Page 21 of Reaper

Some prices are worth paying if it means keeping himfree.

God help us all.

9

REAPER

Ibarely register the name of the backwoods bar I pull into, just needing somewhere to drown the betrayal burning in my chest.Two people I trusted. Two fucking people who meant everything to me, and both of them played me for a fool.

The whiskey burns going down, memories flashing through my mind like a twisted highlight reel.Timer teaching me to ride when I was barely tall enough to reach the pedals.Sandy curled against me last night, promising forever with her body while planning to destroy my world.Every moment tainted by lies.

"Another," I grunt at the bartender, shoving my empty glass forward.Maybe if I drink enough, I'll stop seeing visions of the way Sandy looked at me this morning like I was breaking her heart when she'd been the one lying all along.Again.

"Make that a water." Sandy's voice cuts through the haze of anger and hurt.Of fucking course she followed me.

"Get the fuck out." I don't look at her.Can't look at her without remembering how she felt in my arms last night, howfucking perfect we were together.How real it had seemed. All lies.

"Can't do that." She slides onto the stool next to me, close enough that her scent wraps around me like a noose.

"Why not?" Bitterness coats my tongue."Need to keep tabs on me? Make sure I don't do anything to fuck up your precious operation, Agent Mitchell?"

"Everything I've done has been to protect you and the Saints." Her voice cracks on my name."Every lie, every secret - it was all about keeping you free."

"Right." I laugh, the sound raw and painful."Because lying to my face, making me fall for you again, that was all for my own good?"

"You think this has been easy for me?" Heat enters her tone."You think I wanted to hurt you?"

"I think you're really good at your job." The words come out like bullets."Getting close to your target, making him trust you, making him lo-" I cut myself off, the word too painful to voice.

"Is that what you think this was?" She moves closer, her knee brushing mine."Some kind of honey trap operation?"

"What else would you call it?" I finally look at her, and fuck, that's a mistake.Because even now, even knowing she's played me, she's still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."You went out of your way to weasel back into my life.Reopened every fucking wound.Made me remember that I never really stopped loving you.And for what? Some undercover operation?"

Tears well in her eyes, and rage burns hotter in my chest.

"Don't you dare put on a crying performance now." The whiskey glass creaks in my grip."Hasn't there been enough acting between us?"

"Shut up and listen to me!" She grabs my arm, her touch burning through my leather cut."You want the truth? The whole truth?"

"Like you'd even recognize it anymore."

"I took this assignment because it was the only way to keep you out of prison." The words burst from her like gunfire."The feds were building a RICO case against the Saints.They had evidence linking the club to three terrorist cells through Timer's weapons pipeline."

"So you decided to play hero?" I try to wrench away, but she holds on tight."Save the poor dumb biker from himself?"

"I decided to protect the man I love!" Her voice rises, drawing attention from the few other patrons."They offered me a deal to build a case against Timer in exchange for the Saints' past to disappear.Every weapons charge, every suspicious death, everything Timer tried to pin on your father - gone."

The mention of my father hits like a physical blow."Stop."

"No." She moves even closer, her eyes fierce."You want truth? Here it is. I spent five years working my way up the ranks, gathering evidence, making sure every piece pointed to Timer and away from you.Five years watching you hate me, knowing I deserved it, but telling myself it was worth it if it kept you free."

"Sandy-"

"I'm not finished." Her fingers dig into my arm."Last night wasn't a lie. Nothing between us has ever been a lie.That's why I left five years ago instead of informing on your father's operation.That's why I took this assignment when they offered it.That's why I came back now."

"To save me?" The words taste like ash."I don't need saving."

"No?" Her laugh holds no humor."Timer's been feeding intel to terrorist cells for years.Setting up the Saints to take the fall when it all comes down.The feds have enough evidence to put the entire club away for life.But sure, tell me again how you don't need saving."

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