Page 54 of Razor

“Kids who messed with the wrong crowd and could end up dead. If you think Ryder is gonna let Cassie out of his sight from now on, you don’t know shit.”

“I’m worried about you — all of you.”

Her eyes are spilling tears, and I drop down beside her and wipe them away. My mouth swooping in for one last lingering kiss and only the thump on my door distracts me back to the job at hand.

“I’ll be okay, darlin’. It’s the others you should worry about.”

I reluctantly head to the door, and as I open it, my brother stands there, his expression grim, his resolve set.

I slam the door behind me and my attention is no longer on my girl. It’s on what happens next at Rockwell fucking Academy.

We head to the armory to tool up, and Blade says gruffly, “Word is, it’s some freaking shit show called The Serpent Society. By all accounts, the principal is heavily involved in that, and there’s some kind of sacrifice scheduled for tonight.”

“Sacrifice!” I blow out a breath. “Fuck that weird shit.”

Now I’m worried because if Ryder sees his kid in danger, he’s liable to lose his shit big time, and as I witness the soldiers spilling from the armory, my heart starts pumping retribution.

I can’t help it. I love the battle; I always have. The anticipation, the danger, the uncertainty of what it will bring. My adrenaline is high and my excitement supercharged, and as we tool up, I can’t wait to get going.

Fifty bikes start their engines, and as we ride out, I settle beside my brother in the middle of the pack. It’s an ominous sight for sure, and the journey will be a few hours, despite the fact we ride like fucking racers, whipping up the miles as if we can fly.

* * *

It takes a while,but we come to a stop in the middle of nowhere. Apparently, there is a disused house that this society uses for its activities.

We received instructions, and Blade heads off with Flash to storm the building when we start firing, to grab the hostages and get them the hell out of there.

I doubt Flash will get the chance because by all accounts, Drake has fallen for his daughter and is liable to fight to get toher first. It’s a volatile situation loaded with danger, and for the first time in my history with the Reapers, nerves swirl around us like an unwanted visitor. There is too much to lose if shit goes south, which is why it’s important to follow orders and treat it like a military operation.

We are not the only ones here.

Ryder approaches a group of men in black suits who surround the house, stepping back to allow us through.

“Fucking mafia.” Snake growls, “Cassie is seeing one of their sons. Ryder is going to have a lot to say about that.”

I notice Drake entering the house with Flash and Blade, and as we head to our position, I sense the net closing on the targets within.

I joinSnake and several others as we approach the property from the rear. Our instructions are to head upstairs to the galleried landing, remove the kids to safety and take out the threat below us. Shoot to kill was the instruction. Any fucking robed figure will be fair game. It’s a delicate situation that could turn to shit, so precision is key as we rescue our family.

I hear chanting as we approach, and as expected, there is security in front of us, their guns drawn, the triggers pointing at the heads of the kids.

My rage is palpable as Snake hisses.

“Take it slow and steady.”

He is right to advise caution because one false move and those fuckers could put a bullet in the kid’s brains.

I prime my gun, the silencer effective as I ease toward the target. My mind focused.

Beneath us, a man cries out, “What the fuck is going on? Who the hell are you?”

I understand the mafia will be closing in on the scene below and have obviously arrived, creating the distraction we need. A different voice, low and husky, reaches us from below, referencing the threat to the kids in front of us now.

“First, tell your men to lower their guns and let the kids go.”

“Now why would I do that?”The man says with a sinister edge to his voice.

Snake growls, “Now.”