Page 42 of Reaper Flame

Rocky cursed under his breath, knowing Q was right but being too stubborn to admit it.

Zander turned his attention back to me. “What do you say, Candy?”

“I have a counter-offer,” I replied.

Hiram taught me how to negotiate. Never accept the first offer.

Zander tipped his head to the side. “I’m listening.”

“Your deal applies to all of the Sevens,” I said. “We stay together to take Hiram down. After that, if they want out, they get to leave. If you don’t accept my offer, I’ll walk as soon as I step off this boat. You can’t keep me here forever.”

My offer wasn’t just about what Rocky had said. It was about bringing Zander’s controlling reign to an end. My proposal may go against everything the Sevens stood for, but Zander already broke our bond. He’d broken his own rules, and it was his turn to face the consequences. If we made it out alive and he is left alone, then so fucking be it.At least everyone would have the choice.

Vixen opened her mouth to argue, but Zander spoke over her. He didn’t even take a second to think.

“Deal,” he said, extending his hand for me to shake, “ifwe play by my rules until then.”

“Done,” I replied, rising from my chair. “But I’m not shaking your fucking hand.”

I walked away swinging my hips. My ass looked great in this dress, so the guys better get a good look because I was on borrowed time. If we took Hiram down, I’d be outta there. The real question was whether I’d be leaving alone if and when the time came…

NINE

“Candy?” Rocky pushed the door open to the cabin I’d claimed as my own. On a boat filled with inked men I wanted to throttle, I needed a place to breathe freely. Rocky edged the door open and put one foot inside after not being met with initial resistance. What did he expect? A fucking barricade? “Can I come in?”

I glared at his sneaker, already invading my territory. “Why ask when you’re already fucking inside?”

He gulped at my deadpan facial expression and clicked the door closed behind him. After having a funeral, any normal person would want to try to avoid any life-threatening situations.

Rocky buried his hands in the pockets of his sweats sheepishly. “You’re still mad at me.”

Well, at least he didn’t completely lack perception.

“So?” I fired back, then reclined back into the pillows. “But I’m not going to shoot you again… well, not yet anyway.”

“It’s good to know you care so much.” He clamped his lips together like he was trying not to laugh which only infuriated me more. “But I was actually coming to see whether you shredded my t-shirt.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I snapped. No matter what I thought of him, I wouldn’t do that to Ash and her guys. They were musical fucking geniuses.

“If you do plan on shooting me, maybe you should improve your aim next time?” Rocky teased. His smartass comments wouldn’t magically erase how he’d kept his mouth shut about the Sevens sudden arrival, even if he’d shown his loyalty to me at dinner. “Can I sit down?”

He didn’t wait for an answer and sat on the edge of the bed, wringing his hands.

“I should have told you the full plan at the manor.” He looked down at his lap guiltily. “It wasn’t fair to keep you in the dark.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“We’d agreed to tell you together, but I still should have said something.” Rocky sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I guess a part of me used our agreement as an excuse. I was scared to tell you, okay? Damn, C... I wanted you to come with me so bad. I didn’t want you to say no and, after seeing you again, all I wanted was for us to have one perfect night.”

“You should have learned by now that nothing is ever perfect.” I blew out a breath in a dramatic huff. “Not in our world.”

“Did you really mean what you said to Zander?” he asked. “Will you stay with us until Hiram is dead?”

I must have been batshit crazy to make any kind of deal with Zander, but I saw no other way around it. It was a win-win situation and, for the first time since knowing the Sevens, I had all the fucking power.

“Unlike other people, I keep my word when I say it.”

“I meant what I said up there,” he said, shuffling closer. “If you leave, I’ll leave with you.”

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