Page 54 of Reaper

“Why do you believe in me?”

“Because I love you.”

His eyes burn with longing. He might not realize it, but this is what he’s truly yearning for.A love so pure and deep nothing can touch it. I can give that to him. And I do, kissing his lips and drawing him down into the softness of the grass.

When he undresses me, he does it with a reverence he’s never used before. His molten gaze travels across my body, but it’s not about lust this time. He’s taking me in like he’s never seen me before. And maybe he hasn’t. I’m baring myself to him in a new way, and I hope to God it doesn’t scare him.

“I want you so much,” he whispers as he slides between my parted thighs.

“Come here,” I urge.

As he buries himself inside me, I wrap my arms and legs around him. I can’t get close enough to this man. Skin to skin isn’t sufficient, not when I haven’t captured his heart yet. I’m working on it, and I know it will take time, but I’m sure he’ll come around eventually. Until then, I have to be patient with him and give him the love he so desperately needs.

The urgency of his need mirrors my own. There’s a desperation between us, a yearning to erase the pain and replace it with love. Our bodies move together in perfect harmony as moonlight filtering through the trees dances across our glistening bodies.

Every thrust, every gasp is a shared defiance against the darkness that haunts us both. Entwined, we find solace in each other because we both see the shadow of evil on the horizon.

Reaper will never rest as long as Blackstone’s alive. I never truly understood that until now. I wish I could change that need inside him, but I can’t. I accept that his desire for revenge is absolute, and nothing will stop him from trying to achieve it.

“Reaper,” I gasp, clinging to him as pleasure builds, threatening to sweep me away like the current of the river beside us. He anchors me, his name a talisman against the chaos.

“Let go, Lexi,” he urges, his voice carrying the force of his conviction. “Whatever you’re thinking, just stop. Just feel me. Feel us.”

And I do. I let go, surrendering to the crescendo of sensation, to the man whose soul is intertwined with mine. As we crest the wave together, there’s no thought of the battles ahead, no fear of what tomorrow might bring. There’s only us, two souls bound together, finding peace in the echo of the river’s song.

Chapter 21: Reaper

The roar of my Harley slices through the quiet of the forest as I pull up to Matrix and Daisy’s place. Tucked away from the world, the ultra-modern style house suddenly emerges in a series of sleek lines. The minimalist design seems to harmonize effortlessly with the organic contours of the landscape. Glass walls stretch from floor to ceiling, inviting sunlight to play within its spacious confines. Each angle of the structure is a tribute to contemporary innovation, yet it retains an aura of serenity that only nature can provide.

Despite its tranquil exterior, I’m sure that a chaos of wires and screens sits on the other side of those walls. Matrix is always monitoring this place, in addition to the clubhouse and the other brothers’ homes, constantly looking for trouble. He opens the gate for me before I even reach it.

I pull up to the front door before killing the motor. Swinging my leg over the bike, the leather of my jacket creaks in protest. My boots crunchon the gravel driveway. I’m about to knock when the door swings open.

Daisy flashes a bright smile at me. “Come in. We’ve finally got some good news.”

Matrix and Daisy are the best hackers I know—if anyone can reverse engineer that key card code, it’s them. We need that code cracked if we’re going to take down Blackstone.

“Did you crack it?” I ask, wasting no time on pleasantries.

“Well—” Matrix looks up from the kitchen table where he’s hunched over a laptop.

Before he can answer, a blur of energy zips toward me, nearly knocking me off balance.

“Play!” The word erupts from the little tyke barreling into my legs. Ash, Matrix and Daisy’s two-year-old, looks up at me with wide, expectant eyes.

“Maybe later, buddy.” I smile and ruffle his hair. “Right now, I gotta talk to your mom and dad.”

Ash’s chubby hands grab onto my jeans, his face scrunching up in determination.

“Play cops and robbers!” he demands, tugging at me.

“Go on and play without me for now,” I tell him firmly but gently. “I’ll be over in a minute, okay?”

Ash pouts but nods, scampering off toward the living room, where he’s got a stash of toy cars and action figures waiting.

I turn back to Matrix and Daisy, the brief interaction with Ash reminding me there’s more at stake here than just a mission. Bringing down Blackstone will keep all of our families safe, not just mine.

The scent of coffee fills the air as I take a seat at the kitchen table, sliding into the chair next to Matrix.

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