Page 38 of King's Reckoning
"Ask me tomorrow," she said softly, a phrase she was coming to use often.
His laugh vibrated through her chest. "Tomorrow then."
As they rode through the night, Reed's solid presence against her chest was the only thing that felt real. She'd come looking for answers about her father, about her mother's death. Instead, she'd found something far more complex—a conspiracy spanning generations, multiple MCs protecting pieces of a historical puzzle that powerful interests wanted to control.
And somewhere in the middle of it all was Elena's daughter and King's blood, carrying forward a legacy she was only beginning to understand.
The ride back to their safehouse was quiet, both of them processing what they'd learned. When they finally arrived, the adrenaline that had carriedRowan through the mission began to fade, leaving her hands trembling slightly as she set the wooden box on the table.
"You should rest," Reed said quietly, noticing her exhaustion. "King and the others won't expect a report until morning."
Rowan nodded, suddenly aware of how drained she felt. But as she turned toward the bedroom, she found herself unwilling to be alone with her thoughts.
"Reed," she said softly. "Stay with me tonight?"
The question hung between them, loaded with meaning beyond the simple words. His dark eyes met hers, searching her face.
"You sure that's what you want?"
"I've never been more sure of anything," she said simply.
There was no need for more words. Reed's arms encircled her, drawing her close in an embrace that spoke of protection, desire, and something deeper neither of them had dared name yet. Their kiss began gently but quickly deepened, years of training and discipline giving way to something far more primal and human.
That night, in the quiet darkness of the safehouse, Rowan Matthews finally stopped being Elena's daughter or King's blood. She was simply herself—a woman finding connection in a world that had denied her that for too long. Reed's hands and lips mapped her body with the same intensityhe brought to everything, learning her, cherishing her, breaking down the last walls between them.
And in those quiet hours, with moonlight spilling through half-drawn blinds and the world outside temporarily forgotten, Rowan found something she hadn't known she was searching for—not just answers about her past, but hope for her future.
Whatever dangers tomorrow brought, she would face them with Reed at her side.
Together.
The wooden box sat on the table as Barbara connected it to her monitoring equipment. The artifact they'd recovered from the Devils had different craftsmanship from the others—larger, more ornate, its surface covered in intricate carvings that showed remarkable preservation despite its age. Even King kept his distance, watching with undisguised concern as Barbara's instruments analyzed its composition.
"The material analysis is unlike anything we've seen," Barbara said, adjusting sensors with careful precision. "It's showing elements that shouldn't exist in artifacts of this age. As if it was deliberately preserved somehow."
"They knew what they had," Rowan observed, studying the detailed craftsmanship. "The Devils were protecting this piece, just like we were protecting ours."
She caught King watching her, saw the mix of pride and concern in his eyes. Since her return from the Devils' compound, he'd been more protective, more present. The revelation that their rivals had their own historical artifacts, their own connectionto these discoveries, had shaken him more than he wanted to admit.
"Cole said Mom wasn't the only one protecting this stuff," Rowan said quietly. "That the Devils have been guardians too. For generations."
"He was lying," King said flatly. "Devils lie. It's what they do."
"Do they?" Rowan pulled out Elena's journal, its pages worn smooth from constant handling. "Because Mom's notes mention other families. Other historical connections to these artifacts. She knew, Dad. Knew there were others out there involved in this."
The word slipped out without conscious thought. Dad. She saw King flinch slightly, saw emotion flash across his face before he could hide it.
"Elena knew a lot of things," he said finally. "Saw patterns the rest of us missed. But she never told me about other groups being involved. Never told me why..."
He trailed off, but Rowan heard the unspoken words. Why she chose him. Why she'd run. Why she'd spent decades preparing their daughter for this moment.
"Speaking of Elena," Barbara interrupted gently, her voice filled with excitement. "There's something you both need to see."
She pulled up images on her laptop, a detailed analysis of the artifacts' designs and markings.Even to Rowan's untrained eye, the connections were striking.
"I've been studying the symbols on all the artifacts we've recovered," Barbara explained. "They're not just decorative. They're a form of written language, one that predates known settlement patterns in this region. And look at this..." She highlighted specific elements. "These same symbols appear in both your mother's notes and Flash's journal."
"Mom knew," Rowan breathed, understanding flowing through her. "She had decoded at least part of this language. Understood what these artifacts were documenting."
