SWNOVELS Fear The Reapers: Chapter 41
A single loud bang rang out and the group of men surrounding me froze.
“What the fuck was that?” the man holding me asked as a man to his right fell to the floor.
Something was happening in the dark. Something big. Shots rang out as body after body crumpled to the floor. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel the man holding me tremble in fear.
“What the fuck,” he boomed, yelling at his men, “don’t just stand there, do something!”
“I told you they would come.” I hissed, not giving a fuck about the blade against my throat or the men dropping around us like flies. “If you’d like to keep your fucking limbs, I suggest you stop touching me.”
The man’s eyes flashed to mine, and I recognized the fear behind them. In an instant, he dropped the knife and bolted, leaving me alone in the middle of the chaos.
The bloodbath that unfolded around me was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. The smell of blood and violence permeated in the air as my men exacted their revenge with lethal precision. Once the guns stopped firing, the sounds of knuckles against flesh and gut-curdling screams filled the room.
The men Jessie hired didn’t stand a chance against The Reapers, even with there being three times as many of them. I watched, entranced, as my four men made their way towards me, slicing and stabbing and brutalizing anyone that stood in their way. Even as blood splattered over their faces and numerous men tried and failed to disarm them, they never took their attention away from me. It was the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.
Atlas was the first one to reach me. And as his blood-soaked fingers reached for my binds and his knife sliced through the rope, the overwhelming need to cry barrelled through me. They saved me, they actually saved me.
He held me close as the chaos continued to unfold around us, but in that moment it felt like we were the only ones in the room.
Our eyes locked as Atlas unbuttoned his shirt and threw it over my naked body.
“Did they hurt you?” He asked, tilting my chin up to face him.
“No.” I mumbled, shaking my head. “Not yet, anyway.”
He released a heavy sigh as he pulled me in for a tight embrace.
“No one will ever try to hurt you again.” He breathed, kissing my forehead. “Never fucking again.”
“God,” I growled, punching him in the chest. “It took you guys long enough. I didn’t want to die before I…”
“Before you what?” He asked, pulling away from our embrace to search my eyes.
“Before I told you I fucking love you, Atlas Cole. I’ve loved you from the moment we met and I’m really tired of pretending like I don’t.”
“I love you too.” He grinned, pulling me in for a punishing kiss. “I’m madly and stupidly in love with your infuriating, stubborn, and beautiful ass.”
“About fucking time you admitted it.” Cyrus called out, as he, Tristan, and Ezra laughed at his expense.
Atlas picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, ignoring the heckles and taunts. As we made our way through the dozen bodies, I couldn’t help but smile. This was my family and no matter how fucked up and crazy they were, they were mine.
◆◆◆
I wasn’t surprised to find Jessie held up in the hallway’s corner, blubbering like a baby as soon as we exited the room. What I found surprising was that Melanie Diaz was the one holding her there. Atlas glanced at me as he set me down and I nodded, understanding what he needed to do.
“Mel,” Atlas said, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t know what to say-”
“I get it.” Melanie said, cutting him off as her eyes focused on the floor, “When you find the person you’re supposed to be with, you just know.”
“Thank you,” I said, stepping closer, “for bringing them here and helping them save me. You didn’t have to stay and help, but you did.”
“Yeah, well,” she mumbled, fighting a smile, “maybe you aren’t as terrible as I thought.”
“What should we do with her?” Mel asked, nodding her head towards the girl cowering beneath her.
We could take her life. She had almost taken mine, and it seemed the logical choice. But after everything she lost, that punishment would almost be too kind. I wanted her decision to haunt her for the rest of her life. To know, every single day, that The Reapers were mine and she would never ever get her hands on them again.
“We won’t kill her.” I said, looking at Jessie with disdain.
“Are you sure, beautiful?” Atlas asked, pulling me closer to his side. “The crime she committed is unforgivable. No one would judge you for wanting her dead.”
“I’m sure. I want her to rot in jail and think about all she lost. Death would be too easy.”
“I just t… texted my connection at the D.A. office.” Tristan mumbled, sliding his phone to Atlas.
“What is it?” I asked, seeing the surprised expressions written on their faces as the notification dings kept coming.
“Apparently,” Atlas said, narrowing his eyes, “Jessie has a long list of transgressions they’ve been dying to pin on her. They did nothing about it before because she was under our protection, but now that she’s not, she’s fair game. They want her at the station as soon as possible.”
“So what does that mean?” I asked, looking towards the four of them.
“It means,” Ezra murmured, “that she is going away for a long, long time and its time for us to go home.”
“But what about Jessie?” I asked. “And all the bodies?”
“Shit, she’s right.” Atlas cursed. “One of us needs to stay.”
“Not it.” The twins said in unison, making the rest of us laugh.
“You guys get her out of here.” Mel offered with a smile. “I’ll bring Jessie down to the station as soon as my clean-up crew shows up. I texted them earlier. I figured it was going to be messy.”
“Hey Stevie,” Mel hesitated, “when you’re feeling up to it, would you maybe want to grab brunch or something? You know, let bygones be bygones or whatever.”
“I’d really like that, Mel.” I beamed. “I’d really like that a lot.