Page 15 of Reaper Flame

Giles paled, and his eyes darted around the room. If we were going to be seeing more of each other, maybe I’d be able to teach him how to treat a woman like she was more than a second-rate fucking citizen.

“What I’m trying to say is that we want the same thing,” Giles said, trying to reason with me. Like any good politician, he spoke out of his asshole and spouted bullshit to smooth things over. “Taking down my cousin is within both of our interests, isn’t it? I’ll help you and Hiram get what you want.”

Giles and I may hate each other, but he was right. We’d finally found common ground.

“We have a funeral to attend,” I said curtly. “Get your black suit ready, and I’ll see you in two days.”

He gulped and nodded.

I’d make sure our appearance at Rocky’s funeral was one the Sevens would never forget.

* * *

The dress code instructions were specific. Wear black. Who made it an unspoken rule that mourners had to wear black, anyway? Regardless, I was breaking it. This wasn’t anordinaryfuneral. This was Rocky’s, and I needed to make a statement, not only to stand out, but because it’s whathewould have wanted.

I picked a bright red dress that hugged my curves. The neckline was low and the necklace Zander gifted me nestled between my cleavage. With it, I wore gorgeous black thigh-high boots. I’d stand out like a flashing neon warning sign. Hiram thought I picked it to pay homage to Rocky’s violent death, but I had my own reasons. Red was Rocky’s chosen gang name and the color of the shorts he wore when he fought at the Golden Gloves. It would be our final secret.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. After spending hours getting ready, I barely recognized the person looking back. My pink hair had faded to a faint pastel hue which was most noticeable under the sunlight. Hiram wanted my hair blonde, but my stubborn strands clung onto the rosy color no matter how many times I shampooed. I leaned forward to examine my black circles. After hours of meticulous makeup application, they were hidden. Just like the feelings I had to shut away.

“Shit,” I cursed as my cell buzzed on the dresser.

That was my cue.

A guard was already stationed outside of my bedroom. I strolled ahead of him, throwing my shoulders back and swaying my hips like I was about to attend the party of the year. We walked through Hiram’s penthouse suite and into the elevator. It chimed as we came to our stop.

It was time.

Hiram and Giles waited for me by the entrance to Blackthorne Towers. Dawn had just broken, but we needed to leave early to make the funeral on time.

“Do you understand what you’re there to do?” Hiram asked, looking between us. While he was sending guards to accompany us on the journey, Hiram wouldn’t be traveling with us. “You will follow the plan. No distractions.”

“We’ve got it,” I said flippantly, then counted the points off of my freshly painted nails. “Go to the funeral, head to the wake, stir shit up, help Giles find his goddamn ornament and get outta there.”

Hiram looked uneasy. I couldn’t have him backing out now that we were so close…

“It’ll be easy,” I bragged. “When haven’t I delivered?”

We went through the plan yesterday. As well as making an appearance to shock the Sevens, we had another reason to go to Port Valentine. Giles wanted to retrieve an object of value hidden in the manor — something he and Bryce could use to subsidize their lifestyles.

“Remember, I’ll be watching,” Hiram said. “I’ll be joining you at the manor later, after I’ve taken care of a few things.”

Yeah, as soon as he finished with the newest prisoner in the basement…

“We don’t need a babysitter,” I muttered. He shot me a warning glare, so I quickly added, “We’ll see you then.”

Hiram turned to Giles with a face of stone. “If anything happens, I will hold you responsible. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“I-I-I won’t,” Giles stammered.

Hiram nodded in satisfaction and stepped aside to let us out of the building. As I passed, Hiram caught my arm.

“I mean it, Kitty,” he hissed. “No distractions.”

“We’ve got it,” I repeated with a smile.

He released his hold, and I strolled out. I took a second to breathe in the fresh air. It’d beat having to share the same oxygen as Giles on the ride over.

Giles held open the door to the waiting bulletproof Range Rover Sentinel. “You look… nice.”

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