Page 4 of Reaper

Her steps faltered, but she recovered quickly, turning to face him with a teasing smile.“What can I say? I’m a mystery.”

Reaper’s lips twitched, almost a smile, but not quite.“That you are.”

Silence settled between them, heavy but not uncomfortable. Savannah leaned against the wall, watching him work. There was something grounding about the way he moved, deliberate and steady, like he had all the time in the world.

When she’d arrived in Steelhaven six months ago, she’d had nothing. No plan, no allies, just a battered bike and the hope that Iron Sentinels’ territory would mean safety.

Back then, she’d been wary of everyone, but especially Reaper. He had the kind of presence that screamed danger—all hard edges and rough lines. He looked like he’d seen more fights than he’d walked away from. But then, her ride had broken down.

She’d shown up at the garage with barely enough money to cover the parts but Reaper hadn’t brushed her off. He’d looked at her, really looked at her, and said, “Pay me in installments.” No judgment, no questions.

That was when she’d realized there was more to him than the leather cut and gruff demeanor. Beneath it all, he could be unexpectedly thoughtful.

“Hey,” he said, breaking her train of thought.“You listening?”

Savannah blinked, realizing he’d been talking.“Sorry, what?”

Reaper shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.“I said, your engine’s shot. Again. You’re lucky I’ve got a spare.”

She pushed off the wall, walking over to stand beside him.“Lucky, huh? You sure that’s all it is?”

Reaper gave her a sidelong glance.“What’re you getting at?”

“I don’t know,” she said, leaning just a little closer.“Maybe you like helping me out. Makes you feel all heroic or something.”

He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that made her stomach do a little flip. “Trust me, sweetheart, I’m no hero.”

Savannah tilted her head, studying him.

“You say that, but you’ve been pretty good to me since I got here. Letting me pay in installments, fixing my ride every other week…”

“Because I know you’re not here by accident,” he interrupted, his tone soft but firm. “Whatever it is you’re running from, you’re safe in Steelhaven. You don’t have to keep playing games with me.”

Her breath caught, and for a moment she didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t wrong—she’d come to Steelhaven because she’d needed safety, a place to regroup. But trusting someone with the whole truth? That was a risk she wasn’t sure she could take.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, forcing a breezy smile.

Reaper sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly.“Suit yourself. But if you ever want to talk, youknow where to find me.”

The sincerity in his voice threw her off guard. Most people either demanded answers or left her alone entirely. But Reaper just offered, without pushing. It was tempting, dangerously so.

“I’ll think about it,” she said, her tone softer than she’d intended.

He nodded, turning back to the bike.“Good.”

Savannah watched him work, her mind racing. She didn’t trust easily. She couldn’t afford to—but there was something about Reaper that made her want to let her guard down.

Maybe it was the way he didn’t pry too much, or the way he always seemed to know when to back off. Or maybe it was the way he looked at her, like he saw her, not just the walls she’d built around herself.

“You know,” she said after a moment,“you’re not as scary as you look.”

Reaper glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. “You think I’m scary?”

“A little,” she admitted, grinning. “But not in a bad way. More like … intimidating.”

He huffed a quiet laugh.“Good. Means I’m doing my job.”

Savannah shook her head, her smile softening.“And here I thought you were just a big teddy bear under all that leather.”

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