Chapter Two
Savannah leaned against the workbench, casually inspecting the grease-streaked garage like it wasn’t her fifth visit this month.
Her bike sat propped on the lift behind her. She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. The move was deliberate, drawing Reaper’s sharp gaze for just a moment before he turned back to his tools.
He hadn’t said much when she’d shown up, just a single raised eyebrow and a grunt that sounded something like figures. Now he was quiet, his rough hands working methodically as he inspected her bike. It didn’t matter. Savannah was good at filling silences. Better than facing questions she didn’t want to answer.
“ Guess I ’m keeping you busy, huh?” she said, her tone light, teasing. She crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. “ Starting to think you like seeing me around, Reaper. ”
He snorted but didn’t look up. “ Starting to think you ’ve got the worst luck with bikes I’ve ever seen.”
Savannah shrugged, leaning just a little closer.
“ Maybe. Or maybe I just like hanging around your charming self. ”
That earned her a glance. His eyes were sharp, piercing even, like he was peeling away the layers of her words to see the truth underneath. That was the thing about Reaper—he wasn’t the type to be distracted by charm. Not for long, anyway.
What was she doing flirting with him?
“You’re deflecting,” he said simply, going back to work. “But that’s fine. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
Savannah’s smirk faltered just for a second, before she recovered.
“ Tell you what? My bike broke down. You ’re fixing it. Simple as that.”
He set down the wrench with a deliberate clink and turned to face her, arms crossed over his broad chest.
“ Come on, Savannah. A bike like yours doesn ’t just ‘break down’ every other week. Either you’re running it into the ground, or there’s something you’re not telling me.”
She tilted her head, her expression playful but guarded. “ Why, Reaper, are you accusing me of lying? ”
“ I ’m saying your story doesn’t add up,” he replied, his voice low and steady. “ And I think you know it. ”
Her heart skipped a beat, but she kept her smile in place, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.
“Well, aren’t you full of theories? Maybe I just like your company,” she said.
“ Maybe, ” he said, his gaze locking onto hers, “ but I don ’t think that’s it.”
Savannah felt a flicker of something she couldn’t quite name.
Reaper wasn’t like the others she’d dealt with—he didn’t push too hard, didn’t pry. But he also didn’t let things slide. He had this way of looking at her, like he could see all the things she didn’t want to say.
She let out a soft laugh, stepping away from the workbench to pace a little.
“ You ’re awfully curious for someone who’s supposed to be fixing a bike,” she pointed out.
“ And you ’re awfully cagey for someone who wants her ride fixed,” he countered.
Her steps faltered, but she recovered quickly, turning to face him with a teasing smile. “ What can I say? I ’m a mystery.”
Reaper’s lips twitched, almost a smile, but not quite. “ That you are. ”
Silence settled between them, heavy but not uncomfortable. Savannah leaned against the wall, watching him work. There was something grounding about the way he moved, deliberate and steady, like he had all the time in the world.
When she’d arrived in Steelhaven six months ago, she’d had nothing. No plan, no allies, just a battered bike and the hope that Iron Sentinels’ territory would mean safety.
Back then, she’d been wary of everyone, but especially Reaper. He had the kind of presence that screamed danger—all hard edges and rough lines. He looked like he’d seen more fights than he’d walked away from. But then, her ride had broken down.
She’d shown up at the garage with barely enough money to cover the parts but Reaper hadn’t brushed her off. He’d looked at her, really looked at her, and said, “Pay me in installments.” No judgment, no questions.
That was when she’d realized there was more to him than the leather cut and gruff demeanor. Beneath it all, he could be unexpectedly thoughtful.
“ Hey, ” he said, breaking her train of thought. “ You listening? ”
Savannah blinked, realizing he’d been talking. “ Sorry, what? ”
Reaper shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “ I said, your engine ’s shot. Again. You’re lucky I’ve got a spare.”
She pushed off the wall, walking over to stand beside him. “ Lucky, huh? You sure that ’s all it is?”
Reaper gave her a sidelong glance. “ What ’re you getting at?”
“ I don ’t know,” she said, leaning just a little closer. “ Maybe you like helping me out. Makes you feel all heroic or something. ”
He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that made her stomach do a little flip. “Trust me, sweetheart, I’m no hero.”
Savannah tilted her head, studying him.
“ You say that, but you ’ve been pretty good to me since I got here. Letting me pay in installments, fixing my ride every other week…”
“Because I know you’re not here by accident,” he interrupted, his tone soft but firm. “Whatever it is you’re running from, you’re safe in Steelhaven. You don’t have to keep playing games with me.”
Her breath caught, and for a moment she didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t wrong—she’d come to Steelhaven because she’d needed safety, a place to regroup. But trusting someone with the whole truth? That was a risk she wasn’t sure she could take.
“ I don ’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, forcing a breezy smile.
Reaper sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “ Suit yourself. But if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me.”
The sincerity in his voice threw her off guard. Most people either demanded answers or left her alone entirely. But Reaper just offered, without pushing. It was tempting, dangerously so.
“ I ’ll think about it,” she said, her tone softer than she’d intended.
He nodded, turning back to the bike. “ Good. ”
Savannah watched him work, her mind racing. She didn’t trust easily. She couldn’t afford to—but there was something about Reaper that made her want to let her guard down.
Maybe it was the way he didn’t pry too much, or the way he always seemed to know when to back off. Or maybe it was the way he looked at her, like he saw her, not just the walls she’d built around herself.
“ You know, ” she said after a moment, “ you ’re not as scary as you look.”
Reaper glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. “You think I’m scary?”
“A little,” she admitted, grinning. “But not in a bad way. More like … intimidating.”
He huffed a quiet laugh. “ Good. Means I ’m doing my job.”
Savannah shook her head, her smile softening. “ And here I thought you were just a big teddy bear under all that leather. ”
Reaper shot her a look, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “ Don ’t push your luck, Savannah.”
She laughed, the sound light and genuine, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like maybe—just maybe—she wasn’t as alone as she thought.
As Reaper tightened the last bolt and stood up, wiping his hands on a rag, he gave her a look that was equal parts exasperation and affection.
“ All set. Try not to wreck it again, huh? ”
Savannah smirked, grabbing her helmet. “ No promises. ”
He shook his head, watching as she swung a leg over the motorcycle.
“You’re trouble, you know that?” Reaper remarked.
She flashed him a grin. “ You like trouble, though. ”
Reaper didn’t respond, but the faint smile on his lips said enough.
As she rode out of the garage, the wind whipping through her hair, Savannah couldn’t help but glance back.
Reaper was still standing there, watching her with that same steady, unreadable expression.
Savannah hadn’t planned on sticking around Steelhaven for more than a few weeks. To her, the town was supposed to be a pit stop—a place to lie low, earn some cash, and figure out her next move.
She hadn’t even unpacked the few belongings she carried, keeping everything ready to grab at a moment’s notice. In her experience, staying anywhere too long was a mistake. The longer you stayed, the more people noticed you and started asking questions. And Savannah wasn’t ready to answer those. Not now. Maybe not ever.
But as the weeks turned into months, she found herself hesitating every time she thought about leaving. If she were honest with herself—really honest—she was tired.
Tired of living out of a duffel bag, of scanning every room for exits, of never knowing if the next place would be better or worse than the last. Maybe she’d convince herself she didn’t need a home, but Steelhaven was starting to make her question that.
The town wasn’t much to look at—a few greasy diners, a main street with more potholes than pavement, and the faint smell of oil always lingering in the air. But there was something about it. Something about the way the Iron Sentinels had claimed it, holding it steady like a ship in stormy seas.
No one messed with Steelhaven, not unless they wanted to deal with the Sentinels. That was the reason she’d come here in the first place. Safety. And Reaper was here.
Talking to him had started out as a necessity, just a way to keep her ride running and her cover intact. But the more time she spent around him, the harder it became to see him as just a friendly face. He had this way of making her feel grounded, like she could take a breath without worrying about what came next. He didn’t ask for more than she was willing to give, but he didn’t let her hide completely, either. And for someone like Savannah, who’d spent most of her life running and building walls, it was disarming in a way she hadn’t expected.
Reaper didn’t play games. He didn’t push too hard, didn’t sugarcoat anything. He just was. Solid. Reliable. And while his rough exterior screamed danger, Savannah had seen glimpses of the man underneath. A man who’d let her pay for repairs in installments when she’d had barely enough cash to scrape by. A man who spoke softly to his bike like it was an old friend. A man who looked at her sometimes like he wanted to figure her out but would wait as long as it took for her to let him in.
It scared her how much she genuinely wanted to know him better. But if she went down that path, she might end up dragging Reaper down with her.