Page 6 of Reaper

“I’m glad you’re safe. That’s all that matters,” she said.

“It’s not nothing,” Samantha insisted. “Not everyone would stick their neck out for a stranger like that. You didn’t even hesitate.”

Savannah’s lips curved into a small smile, the kind she reserved for moments like this.

“We’re not strangers, Samantha. We’re friends now, aren’t we?”

There was a soft laugh on the other end of the line, and Savannah could almost see Samantha’s relieved smile.

“Yeah, I guess we are. But still, if you ever need anything—anything at all—you can count on me. I mean it,” Samantha said.

“Thanks, Samantha,” Savannah said warmly.“But right now, you just focus on getting you and Caleb settled, okay?”

“Okay,” Samantha agreed.“Take care, Savannah.”

“You too.”

The call ended, and Savannah set her phone down, staring at it for a long moment. She couldn’t help but reflect on how much things had changed since she’d rolled into Steelhaven. When she’d first arrived, her plan had been simple: avoid drawing attention, and move on once she’d saved enough money.

Connections? Those were out of the question. Connections meant vulnerability, and vulnerability was dangerous. But somehow, despite herself, she’d started building them anyway. First, there was Reaper, who’d made her feel safer than she had in years. And now there was Samantha, an unexpected friend.

She hadn’t intended to get involved in Samantha’s mess. But when the woman had confided in her about the rival MC sniffing around and her ex-boyfriend’s mounting debt, Savannah couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

The night Samantha called her for help, Savannah had barely thought before jumping on her bike and riding to the next town over. It had been risky—more than she cared to admit—but she’d gotten there just in time. The rival MC had been circling Samantha’s place like vultures.

Savannah had managed to spirit Samantha and her young son, Caleb, away before the situation turned ugly. Her bike had taken a beating during their escape, but she’d considered it a small price to pay. Now, Samantha and Caleb were safe. They had a roof over their heads and a chance to start fresh. That knowledge brought Savannah a measure of comfort she hadn’t expected.

She retrieved her pizza from the microwave and took a bite, the lukewarm cheese doing little to distract from her thoughts.

Wasn’t she supposed to be laying low? That had been the plan, after all. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t turn her back on people who needed her.

Savannah glanced around her apartment, taking in the mismatched furniture and the peeling wallpaper. It wasn’t much, but it was hers for now. It was a far cry from the life she used to know, the one she’d left behind. But then, wasn’t that the point? To leave it all behind and start over?

Savannah finished her pizza and set the plate in the sink, exhaustion catching up with her again. She’d deal with her swirling thoughts later. For now, she needed sleep.

As she crawled into bed, her mind drifted to Samantha’s words: If you ever need anything, you can count on me. For someone who’d spent her life running, those words meant more than she could say.

****

Savannah was on the brink of sleep, when the doorbell rang. She snapped her eyes open, her heart jolting into overdrive. She sat up in bed, wide awake, the sound reverberating through her small apartment like a warning bell. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to move.

Without thinking, Savannah reached for the drawer in her nightstand, pulling out the small handgun she kept there. She wrapped her fingers around the cool metal, its familiar weight steadying her.

She cursed under her breath as she slid out of bed, her bare feet making no sound on the worn floorboards. She knew she was being paranoid—too paranoid, maybe—but she couldn’t shake the thought. What if he had somehow found her?

Steelhaven wasn’t supposed to be on anyone’s radar. She’d chosen this place specifically because it was off the beaten path, under the Iron Sentinels’ protection.

But still, the fear whispered,what if?

Savannah crept to the door, her pulse hammering in her ears. The gun stayed firmly in her grasp as she peeked through the peephole, holding her breath. Her heart was still racing, but when she saw who was standing there, the tension drained from her body like air from a punctured tire.

Reaper.

Expelling a heavy sigh of relief, she leaned her forehead against the door for a moment before unlocking it. She opened it just enough to see him clearly, his broad frame nearly filling the doorway.

“Hey,” he said. Reaper shifted slightly, holding something out to her.“Sorry for stopping by so late, but you left this at the garage yesterday.”

Her eyes dropped to what he held: her old leather bracelet, the one her mom had given her when she was a teenager. It was frayed and worn, but it was one of the few personal items she still had from her old life. Her chest tightened.

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