#lohendricks

Benjamin had no plans to attend the masquerade ball; not after he almost killed his own sister per Killian’s orders. Granted, he didn’t know it was his sister at the time. He hasn’t seen her since they were kids. So when he put her in his scope, she was just a target. Her brain matter would have littered the sidewalk and he would have thought it was the city’s problem. They could clean it up and be done with it. Knowing that’s what he thought (even for only five minutes) made him incredibly sick with himself and remorseful. He wasn’t even sure he could be a Reaper anymore and yet he knew better than to get on Killian’s bad side. Doing so would only land him in Tombstone City with the rest of the rogue soldiers. 

Then there was Isabelle (the girl who was now a queen as she walked arm in arm with the king). Benjamin fell for her and promised himself that he’d look after her. She may have started to believe she was fit for this world, but he didn’t. In fact, she reminded him of his sister (but not in a weird way). Lorelei had a good heart. She was spring masquerading as winter storms. Her heart was pure no matter the scars that kept her and others from thinking so. Which, is why he decided to attend the ball. Because he knew if he didn’t, Killian would be suspicious. And Benjamin had something to lose now. Bringing Lorelei with him was probably a bad idea but she begged and pleaded with him after she found the invitation. Ultimately, he couldn’t deny her this chance to live after having almost killed her. She wasn’t going to be his prisoner. He didn’t want that kind of life for her. 

Realizing he was staring too long at Isabelle, Benjamin turned away and noticed Lorelei may have clued in. They talked a little bit about Xavier and Isabelle last night at his house, but not enough to incriminate each other. Benjamin didn’t trust her with everything given the idea that she’d been dating a Lycan. He was sure she felt the same way, considering he was a Reaper. They were loyal to opposite sides. Though maybe not so much anymore. Because two seconds later, Xavier walked by with another girl under his arm. Benjamin recognized the tattoo on his neck from the photo he was given last night. He was trained for this kind of stuff. His photographic memory and predatory instincts were what made him the best at what he does. “Two rules, Lory. One, don’t look at Isabelle or ask me any questions about her. Two, don’t look for or approach Xavier.” Ben wasn’t sure if she spotted him too. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to tell her where Xavier was and who he was with.

“Who’s the babe?” A woman with long black hair and ivory skin, hummed. She was laying naked in bed beside Benjamin, with one hand reached out toward his phone. When Benjamin recoiled, she got a little feisty and tried wrestling him for the picture he hid behind his back. “Well I can’t say you’re the first guy to ever jump on Tinder after a shag. Am I really that bad?” Benjamin wasn’t going to answer that. The truth is, he was caught up on another girl. His boss’s girlfriend, in fact. Not whoever he sent a picture of. Benjamin could barely see her face as it was hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses, and was a little too far away. Whoever his PI was, they need to take a few more photography classes. “It’s not like that. It’s work. And this? This is casual. Actually, it’s not even that. I was hungry, and I ate. Now I’m leavin’ ‘cause I got a job to do.”

It wasn’t unlike Benjamin to act like a prick after sex. It’s what he was. A prick to fuck, it didn’t have to be anything else. Yet, it wasn’t that way with Isabelle. He liked her. Losing her made him angrier, and darker. He couldn’t move on from the thought of Killian between Isabelle’s legs, fucking her like the Devil he is. Benjamin knew she wasn’t his to get jealous over, but she felt like she was. He was into her first. Literally and figuratively. A part of Benjamin wondered if Killian only asked her out to punish him. To show him that he couldn’t have a life outside of him and the Reapers. Maybe he was afraid Benjamin would have left him for her? And maybe he would have. Isabelle was the kind of girl he would have settled down for.

“Long legs, tight ass...I might have to hold off on that instant-kill, boss.” Benjamin was speaking to himself, as he laid out on a rooftop overlooking the Odyssey. With the back of her head in his scope, he lowered the gun and then stood up with a pair of military-grade binoculars. Killian did say, he would prefer it if she took the bullet in front of her beau. All of this was to send a message, wasn’t it? Deciding to play this a little closer to the vest, Benjamin packed up his equipment and then entered the bar and grill with a tactical knife hidden beneath his sleeve. He figured he’d keep a low profile for now and just order some food. But keeping a low profile was never one of Ben’s strong suits. Within seconds, a random girl approached him with a flirtatious smile. “How’s a man supposed to eat with a girl like you walkin’ ‘round here?” Benjamin knew he had to focus on the job but that didn’t mean he couldn’t entertain himself while he waits.