Page 72 of Reaper & the Lioness
With a groan, he positioned himself between my thighs. And then, in one swift motion, he drove into me. We both gasped at the sensation.
As we moved, the world and every bit of the terrifying past month faded away. With every thrust, every touch, every whispered word, we fell deeper into each other.
After we reached our peak together, we stayed there in comfortable silence. The future would bring new challenges and new dangers. But for now, at this moment, wrapped in Reaper’s arms, I was safe, cherished, and at home.
Chapter Thirty
It would be a long day, but I wanted to settle one last piece before hitting the road with Thane and Merrick. For our confrontation with the Rangers to go according to plan, I needed to leave by 4 p.m.
We’d finished lunch when Eva’s phone buzzed in her back pocket. Her smile faltered as she glanced at the screen. I watched her face crumple as she answered. She listened, agreeing with the person on the other line, and then thanked them before hanging up. Her eyes filled with tears as she glanced at me, then at Hawk, sprawled across her feet.
“Hawk’s been adopted,” she choked out. “We have to take him to meet his new family today.”
My heart clenched at the pain in her voice. I’d planned this surprise for days, working with the shelter to make it official. But seeing her like this, I almost regretted not telling her sooner.
The drive to the shelter was quiet. Eva stared out the window, one hand stroking Hawk’s fur as if she could memorizethe feel of him. Every so often, she’d sniff and swipe at her eyes, trying to hide it.
“This is always the hardest part of fostering. You love a dog like your own and then you say goodbye so they can be with the humans they’re meant to be with forever.”
I reached over and squeezed her knee, offering silent reassurance. I didn’t trust myself not to spill the secret if I spoke.
At the shelter, Eva climbed out and clipped Hawk’s leash with shaking hands. I watched as she led him to a grassy area, her shoulders hunched as she tried to hold back tears. Hawk, oblivious to the emotional turmoil, pranced beside her.
She led him to a patch of grass, crouching to rub his ears, whispering something into his fur I couldn’t quite hear. I stood back, giving her a moment, until a shelter worker approached me, a bright yellow folder in hand.
“Here you go,” the shelter worker said, pressing the folder into my palm. “Everything’s in order.”
I nodded my thanks and made my way over to Eva and Hawk.
“Sir?” the worker called, holding a cheerfully bright yellow bandanna. “I forgot we need to put this on him. Our adoption coordinator will be right out to take a family photo of the three of you.”
Eva turned, confusion etched across her face as the worker tied the “I’m Adopted” bandanna around Hawk’s neck. Her gaze darted between me and the shelter worker, brow furrowed.
“What’s going on?”
I smiled, holding up the folder. “Hawk’s officially ours. I adopted him—so he could stay with the humans he’s meant to be with forever.”
Eva’s eyes widened, fresh tears of joy spilling over. A brilliant smile lit her face. Then, she punched me hard in the chest, knocking me off balance.
“You sneaky bastard,” she laughed through her tears. “I can’t believe you did this.”
I wrapped my arms around her before she could punch me again, holding her tight as she pressed her tear-streaked face into my shoulder. Hawk wriggled between us and thumped his tail wildly against our legs, determined to join the hug. When he didn’t immediately get the attention he sought, he nipped at my ankle.
Eva watched me as I loaded ammo into my extra magazines, her eyes following my practiced movements with growing concern. Once I’d holstered my Glock, slipping the spare ammunition into my pockets, I added a small Ruger pistol to my boot. When I pulled out the Kevlar vest, her brow furrowed.
“Where are you going that you need to wear that?” she asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.
I clenched my jaw, caught off guard by the question. How did other Mavericks handle this? The unfamiliar territory of having someone to answer to caused me to hesitate.
“Just some club business.”
Eva’s eyes narrowed. “Club business requires bulletproof body armor?”
I slipped on the vest. “It’s standard procedure when we’re heading out of our territory. It’s a meeting with the Rangers. Things have been … tense lately. The vest is just a precaution, nothing more.”
“Tense enough that you’re expecting gunfire?” she pressed.
I turned and cupped her face in my hands. “I promise, it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve been doing this for years.”
