Page 60 of Reaper

I bury my face in the valley between her breasts, so she can’t see my expression. The demons of my past circle, trying to drag me back to Hell with thoughts of what Blackstone did to me, but I push those monsters away. He can’t hurt me anymore. I’m going to destroy him.

“It’s time,” she says.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” I kiss her silky lips before pulling on my clothes.

With a final look, I leave her in the dim light of my room, the image of her lingering as I prepare for what comes next. Tonight, we ride under a shroud of darkness, a brotherhood seeking justice—or finding death.

Whatever it takes, I’m ready, because when dawn breaks, I intend to see her again.

Chapter 23: Reaper

The roar of the engines fills my ears as I ride in formation behind Scar, Nitro, Talon, and Matrix. I’m at the rear because I’m the enforcer of the club, always watching their backs. Tonight, we’re taking on a mission that’s been at the back of my mind for years—breaking into Blackstone’s mansion.

Excitement and fear war within me, sending my nervous system into overdrive. I keep telling myself I’m ready for this, but the reality is, I might come face to face with the man who terrorized me for four long years. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little apprehensive about the whole situation.

“Almost there,” Scar shouts over the wind.

As my adrenaline starts to pump harder through my veins, I grip the handlebars tighter. My brothers are with me. I’m not alone. Somehow, that makes this trip easier.

As we pull off the highway onto a side road, the moon casts eerie shadows on the treesaround us. We park our bikes below a tree that conceals one of Matrix’s security cameras. A couple of years ago, he installed surveillance around the property. Not on Blackstone’s land because that would be too risky, but close enough that we could get a general idea of what was going on at the mansion. We could see who was coming and who was leaving.

We were specifically looking for kids to make sure Blackstone wasn’t up to his old, disgusting tricks. Never caught any on camera, but he could have used other ways to sneak them inside. The thought is so revolting I gag as I pull off my helmet.

Matrix wastes no time in yanking his laptop out of his backpack. He used the cameras to track the guard shift changes over the last few days. Hopefully, they haven’t deviated from the typical schedule.

“We got a five-minute window coming up,” Matrix announces, making me feel even more anxious yet excited about what’s ahead.

“Ready when you are,” I tell him, trying to sound more confident than I actually am.

“Be careful, both of you,” Scar warns us with a stern look. “Talon, Nitro, and I are here to create a diversion if needed, but it’d be better if you two get in without being seen.”

“Got it, pres,” I reply, sharing a determined nod with Matrix. “We’ll be careful.”

“Come back safe, so I don’t have to deal withyour old ladies,” Scar adds before turning away.

“You got an old lady now?” Nitro teases.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snarl.

“Let’s do this,” Matrix says.

Together, we set off toward the fence that surrounds the mansion.

“Man, I gotta get back to Daisy by morning, or she’s gonna chop my nuts off,” Matrix whispers, trying to lighten the mood as we prepare to make our move.

I chuckle, even though the tension is still thick in the air. “Don’t worry, bro. If we’re not back by sunrise, Lexi and Daisy will be coming for both our nuts.”

“Great, double nut-chopping. Just what I need,” he mutters with a smirk, adjusting his gloves.

As we move through the night, shadows play tricks on our eyes. Every tree is a potential predator. Each bush is suspect.

“You sure you turned the electricity off?” I mutter to Matrix, eyeing the electric fence warily.

“I’d bet my life on it.”

Working together, we cut through the wire with precision and speed. My heart races as we run toward the mansion, ducking behind tractors and other farm equipment to stay out of sight. Blackstone’s idiotic attempt to look like a regular Montanan farmer ironically helps us. Jackass.

My breath comes in short pants as we reach the door we’ve chosen for our entry point. I pull out the keycard and hold it to the reader, hoping against hope that it’ll work. Nothing happens. Panic crawls up my chest. But then, the green light blinks on, and the door unlocks with a soft click.

---