Page 73 of Reaper Flame

Rocky rolled his eyes and winked, but he’d lightened the mood. Had he sensed my nerves and wanted to put me at ease?

“That’s not all,” West said. He pulled out a jewelry box and placed it in front of me. “I had it made before we boarded the boat.”

I opened it to see a ruby necklace that looked strangely familiar.

“I used the stone from your old ring,” he explained quickly. “May I?”

I nodded shakily, speechless, and turned to him, pulling my hair to the side. West carefully put the delicate chain around my neck. The beautiful stone felt cold against my skin, but West’s fingers warmed me as he fastened it. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts I’d ever received, along with the pendant with the secret code that Zander gave me last Christmas. I didn’t wear the pendant anymore but kept it stored away… it served its purpose. My new necklace was a symbol of how things had changed and how we’d come back together to create something different, but equally as beautiful.

“It’s perfect,” I said, reaching to feel the gem, then added, “but you shouldn’t have. All of you. I mean, I don’t even know where we stand. It’s all...”

“Too much?” Rocky interrupted with a grin. “I thought you’d say that.”

“There’s no pressure,” West said. His giant hand squeezed my thigh under the table. “We wanted to show you that we care. Don’t overthink it.”

“I’m…” A blush spread over my cheeks. “Look, I’m new to this, okay?”

“Don’t you count the times I took you to a fast-food joint when we were kids as a date?” Rocky gasped in fake surprise and clutched his chest. “I’m wounded!”

“That was one time, and it wasn’t a date!” I rolled my eyes. His goofball ways were exactly what I needed right now. “We were just two friends hanging out, remember?”

Putting together enough loose change to share a milkshake and fries didn’t count. It’d been a shock when Rocky kissed me for the first time. He was a cool jock, and I didn’t get why he was interested in someone like me. The quiet, weird kid who sat alone in the lunchroom.

“They were dates to me,” he said. “Why do you think I kept asking you to hang out?”

“Evergreen had shit food,” I replied, “and you were always hungry.”

“Ouch, dude!” West threw his head back and roared with laughter. “You had no game.”

“If those didn’t count, then let us make up for it tonight,” Rocky said, his eyes glittering mischievously. “How many girls would kill to be waited on by the three Sevens?”

“Too many,” I replied grudgingly. All the dancers were practically panting at the sight of them when we arrived back. “But if they knew the truth about you all, they’d run.”

West raised his glass. “Touché.”

“Although, I must warn you,” I said, making them all stare - even Zander stopped dishing up to hang on my every word, “the only other dates I’ve been on ended in someone dying or being blackmailed.”

Zander grinned. “We’ll take our chances.”

He carried over a stacked plate of waffles topped with fresh berries, brownie pieces, and vanilla ice cream, all drizzled in chocolate sauce. The most delicious things on one plate. Why had Vixen convinced me to change out of pajamas if she knew what I’d be eating? My denim hot pants wouldn’t give me the stretch I needed!

“If you keep cooking like this, you’re pretty safe,” I said. “For now.”

“Fuck...” Rocky sighed, taking his first bite. “This is good shit, Zander.”

Zander ignored him, waiting for my reaction. West had already cleared one waffle in thirty seconds flat and was going in for another.

Holy fucking shit.

I resisted the urge to moan.It tasted even better than it looked.

Zander grinned, looking at me expectantly. “Well?”

I shrugged noncommittally. “It’ll do.”

“That means I’ll have to do better next time,” he promised.

“Who says there will be a next time?” I asked.

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