Page 49 of Reaper & the Lioness
Linc grinned, slipping on a baseball cap, as Rhetta and I approached. “The infamous Eva,” he said, reaching his palm out for a handshake. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“From what I understand, a lot of what you know wasn’t easily found. I’m impressed. It sounds like there might even be a few things I could learn about myself. Maybe you can show me my file, and we can swap notes.”
Linc let out a surprised laugh. “Oh, so Reaper told you? It’s all part of working for the Mavericks. We had to make sure you wouldn’t run to the police the first time you learned about our nefarious enterprises.”
I smirked. “The only nefarious thing I’ve seen is your brother measuring ingredients on a scale like a culinary psychopath.”
“Says the woman who thinks a ‘balanced meal’ means a slice of cold, leftover pizza in each hand,” Reaper snarked.
I found myself caught up in a whirlwind of laughter and banter as the evening unfolded. Reaper stood at the grill, wielding his tongs with the same relentless focus he brought to everything—eyes narrowed, jaw set, and flipping steaks with precision. Who knew watching a man obsess over perfect grill lines could be so damn sexy?
A slow warmth spread through my chest as I watched the group. Thane and Rhetta moved around each other with the kind of practiced ease that only came from years of shared secrets. Linc never let a moment go by without stirring the pot as he recounted stories from their childhood. And Reaper served as an axis, the center of the friendship and chaos. A steady anchor.
This gathering differed from any I’d attended before in my old life. No one here cared about small talk or keeping up appearances. No forced pleasantries or pointless chit-chat. Noawkward silences. Only an easy rhythm of people who knew each other’s scars and still chose to show up. I didn’t have to measure my words or keep my guard up. I could just be me. For the first time in a long while, I wasn’t bracing for judgment or waiting for the other shoe to drop. Instead, I found comfort sitting at the rough log picnic table surrounded by tall pines.
“Roman, can you pass me the ketchup?” I asked. His given name slipped out before I could stop it.
The conversation at the table screeched to a halt. Everyone’s eyes moved to me. Rhetta's jaw dropped, and Linc’s eyes widened with surprise.
A low chuckle rumbled in Reaper’s chest as he slid the ketchup across the table. He looked way too pleased with himself, like a fox who’d just found the henhouse wide open.
Oops. I’d grown so comfortable I’d forgotten the weight his real name carried.
“Roman?” Linc asked, glancing between his brother and me, his eyebrows disappearing under his hat. “Only Mom calls you that.”
Heat crept up my neck, but before I could stammer out an explanation, Rhetta’s face split into a delighted grin.
“You guys are hooking up, aren’t you? I thought I was imagining the chemistry, because I was sure you would have told me by now.”
Reaper’s hand found my thigh under the table. He squeezed it as he smirked at me. “I win.”
I rolled my eyes. The thought of his “prize” sent my heart racing. A warm flush of anticipation moved through my body.
“You won what?” Thane asked, leveling a knowing look at Reaper.
“A bet,” I clarified. “We bet on who would notice first. Linc, I’m disappointed in you. I thought you’d be the first to call it.”
Linc pressed the palms of his hands on the table and leaned back. “I called it days ago.”
“So I won?” I asked, glancing between Reaper and Linc.
“Technically, no,” Reaper said, giving me a dirty grin. “Linc made his comment before anything happened. So, I still win. I collect my prize tonight. Hope you’re ready.”
I bit my lip, my belly tightening. The table stayed silent for a beat before Rhetta spoke up.
“I’m going to assume this prize isn’t something we should discuss at the dinner table?”
I nodded, glaring at Reaper in silent communication to keep his damn mouth shut.
“That’s fine, sugar. You can text me about it later,” Rhetta said with a laugh.
After we’d had our fill of steak and potato salad, we moved to the benches around a bonfire as dusk melted into the night. Reaper settled beside me with his thigh pressing warmly against mine. Without a word, he snaked his arm around my waist, pulling me tight to his side. The heat of his body seeped into mine.
The flames crackled and danced, casting wild shadows over the faces of our friends as they told stories. The air turned crisp, nipping at my cheeks and raising goose bumps along my arms. Reaper noticed instantly. He stood, striding into his cabin and returning with a heavy wool blanket. He draped it over my shoulders with a tenderness that made my heart stutter and tucked it snugly around me.
He leaned in, his lips grazing my temple. The simple, gentle gesture sent a jolt through my entire core. I couldn’t help the slight, involuntary hum of happiness that escaped me—a soft sound I hoped only he could hear.
The conversation paused again, and I felt every pair of eyes around the fire zero in on us. I glanced up to see Thane andLinc staring, mouths slightly open and beers forgotten. Rhetta’s smug grin stretched across her face as if she watched her master plan finally come together. Reaper just smirked, his fingers drumming on my hip. I fought the urge to squirm from the thrill of being claimed so openly.
