23. The Seoul Reapers #3
“She is just so freaking adorable for someone born to the devil,” Esme cooed while holding Chloe in her arms. Deja rolled her eyes with a grin before she looked up to see Jax, Ian, Keith, and Caleb still speaking with the Korean Reapers that had accosted them.
After leaving the massacre in the mall’s back stairwells, they were escorted to an abandoned courtyard on the other side of the city, hidden between several shut-down factories.
Looking through the window of the factories, they could see multiple long lines of what she could only assume to be Reapers, wearing masks and holding various weapons as if they were waiting for an attraction.
This was so absurd to her.
Deja could tell the guys were tense. There were no rules in Korea, and things just seemed to get more complicated by the day. Her eyes fell as she thought about Jamie. She hadn’t told the guys that she saw him. Though it wasn’t as if she had the opportunity.
She thought about his warning. The desperation in his voice every time he mentioned Caleb. For some reason, Jamie didn’t frighten her. Rather, she empathized with him. She wanted to help him. But she didn’t think he’d let her.
“Deja, is it?”
She looked up to see the dark-haired woman with green highlights approaching her. Her blond hulk lingered several feet behind her. “Yes. And you?” Deja responded.
“Jae,” she said, eyeing her up. “I was expecting the woman who tamed the infamous Jax Donovan… to look scarier…”
Deja raised a brow. “You don’t look so scary yourself, yet I’m sure you’ve killed more people than I’ve met. Women are often underestimated.”
Jae’s face broke into a smile. “Yes, we are…” Her gaze lingered on Deja for a moment as if she were assessing her. “They’ve decided to compete in your stead.”
Deja’s brows furrowed. “What does that mean?”
“It means instead of you being hunted… your Reapers will be hunted,” Jae said. “That’s how they referred to themselves: Deja’s Reapers. In fact, Jax called you the head of the Donovan Clan and stated it only made sense they would take your place in the game.”
Feeling slightly panicked, Deja looked at Esme in confusion. “Don’t panic, darling,” Esme said, cuddling Chloe. “They were probably chomping at the bit to compete in these games. If there’s one thing Reapers have in common, it’s bloodlust.”
Esme suddenly looked at Jae excitedly. “Wait… Does that mean I get to play too?! I mean… for… for my wife. Obviously, for her protection.”
Jae smirked, amused. “Yes, that includes you.”
“Yes!” Esme blurted before she turned to Renee and dramatically pouted. “I don’t know what to tell you, my love. I must put my life on the line and fight for your honor.”
Renee rolled her eyes. “Shut up and give me that baby so you can go play psycho killer.”
Esme smirked as she handed Chloe to Renee and tenderly pecked her wife on the lips. “I love you so much.”
“Mmmhmm…” Renee grinned. Deja shook her head with a grin as she watched Esme playfully skip off to join the others, like she was running to join friends on the playground.
“You should wait inside,” Jae advised. “It can get pretty… messy.”
Deja leaned against the window, watching her men with worry as they pulled on their masks and harnessed their weapons. She wasn’t sure that she’d ever get used to this Reaper lifestyle.
“How are you doing, Deja?”
Deja looked at Renee and forced a smile.
“I’m fine,” Deja said. But Renee raised a brow, and Deja’s face broke.
“I miss my family, Renee. I miss my friends. My stomach has been in knots since the moment we landed. Like something terrible is going to happen. I love my boys—all of them. But… At the same time, I wish all of this would go away. I miss working. I miss my job. My career. Having a normal life…”
Deja slowly exhaled as she looked at her shaking hands. “And I’m so… angry. All the damn time. It’s a violent rage that scares me. I don’t even know where this rage comes from. But it sneaks up on me so quickly. And before I know what to do with myself, I either wanna get railed or-”
“Reap?” Renee finished.
Deja twisted her mouth. “...what’s wrong with me?”
Renee shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Deja. And everything is wrong with the world. Roselyn was right…”
Deja scoffed. “The Society is turning out to be a sham. They seem to care more about politics and optics than they do about Roselyn’s teachings.”
Renee nodded as she looked at Chloe in her arms. “Maybe they just need some… fresh blood...”
Deja raised a brow. “Girl, I know you not talkin’ ‘bout me.”
Renee laughed. “I’m just saying. I saw that video of you killing that misogynistic asshole. I was really proud of you. You were so badass.”
Deja’s cheeks flushed with heat. “You think so?”
“You kidding?” Renee smirked. “You reminded me of Roselyn herself.”
Deja looked up thoughtfully with a proud smile. To be compared to Roselyn, the Goddess, had suddenly become one of the highest of compliments.
“Hey… Deja?” Renee said softly.
Deja looked at her. “...yeah?”
Renee bit her lip. “Where do I get a Deja Cru shirt? Do they have it in red?”
*?Quiet, my princess