Page 66 of Reaper & the Lioness
“You bitch,” the senior Abell growled, his eyes wide with fear.
“Oh, shut the fuck up,” I said, my voice cold as I aimed at his head. “You’re just as guilty as your son.”
I pulled the trigger again. Silence followed, broken only by the ringing in my ears and the ragged sound of my breathing.
Justice, in its darkest form, had finally been served.
I’d played judge, jury, and executioner.
And I didn’t feel sorry.
Not even a little.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
My sweet Lioness.
Ruthless. Cold. Beautiful.
A stunning and terrifying goddess of vengeance
I didn’t expect her to take justice into her own hands, but I was damn proud she did.
And by the looks my men gave me, they were just as surprised and impressed.
“That was … unexpected,” I said evenly as she lowered the gun.
Her hands didn’t shake, and the darkness glowing in her eyes held a steely resolve that sent a shiver down my spine.
“I’d be charged as an accessory anyway.” She smirked. “Might as well get the glory.”
Her past had forged her into a fierce survivor with a dark streak, but her response still shocked me. It shouldn’t have. She had good reason for her distrust in law enforcement and lawyers. Throughout her entire life, she’d been failed by the system time and time again. Killing Hale and Benjamin herebefore they had the chance to weasel away was the most logical conclusion to the day’s events.
Matt struggled against the restraints, his eyes white with terror. Eva stared at him uncertainly, her need for retribution warring with their long friendship. It hit me then. She thought she needed to be fiercely independent, always shouldering her burdens alone. But she didn’t have to anymore. I’d be damned if I let her carry this weight by herself.
I touched her shoulder. “Let us handle this one, Lioness. This is not a weight you need to bear alone.”
Merrick stepped forward. “We can take everything from here, VP. Go home. We’ll handle the rest.”
Eva bit her lip in thought, then nodded. “Thank you.”
She glanced at the Mavericks surrounding her—a pack I had no doubt would follow her every order now that they’d watched her reveal her ruthless side.
“I owe you guys. For finding me. For saving me.”
Merrick shook his head, a rare smile softening his hardened, scarred features. “You don’t owe us. You’re a part of our family now. We protect our own.”
“And we could never let anything happen to you,” Archer added with a snicker. “Reaper’s a lot more pleasant now that you’re around. We wouldn’t want to lose that.”
“And, with him off the market, it means more ladies for me,” Hatchet added.
I chuckled, wrapping my arm around Eva and guiding her to my truck. Her body seemed fragile under my arm, like she might shatter if I let go. But she held more strength than anyone I’d ever met. Still, her bruised and battered face stirred something primal in my chest. A dark rage simmered just beneath the surface, one I’d need to let out through my own method of revenge.
I shot Merrick a text, asking him to kill the Abell lackey who had kidnapped Eva but to keep Matt alive overnight. Barely alive would be fine.
Next, I dialed up the club doctor. “Meet us at the clubhouse in twenty,” I said, my tone clipped.
Eva protested. “I’m fine. Really.”
