Chapter 9
Rhylan
I probably shouldn’t have antagonized Dakota as much as I did. But I wanted this chase to be entertaining—for both of us. Sure, I could’ve not opened a studio directly across the street from hers and just swept my girl off her feet the old-fashioned way. But then, where was the fun in that?
Her sister was the ideal bait, young and naive enough to take those shakes as a ‘grand opening’ gesture without question.
I wasn’t entirely confident that they would work on the first try, and it was surprising to see that Dakota wasted no time in storming her pretty little ass over here.
But then again, her competitive nature made it impossible for her to resist the temptation to scope out her new adversary.
Dance has always been a passion of mine; it’s why I applied for Kerosene in the first place and how I’ve managed to keep a close eye on Dakota over the years. Always watching from a distance when she was out at bars like The Yard, socializing with her friends—her partners.
I knew this woman inside and out, from her love of dancing to popular burlesque and pop music to the way she twirled a thin strand of long, blonde hair around her right index finger when deeply engaged in thought.
She was the definition of perfection, ready to be claimed.
“When you said you were switching up careers, this is not what I was expecting.” Trent’s voice trailed from the front entrance to where I was still standing.
“By the way, you really pissed off that customer. She nearly threw me into the street on her way out. I almost thought I’d end up like that smoothie on someone’s windshield instead of your abs. ”
“Doesn’t surprise me, but she also wasn’t a customer.”
“Rhy…” With a light huff, Trent dragged my name out with an obvious question laced in his tone, his eyes assessing the mess on the floor before creasing his brows. “She’s not—”
“She is,” I stepped out of the puddle, meeting him by the windows to get one last glimpse at Dakota before she disappeared into the near-blinding reflection of morning sun. “And I’m finally ready to get my girl.”
“Well, it’s about fuckin’ time. A few more years and another man taking up space between her thighs would force Silas and me to have you committed.” Trent mocked, sliding his hands into the front of his jeans, his stance and gaze mirroring mine.
“That’s not funny.” I didn’t react to his banter, turning around to grab a mop from the janitor’s closet. The hardest part of waiting was the jealousy; the sudden urge to murder every man who got to so much as touch her.
“Oh, c’mon, it was a little.” Noticing my frustration, he stepped over to help, giving my arm a playful nudge. “But I definitely see the appeal. Too young for my taste, but her attitude and fire make that woman one worth keeping. I’d wait for a piece of ass like that too—”
“Fuck off, Trent, she’s not just some piece of ass.” My tone wasn’t supposed to come off as clipped and harsh as it did. I knew he was only messing around, but at the same time, I couldn’t resist the rush to her defense.
“Okay, hold up. Are you seriously thinking what I think you are? Because if so, you’d better hope she’s as fucked up as you.”
“I haven’t done anything… yet.” After putting the mop away, my fingers toyed with my ring as I pictured our future; her green eyes greeting me with every sunrise.
“There’s plenty of time to get her to where she needs to be—in the right mindset.
But you can bet your fuckin’ spurs that I’ll have her claimed in more than just a physical sense.
I’m gonna make Dakota my wife before she has the slightest chance to run. ”
“And her test? Remember what happened to Leighton’s wife?” A deep, lingering pain laced his words. How could any of us forget?
Leighton was the third member of the Cowboys to take a wife. Since the first two had passed their tests flawlessly, there was no hesitation or fear when he married Chloe and received her assignment.
We all supported and cheered him on, assuming the outcome would be no different, until the moment of truth came and she changed her mind at the last second.
Leighton was forced to pull the trigger in an act to save her life, effectively ending it at the same time.
That was the cost of her failure, the cost we knew all too well.
The same price we would’ve paid if we hadn’t completed our own.
The worst part of bringing a woman into this world was that we weren't just their husbands; we were their reapers, the ones who handed them their fate if they were unsuccessful.
There were no second chances, and Leighton paid the ultimate price when his wife hesitated. There wasn’t a single man among us who would willingly kill the love of their life. But rules are rules, as morbid as they were, and the society’s secrets die with us.
Chloe’s pause broke a trust and his heart. He hasn’t been the same since. Broken, soulless, the most dangerous version of a man you could ever fathom becoming.
“This isn’t me trying to rain on your parade.
I’m happy for you, elated, but I just want to make sure that you understand what you’re about to attempt.
And I say it that way only because that’s the reality of just how high the stakes are gonna be.
” Trent gripped my shoulders, demanding my attention, his eyes displaying sincere concern for the crucial decision I was making, “Can you live with that? The consequences?”
The question, once again, threw my thoughts back to the days that followed after Leighton had taken the life of his first and only love. How quickly his resolve deteriorated; how violent he’d turned.
“Let me put it this way. I’d sell my soul to the devil for her without a second thought. I’ll make sure she passes... Even if that means putting myself in a position that could end my time before hers.”
“Look, I’m not saying this to piss you off, and after all our years of friendship, I’d expect you to know that by now. But… Is this woman really worth risking your life?” Trent’s blue eyes locked with mine, worried that I was making a mistake I’d regret later—but she was far from it.
There wasn’t a shred of doubt in my mind that Dakota would be the perfect wife and excel at her test.
I’ll show her the beauty of becoming a force to be reckoned with.