his cigarette, the acrid smoke burning his lungs, before throwing it on the ground and grinding it out with the toe of his boot.
    â€œYou sure can pick ’em, Addy.” A Reaper. A goddamn Reaper.
    â€œYes, I can, and if you’d stop being so mad at yourself, you’d probably figure out there’s a lot to like in Isaiah.”
    That was asking too much. “I’m never going to like that son of a bitch, and he’s never going to like me.”
    Addy looked between Cole and Isaiah, and Isaiah shrugged. Her face fell and then took on that stubborn look Cole knew so well. He’d seen it in the mirror often enough.
    â€œYou could at least try.”
    Cole didn’t want to notice the way Isaiah’s fingers stroked down Addy’s cheek in a comforting gesture. He didn’t want to see how it seemed to settle the distress within her. He didn’t want to see any of this. He wanted Addy back where she was safe.
    As if she read his mind, she said, “Cole, you can’t protect me anymore.”
    â€œThe hell I can’t.”
    â€œThat scared woman is never who I wanted to be and not who I am now.” She hesitated, glanced at Isaiah, and ventured cautiously, “And there are complications.”
    That snapped his head up. “That’s the third time someone’s suggested you’re in danger. Don’t you think it’s about time somebody told me what’s going on here?”
    â€œThere are people that want me dead.”
    â€œDammit, Addy,” Isaiah swore. “I told you we’d ease into that.”
    Addy patted