Page 30 of Heart of a Hero

Nora’s brow furrowed, her lips pressing together in a tight line. “But isn’t getting involved in illegal activities just perpetuating the problem? How can they justify that?”

I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees as I clasped my hands together. “I understand your concern, believe me. But sometimes, the system fails. The Reapers have informants, connections that allow them to track down the scum who prey on the vulnerable. They’re able to act quickly, without red tape, to save lives.”

Probably shouldn’t mention Wire and Lavender. Telling her some of the best hackers in the world were part of the Reapers might be a bit much. Assuming she knew what a hacker was. If not, I’d have to tell her they obtained their information illegally. They just committed all their crimes from behind a keyboard.

She shook her head, her dark hair falling forward to frame her face. “I don’t know, Dawson. It just seems like a slippery slope.”

Meeting her gaze, I saw the conflict in her eyes, the desire to protect warring with her innate sense of right and wrong. Maybe I could share a few truths without putting their real names to the stories. Make her understand.

“Let me tell you about a girl named Lily,” I began, keeping Rin’s actual name out of it. “Her brother turned her into a prostitute. Abused her in so many ways. But the Reapers decided to step in and save her. She got a second chance at a much better life, and no, they didn’t do it by legal means. People died, and it was bloody and violent. I can’t say I’m sorry, either. They deserved everything they got.”

Okay. Maybe I should have left out that last part. I really was my father’s son, deep down. And my mother’s. I knew she wouldn’t hesitate to gut someone if it meant protecting innocent lives.

“Or how about a teenage girl rescued from a human trafficking ring? She’d been raped for more than a year by multiple people. The group had so many children of all ages. The Reapers, along with two other clubs, went in and saved them. Most if not all of those children would have probably died if the clubs hadn’t stepped in.”

She sighed. “All right. I get it. They do some wonderful things, but couldn’t the police have arrested those people instead?”

I hesitated a moment. “Yes and no. The first story I told you… the men who raped her were high up. All the way to the mayor’s office. The police wouldn’t have done a damn thing to step in and arrest her brother. Not to mention, just taking him down wouldn’t have been enough. The Reapers annihilated everyone involved. Those who weren’t close enough to stop in person were handled in other ways.”

She nodded, apparently getting it. For someone who hadn’t been through what Rin had, or Ares, it was probably hard to truly understand. The moment they’d been saved, my father’s club had been like avenging angels. It’s what I’d wanted to accomplish with the Swift Angels, but in a more legal way. I still wanted to rescue people, step in when others couldn’t. As long as the perpetrators were behind bars, I’d consider it a success. After all, that was our goal -- saving people and making sure the bad guys couldn’t hurt anyone again.

“That’s just a few stories of many,” I continued, reaching out to take her hand in mine, our fingers intertwining. “The Reapers may not always follow the letter of the law, but they have a fierce sense of justice. They’re willing to put everything on the line to protect the innocent, to save those who have been forgotten or overlooked by the system.”

She squeezed my hand, her thumb brushing over my knuckles in a gentle caress. “I’m starting to understand,” she murmured, her gaze holding mine. “It’s not black-and-white, is it? Sometimes, you have to work in the gray areas to do what’s right.”

I nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “Exactly. But…” I hesitated, my brow furrowing as I considered our current situation. “As much as I respect what the Reapers do, I’m not sure I want to involve them in this, Nora. Not yet, at least.”

Her eyes searched mine, a flicker of concern crossing her delicate features. “Wait. You wanted to have them help out with my situation? Is that why you told me all this?”

“Yes and no. If you’re going to date me, then I thought you should be aware of my background. Even though I never helped with anything the club did, it doesn’t change the fact I grew up in that environment.”

“So, you thought about telling them about Rex and decided not to. Why?” she asked.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Because I trust the Swift Angels. They’re committed to helping people, but they do it legally. They work with the authorities, follow proper channels. I don’t want to risk blurring those lines unless we absolutely have to. If this way doesn’t work, then I can get my father’s club involved.”

Shit. Not just my dad’s either. I wanted to bang my head on the wall. Did I tell her now or later that my grandfather was also part of it? Or that Akira’s parents were too?

Nora nodded slowly, either just agreeing with me or letting me know she understood where I was coming from. Either way, she didn’t seem to be against the idea.

“The Swift Angels are like me and have jobs that can sometimes require long shifts, and there aren’t very many of us. We have responsibilities outside the club, other people who need our help. Add in our chaotic schedules… It makes it hard for one of my brothers to watch over you at all times.”

She bit her lower lip, a nervous habit I’d come to recognize. “So, what do we do?”

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to suggest. “I think it’s time for you to meet my parents. To see my world, where I come from. It might give you a better understanding of the options we have if things take a turn for the worse. Not to mention, I think you should meet them if we’re going to be dating. I know it’s a lot to take in, but I promise you, they’re good people. They’ll welcome you with open arms, both you and Taylor. And… I haven’t brought anyone home to meet them in, well, ever.”

I’d keep it to myself that the Reapers would be a last resort. If they got involved, then Rex would disappear. While I knew Wire or Lavender could create a paper trail that made it seem like he’d left the area, I really didn’t want to handle the situation that way.

Nora swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around mine. “And you want me to be the first woman you ever introduce to them?”

I leaned in, my forehead resting gently against hers as I closed my eyes, savoring the closeness between us. “Yes, because I’m hoping this thing between us will last forever.”

After a moment, I pulled out my phone and dialed my mom’s number, my heart racing as I waited for her to pick up. After a few rings, her warm, familiar voice filled my ear. “Dawson, honey! It’s so good to hear from you.”

“Hey, Mom,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “I was wondering if Nora and I could come by tomorrow, maybe spend some time with you and Dad.”

There was a brief pause, and I could almost hear the gears turning in her head. “Nora?”

I cleared my throat. “Um, the woman I’m dating. And she has a little girl. Taylor. We’ll probably bring her too.”

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