Page 102 of Haunted

I nod, pulling my helmet on. We need this—the open road, the speed, the freedom that only comes after a Hunt. The ritual is complete, but the energy buzzing under our skin needs somewhere to go.

We tear out of the garage in formation, me leading as always. The city blurs past as we navigate through empty streets toward the coastal highway. At this hour, Ravenwood belongs to us.

The wind cuts through my leathers as we hit theopen road, four brothers united in the aftermath of the Hunt. The familiar exhilaration of speed grounds me and pulls me back from the edge where Mira has left me teetering.

At Eagle Point, we kill the engines and remove our helmets. The city gleams beneath the sky.

“Well, that was fuckin’ intense,” Knox grins, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “Seven full-year claims in one Hunt? That’s a record.”

Vane leans against his bike, a smirk playing on his lips. “Told you Lia was worth the wait. Been watching her for months.”

“Stalking, you mean,” Landon corrects dryly, earning a bark of laughter from Knox.

“Pot, meet kettle,” Vane shoots back. “You’ve been obsessing over that Reynolds girl for weeks. Sadie, right? All those late nights researching her background?”

Landon’s jaw ticks, but he doesn’t deny it. “She’s... complicated.”

“They all are,” I mutter, thinking of Mira’s defiant eyes even as she surrendered completely.

Knox jumps up onto the stone barrier. “Look at us! Xavier and Landon lose their year-claiming virginity at the same time. I’m so proud.” He wipes an imaginary tear.

“Fuck off,” I growl, but there’s no heat in it.

“Seriously, though,” Knox continues. “What changed? You’ve always been Mr. One-and-Done. Now, you’re signing up for twelve months with her?”

Vane snorts. “Because she got under his skin. Look at him—still wound tight as a spring thinking about her.”

“You’re one to talk,” Landon observes. “You claimed Lia because she didn’t fall at your feet like every other woman.”

“Exactly my point. We’re all fucked.”

“Speaking of fucked,” I turn to Knox, unable to resist. “What was with all that gentle artist seduction bullshit? I watched the feeds—you were practically painting her fucking nails.”

Knox’s cocky grin falters. “Hey, that’s?—”

“No, seriously,” Vane jumps in, sensing blood in the water. “Where was the chaos? The mayhem? You tied her to an easel and what, whispered sweet nothings about color theory?”

“She’s an artist,” Knox defends, his cheeks actually reddening. “She needed?—”

“A gentle touch?” Landon finishes deadpan. “From Knox Blackwood? The same Knox who once threw a guy off a roof for looking at him wrong?”

“That was different!”

I cross my arms, enjoying watching my youngest brother squirm for once. “Different how? Because she paints pretty pictures?”

“Because she’s...” Knox runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. “Fuck, I don’t know, okay? She looked at me like she saw something worth saving.”

His proclamation lingers heavily in the air. Vane whistles low.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter. “We’re all completely fucked.”

“I wasn’t gentle!” Knox protests, but his voice lacks conviction. “I was... strategic. Had to break down her perfectionism, make her see beauty in chaos.”

“By caressing her?” Vane asks innocently.

“And feeding her chocolate-covered strawberries,” Landon adds. “Verystrategicallyintimidating.”

Knox flips us all off. “You know what? At least I didn’t pick someone who’s actively trying to destroy our business. What’s your exit strategy when Mira starts digging again?”

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