Page 65 of Reaper Flame

“Want me to blow up the cop’s truck, boss?” West asked. His muscles jumped under his shirt, itching for a fight. Biding time wasn’t one of his monster’s strengths. “Say the word, and it’ll be done.”

“Not today,” Zander replied, causing The Hulk to pout. “He’s not important enough, but Candy made sure he’ll be checking his brakes before he leaves.”

The threat of violence can be even more effective than its demonstration. Paranoia fucks with people’s heads, and if someone was going to side with Giles, they’d get what was coming to them.

“Well?” Vixen demanded, eying the envelope pointedly. “Are you going to open it?”

Zander carefully unpeeled the seal and pulled out a notecard. He held it out for us to see. It was blank. A plain old white page.

Rocky frowned. “Has he written in invisible ink or something?”

Everyone looked at him like he was mad.

“It was just a suggestion!” he huffed, crossing his arms.

“We’re not in a fucking mystery novel,” Vixen grumbled.

“Why would he send the cop here for no reason?” West asked.

“He wanted us to know that he’s watching,” I replied.

“Let him fucking watch,” West said, scanning the crowds in the club. Someone had tipped Giles off about our arrival. Was it someone from our security team, or had a conversation been overheard? Either way, it meant we couldn’t trust anyone. “He won’t see us coming when we really come for him.”

“Before you get into the ring with Giles, can we talk about the manor?” Vixen said, then addressed Zander directly. “Are we really going to wait until the morning to go by?”

“We’re going to play by their rules,” Zander said with an air of finality. “For now.”

Doing anything law enforcement requested rubbed me the wrong way. If conforming was a class at school, I’d have failed, but Zander made a good point. We’d all barely slept, and it’d be hard to assess the damage in the dark.

“In that case, there’s only one thing we can do.” Vixen threw her hands up in the air. “Let’s hit the fucking bar!”

“Yeah, because a hangover is the only thing that won’t make tomorrow morning even worse,” Rocky muttered sarcastically.

A pounding headache may be the only thing that’d help distract her from her renovations being turned into smoldering ash.

“I don’t see you having any better ideas, Red,” she snarled.

Mieko concealed a yawn behind her hand but said, “I’m in.”

“Me too,” I said, showing female solidarity.

The journey back had been exhausting, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Partying was our best alternative.

Zander’s lip curled in disapproval. “I’ll be in my office. We leave at nine sharp tomorrow morning. Be ready.”

“Whatever.” Vixen rolled her eyes and grabbed Mieko’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Before following, I hung back with the guys. I caught Zander’s arm. “Are you sure you can’t stick around?”

“What’s wrong, little one?” The corners of his mouth turned upward in a sly smile. “Don’t want me too far away?”

I scowled. “You need to get over your fucking ego.”

West smirked. “Looks like the old Candy is back.”

“She never left,” Zander said, running a hand down my cheek and sending shivers down my spine. “She’s always beenourSeven girl.”

Rocky raised an eyebrow. “You guys made up too?”

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