Chapter 40 Reaper
Reaper
Ishouldn’t have wanted her like that, when she was marked up, and Caleb’s ghost was still between us. But Christ, I couldn’t stop, not when she’d asked me to stay, not when she said she wanted me.
I’d claimed her, not in front of the club, she wasn’t ready for that, but she was more.
More than a one-night distraction, more than the fire I tried to smother.
She was mine in a way that scared the hell out of me.
Not because I doubted her, but because wanting her that much meant there were a thousand ways to lose her—to Bishop and the Fangs.
To the blood still owed for Caleb. To the club, if they ever turned on me.
She wasn’t only the light in my darkness, she was the one thing I couldn’t afford to break, and I was built to break things.
I’d been sure she’d run. The second she saw me lose control, saw the Reaper instead of the man, part of me was convinced she’d turn on her heel and never look back.
Most people did. That’s what violence did—it showed you the truth under the skin, stripped away the lies of loyalty and charm until all that was left was bone and blood, but Lucy didn’t flinch.
She’d stood in the storm, staring me down with those fire-grey eyes like she’d been waiting for me to snap. Like she wanted to see the monster and measure it for herself.
After the first time with her, I thought I’d be satisfied, but the connection with Lucy still burned beneath my skin, coiling tight and relentless. I wanted more of her, more of the way she made the dark parts of me feel alive.
Riot, Keno, and Link were already gathering brothers in the main room, their voices low but sharp with focus. The weight of what we’d lost, what I could’ve lost, and what was still on the line pressed down like a vice.
I locked eyes with Riot. “We move fast. We hit hard. No mistakes.”
Link nodded, fingers tapping impatiently on the table. “Intel says the Fangs won’t expect us this soon.”
“Everyone ready?” I asked.
A chorus of grunts and nods answered.
Riot spread out the map, fingers tracing the compound where the Fangs had holed up. The room fell quiet as Link pulled up surveillance footage on his phone, grainy but clear enough to get the layout.
“They’ve got lookouts posted here, here, and here,” Link said, tapping the screen. “Main entrance is too risky. We need a flank.”
I nodded, taking it in. “No fireworks until we’re inside. Quiet, precise.”
Riot cut in, “Prospect Finn’s volunteered for rear watch. He’s sharp. Could give us the edge if someone tries to sneak out or call for backup.”
I glanced at Finn, a kid hungry to prove himself since day one. The fire in his eyes was a reckless kind of bravery that sometimes got guys killed but sometimes saved lives.
“Alright,” I said. “Finn, rear watch. Keep your eyes sharp and radios open.”
Finn leaned slightly closer, whispering, “What if they’ve got another entrance we haven’t seen?” His tone was careful but confident.
I caught the glint in his eye. He wasn’t afraid to speak up.
I nodded. “Good. Keep thinking like that. Could save our asses.”
“We move in two teams,” I said. “Keno, you take point with Link and the heavy hitters. I’ll bring up the rear with Riot and Finn.”
Link grinned, smirk breaking the tension. “Let’s show these Fangs what happens when they cross us.”
“We ride at first light. No one holds back.”
Around the battered table, the brothers sat with hard eyes and clenched jaws, every one of them ready for what was coming.