Page 103 of Reaper Flame

“She’s lucky to have you,” I said, hugging her back.

“Let’s go,” West’s growl interrupted our moment. “Everyone’s waiting.”

My expression hardened in determination. “Let’s fucking do this.”

I may not know what tonight had in store but, one thing is for sure, I was going into it with the best people at my side. In a way, that was the biggest battle already won.

TWENTY-TWO

West cut through the barbed wire to create a Hulk-sized hole, making the space in the fence larger than your average door.

Zander had loosened the top buttons of his shirt to reveal more of the gorgeous ink cradling his neck. He stood next to the gap and inclined his head in a bow. “Ladies, first.”

“What a gentleman,” I mocked, strolling through first. A loose wire caught on my leg, slicing it open, but I didn’t mind. The pain made me want to push on and would remind me that I was alive. Mieko and Vixen followed me.

“Wait!” Rocky hesitated before he went next. “Before we go, shouldn’t we say something?”

We all knew what he meant. The last time Hiram cornered us, Rocky almost died. We had to expect the unexpected. We needed to be ready for anything, but it didn’t mean we had time to stand around and say a fucking eulogy.

“We don’t need to say anything,” I fired back, giving no one the chance to question themselves. “We’re the fucking Sevens. We’ll go in together, and we’ll all come out together.”

One shake of confidence could bring everything slamming to the ground. We had no options. Weweregoing to do this. We had to.

“Too fucking right,” West growled, shoving Rocky forward and following him through. “We’ll find Hiram and kill him. Easy.”

After the bloodshed in the Golden Gloves, West’s monster buzzed underneath his skin, craving release. He’d held himself back with the Blackbird. It gave him a taste, but he wanted a full fucking meal. Confronting Hiram at the Maven wouldn’t be an easy task. If a brawl broke out, it would be easy for him to slip away undetected.

We stormed through the rows of shipping containers with our heads held high like we owned the fucking night. The darkness was ours. I’d never worked as part of a team before, and the energy was magnetic. We were six different bodies moving as a single entity. We made the shadows our own.

Mieko’s bouncy strides and gorgeous sparkling dress made her look like she’d stepped straight off the stage of a 1930s cruise ship. The purse swinging off her wrist held the contract to give to Bryce, and the hidden taser stashed in her garter gave me the confidence she could pull this off. Blood may freak her out, but she’d have no problem frying an asshole’s pubes.

Vixen wrapped her arm around Mieko’s waist. Her heavy New Rock boots could crush bones if she stamped down hard enough. Her full leather outfit and black lipstick made her look like a sexy Grim Reaper. She’d do anything to protect her family.

Rocky laced his fingers through mine. He caught my eye and flashed a cheeky smile. Even though we were heading into war, he carried himself with his usual casual demeanor. Looking at him, you’d think he’d come straight from the gym in his gray slacks, sneakers and black t-shirt. Despite his relaxed candor, his hand gripped mine tightly. Hiram’s death would free me from him forever, but his death was about more than that to Rocky. Hiram embodied everything that had gone wrong in his life. After me, he wanted Hiram to meet his end more than anyone.

On my other side, West’s soulless stare scanned the yard for any threats. The dead look in his eyes was more terrifying than the sight of his blood-spattered arms and neck. A few hours ago, we’d fucked in a puddle of blood. Now, he wanted to fucking bathe in it.

Zander walked a few steps ahead of the rest of us. As usual, he wore a tailored black suit. The dim lighting from the overhead lamps only stressed the ink that bloomed from his pressed clothes, giving the impression that a dark force had infiltrated his skin and taken hold of his body. Who knows? Maybe it had. Zander would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

We neared the so-called VIP entrance to the Maven. The rusty shipping container looked in even worse shape than the last time I came, with even bigger indentations on the side and fire damage.

Zander’s low voice was a whisper in the wind, but we heard him perfectly. “Is everyone clear on the plan?”

On the way, we decided what was going to happen when we went inside. We would split into pairs to give us the best chance of searching the area. I didn’t like it, but the sprawling underground tunnels were vast, and we’d attract too much attention together. When we found Hiram, we’d give a signal and then all hell would break loose. What could go wrong?

Rocky squeezed my hand and split to stand by Vixen’s side. West loomed over Mieko’s small figure as he held out his hand for her to take. We paired everyone to ensure maximum protection. Zander offered me his arm. He would not be letting me out of his sight.

Zander rapped on the metal side of the shipping container, and someone on the inside stirred. It had been months since I’d been here with Cheeks and so much had changed since then. Knowing the tunnels would soon flow with Hiram’s blood would make our entrance even sweeter.

The door creaked open. A lone security guard looked us up and down with suspicion. Clearly, security was less of a concern when there was a private party taking place. We could work it to our advantage.

“Name?” the guard barked.

Zander stepped out of the shadows so the guy could get a long hard look at his face. Everyone in Port Valentine knew who the Briarly’s were.

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Zander purred. “Do you?”

The guard’s brow furrowed. “Your father didn’t put you on the list.”

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