King "Niko," I groan, hearing Zuri cry through the baby monitor on the dresser. It's only been a few hours since we passed out, but that's what happens when you spend all night fucking. "I got it," Alyssa mumbles against my chest, her voice slurred with sleep. But her body says otherwise. She's
Nikolai When I slip back into King's room, Alyssa's still naked and asleep, bundled up in the covers. I hate to wake her up when she hasn't had enough to sleep, but Gray's demanding we be there in an hour. "Sweet girl, wake up," I whisper, leaning down to kiss her shoulder as I gently pull the c
As soon as we enter, King's gaze snaps to mine, and the tension hits like a sucker punch. Most people wouldn't catch it, but I know him well enough to tell that he's fucking pissed. The scar over his eye tightens and pulses, twitching with every second we've been gone too long. Oops. I definitely
Alyssa I can't believe we're going to the clubhouse. The Crimson Reapers' clubhouse. The one place I've been forbidden to go my entire life, both by my father and Gray. The closer we get, the more tension builds in my chest, like a pair of headphones you can't untangle. "I can practically h
"And she agreed to this?" Mason asks, his voice even. "Hey, who do you think I am? King?" Niko asks, sounding half-offended/half-playful. "Plus, it isn't just about sex with her. We're together now." Together. It sounds so strange hearing it out loud for the first time. I steal a glance at Ma
Alyssa When we step inside the clubhouse, I'm hit with a wave of testosterone and tension so thick, I almost choke on it. Two massive men stand at the door, their muscles bulging like they either live at the gym or spend their days breaking bones. Thankfully, they barely acknowledge me as we walk
Alyssa Inside the elevator, the déjà vu feeling creeps back in. I look around, trying to figure out where I've seen something like this before. Isaac's law firm? No. "Alyssa," Gray's voice snaps me out of it, and when I turn to look at him, for a split-second, I swear I see him as a kid, stand
Gray exhales loudly, like this is as much torture for him as it is for me, though I highly fucking doubt that. "And he only touched your...butt?" I nod, my throat tightening. "And when did you actually lose it?" he asks, his tone carefully measured. "About a week later. I asked him if there w
Even on the worst nights, when we crawled home from the clubhouse at dawn, I always stopped at her crib. Kissed her forehead. Whispered that we loved her. That ritual grounded me. Not doing it last night? Waking up in the morning knowing she'd wake up without us? It fucking destroyed me.We're w
NikolaiYeah. Letting Alyssa call Nina was a mistake.She's pacing the room like her skin's too tight, her lip trapped between her teeth, the burner phone pressed to her ear with shaking fingers. "Hey, Nina. Umm...how is she doing?"I glance at King. Then Mason. Then War.We're all bracing for it—w
Niko's hand smooths down my hair, his chest vibrating with soft, amused laughter. "It's okay, sweet girl," he murmurs, warm and teasing. "Me and Mace weren't complaining. And King—well, he was in a goddamn coma after that drive, so he didn't hear a thing."I hear the faintest smirk in King's voice w
AlyssaDespite the way Mason fucked me last night—slow, passionate, like he was trying to pull the sadness out of me one thrust at a time—I still wake up feeling like shit. Numb. Hollow. And aching in all the wrong places.Because no matter what I do, I can't stop the reminder that I won't get to
I thrust into her in one deep, hungry stroke, groaning as her pussy tightens around me like it's welcoming me back home.Fuck. I've missed her like this.I brace one hand against the wall, the other gripping her hip as I fuck her hard, driving the grief and exhaustion out of her with every thrust o
MasonAfter nine hours on the road, King is knocked out cold. Niko lies beside him, flipping through the TV channels with that blank look he gets when he's thinking too much. I'm at the window, AR-15 within reach, peeking through the blinds at the empty parking lot below.Alyssa's been in the showe
The guys had a little time with Zuri before she began fighting to keep her eyes open. I saw it on their faces—how hard it was to kiss her goodnight and walk away. But we all agreed. Leaving her here was the safest choice. Even if it feels like tearing out a piece of our hearts and leaving it behin
AlyssaLeaving Zuri behind is the hardest thing I've ever done. Harder than running from Isaac.Harder than learning I killed a man at seven because my father sold children for a living. Harder than choosing to die if it meant protecting the people I love. Because this...this feels like abandonme
He wants her to suffer first. "And you think any of us could live with that?" I spit. No one tries to step in and soften the blow. Because they know she needed to hear it. She swallows hard. Her voice cracks, but she catches it. "I just... I hate this. People could die because of me. I'm putting