Reckoning Read Online Free PDF Page A

exclaimed the boys, in high states of excitement while Holly eagerly clapped her hands.
    “You guys go ahead, I need to have a stretch and a drink,” said Riley, uncurling himself off the floor and getting to his feet. As he raised his arms above his head in a huge stretch Beth took the opportunity to admire his stunning physique, his t-shirt riding up slightly to give her a glimpse of the scars on his stomach, the majority of which had been put there by Jasper White, Jules’s dead ex-boyfriend who had not only tried to kill Riley but had murdered his pregnant fiancée. Dane had killed Jasper for his sins and it had taken Riley a long time to get over his loss. Beth was his first relationship since that awful event.
    “Brew?” she said.
    “Please,” he replied, wandering into the kitchen after her. “Give us a cuddle,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist as she filled the kettle.
    Beth switched on the kettle then turned in his arms to face him. Riley was almost the double of Ryan, who was his older half-brother, but she saw past that. They were two completely different men and best of all, Riley was completely legitimate and had never been involved in the gangster lifestyle. However his profession was still dangerous - he was a soldier in the SAS but he had already handed in his resignation and had less than a year to serve, but he had to return to his unit in two days. Beth was terrified that something would happen to him that would stop them from living the life together that they’d planned, the life she had the feeling would be so amazing.
    He ran his fingers through her blond hair and kissed her. “These last few days have been incredible.”
    “They have, haven’t they?”
    “I really don’t want to go back but I have to.”
    “It’s okay, I understand. Just make sure you keep yourself safe, I couldn’t stand to lose you now.”
    “You won’t, I’ll make sure of it. It feels like everything I’ve ever wanted is finally coming together. I love you Beth.”
    “Love you too.”
    “Yes, I won,” called a voice from the front room.
    Beth and Riley looked at each other. “Oh oh,” said Beth. That voice had been Alfie, which meant Archie had lost and he didn’t take very well to losing anymore.
    “That’s not fair, you cheated,” Archie yelled back as Beth hurried into the front room.
    “Archie, stop,” she cried when he hurled the remote control at the television. Fortunately he missed and it hit the wall instead.
    “He always cheats, I hate him,” yelled the little boy, pointing at his older brother.
    “I didn’t cheat Mum,” said Alfie, looking stricken.
    “It’s okay Sweetheart, take your sister into the kitchen for some snack,” she said, wanting to get her children away before Archie completely erupted. He could become physically aggressive when angry.
    Alfie took Holly’s hand and led her away. Beth’s heart broke when she saw her little daughter cowering before Archie’s violence.
    “Archie, that’s enough,” said Riley quietly.
    Archie stared back at him, as though working out whether to challenge him or not. Riley raised one eyebrow, staring steadily back at the boy. Archie’s body sagged as his anger ebbed away. “Sorry.”
    “You should apologise to your brother. Alfie isn’t a cheat,” said Riley.
    “Sorry Alfie.”
    Alfie looked intensely sad. His brother never used to behave like this and he was all too aware it was because of the trauma their dead dad had put them all through and he did his best to understand, but sometimes it was hard. Eventually he said, “it’s okay. You want to get some snack with us?”
    “Crisps?”
    Alfie broke into a reluctant smile. “Yeah, crisps.”
    “Yay,” cheered Archie, his tantrum entirely forgotten. “Race you.”
    Alfie and Holly allowed him to get into the kitchen first simply to keep the peace before following him in. Beth felt so bad for Alfie, he had so much weight on his ten year old shoulders and not