44 COREY
I wipe the blood off my hands with a rag, the metallic tang lingering in the air. Tobias is helping Titus drag the bodies toward the van, his movements efficient, like he’s done this a hundred times before. Maybe he has.
“You good?” I ask, tossing the rag into the back of the van.
He grunts, hefting the body into the vehicle. “Better than this crew.” I smirk, despite the tension coiling in my chest. “Always the comedian.”
“Someone’s gotta lighten the mood,” he says, slamming the van doors shut. “You think Rhea’s freaking out back home?”
“Probably,” I admit, leaning against the van. “But she’s tougher than she looks. She’ll hold it together.” Tobias raises an eyebrow. “You sure about that? She’s been through a lot tonight.”
“She’s got Julian,” I say, though the words taste bitter. “He’ll keep her calm.”
“Julian’s the one who got stabbed,” Tobias points out, crossing his arms. “You really think he’s in any shape to play babysitter?” I push off the van, irritation flaring. “She’s not a kid, Tobi. She can handle herself.”
“Yeah, until she can’t,” he counters, his voice low.
“You saw what happened tonight. She’s in deeper than she should be.”
I run a hand over my shaved head, the weight of the night pressing down on me.
“We’ll figure it out. Right now, we need to get rid of these bodies and get back to the house.”
Tobias nods, his expression grim. “You call the cleanup crew?”
“Already done,” I say, pulling out my phone.
The reaper Titus, pulls away with the bodies as we climb into the SUV, the silence between us heavy but familiar. Tobias drives, his hands steady on the wheel, while I keep an eye on the rearview mirror. The city blurs past, the streetlights casting long shadows across the road.
“You think this is over?” Tobias asks after a while, his voice breaking the quiet.
“Doubt it,” I say, leaning back in my seat. “But we’ve got the upper hand now. They’re down three men, and we’ve got Rhea and Julian safe. We’ll deal with the rest tomorrow.” He glances at me, his hazel eyes sharp. “You’re really banking on this working out, huh?”
“I don’t have a choice,” I say, my jaw tightening.
“We’re in too deep to back out now.” Tobias doesn’t respond, his focus returning to the road.
“You think Rhea’s gonna stick around after all this?”
I stare out the window, the city lights flickering in the distance.
“I don’t know. But I’m not letting her go without a fight.”
Tobias smirks, shaking his head. “You’ve got it bad, man.”
“Shut up and drive,” I mutter, though I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips.
The road stretches ahead, the promise of home—and Rhea— pulling us forward.
T he house is quiet when Tobias and I step inside, the creak of the front door the only sound breaking the stillness. We’re both exhausted, the weight of the night pressing down on our shoulders, but the thought of Rhea and Julian waiting for us keeps us moving.
We head straight for the living room, and there they are—curled up together on the couch, Rhea’s head resting on Julian’s chest, his arm draped protectively around her.
For a moment, I’m struck by how… normal they look.
Like they could be any couple, anywhere, not two people tangled up in the mess we’ve created.
Tobias nudges me with his elbow, his voice low.
“We should let them sleep.” I nod, already turning to leave, but the floorboard under my foot betrays me with a loud groan.
Rhea stirs first, her green eyes blinking open, disoriented.
Julian’s awake a second later, his gaze sharp despite the exhaustion etched into his face.
“Hey,” I say softly, holding up a hand in apology.
“Didn’t mean to wake you.” Julian shifts carefully, wincing as he adjusts his position.
“It’s fine. We weren’t exactly planning on falling asleep here anyway.”
Rhea sits up, brushing her hair out of her face, her movements sluggish.
“You guys are back. Everything… everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Tobias says, his deep voice steady. “It’s handled. For now.” Julian’s eyes narrow as he looks between us. “You sure? No loose ends?”
“Positive,” I say, crossing my arms. “We took care of it. You just focus on healing.”
He nods, but there’s a flicker of something in his expression— relief, maybe, or just the weariness catching up with him.
Rhea, though, isn’t as easy to reassure.
Her hands twist in the fabric of her hoodie, and when she looks at me, there’s a storm brewing in her eyes.
“Corey…” Her voice wavers, and she swallows hard.
“I can’t stop thinking about what happened. About you, about Julian—about all of us. What if… what if it’s not over?”
I step closer, my instinct to pull her into my arms warring with the need to keep my distance.
“It’s over for tonight. That’s what matters. We’ll deal with whatever comes next when it does.”
She nods, but the tears pooling in her eyes tell me she’s not convinced.
Julian reaches for her hand, his voice calm but firm.
“Rhea, tell them.” She freezes, her gaze darting to him, then back to us. “I… I don’t know if I can.”
“It’s okay,” he says, squeezing her hand. “They need to know.” Tobias steps forward, his brow furrowed. “Need to know what?” Rhea takes a shaky breath, her fingers tightening around Julian’s.
Rhea takes a deep breath, her green eyes flickering between the three of us. It’s like she’s trying to gauge how much of herself she’s willing to lay bare. I can feel the tension in the room coil tighter, waiting for whatever bomb she’s about to drop.
“I love you,” she says finally, her voice steady but soft, like she’s testing the words.
“All of you. Each in your own different ways.”
The silence that follows is heavy, the kind that presses into your chest and makes it hard to breathe.
I glance at Tobias, who’s standing there like a statue, his hazel eyes locked on Rhea.
Julian, though, he just leans back against the couch, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“I’ve already told you I loved you,” Julian says, breaking the silence. His voice is calm, like he’s been waiting for this moment for a while. “And I know they do too.” He gestures toward me and Tobias with a lazy wave of his hand.
I raise an eyebrow, my arms crossing over my chest. “You’re speaking for us now, Julian?” He shrugs, wincing slightly as the movement pulls at his stitches.
“Figured I’d save you the awkwardness, boss.”
Tobias lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head.
“Man, you’re something else.” He turns to Rhea, his expression softening.
“But yeah, I’m not gonna lie. I do. Love you, I mean. Fuck, it’s hard not to Rhea.”
It’s my turn now, and all three of them are looking at me like they’re waiting for me to either confirm or ruin this moment.
I run a hand over my shaved head, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“Yeah, Rhea. I do too. More than you know.”
Her eyes widen, like she wasn’t expecting all of us to be so direct.
“This is… complicated,” she says, her voice faltering for the first time.
Tobias shrugs, his deep voice cutting through the tension. “Not really. We can share.” Julian laughs, the sound low and easy. “Told you they’d understand.” Rhea stares at him, her mouth opening like she’s about to argue, but then she just shakes her head, a small smile breaking through.
“You’re all impossible.”
“That’s why you love us,” Julian says, winking at her.
I step closer, my gaze locking with hers.
“Complicated or not, you’re worth it, Rhea. All of this—every damn bit of it—is worth it.”
Tobias leans against the wall, crossing his arms.
“Speak for yourself, Corey. I’m just in it for the free drinks.”
Julian throws a throw pillow at him, and Tobias catches it with one hand, laughing.
Rhea looks between the three of us, her smile growing, and for the first time since this whole mess started, the tension in the room eases.
It’s not perfect, but it’s real. And maybe that’s enough.
Julian snorts from the couch, shaking his head. "Well go kiss our fucking girlfriend you weirdos."
I shoot him a look, but there's no heat behind it. "You're a real romantic, you know that?"
"Someone's gotta move this along," he says, gesturing between us with his good arm. "Or we'll all just stand here making eyes at each other all night."
Rhea laughs, the sound breaking through the last of the tension.
"Is he always this pushy?"
"You have no idea," Tobias rumbles, taking a step toward her. His massive frame moves with surprising grace as he closes the distance.
I watch as he cups her face in his hands, his touch gentle despite his size. When their lips meet, something in my chest tightens - not jealousy, exactly, but a different kind of want. The kind that makes me want to join them.
Rhea pulls back from Tobias, her cheeks flushed. Her green eyes find mine, and the invitation in them is clear. "Your turn, boss."
"Don't have to tell me twice," I murmur, crossing to her. My fingers thread through her wild hair as I pull her close, tasting the smile on her lips.
"Finally," Julian calls from the couch. "Now can someone help me up? My ass is going numb."
Tobias laughs, already moving to help him. "Way to kill the moment, man."
"It's a gift," Julian says with a wink.
I break the kiss, keeping Rhea close. "You sure about this?" I ask softly. "About all of us?"
She looks up at me, her expression sure. "Never been more certain of anything in my life."