Page 87 of Raze

“What was that?” I decide to test if he meant what he said back at the bungalow about us having no more secrets.

“I texted Wrath. Told him to have someone load the bodies that we left back at Cliff’s place into a cage. They can take ‘em back to the Reapers’ compound and we’ll get rid of all the bodies together.”

“How?” I ask, wondering how it’s possible to cover something like this up.

“We have our ways, the Colorado charter has a guy who’s very talented in that field. He’ll come up with somethin’,” he assures me.

It’s eerily quiet with no music or fire lit as we walk across the sand.

“All this is my fault, what if more of your members get hurt tonight?” I stop walking when flashbacks of what’s happened in the past 24 hours all hit me at once.

“Peyton, the Reapers were building a compound close by with the intention of ruining us. This war was always comin’ and it’s thanks to your…” He suddenly stops himself and turns to face me.

“Your father came here tonight, he brought Billy with him,” he tells me, clutching both my hands in his.

“Billy?” I stop and close my eyes when a brand new guilt rushes over me. “All this time I thought it was him. I was sure of it. He wore his overalls.”

“Don’t go back there, I just wanted to give you the heads up. You don’t have to see or speak to anyone you don’t want to. Everythin’ with them is on your terms,” he assures me.

“My dad came here?” I stare at him in shock. There’s no way he would have done that, he must have known how dangerous that would be.

“He’s the one who told us where to find the compound. He cares about you, Peyton.” He smiles.

“I don’t know how to face all this,” I admit, feeling the tears start to build back up. How am I supposed to look at Billy when all this time he was innocent?

“Billy pleaded guilty.” I shake my head in confusion, remembering the relief I felt when the prosecutor told me there wouldn't be a trial.

“He did it to spare ya feelin’s. I’ll give him his dues, he’s a brave man to put himself inside for a crime like that, it proves how much you mean to him.”

“This is all so fucked up.” I shake my head before I wrap my arms around him for comfort.

“It is, but it’s gonna be okay. We’ll get ya the help you need. And the Reapers won’t be a problem anymore.”

“I don’t wanna talk to a shrink. I don’t want to ever think about Kane again.” I burst into more tears because the emotions inside me are all too much. I’ve lost my brother today, and up until a few hours ago, that was always my biggest fear.

“You don’t have to do anything, Pey, but I’ll make sure you have all the options you need. We’ll get through this,” he promises, and seeing the determination in his eyes makes me believe him.

“What about Polly? Someone has to tell her about Sonny, she’s gonna be heartbroken and he was right, she won’t forgive you.”

“Leave Polly to me, all that matters to me tonight is takin’ care of ya.” He gets us moving again and when we step inside the hut and Reggie greets us with a flap of his wings I smile at him, feeling grateful to be back home.

I’ve always felt safe here, but being back without the burden of my secrets is so comforting that I cry happy tears instead of sad ones.

“Hey.” Raze, puts his arm around me. “You need to rest, today’s been a day.” He leads me to the bed and pulls back the covers so I can get inside, then stripping out of his jeans and cut, he gets in behind me.

“You just close your eyes and get some sleep.” His arms tuck around me and hold me tight. “You’re right where you're supposed to be now,” he whispers, and somehow, despite all that's happened I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

I get woken by a frantic knock on the door and when Raze gets up from the table where he’s sitting I sit up cautiously. I don’t know if I’m ready to see anyone yet. Who knows what the club’s opinion of me, and the fact Raze has brought me back, will be.

He opens the door and looks as shocked as I am when Polly drops to her knees in front of him.

“Raze, I didn’t know, I swear I didn’t know.” She looks broken, her hands are shaking and the way she sobs is hard to watch. No parent should have to lose a child, no matter how evil that child is.

“Polly, get up.” Raze lifts her back onto her feet and helps her over to the table. “I need to tell you somethin’,” he whispers, and I see the guilt on his face as he pulls out a chair for her.

“I know. I know everything,” she cries and it breaks my heart to think of the pain she must be in.

“How? I told Wrath I wanted to talk to you myself.”

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