Page 16 of Reaper Razed

Everyone bursts out laughing at that, and I just shake my head because why the fuck would I think that?

“What help do you need to get this up and running? I’m kinda seeing the benefit to this, especially with how things have been going recently… well, since you arrived!” Ares seems genuinely on board with this American Horror Story basement.

“My brothers, if they’re not busy!”

Ares looks at Cade, then back to me, then at Ray, and grins.

“You can have your brothers for a week if you pack up now. You’ve been here all day. You need to take it steadier, okay?”

“Deal,” she says, slapping her hand out to shake his!

I throw my arms up in the air and stride out of the place, up the incredibly well-made and strong sturdy steps my wife has erected, with a dislocated shoulder and broken fingers, all in her fucking underwear.

As I come out of the barn, Hades is sitting waiting. “Come on, let's get some food ready!”

As we head back down to the apartment, he trots alongside me, still wearing that fucking dickie bow. I mean, seriously? I reach down to unclip it, and he growls. I back off, and he stops. Reaching for it again, he growls harder this time.

“You look like a dickhead; you know that, right?” He just barks at me. I’m not sure if he knows or if that’s just a fuck off from him. What the fuck happened, and how did this become my life?

Ray

After arriving back at the apartment and showering, Steel has dinner ready for us all. Viking, Carmen, Tali, Skye, me, Steel and Cade.

“I wanna talk to you all. I know I’ve been a little bit…”

“Bitchy.”

“Vile.”

“Cuntish.”

“Desquiciada.” Unhinged.

“Challenging.”

“Distant?”

“Thank you, Skye. I was going to say distant since I got back from the job, but being under house arrest hasn’t been very fun for me, so I appreciate you tolerating my… moods.”

They all share looks but nod as if they don’t want to comment further.

“Carmen, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been looking into the situation at yours. I’ve checked all the footage from before Tali got taken, and while you’ve been away, Dice has helped me go through everything. I believe we’ve found two guys who I’m pretty convinced are responsible for everything with Tali, and I’ve got all the information together.” I slide a folder across the table to Carmen. “Let me know how you want to… proceed with everything. I’ve still got Dice monitoring the situation, so we can be ready to move when you are. If you need us.”

“When the fuck have you had time to do anything like this?” Steel arches a brow at me.

“You had me under house arrest for two weeks, two long fucking weeks. What did you think I was doing, sitting watching TV all day?”

“Kinda, yeah.”

“Seriously?” I shake my head. “Husband, you have so much to learn.”

Everyone sniggers, and we carry on chatting as we eat. Tali tells us about the movie they went to see. And it feels… normal. I sit and smile and thank Hades himself for how lucky I feel right now to be surrounded by people I love.

After dinner, Carmen takes me to one side. “Thank you, Hermana loca!” Crazy sister! She grins and hugs me. “I need to go back and deal with this myself, they need to know I’m still in charge, and I’ve not gone soft.”

“I totally understand. You know I’m only a call away, yeah?”

“I do, Ray, thank you.”

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