Page 9 of Reaper

"Military grade. Whatever's going down, it's happening now."

I meet Reaper's eyes, seeing my own conflict mirroredthere.Duty wars with desire as his hands flex on myhips.

"We'll be right there." He ends the call with asigh.

"Reaper--"

"I know." He presses one last searing kiss to my mouth before rollingaway."Dutycalls."

We dress in tense silence, the weight of unfinished business hanging betweenus.Just before we leave, he catches myarm.

"This isn't over." His voice carries a promise that makes meshiver."Whatever's coming, whatever you're mixed up in, we face ittogether.No morerunning."

I should argue. Should maintain my cover, keep my distance, protect him from what'scoming.

Instead, I rise on tiptoes and brush my lips acrosshis."Together."

His smile is pure sin. "Seal that promise properlylater?"

"Count on it." I grab my cut, already shifting into agentmode."But first, we have Kings tohandle."

"Lead the way, AgentMitchell."

The title should worry me, should make me questioneverything. As we head out to face whatever chaos is coming, however, all I feel isrelief.

Because for the first time in a long time, I'm not facing italone.

Now I just have to make sure we both survive what'scoming.

5

REAPER

Our convoy races toward whatever storm Sandy sees coming.She rides point with me, her movements so in sync with mine it's like the last five years never happened.Except they did, and now I know why.

Federal agent. The words still taste like ash in my mouth, warring with the memory of her lips against mine this morning.But watching her navigate these back roads with military precision, I can't deny the truth that was always there.Sandy Mitchell was never meant for the sidelines.

"Three bikes coming up fast," Tank's voice crackles through the comms."No patches visible."

"Kings' scouts," Sandy responds immediately."They're testing our route."

I signal the convoy to tighten formation as three dark shapes appear in my mirrors.Sandy drops back slightly, covering our six with the kind of tactical awareness that should've tipped me off years ago.

The scouts shadow us for ten miles before peeling off.Something about their retreat sets my teeth on edge.

"They're herding us," Sandy says through our private channel."Pushing us toward something."

"Trap?"

"Most likely." She pulls even with me at a stop sign."We need to split up. Draw them out."

The tactical part of my brain agrees with her assessment.The part that just got her back wants to keep her close where I can protect her.

"Your crew with Tank, heading north." I make the call before emotion can override logic."My crew with me, cutting east.Force them to divide their resources."

She nods once, already signaling her people.The convoy splits smoothly, like we've drilled this a hundred times.I watch her lead her group toward the mountains, that familiar ache in my chest warring with pride.

"You sure about this?" Timer pulls up beside me as we take the eastern route."Splitting up with Kings in the wind?"

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