Page 79 of Rogue’s Reckoning

"Lochlann!" I roar, charging toward him. He’s not getting away this time. Not again.

Lochlann whirls around at the sound of my voice, his eyes widening in recognition. He raises his gun and fires a shot. Idodge it, rushing toward him. I use my shoulder to knock him off his feet, and then I throw punch after punch. His face is bloody and a mess as he tries to get me off him.

All I can think about is Willow—her pain, her fear, the years she spent suffering because of this monster. With each punch I land, I feel a savage satisfaction.

"This is for Willow, you sick fuck," I growl, slamming my fist into his face again and again.

Lochlann manages to knee me in the stomach, momentarily knocking the wind out of me. He tries to scramble away but I grab his ankle, yanking him back.

"You're dead, Rogue," he spits, blood and saliva spraying from his mouth. "You and your whole fucking club."

His words only fuel my rage. I haul him up by his shirt collar, slamming him against a nearby wall. "You're the one who's dead," I snarl. "You'll never hurt Willow or anyone else ever again."

I see a flicker of fear in Lochlann's eyes as he realizes this is the end. Good. I want him afraid. I want him to feel a fraction of the terror he made Willow feel.

My hand closes around his throat, squeezing. Lochlann claws at my arm, gasping for air, but I don't let up. His eyes close and I hear a deep laugh from behind me. I turn to see Ghost and the others approaching, their faces grim but triumphant.

"It's over," Ghost says, clapping me on the shoulder as I drop Lochlann to the ground. "We got them all."

I nod, suddenly feeling drained. "Renegade?"

"Already working on it," Savage replies. "This place will be ash within the hour."

As we make our way out of the warehouse, I can't help but think of Willow. It's over now. We're safe. We can finally start building the life we should have had all along.

"Let's go home," I say, swinging my leg over my bike. "I've got a promise to keep."

As we ride away, the warehouse goes up in flames. It should feel like a victory, but there’s something niggling at me. The Shadow Hawks are dead.

The rideback to the clubhouse feels longer than usual, my body aching from the fight and my mind racing with thoughts of Willow and Wren. As we pull into the lot, I see the lights on in the clubhouse. The brothers are no doubt waiting on word of what's happened.

I make my way to my room, desperate to wash off the blood and grime of the night. The hot water of the shower eases some of the tension from my muscles, but it does little to calm the storm in my mind. Lochlann is dead. The Shadow Hawks are finished. We should be safe now. So why do I still feel on edge?

As I step out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist, I freeze. Willow is sitting on my bed, her eyes wide as she takes in my half naked appearance.

"Ezra," she whispers, standing up. "Are you okay?"

I nod, suddenly at a loss for words. She's here, in my room. Waiting for me. That's not what I had expected.

Willow approaches slowly, her hand reaching out to touch a bruise forming on my chest. Her touch is gentle, almost reverent. "Is it over?" she asks softly.

"Yes," I reply, my voice rough. "Lochlann's dead. The Shadow Hawks are finished."

Relief washes over her face, followed quickly by something else. Desire. Before I can react, she's pressing her lips to mine in a fierce kiss.

I respond immediately, pulling her close. All the pent-up emotion, the years of longing and regret, pour into this kiss. Willow's hands roam over my chest and shoulders as I back her toward the bed.

"Are you sure?" I ask, breaking the kiss to look into her eyes. I need to know this is what she truly wants.

Willow nods, her eyes dark with desire. "I'm sure, Ezra. I want this. I want you."

That's all the encouragement I need. I capture her lips again, my hands working to remove her clothes. Soon, we're both naked, skin against skin.

I take a moment to drink in the sight of her. She's even more beautiful than I remember. "God, I've missed you, Little Flower," I murmur, trailing kisses down her neck.

Willow arches into me, her breath coming in soft gasps. "I've missed you too," she admits. "So much."

I lay her down on the bed, covering her body with mine. The feeling of her beneath me, soft and warm and willing, is almost overwhelming. I've dreamed of this moment for so long.

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