Page 98 of Reaper Flame

“We have another pressing situation to deal with,” Zander said. “Giles has shown up at Lapland and is refusing to leave without speaking to his darling wife.”

“I’ll make sure he never leaves,” I muttered under my breath. I’d already killed the Blackbird — what was another body to dispose of?

Zander grabbed my arm, his fingers squeezing tightly. “You will keep your mouth shut and fall into fucking line for once. We can’t afford any more mistakes.”

“What about the body?” West asked, casting a look at the Blackbird’s corpse. “We need to get rid of it.”

“Use the tunnels and take it to the bunker,” Zander said. “We’ll dispose of it later when we decide what to do with it. When it’s gone, get the crew to clean up what’s left behind. They don’t need to know who died here.”

“You want me to put him in my trunk?” West pouted. “I’ve just redone the upholstery!”

“You know the rules,” Zander hissed. “You were sloppy, and you have to deal with the consequences.”

He knew how to sting people where it hurt. West’s cars were like his children and no amount of bleach would remove the lingering smell of death. That car would be heading straight for the graveyard along with the Blackbird.

“What about me?” I asked, putting my hands on my hips. “I am still here, you know!”

“You’re coming with me,” Zander said. “Now get in my car before Giles has the chance to burn another one of our places down.”

“Do you expect me to walk into the club like this?” I gestured down at my bloody clothes. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s not Halloween.”

Zander sighed begrudgingly and pointed to a door at the other end of the room. “Shower first. I have spare clothes in my trunk.”

“Who knew you’d come so prepared?” I teased. “Did you used to be a Boy Scout?”

West chuckled.

“You have five minutes, Candy,” Zander warned through gritted teeth. Jeez, he needed to lighten up a little. “Go.”

“I think you may have met your match, boss,” West murmured as he lifted the Blackbird over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“I preferred it when she was pretending to sleep,” Zander muttered.

I turned back to look at them and grinned. “Didn’t you already know? I’m your worst fucking nightmare.”

* * *

Zander sped through the empty streets of Port Valentine above the speed limit. We passed abandoned buildings, groups of drug addicts huddling in dark corners, and party-goers staggering in heels looking for a good time.

I fought back a shiver. After the hose down from hell in the Golden Gloves showers, my wet hair stuck to my face, but Zander didn’t offer to turn on the car’s heating. He was intent on punishing me as much as possible. His ‘spare clothes’ involved nothing but boxers and a suit jacket, which buttoned just above my nipples. Thankfully, androgynous fashion was all the rage.

“Still pissed at me, huh?” I asked, pulling the blazer tighter around my shaking frame.

“What did you expect?” Zander gripped the wheel tighter, making the ink over his knuckles appear more pronounced against his skin. “An award?”

I crossed my arms in a moody sulk. “You hated that bastard as much as I did.”

“Of course I hated him,” Zander hissed. I held onto my seat as he swerved aggressively to avoid hitting a drunk. Any normal person would freak out, but not Zander. He didn’t flinch. His gray eyes remained fixed on the road ahead as he talked, “But we have to be calculated if we’re playing to win. The Blackbird was our only link to Hiram’s inner circle. Now, it’s gone.”

“We can take Hiram down without the Blackbird’s help,” I insisted, although my voice wavered. My adrenaline had started to wear off, and doubt was creeping in. If I said something enough times, it helped, right? Fake it until you make it wasn’t a popular phrase for no reason. “The Sevens don’t need anyone else to do their dirty work. You said it yourself, we are the only ones we can trust.”

“That depends on whether you can work as part of a team,” Zander said. “You’re not the only one who has something to lose, and it’s up to me to keep everyone alive.”

My own vendetta may have clouded my better judgments, but I didn’t regret killing the Blackbird after finding out the part he played in Q’s death. He deserved to die... but maybe Ishouldhave waited until after Hiram was dead to kill him.

“So, I screwed up tonight. Shit happens!” I said. “I’m only human.”

“You’re a human who seems intent on trying to kill yourself. You’re your own worst enemy.” Zander slammed his foot on the gas, throwing me backwards in my seat. “I’m not going to stand by and let you die on my fucking watch.”

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